Idaho Moose Mountain Goat

Unit 7 (7)

Idaho Hunting Guide — Moose, Mountain Goat

Unit 7 moose covers the St. Joe River country in north Idaho's panhandle. This is wet, timbered country where moose feed in the cedar bogs, beaver-pond complexes, and clearcut regeneration across the St. Joe and Idaho Panhandle National Forest. Bulls here can be genuinely big, but they are hard to see in the timber. We'd tell any drawn hunter to plan a pre-season scouting trip — the country is confusing until you learn a couple of beaver-pond circuits.

View Draw Odds Idaho Hunting Guide

Moose Hunting in Unit 7

Where to Find Moose in Unit 7

Moose in Unit 7 use the creek bottoms and regen cuts that stitch the St. Joe drainage together.

St. Joe River Corridor

Beaver-pond complexes and willow runs along the upper St. Joe hold bulls through the hunt. Glass from bridges and high banks at dawn.

Marble Creek Drainage

Marble Creek has extensive regen clearcuts and cedar bogs that hold bulls feeding on willow and aspen shoots.

Bluff Creek Bogs

Bluff Creek's cedar bogs are textbook midday bedding — still-hunt these with the wind in your face.

How to Hunt Moose in Unit 7

Unit 7 is slow, wet, methodical hunting. Learn your ponds and cuts before the hunt.

Beaver-Pond Rotations

Scout four or five ponds pre-season and rotate through them morning and evening during the hunt. A bull will often come to the same pond 3 nights in a row.

Regen-Cut Glassing

Fresh regen clearcuts from the last 5–10 years hold the best browse. Glass edges from the logging road at last light.

Rut Calling

Late September bulls will respond to cow calls from the edge of a willow pocket. Keep setups simple — back-to-cover, wind in your face, 30 minutes of patience.

Pro Members Only

Unlock moose tactics for Unit 7

Upgrade to Pro — $49/yr

Moose Success Rates

Unit 7 moose success typically runs 65–85%. The dense timber drops success below the more open southeast Idaho units, but bull quality tends to be higher. Most tags fill in 5–8 days of hunting.

Moose Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Controlled	10	62	16.1%	0

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Pure random draw with 10% nonresident quota. OIAL species in Idaho. Unit 7 resident odds typically run 1–3%; nonresidents face tighter odds within the quota cap. No points.

Mountain Goat Hunting in Unit 7

Unit 7 spans the rugged Selway-Bitterroot country of north-central Idaho. Mountain goats inhabit the high cliff bands and alpine basins of the Bitterroot divide. Idaho goat is OIAL — a successful draw is once-in-a-lifetime. Unit 7 is a deep wilderness hunt with no motorized access inside the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, demanding multi-day backpack logistics.

Where to Find Goats in Unit 7

Goats hold on the cliff bands of the Bitterroot divide above 7,500 feet. We pick a specific trailhead into the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and spend 3-5 days glassing from high camps. Cliff faces visible from ridgetop camps at 8,000+ feet are the productive survey points.

How to Hunt Unit 7

Pro Members Only

Unlock Unit 7 goat tactics

Upgrade to Pro — $49/yr

Mountain Goat Success Rates

The three-year Unit 7 data shows roughly 3 tags against 138 applicants — a tight pool. Wilderness goat success runs 60-80% depending on weather and the hunter's backcountry capacity. Early-season storms can close the window with no warning.

Mountain Goat Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Controlled	1	42	2.4%	0

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Idaho's pure-random drawing assigns equal per-year odds with no preference points. Nonresidents are capped at 10% of the goat tag pool. Goat is OIAL. With ~138 applicants and ~3 tags over three years, resident odds run 2-3% per year — a long-horizon application strategy is required.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

🚐

RV Sites

Private RV parks in St. Maries and Avery. Forest Service sites at Turner Flat, Packsaddle, and Conrad Crossing handle smaller rigs.

⛺

Camp Sites

Dispersed camping across the Idaho Panhandle NF. Turner Flat, Spruce Tree, and Conrad Crossing are established options.

🛻

Trailer Access

St. Joe River Road handles trailers to most developed campgrounds. Logging spurs narrow quickly — unhitch.

💧

Water

Abundant. St. Joe River and every tributary provide water. Filter everything.

🛣️

Road Conditions

Paved to Avery, gravel on St. Joe River Road, and rough two-track up the side drainages. 4WD recommended.

🥾

Terrain Difficulty

Moderate. Valley bottoms are flat; side drainages are steep with dense undergrowth and deadfall.

👥

Hunting Pressure

Low. Moose tags are scarce; elk and bear hunters are the main other forest users.

🌦️

Weather

Cool and wet. Expect rain most weeks, daytime highs 45–65, overnight lows near freezing by late October. Rain gear is essential.

📱

Cell Service

Spotty. Verizon works near St. Maries and Avery. Dead up the St. Joe and in the side drainages.

🏘️

Nearest Town

St. Maries (full services, 45 min–1 hr from hunt pockets). Avery is smaller but closer in.

Pro Members Only

Unlock logistics for Unit 7

Upgrade to Pro — $49/yr

Frequently Asked Questions

How big do bulls get in Unit 7?

Unit 7 has produced some of Idaho's largest Shiras bulls, with mature animals in the 40–48 inch spread range. The dense timber makes them harder to find than to judge.

Is Unit 7 wet throughout the moose season?

Yes — plan on rain most weeks of September and October. Waterproof boots and serious rain gear are non-negotiable.

Can I use a packhorse in Unit 7?

Yes — stock is allowed in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness under USFS regulations. Many hunters hire local outfitters for pack-animal support to haul camp and recover a harvested goat.

What's the earliest practical access to the alpine basins?

September 1-15 typically offers the most stable weather window. Plan 1-2 days of pack-in, 3-5 days on-mountain, and reserve a flexible exit window for storms.

Plan Your Hunt with ProHunt Pro+AI

Unlock advanced tactics, the Tag-to-Trail Planner, AI hunt strategy assistant, and personalized camp and trip execution plans.

Upgrade to Pro+AI — $79/yr

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 7 moose season, OIAL rules · accessed 2026-04-17
IDFG Hunt Planner — Controlled Hunt Draw Odds — Idaho Department of Fish and Game · supports: Unit 7 moose draw odds, Tag counts · accessed 2026-04-17
Idaho Panhandle National Forest — USDA Forest Service — Idaho Panhandle NF · supports: St. Joe River access, Camping and roads · accessed 2026-04-17
2025-2026 Idaho Big Game Seasons & Rules — Idaho Department of Fish and Game · supports: Unit 7 goat season dates, OIAL framework, Wilderness regulations · accessed 2026-04-17
IDFG Hunt Planner — Idaho Department of Fish and Game · supports: Unit 7 boundaries, Public-land overlay, Hunt-code selector · accessed 2026-04-17