Unit 3 Rawhide (Area 3)
Rolling Goshen Hole grassland and Rawhide Creek bottoms holding pronghorn, mule deer and heavy river-bottom whitetails
Southeast Wyoming High Plains · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
5,304
sq mi
Public land
15%
approx.
Elevation
4,000–5,500
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
Area 3 is the Rawhide country of far southeastern Wyoming, a sprawling unit of short-grass plains, dryland farm ground, breaks and creek bottoms across Goshen and the surrounding counties near the Nebraska line. Named for Rawhide Creek and the Rawhide Buttes, it is classic High Plains antelope range with strong mule deer in the breaks and shelterbelts and a genuine trophy whitetail population along the North Platte River and irrigated bottoms. The great majority of the unit is private ranch and farm land, so access, not game, is the limiting factor here.
Terrain
Gently rolling short-grass plains cut by shallow draws, dry creek breaks and the wooded North Platte River corridor, with scattered buttes and rimrock.
Cover: Native shortgrass prairie and sage on the flats, dryland wheat and irrigated crop ground in the valleys, and cottonwood, willow and brushy shelterbelts along creeks and the river.
Landmarks: Rawhide Creek · Rawhide Buttes · Goshen Hole · North Platte River · Table Mountain
Access
This is predominantly private ground; public land is limited and scattered, so success hinges on securing permission or hunting enrolled access. This is not the southern-Wyoming Union Pacific checkerboard, but blocked-in state and BLM parcels are common. Use the WGFD Hunter Management Area and Walk-In program, knock on doors well ahead of the season, and confirm every boundary before you hunt.
Managers: private ranch, WY state trust, BLM
Access points: Enrolled Hunter Management and Walk-In areas · County roads gridding the farm country · US 26 / US 85 corridors · State trust and BLM parcels with legal access
Species notes
Pronghorn
abundant qualityPrime southeastern-Wyoming antelope range with high densities across the grass and crop country; a very high-odds spot-and-stalk hunt where you have access.
- →Glass sage and grass benches from high ground in the cool of the morning
- →Watch alfalfa and stock ponds in dry, hot weather
- →Cover ground by truck to locate bucks, then plan a stalk on foot
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer hold in the creek breaks, draws and brushy shelterbelts and feed on the ag edges; numbers are solid with opportunity-class bucks and the occasional better animal.
- →Glass draw heads and brushy breaks at first and last light
- →Hunt the edges between crop ground and cover
- →Still-hunt shelterbelts and coulees during the day
Whitetail Deer
common qualityThe North Platte bottoms and irrigated creek corridors grow heavy-bodied whitetails with real trophy potential; nearly all of it is on private ground.
- →Secure permission on river-bottom and irrigated ranches
- →Hunt cottonwood edges, cutbanks and crop transitions morning and evening
- →Focus the rut in the river corridor for mature bucks
Pro tips
- →Line up private-land permission or enrolled access months in advance; the game is here but the ground is spoken for
- →For a trophy whitetail, focus the North Platte and irrigated creek corridors during the rut
- →Antelope success is high wherever you can hunt, so prioritize access over scouting for animals
- →Respect standing crops and livestock and close every gate to keep permission for next year
Watch out for
- !Overwhelmingly private land; trespass and unclear boundaries are the main pitfall
- !State and BLM parcels can be landlocked with no legal public access
- !Farm and creek-bottom roads turn slick and impassable when wet
- !Late-summer fire danger and standing-crop sensitivity around harvest
Logistics
Torrington anchors the south end and Lusk the north for fuel, lodging, groceries and processing, with Wheatland to the west. Roads are a dense grid of county and farm roads that are easy in dry weather but turn greasy after rain. Cell coverage is decent near the towns and highways and spotty in the breaks.
Nearest towns: Torrington, Lusk, Wheatland, Lingle
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Wyoming sources:
Research sources: WGFD Deer Hunting - Hunt Planner · WGFD 2024 Deer Hunt Area Maps · GOHUNT Wyoming Unit Profiles
FAQ
- How big is Unit 3 in Wyoming?
- Unit 3 (Rawhide (Area 3)) covers about 5,304 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,000 to 5,500 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 3?
- Approximately 15% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private ranch, WY state trust, BLM. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 3?
- Pronghorn, Mule Deer, 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 3 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.