Unit 118 Shamrock Hills (Area 118)
Big, open BLM sage basin north of Rawlins — trophy-genetic pronghorn, a pocket desert-elk herd, and true room to roam.
Red Desert · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,095
sq mi
Public land
71%
approx.
Elevation
6,400–7,400
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
Hunt Area 118 sprawls across the Shamrock Hills and surrounding Red Desert country of south-central Wyoming, straddling Sweetwater and Carbon counties north of Interstate 80 and Rawlins. This is classic high-desert sage-and-greasewood basin — flat to gently rolling, treeless, with dry lakebeds and natural drainage depressions that hold no outlet. It is overwhelmingly public BLM land, giving hunters genuine room to spread out, and it sits within the Red Desert region famous for producing some of the best-genetic pronghorn bucks in the country. A small but healthy desert elk herd also uses the unit.
Terrain
Expansive high-desert basin of flat to gently rolling sage flats and low hills, broken by the Shamrock Hills, dry lakebeds and shallow drainage depressions. Long sightlines and few natural barriers.
Cover: Sagebrush-grassland dominates, with greasewood in the alkaline basin bottoms and saltbush flats; essentially treeless.
Landmarks: Shamrock Hills · Red Desert basin · dry lakebeds / playas · Chain Lakes Flat vicinity · Interstate 80 corridor to the south
Access
About 71% public (mostly BLM, plus state sections). This is southern-Wyoming Union Pacific land-grant country, so expect a checkerboard of alternating public/private sections in places — the legal status of corner-crossing between public sections is contested, so plan routes that stay on contiguous public ground or on established public access. Broad two-track BLM road network makes most of the unit reachable.
Managers: BLM, WY state trust, private ranch
Access points: I-80 exits at Wamsutter and Rawlins to BLM two-tracks · US-287 / WY-789 north of Rawlins · Bureau of Land Management Rawlins/Rock Springs field-office road network
Species notes
Pronghorn
abundant trophyThe marquee draw. The Red Desert holds some of the best pronghorn genetics in the United States, and this open BLM basin lets glassing hunters cover ground and cut mature bucks. High public-land percentage and moderate hunter numbers make for a quality, uncrowded spot-and-stalk hunt.
- →Glass from high points and rolling rises at dawn and dusk to locate bucks at distance
- →Use terrain folds, dry drainages and lakebed rims to close the final stalk
- →Sit or ambush near reliable water and fence crossings in warm early seasons
- →Cover country by vehicle between glassing points, then stalk on foot
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited qualityA small but healthy desert elk herd uses the unit — an unusual, low-density opportunity in treeless sage country. Elk here rely on subtle terrain, water and remote sage pockets rather than timber, so they can be hard to pattern but lightly hunted.
- →Glass sage basins and low hills at first and last light
- →Key on the few water sources and greener drainage bottoms
- →Be prepared to cover long distances — desert elk shift widely
Mule Deer
common qualityPart of the greater Red Desert mule deer range, known for long-distance seasonal migrations. Bucks use sage draws, greasewood bottoms and the broken Shamrock Hills; densities are lower than the pronghorn but a mature desert buck is a real possibility.
- →Glass broken country and draw heads where deer bed out of the wind
- →Hunt sage-and-greasewood bottoms early and late
- →Focus effort on the roughest terrain the unit offers
Pro tips
- →This is a glassing game — high-quality optics on a tripod are worth more than boot miles in open country.
- →Red Desert genetics mean a patient hunter can hold out for a heavy, tall buck rather than the first legal goat.
- →Map contiguous public sections before you hunt; the Union Pacific checkerboard makes corner-crossing legally risky.
- →Carry more water than you think you need and full recovery gear — there's no bailout out here.
- →Watch weather windows: wet clay roads can strand a truck for a day or more.
Watch out for
- !Union Pacific checkerboard of alternating public/private sections — corner-crossing between public parcels is legally contested; stay on contiguous public ground
- !Alkali/clay two-tracks turn to impassable gumbo when wet
- !No water, shade, or services once off the highway — full self-sufficiency required
- !Active oil-and-gas field traffic and infrastructure across parts of the basin
- !Constant wind and rapid weather changes
Logistics
Rawlins is the nearest full-service town (lodging, groceries, fuel, gas-field services) with Wamsutter a small stop on I-80; Rock Springs is the larger regional hub. Fly into Rock Springs or drive from Casper/Cheyenne. There is no developed camping in the unit — plan for dispersed BLM camping, and haul water. Cell coverage is spotty away from I-80.
Nearest towns: Rawlins, Wamsutter, Rock Springs, Sinclair
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Wyoming sources:
Research sources: WGFD Hunt Planner · WGFD 2025 Antelope Hunt Area Maps · GOHUNT — WY Area 118 Shamrock Hills Unit Profile · HuntScore — WY Hunt Area 118 Shamrock Hills
FAQ
- How big is Unit 118 in Wyoming?
- Unit 118 (Shamrock Hills (Area 118)) covers about 1,095 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,400 to 7,400 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 118?
- Approximately 71% 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 118?
- Pronghorn, Rocky Mountain Elk, 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 118 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.