Unit 108 South Rawlins (Area 108)
Sagebrush basin pronghorn and sleeper mule deer on the checkerboard south of Rawlins
Red Desert · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
575
sq mi
Public land
59%
approx.
Elevation
6,800–8,400
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Area 108 covers the high desert country immediately south and southwest of Rawlins, straddling the Bridger Pass / Continental Divide crossing between Interstate 80 and the Colorado line. This is classic Red Desert sage-basin habitat: rolling greasewood flats, sage benches and cut-up drainages that hold a strong pronghorn population plus a quiet mule deer sleeper on the ridges. The catch is land status — much of the unit is caught in the Union Pacific land-grant checkerboard, so 'public' and 'private' sections alternate mile by mile.
Terrain
High plains desert broken by low ridges, rims and dry drainages; Miller Hill and the ground around Bridger Pass give the best long-range glassing. Country looks flat from the road but folds enough to hide animals in the draws.
Cover: Wyoming big sagebrush, greasewood and saltbush flats with grassy benches; scattered aspen/mountain-mahogany pockets and mahogany on the higher rims where mule deer hold.
Landmarks: Bridger Pass · Miller Hill · Sage Creek · Continental Divide · Red Rim-Daley WHMA (adjacent winter range) · Interstate 80
Access
Roughly 55-60% public but heavily fragmented by the Union Pacific land-grant checkerboard south of I-80 — odd/even sections alternate public and private, so reaching many BLM/state sections legally means a corner-cross or landowner permission. Confirm section lines with onX/GOHUNT before committing. The Red Rim-Daley WHMA southwest of Rawlins is crucial pronghorn winter range with its own access rules.
Managers: BLM, WY state trust, private ranch
Access points: I-80 exits at Rawlins · WY-71 / Sage Creek Road south of Rawlins · BLM Bridger Pass Road · county roads off US-287
Species notes
Pronghorn
abundant qualityThe marquee species and the reason most people draw this area. Good buck numbers on the sage flats and benches; success rates are high in typical years, though the 2022-23 winter hit south-Rawlins herds hard and numbers are still rebuilding.
- →Glass from Miller Hill and the Bridger Pass rims at first light, then spot-and-stalk using the draws
- →Water and two-track intersections concentrate animals in early season heat
- →Map the checkerboard first — locate a legal string of public sections before you chase a buck onto private
Mule Deer
common qualityAn underrated mule deer sleeper — mature bucks use the mahogany rims, rough draws and Miller Hill breaks, and B&C-class deer are killed here in good years. Lower density than the antelope but real trophy potential for a patient glasser.
- →Hunt the broken rim country and mahogany pockets rather than the open flats
- →Glass at dawn/dusk when bucks move off bedding ridges
- →Late-season storms push deer down and bunch them
Pro tips
- →Do your checkerboard homework at the kitchen table — the biggest 'skill' here is knowing which section you're standing on
- →Miller Hill is the premier glassing perch; get on it before light
- →Don't overlook the mule deer — a pronghorn tag holder who packs optics and patience can find a rim buck
- →Fill water and fuel in Rawlins; there's nothing once you leave the interstate
- →Watch the weather radar — dry gumbo roads become un-drivable within an hour of rain
Watch out for
- !Union Pacific checkerboard: alternating public/private sections and corner-crossing legality — verify boundaries
- !Private inholdings and leased grazing land not obvious from the ground
- !Gumbo roads impassable when wet; no services off I-80
- !Relentless wind and heat early; post-winter herd numbers still recovering
Logistics
Rawlins is the obvious base — full services, fuel, lodging and I-80 access minutes from the unit. Cell service dies quickly off the interstate; carry a paper/offline map. Roads are passable dirt when dry but gumbo when wet, so a storm can strand a 2WD truck.
Nearest towns: Rawlins, Sinclair, Saratoga, Wamsutter
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Wyoming sources:
Research sources: WGFD Antelope Hunt Planner · GOHUNT Wyoming Unit 108 profile · WGFD Red Rim-Daley WHMA
FAQ
- How big is Unit 108 in Wyoming?
- Unit 108 (South Rawlins (Area 108)) covers about 575 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,800 to 8,400 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 108?
- Approximately 59% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM, WY state trust, private ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 108?
- Pronghorn, Mule Deer. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Wyoming agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 108 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.