- A GPS with land ownership data comes in handy
- Good road access to much of the unit
- Good unit for the hunter not wanting an extremely physical hunt
Species | General Size | Trophy Potential |
---|
Mule Deer | 150"-170" | 180"+ |
Elk | 300"-330" | 330"+ |
This area is as big as four of the units it borders, running all the way from Utah along the Wyoming line. There is a good combination of mule deer and elk habitat here.
This is a good place for hunting mature bull elk as well as mule deer. Bulls are protected from overhunting by a limit on the number of tags that are issued yearly. Bucks have good genetics so bucks that survive four or five hunting seasons can reach record book size, but usually don't because of intense hunting pressure. Elk archery tags are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Bordering Utah for almost 20 miles and Wyoming for 70 miles, this unit is composed of mountain ranges and valleys that have a decent mix of mule deer and elk habitat. The Sheep Creek Hills and the Bear Lake Plateau in the south have a lot of mule deer. Elk usually stay in the higher mountains and hills, including the Caribou Range in the northeast corner, Dry Ridge and other ranges like Webster, Grays, Aspen and Preuss. Logging has opened up much of the Caribou National Forest, which is part of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. Valleys are mainly private, but there is a decent amount of public access to forest lands.
Spruces, firs and pines cover the mountains along with large aspen groves. A lot of the basins and meadows here are grassy. Lower elevations have some bigtooth maple brush, chokecherries, serviceberries and scattered junipers with sagebrush and grassy meadows. Willows and brush can also be found along streams.
Road access to the Caribou National Forest is good in most places. In some areas private ranches or farms block access to public land. Those places are usually lightly hunted, and hunters can typically find hiking from public access points that are worth the effort. Some public roads cross over private land which the public has established a right of way. Hunters can find good access points along the Wayan Loop Road in the north, U.S. 30 between Soda Springs and Montpelier and then south and east along the Bear River to Wyoming and U.S. 89 east of Montpelier. Good interior roads include the Georgetown Canyon Road, which leaves U.S. 30 at Georgetown about 12 miles northwest of Montpelier and becomes the Slug Creek Road, leading north. Another good cross country road is the Crow Creek Road near the Wyoming border.
Some hunters camp along dirt or gravel roads. Backcountry hunters can camp almost anywhere on BLM or national forest land. Most maintained Forest Service campgrounds are closed before archery season is halfway completed. Lodging is available in Thayne, Wyoming, which is just two miles from the unit, as well as in Montpelier and Soda Springs.
Roughly 1,390 square miles
56.4% public land
Elevations from 6,000-9,100 feet
Four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended
Thayne lodging:
Soda Springs lodging:
Montpelier lodging:
Dutch Oven Inn, (307) 883-5705
Snider's Rustic Inn, (307) 883-0222
Star Valley Ranch RV Park, (307) 883-4670
Cabin Creek Inn, (307) 883-3262
Soda Creek Lodge,(801) 644-0432
Trail Motel & Restaurant, (208) 547-0240
Caribou Lodge & Motel, (208) 547-3377
Clover Creek Inn, (208) 847-1782
Super 8 Montpelier, (208) 847-8888
Montpelier Creek KOA campground with RV hookups, cabin rentals and tent campsites