Unit 37 Goose (Area 37)
The Goose Creek east slope above Sheridan — forest elk up high, whitetails in the storied Story bottoms.
Bighorn Mountains · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
684
sq mi
Public land
55%
approx.
Elevation
3,900–9,500
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Hunt Area 37, Goose, covers the east face of the Bighorn Mountains that drains toward Sheridan through the Big and Little Goose Creek country, running from the Bighorn National Forest crest down to the ranch-and-hayfield foothills around Big Horn and Story. It is bordered roughly by US 14 on the north and Interstate 90 on the east. The high country is contiguous national forest — timbered ridges, grassy parks and canyon heads holding elk and mule deer — while the lower benches are large private ranches and creek bottoms famous for whitetail deer (the village of Story is locally known for being overrun with them). Elk are the marquee draw and the number is one of the easier Bighorn elk tags to draw.
Terrain
A steep east-slope gradient from the ~4,000 ft foothill ranchland at Big Horn and Story up through forested canyons and long ridges to the ~9,500 ft Bighorn crest. Big Goose and Little Goose Creeks cut deep drainages down off the mountain.
Cover: Cottonwood and willow creek bottoms and irrigated hay meadows down low, mountain shrub, aspen and Douglas-fir on the mid-slopes, lodgepole pine and spruce-fir with grassy parks in the high forest.
Landmarks: Big Goose Creek · Little Goose Creek · Story · Big Horn · Little Goose Canyon · Park Reservoir · Bighorn National Forest crest
Access
No Union Pacific checkerboard reaches the northern Bighorns — that access problem is a southern-Wyoming issue. The real hurdle here is the lower foothills: large deeded ranches and interlocked creek bottoms sit between the towns and the forest boundary, so much of the whitetail and antelope range is private. The high country is solid contiguous national forest reached by graded and two-track forest roads. Line up permission for private bottoms; WGFD walk-in/HMA agreements open some deeded ground.
Managers: USFS Bighorn NF (Tongue Ranger District), private ranch, WY state trust, BLM
Access points: Bighorn NF roads off US 14 toward Burgess Junction · Red Grade Road (FR 26) out of Big Horn · Little Goose Canyon access · Park Reservoir road · Story / Big Horn foothill county roads
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityPart of the North Bighorn elk herd; the forest holds good numbers of elk in the timber and high parks and this is one of the more accessible Bighorn elk tags to draw. Bulls shuttle between forest cover and private ranch feed.
- →Bugle-locate bulls at first light in the high lodgepole and spruce, then still-hunt in
- →Work timber-edge parks and canyon heads morning and evening
- →Hunt hard away from forest roads — elk push into roadless pockets under pressure
- →Watch for elk wintering down onto private as snow builds
Whitetail Deer
common qualityThe Goose Creek and lower foothill bottoms hold a strong whitetail population — Story and Big Horn are locally known for dense deer. Most of this range is private ranch and riparian.
- →Glass creek-bottom hayfields and brush edges at dawn and dusk
- →Hunt the November rut where you have private permission or walk-in access
- →Focus on cottonwood corridors linking ag fields to cover
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer occupy the higher, more open forest ridges and mountain-shrub benches of the Southwest Bighorns herd, generally on the public high country above the whitetail bottoms.
- →Glass open sage-and-shrub benches and burn edges on the upper slopes
- →Separate from whitetails by hunting higher, more open ground
- →Be certain of species ID in the overlap zone
Pronghorn
limited opportunityPronghorn range the open foothill flats and plains east of the mountain, largely on private ranch ground.
- →Glass the open lower benches and plains margins
- →Secure private-land permission or walk-in access early
Cougar
common opportunityMountain lions track the deer through the canyons and timber; a pursuit-season resource more than a walk-up hunt.
- →Cut fresh tracks after snow on forest roads and canyon rims
- →Hunt rugged timber and rimrock holding deer
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bears use the forested drainages and berry-and-oak brush of the mid-slopes; no grizzlies in the Bighorns.
- →Glass green avalanche chutes, meadow edges and berry patches in early fall
- →Focus on the timbered canyon country
Pro tips
- →One of the easier Bighorn elk tags to draw — a good self-guided option with no grizzlies to worry about
- →Elk are on public forest; whitetails are mostly on private bottoms — plan two different access strategies
- →Story and the Goose Creek bottoms are prime whitetail ground if you can secure permission
- →Red Grade Road and the US 14 forest roads are the main high-country arteries — carry recovery gear for mud
- →Early snow improves glassing and tracking but can close the top of the mountain
Watch out for
- !Large private ranches interlock the foothills between town and the forest boundary — verify ownership before hunting the bottoms
- !Forest and two-track roads turn slick and rutted when wet or snowy
- !Whitetail vs. mule deer ID in the overlap zone
- !Early high-country storms can strand vehicles near the crest
- !Late-season access limited once snow closes upper roads
Logistics
Sheridan (I-90) is the hub with full fuel, lodging, groceries and a hospital; Big Horn and Story sit right at the mountain's foot. Forest roads off US 14 and Red Grade Road give the primary high-country access and can be rough or muddy when wet.
Nearest towns: Sheridan, Big Horn, Story, Buffalo, Dayton
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 Elk Unit 37 (Goose) · Cowboy State Daily — Sheridan County deer, antelope, elk 2023
FAQ
- How big is Unit 37 in Wyoming?
- Unit 37 (Goose (Area 37)) covers about 684 square miles, ranging from roughly 3,900 to 9,500 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 37?
- Approximately 55% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Bighorn NF (Tongue Ranger District), private ranch, WY state trust, BLM. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 37?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Cougar, Black Bear. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Wyoming agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 37 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.