Quick Tips
- Fishing for pan-size rainbow trout at Lost Valley Reservoir
- Good fishing for panfish, catfish and smallmouth bass in Brownlee Reservoir
On The Ground
Terrain
Vegetation
Access
Camping and Lodging
Historical Temperatures
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The state issues very few goat permits a year for hunting in this unit. It borders Oregon for miles from Brownlee Reservoir to the north.
With good access to goat habitat that is at lower elevations where hunters can get enough oxygen, this unit typically produces high success for mountain goats.Most goats have horns around 8” in length
North and west of Council and north of Cambridge, this unit borders Oregon and the Snake River for many miles. High points include 7,634-foot Rush Peak, 7,407-foot Cliff Mountain, 8,740-foot Casey Mountain, 8,340-foot Emmett Mountain, 8,006-foot Smith Mountain and 8,514-foot White Mountain. Terrain around these peaks are rugged and steep. The north side of Wildhorse Creek also has steep breaks. Most of the rest of the unit varies from flat to moderately steep. The southern and southwestern ends are mostly open foothills.
Most land above 4,500 feet is forested except for steep south and west facing slopes, which are chiefly covered with grass or low brush, as is most land below 4,500 feet. The most common trees are ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, larch, Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir. Riparian plants grow along streams, creeks and rivers, including cottonwoods, willows, birches, hackberry bushes and alders. Many areas are covered with grasses and low brush, such as snowberry, wild rose and bitterbrush. Mountains above 8,000 feet are mostly open and rocky with scattered pines, firs and shrubs.
Most land is in the Payette National Forest, which has a network of roads that reach different canyons and mountains. The northern end is in the Hells Canyon Wilderness and is closed to motor vehicles. The Sheep Rock Area just south of the wilderness is accessible to hunters on foot or motorbike on designated trails.
Four-wheel-drive roads and motorcycle trails cover much of the interior from Brownlee Campground near Brownlee Reservoir, northeast through Cuddy Mountain, north and west of Peck Mountain, and north and west of Lost Valley Reservoir. Many parcels of private land are scattered through the central part of the unit. Most private parcels do not impede access to nearby public land.
Roughly 857 square miles
73.3% public land
Elevations from 2,700-8,700 feet
ATVs are helpful on dirt roads
Four-wheel drive is recommended on dirt roads
Motorcycle trails lead to many areas closed to ATVs
Some hunters camp on dirt roads near peaks and ridges where goats tend to live. Other hunters prefer to backpack in and camp higher in elevation. More than a dozen campgrounds are in the unit or next to it. Lodging is available in McCall, which is about 20 miles east of the unit as well as in Council, Mesa and Cambridge. A nice facility in McCall is The Hunt Lodge, affiliated with Holiday Inns. The Cambridge House Bed & Breakfast is in Cambridge. Elkhorn Bed & Breakfast is in Mesa.