Unit 19 19 (Selway)
Deep-wilderness Salmon River breaks — general-season backcountry elk and deer with a coveted sheep draw
North-Central Idaho — Selway / Gospel-Hump backcountry, Idaho County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
259
sq mi
Public land
96%
approx.
Elevation
1,800–8,600
feet
Motorized
wilderness
access
Overview
Unit 19 sits in the rugged country between the Salmon River and the South Fork Clearwater divide, running from the mouth of Wind River up past Orogrande and Dixie summits toward Mackay Bar — remote, roadless, and heavily wilderness. It is part of the Selway Elk Zone, offering backcountry general-season deer and elk where low success reflects the difficulty and low road density rather than empty country. The Salmon River breaks below the Wind River drainage carry a designated bighorn sheep hunt, and the unit also holds black bear and a scattering of moose.
Terrain
Classic Salmon River breaks giving way to timbered high country and wilderness ridgelines. Long, steep drainages, few roads, and vast roadless blocks define access and effort.
Cover: Grass and shrub on hot south breaks, dense Douglas-fir, grand fir, and cedar in the drainages, lodgepole and subalpine fir near the divides; old burns create brushy regrowth and forage.
Landmarks: Salmon River / Wind River confluence · Gospel-Hump Wilderness · Orogrande Summit · Dixie Summit · Mackay Bar · Red River divide
Access
Almost entirely national forest with large wilderness blocks. Vehicle access is limited to a few gravel routes toward Dixie and the divide; the interior is foot and stock only. Private ranch inholdings and outfitter camps dot the Salmon River corridor.
Managers: USFS — Nez Perce-Clearwater NF, USFS — Payette NF, Gospel-Hump Wilderness, IDL, Private (small river-corridor inholdings and backcountry ranches)
Access points: Red River Ranger Station–Dixie–Mackay Bar Road · Elk City / Dixie approach from the north · Salmon River corridor via jet boat or trail from Mackay Bar · Gospel-Hump Wilderness trailheads
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityGeneral-season backcountry elk in the Selway Zone — success is low because this is roadless wilderness where elk are lightly pressured but hard to reach and harder to pack out. A genuine DIY opportunity for the fit and self-reliant.
- →Backpack or use stock to get miles beyond the road into wilderness benches
- →Hunt old burns and their brushy regrowth for feeding elk
- →Bugle timbered pockets at the heads of drainages during the rut
Whitetail Deer
common opportunityWhitetail hold in the timbered draws and creek bottoms of the wetter Clearwater-side drainages, a general-season option alongside elk.
- →Still-hunt north-slope timber and brushy bottoms
- →Hunt edges of old burns where regrowth meets standing timber
- →Time the rut for cruising bucks along benches
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer use the open Salmon River breaks and high country, sharing the range with whitetail lower down.
- →Glass the open south-facing breaks above the Salmon River at first and last light
- →Hunt high early, then follow deer down as weather moves them toward the river
- →Be ready for a long pack-out from the breaks
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyThe Salmon River corridor below the Wind River drainage is a designated bighorn area — a rare, hard-to-draw controlled tag and a near-certain trophy for the drawn hunter in this classic river-breaks sheep country.
- →Scout the rocky Salmon River breaks with high-power optics before the season
- →Plan boat or trail access along the river corridor
- →Expect a physically demanding hunt on steep, broken ground
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bears are common through the burns and timbered breaks, huntable spring and fall.
- →Glass green-up on south breaks in spring
- →Check berry-producing brush and old burns in fall
- →Expect color-phase bears in this country
Moose
limited qualityShiras moose occur in scattered numbers in the wet drainages and willow bottoms; huntable only on a very limited controlled tag.
- →Focus on willow-lined creek bottoms and wet meadows
- →Glass drainage heads in early morning
- →Plan a backcountry approach — these are remote animals
Pro tips
- →This is a fitness-and-logistics hunt — the terrain and access, not animal density, drive the low success rates
- →Plan the pack-out before the stalk; wilderness recoveries are the real work
- →Old burns are the elk and bear magnets — hunt the brushy regrowth edges
- →Carry a satellite messenger; you will be days from a road and out of cell range
- →For sheep, invest scouting time on the Salmon River breaks and expect a multi-year draw
Watch out for
- !Vast roadless wilderness — self-rescue is often the only option; go prepared
- !The Dixie and Mackay Bar roads can close with early snow, trapping vehicles
- !Private ranch inholdings and outfitter camps along the Salmon corridor — respect boundaries
- !Rattlesnakes on the hot breaks early season
- !Weather turns fast at the divides; hypothermia and washed-out trails are real risks
Logistics
Grangeville is the last full-service town; Elk City and Dixie offer limited fuel and lodging before the road ends. Beyond the trailheads it is a wilderness expedition — stock, backpacking, or jet-boat access up the Salmon. There is effectively no cell coverage in the backcountry; carry a satellite communicator.
Nearest towns: Elk City, Dixie, Grangeville, Riggins
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Idaho sources:
Research sources: IDFG Hunt Planner — Unit 19 (boundary, species list) · USFS — Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest · USFS — Gospel-Hump Wilderness
FAQ
- How big is Unit 19 in Idaho?
- Unit 19 (19 (Selway)) covers about 259 square miles, ranging from roughly 1,800 to 8,600 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 19?
- Approximately 96% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS — Nez Perce-Clearwater NF, USFS — Payette NF, Gospel-Hump Wilderness, IDL, Private (small river-corridor inholdings and backcountry ranches). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 19?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep, 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 19 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.