Quick Tips
- Fishing for salmon, steelhead and sturgeon in Snake River
- Forest grouse are common in timbered areas
- Be prepared for long shots in steep terrain
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer | 140"-160" | 170"+ |
| Whitetail Deer | 90"-100" | 110"+ |
| Elk | 260"-290" | 300"+ |
On The Ground
Bordering Idaho and generally south of the Imnaha River, this unit has elk, whitetails and mule deer in a variety of terrain that ranges from the rugged Hells Canyon Wilderness to flat farm ground and range land.
This is a good unit where hunters can get permits every few years and still have a fair chance of taking a mature bull elk or mule deer.
Terrain
Mostly mountainous and mostly public, this unit borders Idaho and is mostly south of the Imnaha River. Some of the land is extremely steep, particularly the area inside Hells Canyon Wilderness in the northeast. The south end borders Brownlee Reservoir and is composed of arid, mostly open foothills and flattened ridges. A lot of farm ground and pasture land is near Pine and Halfway in the southeast. Most of the northern half is between 4,000 and 7,000 feet in elevation and consists of steep draws, rough canyons and broken ground. Several small reservoirs are in the northwest.
Roughly 378 square miles
76% public land
Elevations from 1,700-9,600 feet
Vegetation
Forests consist mainly of ponderosa pines, Douglas firs, hemlocks, larches, spruces and aspens. Sagebrush and bunch grasses are the main plants outside forests with many other plant species important to wildlife growing on ridges and in draws, including hackberry, mountain mahogany, bitterbrush, river birch and prickly pear cactus.
Access
Most of this unit is in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest and Vale District of the BLM. Gravel and dirt roads access much of the public land. Some roads are closed year-long; others are closed seasonally or when fire danger is high. See alerts and notices on the National Forest website. Hunters have access to a lot of private land through the state’s Access & Habitat program. The 16,400-acre Melhorn Travel Management Area is mostly public and has limited vehicle access. Road access is restricted from August through November on another 26,880 acres of mostly public land in the Lake Fork-Dutchman TMA. Access is restricted from September through November in the 12,800-acre Okanogan-Fish TMA. No vehicles are allowed in Hells Canyon Wilderness, which is in the northeastern part of the unit.
Camping and Lodging
Camping is allowed almost anywhere on public land, including on the Lake Fork-Dutchman, Okanogan-Fish and Melhorn travel management areas. Halfway Motel & RV Park is in Halfway just outside the south end of the unit. Cornucopia Lodge is in Cornucopia on the western edge. Hells Canyon Bed & Breakfast is next to the Hells Canyon National Recreation north of Copperfield on the eastern edge.
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