The Panhandle elk zone is located in northern Idaho and shares borders with Montana, Washington, and Canada. Elk densities are low in this area and the country is big and thick. Public access in excellent and hunters will find little trouble in locating areas to hunt. Trophy potentials tend to be smaller in this area with bulls rarely eclipsing the 300” mark. Still, the promise of lower hunting pressure can draw hunters in.
This zone had a good mixture of terrain features with flat, farmlands near fertile river valleys and jagged peaks in the high country. Mountainous areas tend to be very steep and the ground cover can grow in unimaginably thick. At times, hunters may find a difficult time when traveling cross country, particularly across north facing slopes. Some of the highest elevations area near the Montana border and in the Pack River drainage in the center of the unit will see alpine-like conditions. Logging roads and clear cuts can be found throughout the area and will provide most of the access points.
Public access is great in this unit with thousands and thousands of acres of land available. Physically reaching portions of the unit can be difficult due to remoteness but good hunting can be found in close proximity to roads at times. Logging roads criss-cross the unit and hiking trails are abundant in more remote and roadless terrain.