Unit 120 Buffalo Creek (Area 120)
Red-wall breaks and sage flats where the basin climbs into the Bighorns southwest of Kaycee
Powder River Basin (southern) / eastern Bighorn foothills · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,453
sq mi
Public land
40%
approx.
Elevation
5,000–8,000
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Area 120 covers the country southwest of Kaycee where the open Powder River Basin rolls up against the eastern flank of the southern Bighorn Mountains. The Middle Fork of the Powder River has carved the dramatic Red Wall, Hole-in-the-Wall and Outlaw Cave canyons through here, so the unit blends classic sage-flat pronghorn range with rugged mule deer breaks and a fringe of timbered foothill elk country. A large BLM block along the Middle Fork gives this unit better public access than most basin numbers, but the valley bottoms are locked-up private ranch.
Terrain
Sagebrush basin and rolling grassland on the east, cut by the Middle Fork Powder River canyon and the sandstone Red Wall, rising west into juniper-and-pine foothills of the Bighorns.
Cover: Wyoming big sagebrush, greasewood and short-grass prairie on the flats; juniper, mountain mahogany and ponderosa/limber pine on the rimrock and higher slopes; cottonwood and willow in the drainages.
Landmarks: Middle Fork Powder River · The Red Wall · Hole-in-the-Wall · Outlaw Cave (BLM) · Buffalo Creek · Bar C Ranch country · eastern flank of the Bighorn Mountains
Access
This is NOT the southern-Wyoming I-80 checkerboard, but public and private are still scattered section-by-section and the productive valley floors are private ranch. The BLM Middle Fork Powder River block (Outlaw Cave area) is the main legal-access anchor; elsewhere expect to need corner-crossing awareness and ranch permission or a Hunter Management/walk-in agreement. Carry an onX/GPS land-status map.
Managers: BLM, private ranch, WY state trust, USFS Bighorn NF (western fringe)
Access points: Outlaw Cave Road / BLM Outlaw Cave Campground (Middle Fork Powder River) · Bar C Road southwest from Kaycee · county/BLM two-tracks off WY-190 and the Mayoworth road · Bighorn NF trailheads on the western edge
Species notes
Pronghorn
abundant qualityThe marquee animal. Powder River Basin pronghorn range at its western edge; strong numbers on the sage flats and benches, with good buck quality when winters are mild. Sheridan-region herds have run below objective but are improving.
- →Glass the open sage benches between the Red Wall and the basin floor at first and last light
- →Hunt the BLM Middle Fork block hard and use it as a base to spot-and-stalk
- →Watch waterholes and stock tanks in early-season heat
- →Post on saddles and coulee rims where bucks funnel between private and public
Mule Deer
common qualityRugged breaks along the Middle Fork and the Red Wall hold good mule deer, and the foothill transition can produce mature bucks. Regional herds are at or near objective with above-average fawn production in recent years.
- →Glass the canyon rims and juniper pockets above the Middle Fork at dawn
- →Still-hunt the mahogany and pine stringers in the foothills during the rut
- →Work the heads of the draws that spill off the Red Wall
- →Hike back from the roads into the roadless BLM canyon country for older bucks
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityElk use the timbered foothills and canyon country on the western side of the unit where it meets the Bighorns, moving between the mountain and the breaks seasonally. Numbers are modest and access to the best cover is the limiting factor.
- →Hunt the timber-and-park edges on the Bighorn NF fringe
- →Watch for elk pushed into the Middle Fork canyons during hunting pressure
- →Be in position at first light on the parks and burns
- →Glass the higher juniper/pine benches from the sage below
Whitetail Deer
limited opportunityWhitetails hold in the Middle Fork and Buffalo Creek bottoms and irrigated ranch edges but are secondary to mule deer and largely on private ground. Note CWD is present in the region.
- →Focus on cottonwood river bottoms and alfalfa edges
- →Hunt travel corridors between bedding brush and feed at dawn/dusk
- →Secure private permission along the creeks
Pro tips
- →The BLM Middle Fork Powder River / Outlaw Cave block is your best legal access — build your hunt around it
- →A land-status GPS is essential here; public and private interfinger constantly
- →Time a wet-weather exit carefully — the gumbo roads strand vehicles
- →Knock on ranch doors early in summer for permission; many valley bottoms are private but landowners do grant access
- →Pack water on early antelope hunts and glass the stock tanks the ranchers maintain
Watch out for
- !Scattered public/private sections (not the I-80 checkerboard, but easy to trespass without a GPS)
- !Corner-crossing situations on isolated BLM/state sections
- !Clay 'gumbo' roads that become impassable when wet
- !Locked private valley bottoms and inholdings around the ranches
- !Early-fall fire danger and possible closures on the BLM and forest
- !CWD present in regional deer
Logistics
Kaycee (I-25 exit) has fuel, a store and lodging; Buffalo to the north and Casper to the south are the full-service hubs. The Outlaw Cave/Middle Fork roads are dirt and turn to gumbo when wet — a high-clearance 4x4 is strongly advised. Cell service is spotty to none once off I-25.
Nearest towns: Kaycee, Buffalo, Casper (services, ~1 hr south)
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 Hunt Forecast (Sheridan region) · BLM Wyoming Public Room: Hunt Maps
FAQ
- How big is Unit 120 in Wyoming?
- Unit 120 (Buffalo Creek (Area 120)) covers about 1,453 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,000 to 8,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 120?
- Approximately 40% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM, private ranch, WY state trust, USFS Bighorn NF (western fringe). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 120?
- Pronghorn, Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Whitetail Deer. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Wyoming agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 120 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.