Unit 14 14 (Elk City)
The elk stronghold of the Elk City Zone, with whitetails, muleys, and canyon breaks
North-Central Idaho — Elk City Zone / Gospel Hump country, Idaho County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
572
sq mi
Public land
66%
approx.
Elevation
1,500–8,300
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 14 sits west and south of Grangeville, wrapping from the Salmon River near Riggins up into the forested Nez Perce–Clearwater high country and the western reaches of the Gospel Hump Wilderness. It's a mix of steep Salmon River breaks, timbered ridges, and private ag benches — habitat that carries whitetails, mule deer, and the healthiest elk herd in the Elk City Zone. Roughly two-thirds public land makes it far more accessible than neighboring Unit 13.
Terrain
Big vertical range: from the low Salmon River canyon and grassy breaks up through timbered mid-slopes to high forested ridges and the granitic peaks along the Gospel Hump Wilderness edge.
Cover: About 69% forest — Douglas-fir, grand fir, ponderosa pine and lodgepole on the slopes, with bunchgrass and shrub breaks (19% rangeland) low along the Salmon and dryland ag benches near Grangeville.
Landmarks: Salmon River canyon · Gospel Hump Wilderness (western reaches) · Wind River · Camas Prairie / Grangeville benches · Nez Perce–Clearwater NF ridges
Access
About 59% Forest Service and ~66% public overall, with a 27,000-acre slice of the Gospel Hump Wilderness (motorized use prohibited). Private ground (~33%) clusters on the ag benches near Grangeville and along the lower Salmon; a good Forest road network opens the timber, while the wilderness edge is foot/stock only.
Managers: Nez Perce–Clearwater NF (USFS), IDL (State of Idaho), BLM
Access points: US-95 and Highway 13 corridors · Salmon River Road from Riggins · Forest Service Roads 221, 313, and 444 · Gospel Hump Wilderness trailheads · numerous NF spur roads off the Grangeville benches
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityUnit 14 is the backbone of the Elk City Zone, holding the majority of the zone's elk, harvest, and hunting activity, with a herd healthy enough that antlerless opportunity has returned. Success near 27% is typical for a general zone.
- →Work timbered ridgelines and north-slope benches between feeding basins and bedding timber
- →Get above the roads into the wilderness-edge country to escape pressure
- →Early season, glass high open parks at daylight; later, push steep dark timber
- →Elk A/B tags are capped — commit to the general framework early
Whitetail Deer
common qualityWhitetails thrive on the timbered slopes and the ag-benched interface near Grangeville and drive much of the unit's deer harvest.
- →Hunt field edges and brushy draws on the Grangeville benches at first and last light
- →Still-hunt timbered stringers and creek bottoms
- →The November rut concentrates mature bucks and improves midday movement
Mule Deer
common qualityMule deer own the lower Salmon River breaks and higher open ridges, giving a genuine two-species deer hunt in the same unit.
- →Glass grassy south-facing breaks off the Salmon at dawn
- →Hunt the timber-to-grass transition benches
- →Late cold weather pulls bucks down toward river-level winter range
Black Bear
common opportunityStrong black bear numbers through the timber and brush breaks support a solid harvest (about 85 bears).
- →Spring: glass green south slopes and old burns for feeding bears
- →Fall: hunt berry fields and mast-heavy draws
- →Cover ground with optics along the breaks and logging edges
Moose
limited opportunityA small resident moose population yields a handful of animals a year to the lucky few who draw — a rare, highly controlled tag.
- →Focus on riparian willow bottoms and boggy timbered draws
- →Glass wet meadows and beaver ponds at dawn and dusk
- →This is a draw-only, once-in-a-lifetime-style opportunity
Pro tips
- →This is the go-to Elk City Zone unit for elk — hunt the timbered ridges and the wilderness-edge country where pressure thins
- →You can chase whitetails, muleys, and elk in the same trip by working from the Salmon breaks up to the high timber
- →Learn the Gospel Hump trailheads; even a mile past the road end escapes most hunters
- →Watch the forecast — early snow can both improve the elk hunt and close the high roads overnight
- →Respect the ag-bench private ground near Grangeville; knock on doors for whitetail access
Watch out for
- !Roughly a third private, concentrated on the Grangeville benches and lower Salmon — verify boundaries
- !Gospel Hump Wilderness is closed to motorized/mechanized travel; know its line
- !High Forest roads can snow shut early and strand vehicles
- !Steep Salmon River breaks demand tough pack-outs and carry rattlesnake risk early season
- !Spotty to no cell service off the highway corridors
Logistics
Grangeville is the full-service hub with fuel, lodging, groceries, and Forest Service info; Riggins anchors the Salmon River end. Highway 13 and US-95 give paved access to the unit's edges, then a dense web of Forest roads climbs the timber. The Gospel Hump portion requires foot or stock travel from trailheads.
Nearest towns: Grangeville, Riggins, White Bird, Cottonwood, Kooskia
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Idaho sources:
Research sources: IDFG Hunt Planner — Unit 14 · IDFG Elk City Elk Zone · Nez Perce–Clearwater National Forest
FAQ
- How big is Unit 14 in Idaho?
- Unit 14 (14 (Elk City)) covers about 572 square miles, ranging from roughly 1,500 to 8,300 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 14?
- Approximately 66% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Nez Perce–Clearwater NF (USFS), IDL (State of Idaho), BLM. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 14?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Black Bear, Moose. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Idaho agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 14 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.