Quick Tips
- Trout fishing in the Boise River and its tributaries
- Carry a GPS and hike around private property
- Use a dirt bike to use trails reserved for motorcycle riders
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer | 150"-170" | 180"+ |
| Elk | 300"-330" | 330"+ |
| Antelope | 60"-65" | 65"+ |
On The Ground
Hunters can take mule deer and elk in the Soldier Mountains in this unit north of Fairfield along with antelope in the flats and foothills near the Sun Valley Highway.
This area offers high quality mule deer and elk to hunters who draw tags. Antelope hunting is good on mostly private land.
Terrain
The northern half of this area is mainly in the Soldier Mountains in the Sawtooth National Forest. The southern half is composed of foothills and flat land. The foothills are a mixture of private, BLM and state land, while the flats are mostly private pastures and farmland. The land is in Blaine, Camas and Elmore counties.
Roughly 553 square miles
51.5% public land
Elevations from 5,000-9,000 feet
Vegetation
Douglas firs, Engelmann and blue spruces, aspens, subalpine firs and pines grow above 6,500 feet on most eastern and northern slopes. Huckleberries, snowberries, white spirea, mallow ninebark, Oregon grape and other shrubs and forbs grow on forest floors. Southern and western slopes are covered with grass and sagebrush with willows and aspens in draws and lots of serviceberry, chokecherry and maple bushes. Willows, birches, alders, grasses and sedges grow in wet areas. Most terrain above 9,000 feet is open with a lot of rock slides in places and grassy basins and slopes with scattered conifers and grassy and brushy draws. Access roads to public land include Soldier Road (Forest Road 93) up Soldier Creek.
Access
Most of the southern half of the unit is private, including most land along the Sun Valley Highway. A lot of farm fields are near Fairfield, Hill City and Corral. Foothills also are largely private. The largest pieces of public land in the foothills are between Sheep Point and Cold Spring Ridge, south of Cannonball Mountain and in the Big Beaver Little Beaver Critical Elk Winter Range, which is east of Willow Creek near the Camas County-Blaine County line. Public roads give access to major drainages such as Soldier Creek. There are a few miles of ATV trails, but most off-road trails are limited to horses or motorcycles. Most of the ATV trails are near Pioneer Campground up Soldier Creek. Hunters must hike one to two miles to reach many of the mountains and draws in the high country.
ATVs are useful on forest roads and a few miles of trail
Four-wheel-drive is recommended
Camping and Lodging
A lot of hunters camp along dirt roads, which is allowed almost anywhere on public land. Several campgrounds are in the unit. Pioneer Campground is 11 miles north of Fairfield on Forest Road 93 along Soldier Creek. Iron Mountain RV Park is on Highway 20 in Fairfield. Elk Creek Highland Lodge is in Fairfield. Hayhurst Bed & Breakfast is in Pine just 1 ½ miles north of Anderson Ranch Reservoir.
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