Idaho Mule Deer Moose

Unit 62 (Salmon)

Idaho Hunting Guide — Mule Deer, Moose

Unit 62 sits east of the town of Salmon and straddles the Continental Divide along the Beaverhead Mountains on the Montana border. The unit holds a well-regarded mule deer herd that summers in the high country above 8,500 feet and migrates to the sagebrush breaks of the Lemhi River valley when snow pushes them down. Controlled rifle tags are limited and highly sought after for mature-buck opportunity in a road-accessible piece of the Salmon-Challis National Forest.

View Draw Odds Idaho Hunting Guide

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 62

Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 62

Terrain

Unit 62 is classic Beaverhead high country — alpine basins, limestone ridges, and timbered sidehills draining west to the Lemhi River. Focus on the heads of Hayden Creek, Bohannon Creek, and Kenney Creek in early season, then shift to the juniper and sage breaks above Leadore as snow stacks.

Elevation

Bucks hold at 8,500-10,200 feet on summer range through early October, then migrate down to 5,500-7,500 ft wintering benches. A big storm in mid-October can drop bucks 3,000 feet overnight.

Water

The Lemhi River is the unit's backbone, with Hayden, Bohannon, and Texas Creek feeding in from the Beaverheads. Seeps at the heads of timbered draws hold water into late September.

How to Hunt Mule Deer in Unit 62

Plan the hunt around elevation and weather. Early season rifle hunters should backpack into the high basins above 8,500 feet and glass first-light feeding deer on north-facing slides. After the first hard storm, reposition to the Lemhi foothills and glass the juniper breaks from the valley road system. Spot-and-stalk works in the upper basins; below 7,000 feet, still-hunt the sage-covered benches at dawn along known migration routes.

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Mule Deer Success Rates

Controlled-hunt mule deer success in Unit 62 has averaged roughly 45-55% on any-weapon rifle hunts the last three seasons, with mature-buck ratios high relative to most Idaho units. Archery and muzzleloader hunts trend around 15-25%. Hunters who can reach the high basins during a migration storm post the strongest numbers.

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Controlled	131	585	22.4%	0

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Idaho controlled hunts use a pure random draw with no preference or bonus points. For Unit 62 mule deer, roughly 1,229 three-year applicants chase about 60 tags — nonresidents face single-digit odds and residents sit in the low teens. Because every year resets, persistence (apply every cycle) is the only way to play the long game.

Moose Hunting in Unit 62

Unit 62 covers the Henry's Fork country and Big Bend Ridge terrain of eastern Idaho. Shiras moose browse willow-rich river corridors, lodgepole edges, and lake margins. Idaho moose is OIAL — a successful tag closes the pool permanently. Unit 62 is widely regarded as one of the state's more accessible moose hunts, with Targhee NF roads reaching nearly every drainage.

Where to Find Moose in Unit 62

We glass the Henry's Fork willow bottoms, the lake margins on Island Park Reservoir, and the creek drainages off Big Bend Ridge. Bulls hold in lodgepole adjacent to feeding areas and move predictably dawn and dusk. The USFS 066 and 130 corridors put us on multiple glassing points per morning.

How to Hunt Unit 62

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Moose Success Rates

The three-year Unit 62 moose data shows roughly 15 tags against 133 applicants. Success runs 75-90% — the combination of road access, strong bull density, and open glassing habitat makes this one of Idaho's most consistent moose units.

Moose Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Controlled	4	24	16.7%	0

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Idaho runs a pure-random drawing with no preference points and a 10% nonresident cap. Moose is OIAL — one harvest closes the pool forever. With ~133 applicants and ~15 tags over three years, resident odds approximate 10-13% per year. Apply every year.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

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Trailer Access

Highway 28 from Salmon to Leadore and Highway 93 north handle trailers. Forest roads into Hayden Creek and Bohannon Creek are narrow — drop trailers at pullouts near the forest boundary.

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Water

Year-round water in the Lemhi, Hayden, and Bohannon drainages. High-basin seeps reliable through September.

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Road Conditions

Paved Highway 28 and 93. Forest Road 105 (Hayden Creek) is maintained gravel; spur roads require high-clearance and become impassable after snow.

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Terrain Difficulty

Strenuous in the high basins — 3,000 ft vertical from trailhead to glassing points is common. Lemhi breaks below 7,000 ft are moderate.

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Hunting Pressure

Low to moderate because tag numbers are capped. Pressure concentrates along Hayden Creek Road during opening week.

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Weather

September highs 55-70 F dropping to 35-55 F in October with overnight teens. Early snow above 8,000 ft is common by mid-October and drives the migration.

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Cell Service

Reliable in Salmon and along Highway 28. Drops near forest boundary. No service in the high basins.

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Nearest Town

Salmon (full services, hospital, fuel) 15-30 miles from most access points. Leadore has basic fuel and lodging.

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Permit Notes

Mandatory harvest reporting within 10 days. Nonresident hunters need a nonresident big game license in addition to the tag.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do draw odds work for Idaho Unit 62 mule deer?

Idaho controlled hunts are a pure random draw — there is no point system for deer. Every applicant has an equal chance each year, and odds equal tags divided by applicants for that hunt number.

When should I plan a Unit 62 mule deer hunt?

Early October rifle hunts catch bucks still on the high summer range. If you can time a hunt to the first big snowstorm of the season, the migration through the Lemhi breaks is the best shot at a mature buck.

How does Unit 62 differ from 62A?

Unit 62 is the larger parent GMU; 62A is a sub-unit. Draw-code-specific boundaries can differ slightly — confirm your specific hunt code's boundaries in the IDFG Hunt Planner before the season.

Is a 4WD truck required in Unit 62?

Most productive road network is 2WD gravel in dry conditions. 4WD becomes necessary after rain or snow and gives more flexibility on spur roads into the interior.

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Sources & Verification

Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-17.

2025 Idaho Big Game Seasons & Rules — Idaho Department of Fish and Game · supports: Unit 62 seasons and quotas, Migration closure dates · accessed 2026-04-17
IDFG Hunt Planner — Draw Odds — Idaho Department of Fish and Game · supports: Historical resident and nonresident odds for Unit 62 mule deer · accessed 2026-04-17
Salmon-Challis National Forest — USDA Forest Service · supports: North Fork and Leadore Ranger District access, Road closures and travel plan · accessed 2026-04-17
BLM Salmon Field Office — Bureau of Land Management · supports: Lemhi Valley public land, Winter range camping rules · accessed 2026-04-17
2025-2026 Idaho Big Game Seasons & Rules — Idaho Department of Fish and Game · supports: Unit 62 moose season dates, OIAL framework, Weapon classes · accessed 2026-04-17
IDFG Hunt Planner — Idaho Department of Fish and Game · supports: Unit 62 boundaries, Public-land overlay, Hunt-code selector · accessed 2026-04-17