Quick Tips
- Some years hunters are allowed to buy a second deer tag
- A second deer tag can be used to tag a mountain lion
- Keep game meat and food away from black bears
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer | 140"-160" | 160"+ |
| Whitetail Deer | 110"-120" | 130"+ |
| Elk | 270"-310" | 310"+ |
| Antelope | 60"-70" | 70"+ |
On The Ground
Deer, elk and antelope can be found in this area. Birch Creek Valley can also be found in this unit with high mountains on both sides.
Bull elk typically live long enough to grow big racks because the state limits the number of rifle and muzzleloader tags. Mule deer rifle tags are sold over-the-counter, but some bucks get big anyway because there is so much dense escape cover.
Terrain
This unit has steep mountains, gentle foothills and the long Birch Creek Valley, which includes part of the Beaverhead Mountains along the Montana border and much of the eastern side of the Lemhi Range. The unit is in three counties: Butte, Lemhi and Clark.
Roughly 594 square miles
97% public land
Elevations from 6,000-12,000 feet
Vegetation
Sagebrush, forbs and wild bunchgrass cover the low hills and flatlands as well as some ridges and south-facing slopes. Some junipers and aspens grow in certain places. Much of the terrain above 7,500 feet is heavily forested with spruces, firs and pines, especially slopes with northern exposures. High country above about 9,500 feet is mostly open with rocky peaks, rock slides and grassy meadows. Some of the high peaks and ridges are rough and have a lot of exposed rocks with lichens and mosses growing on them.
Access
Most of the high country is roadless, including part of the 300,000-acre Italian Peaks roadless area on the Continental Divide. Most of the mountains are in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, while Birch Creek Valley is mainly land controlled by the BLM with a few scattered state sections and strips of land along parts of Birch Creek with some private parcels. A lot of the area has excellent road access. A corner of Idaho National Engineering Laboratory can be found in the southern end and is closed to hunting.
Hunters can drive ATVs only on roads built for full-size vehicles
Four-wheel-drive is recommended
Camping and Lodging
Most hunters camp along dirt roads. Three campgrounds are in the unit, including one at the end of Pass Creek Road in the Lemhi Range, another one almost due east on Highway 28, and a third is just north of O’Brien Gulch Road and east of Highway 28. Lodging is available in Dubois about 30 miles east of Highway 28. Options include Hernandez Motel and Cross Roads Motel.
Historical Temperatures
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