Unit 17 17 (Selway)
1,500 square miles of near-pure wilderness — a wolf-and-bear country deep-backcountry hunt with a once-in-a-lifetime bighorn draw.
North-Central Idaho — Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, Idaho County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,516
sq mi
Public land
100%
approx.
Elevation
1,600–8,500
feet
Motorized
wilderness
access
Overview
Unit 17 is one of Idaho's great wilderness units: over 99.8% national forest, with roughly 84% inside the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and another 12% in the Frank Church–River of No Return. Drained by the Selway River and its tributaries beneath Fog, McConnell, and Diablo Mountains, it is almost entirely roadless, reached by trail, float, or backcountry airstrip. Black bears are abundant, deer and general Selway-Zone elk reward hard-walking hunters, and the unit holds a tiny, coveted Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep tag.
Terrain
Massive, rugged wilderness of deep river canyons rising to timbered ridges and rocky alpine peaks; the Selway River corridor is the low spine, with relentless vertical to the divides.
Cover: Nearly 90% forested — grand fir, Douglas-fir, cedar, and lodgepole on slopes and drainages; extensive brushfields, avalanche chutes, and historic burns; grassy canyon breaks and high rocky parks for sheep and deer.
Landmarks: Selway River · Fog Mountain · McConnell Mountain · Diablo Mountain · Moose Creek · Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness · Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness
Access
Essentially all federal, ~96% designated wilderness. No interior roads. Access is by foot or stock from perimeter trailheads (Selway Falls/Paradise, Magruder Corridor), by float on the Selway, or via backcountry USFS airstrips such as Moose Creek and Shearer. This is a committed, self-supported wilderness hunt.
Managers: Nez Perce-Clearwater NF (USFS), Bitterroot NF (USFS), Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness
Access points: Selway Falls / Paradise Guard Station trailhead (end of Selway River Road) · Magruder Corridor (Nez Perce–Magruder Road, south boundary) · Moose Creek and Shearer backcountry airstrips · Selway River float trips
Species notes
Black Bear
abundant qualityThe standout opportunity — black bears are plentiful across the burns, brushfields, and avalanche chutes, with the highest harvest of any species in the unit and strong color-phase potential.
- →Glass green avalanche chutes and south slopes hard in spring green-up
- →Watch huckleberry and serviceberry benches in late summer and fall
- →Hunt burns and clearcut-age brush at first and last light
- →Float the Selway and glass the canyon slopes
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer hold the high rocky ridges, breaks, and alpine parks; a general/OTC option that rewards hunters who climb above the timber in this vast wilderness.
- →Backpack to high ridges and glass rocky parks at dawn
- →Hunt south-facing breaks and old burns
- →Watch timberline edges and slide-rock basins
- →Cover distance with optics before committing to a stalk
Whitetail Deer
limited opportunityWhitetails filter into the lower Selway River corridor and timbered drainage bottoms, thinner and more localized than mule deer up high.
- →Still-hunt cedar and fir bottoms along the Selway in the November rut
- →Glass river-corridor openings at dawn and dusk
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityGeneral Selway-Zone elk in classic wilderness elk ground, but the herd is well below its 1990s peak — success is low and this is a deep, effort-driven hunt, not a numbers destination.
- →Get miles deep on foot or stock away from trailheads
- →Hunt old burns and drainage heads with feed and holding cover
- →Bugle timbered basins in the early-September rut
- →Focus on north-slope security timber during pressure
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyThe unit carries a very small Rocky Mountain bighorn allocation — a controlled, essentially once-in-a-lifetime tag on rugged canyon and alpine sheep ground for the fortunate few who draw.
- →Scout canyon breaks and high rocky basins well ahead of season
- →Plan a multi-day wilderness spike camp
- →Glass relentlessly from vantage ridges to locate rams
- →Come prepared for extreme, remote terrain and long pack-outs
Pro tips
- →Bears are the highest-odds, highest-value general pursuit here — build the trip around them.
- →If you draw the bighorn tag, treat it as the hunt of a lifetime and scout the canyon breaks early.
- →Wilderness = foot, stock, float, or airstrip only; there is no driving in.
- →The Selway float is an underused way to access bear and deer country along the corridor.
- →Don't come for elk numbers — the Selway herd is a shadow of its 1990s peak.
- →Have a bush-plane or stock meat-out plan before you kill anything miles from the trailhead.
Watch out for
- !~96% designated wilderness — no motorized or mechanized access anywhere in the interior.
- !Extreme remoteness and long pack-outs; self-rescue capability and conditioning are essential.
- !Magruder Corridor and high trails close with early snow; weather can trap hunters.
- !Wolves are present and can affect elk and deer distribution and behavior.
- !Low general elk success — manage expectations for a wilderness elk hunt.
Logistics
There is no in-unit town — stage from Grangeville, Kooskia, or Elk City for supplies, then commit to a wilderness trip. Reach the country by the Selway River Road to Paradise, the long dirt Magruder Corridor along the south boundary, a Selway float, or a bush flight into Moose Creek or Shearer. Plan self-sufficient backcountry camps, stock or heavy packs, and a serious meat-recovery strategy.
Nearest towns: Elk City, Grangeville, Kooskia, Darby (MT, via Magruder Corridor)
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Idaho sources:
Research sources: IDFG Hunt Planner — Unit 17 · IDFG Hunt Planner — Selway Zone · Nez Perce-Clearwater NF (USFS)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 17 in Idaho?
- Unit 17 (17 (Selway)) covers about 1,516 square miles, ranging from roughly 1,600 to 8,500 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 17?
- Approximately 100% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Nez Perce-Clearwater NF (USFS), Bitterroot NF (USFS), Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 17?
- Black Bear, Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Bighorn Sheep. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Idaho agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 17 on your map.
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