Unit 127 Crowheart Butte (Area 127)
Crowheart Butte country — upper Wind River valley in the shadow of the Absarokas and Winds, where public access is the hard part.
Wind River Basin · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
3,086
sq mi
Public land
25%
approx.
Elevation
5,400–12,000
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Area 127 covers the upper Wind River valley and its flanking foothills between Crowheart and Dubois, in the northwest corner of the Wind River Basin. A large share of the country the number covers falls inside the Wind River Indian Reservation, which is closed to non-tribal hunters, and much of the balance is deeded ranch along the river. Genuine public opportunity is concentrated in the Shoshone National Forest foothills toward Dubois and scattered BLM badlands. It is beautiful, game-rich country, but a hunter has to solve access before anything else.
Terrain
Broad sagebrush river valley along the Wind River rising abruptly into the Absaroka and Wind River foothills; badland breaks, benches and cottonwood bottoms give way to timbered mountain slopes and high peaks along the western and northern edges.
Cover: Big sagebrush and greasewood flats, grassland benches, willow and cottonwood river bottoms, then aspen, Douglas-fir and lodgepole on the foothill slopes.
Landmarks: Crowheart Butte · Wind River · Absaroka Range front · Wind River Range east slope · Dubois · Shoshone National Forest boundary
Access
Access is the defining challenge. Reservation land is closed to non-tribal hunters and dominates the valley floor; most non-reservation valley ground is deeded ranch requiring permission. The reliable public is Shoshone NF up the foothills toward Dubois plus scattered BLM parcels — verify ownership carefully on a land-status app before setting foot, since private, tribal and public interlock tightly here.
Managers: Wind River Indian Reservation (closed to non-tribal), private ranch, USFS Shoshone NF, BLM, WY state trust
Access points: US-26/287 corridor Dubois to Crowheart · Shoshone NF roads and trailheads west of Dubois · Union Pass area · county roads off the highway (confirm they cross public, not tribal/private)
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityPronghorn use the sagebrush valley floor and benches, but most of that ground is reservation or private — public antelope hunting is limited and permission-driven.
- →Glass the open sage benches on public BLM/state ground early and late
- →Line up private permission or a Hunter Management Area before the hunt
- →Use a mapping app to stay off reservation and deeded parcels
- →Spot-and-stalk using the rolling terrain and cutbanks for cover
Mule Deer
common qualityGood mule deer live in the badland breaks, brushy draws and foothill timber; the mountain fringe toward Dubois holds mature bucks that summer high and drop with weather.
- →Hunt the sage-brush and mahogany breaks between valley and timber
- →Push into Shoshone NF foothills for bucks on public ground
- →Glass at first and last light where cover meets open feed
- →Watch for a weather-driven migration off the high country
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityElk hold in the Absaroka and Wind River foothills and on the reservation; the accessible public elk hunting is in the Shoshone NF timber toward Dubois.
- →Work the timber edges and aspen pockets on National Forest
- →Hunt north-facing dark timber for bedded elk during warm spells
- →Cover country to find animals — herds are scattered and shift with pressure
- →Be honest about the reservation/private lines when elk cross them
Whitetail Deer
limited opportunityA few whitetail hold in the cottonwood and willow river bottoms along the Wind River, mostly on private or tribal ground.
- →Focus on cottonwood bottoms and irrigated edges
- →Secure private-land permission first
- →Hunt morning and evening movement between bedding and feed
Pro tips
- →Sort out access before you draw a tag — a land-status app and permission calls matter more here than glass
- →The reliable public hunting is the Shoshone NF foothills toward Dubois, not the valley floor
- →Never assume open sage is public; reservation and deeded ranch dominate the bottoms
- →Weather in the high country is your friend — a storm concentrates deer and elk on accessible ground
- →Local knowledge from Dubois-area sources beats any generic unit summary here
Watch out for
- !Wind River Indian Reservation is closed to non-tribal hunters — a large part of the valley floor
- !Extensive private ranch requiring permission; public and private interlock tightly
- !Corner-crossing and parcel lines — verify every boundary on a mapping app
- !Gumbo roads after rain or snow; sudden mountain weather
Logistics
Dubois is the closest full-service town with lodging, fuel and gear; Riverton and Lander are the larger supply hubs to the southeast. Camp on Shoshone NF public ground (16-day limit per site). Cell service is spotty off the highway — download offline maps.
Nearest towns: Dubois, Crowheart, Riverton, Lander
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Wyoming sources:
Research sources: WGFD Hunt Planner · GOHUNT Wyoming Unit 127 (Crowheart Butte) profile · Wind River Country hunting / public lands
FAQ
- How big is Unit 127 in Wyoming?
- Unit 127 (Crowheart Butte (Area 127)) covers about 3,086 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,400 to 12,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 127?
- Approximately 25% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Wind River Indian Reservation (closed to non-tribal), private ranch, USFS Shoshone NF, BLM, WY state trust. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 127?
- 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 127 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.