Quick Tips
- Grizzly encounters are common; pack bear spray
- Nonresident wolf tags are only $31.75
- Consider buying an elk or deer tag
On The Ground
This unit borders Yellowstone and Wyoming and offers moose hunting on a mixture of private and public land in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest.
At one time this unit offered some of the best moose hunting in the Lower 48. As wolves and grizzlies multiplied in the past 15 years, moose numbers dwindled and trophy size also declined.
Terrain
Terrain varies from flat farmland and rolling foothills near St. Anthony to high mountains and deep canyons that border Yellowstone National Park. Less than a quarter of the land is in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, but this is where most bulls are found. Forest Service land is made up of of mountains along the Wyoming line and averages about six miles wide. The rest of the land consists of private foothills and flats except for Teton River Canyon. The western half of the unit is mostly farmland and rolling pastures.
Roughly 492 square miles
26.2% public land
Elevations from 4,900-7,100 feet
Vegetation
Moose bed in stands of aspens and conifer forests and feed on brush or saplings on the edges of woods. Pines, firs and spruces grow together in some areas. Grasses, brush and farm crops such as alfalfa dominate the western half of the unit. Willows and riparian brush grow along creek bottoms.
Access
A network of forest roads provide access to much of the national forest land. Ashton-Flagg, Cave Falls, Conant-Fall River, Coyote Meadows, Jackpine, Pinochle and Rammell Mountain roads reach far into the forest. A road along Juniper Creek in Wyoming can be used to reach the southern part of the forest in Unit 62. Driving on these roads in evenings and mornings can be a productive way to look for bulls. Much of the land can not be accessed except by horseback or foot. Except for strips of BLM land along the Teton River and a few scattered parcels of state land, everything outside the national forest boundaries is private land.
ATVs can not be used off designated routes
Get a travel plan map from the forest service office in Island Park or Ashton
Deep snow often impedes travel in late October and November
Carry a GPS unit with land ownership status to stay on public land in Idaho
Camping and Lodging
Camping is permitted on national forest land. Horseshoe Campground in the north is closed Sept. 1. Warm River Campground, which is nine miles northeast of Ashton in Unit 61, is open through September. Cave Falls Campground is nearby in Wyoming and offers limited services in late season. The closest towns with motels are Ashton, St. Anthony and Tetonia. Lodging in Ashton includes Rankin Motel, The Log Cabin Motel, Eagle Peak Lodge and Anglers Motel. St. Anthony has Three Peaks Lodge and Hamer House Bed & Breakfast. Teton Valley Lodge is situate in Driggs, just south of the unit.
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