Unit 23 23 (McCall)
Highway 95 canyon country where Salmon River whitetail meet high-country mule deer and elk
West-Central Idaho — Little Salmon River / McCall Zone (Idaho, Adams & Valley Counties) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
747
sq mi
Public land
75%
approx.
Elevation
3,000–8,000
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
Unit 23 straddles U.S. Highway 95 and the Little Salmon River between Riggins and New Meadows, climbing east and west off the canyon into the Payette National Forest. It is a classic river-breaks-to-high-country unit that produces elk, mule deer, and whitetail on the same tag menu, plus a strong black bear population. Roughly three-quarters of the unit is public, and outside the Hells Canyon Wilderness a dense road and motorcycle-trail network puts hunters within about two miles of most ground.
Terrain
Steep timbered breaks and side drainages rising from the Little Salmon and Salmon River canyons up to forested ridgelines; brushy benches and grassy canyon slopes give way to conifer high country.
Cover: Roughly 86% forest — mixed conifer (ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, grand fir) on the slopes with bunchgrass and shrub breaks in the canyons; about 9% rangeland on the lower southern exposures.
Landmarks: Little Salmon River · Rapid River drainage · Salmon River confluence at Riggins · Hells Canyon Wilderness (east rim) · French Creek · Seven Devils foothills
Access
About 66% Forest Service, ~6% BLM and ~3% state; ~24% private, concentrated in the canyon bottoms and along the Little Salmon River and Highway 95. The Hells Canyon Wilderness on the west edge is non-motorized. Rapid River drainage has fish-hatchery and closure sensitivities.
Managers: USFS Payette NF, USFS Nez Perce-Clearwater NF, BLM, IDL
Access points: U.S. Highway 95 corridor (Riggins–New Meadows) · Rapid River Road · French Creek Road / Burgdorf-Summit road system · Forest roads and motorcycle trails off Hwy 95
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityPart of the capped McCall Elk Zone with general A/B-tag hunting; the strongest of the three McCall-zone core units by harvest. Success runs in the mid-teens, typical for a general zone — a good over-the-counter-style opportunity rather than a trophy draw.
- →Hunt the timbered stringers and north-slope benches above the canyon roads where bulls hold cover
- →Glass burn edges and high grassy pockets at first and last light
- →Push away from the Hwy 95 access corridor into side drainages to reach less-pressured elk
- →Watch the wilderness boundary — bulls pushed off roads often stack into the non-motorized Rapid River/Hells Canyon edge
Whitetail Deer
common qualityThe Salmon and Little Salmon River breaks hold whitetail, which share the unit with mule deer — one of the reasons Unit 23 posts solid overall deer harvest for the McCall zone.
- →Work the brushy canyon-bottom benches and riparian stringers along the Little Salmon
- →Still-hunt timbered draws in the rut when bucks move down
- →Focus lower-elevation cover early and late in the day
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer occupy the mid- and high-elevation timber and grassy ridges above the whitetail zone; general-season deer hunting makes this an accessible opportunity unit.
- →Glass high open ridges and burn slopes at dawn
- →Hunt the transition between conifer and canyon rangeland
- →Cover ground on the forest-road and trail system to find pockets of bucks
Black Bear
common qualityStrong black bear numbers with the highest bear harvest of the three McCall-core units; the brushy river breaks and berry-rich burns support good densities.
- →Glass green-up avalanche chutes and south slopes in spring
- →Hunt berry fields and old burns in late summer/fall
- →Watch riparian brush and creek bottoms at dawn and dusk
Pro tips
- →Use the whitetail/mule deer overlap to your advantage — hunt breaks low and ridges high depending on the day
- →Get off the Highway 95 access corridor; the easy road access also concentrates pressure
- →Rapid River and its hatchery-related closures/sensitive ground are worth checking before you plan a hunt there
- →The Hells Canyon Wilderness edge holds pushed animals but demands a non-motorized backcountry effort
- →Spring and fall bear hunting is a genuine strength here — plan around green-up and berry timing
Watch out for
- !Private inholdings line the canyon bottoms and Highway 95 — verify boundaries before crossing off the road
- !Steep, exposed canyon terrain and rough side roads; grades and washboard punish vehicles
- !Hells Canyon Wilderness is non-motorized — no vehicles or e-bikes past the boundary
- !Rapid River drainage has fish-hatchery and closure sensitivities that can affect access
Logistics
Riggins and New Meadows anchor the Highway 95 corridor with fuel, lodging, and services; McCall to the southeast is the regional hub. Most of the unit is reachable on maintained forest roads, but canyon grades are steep and side roads can be rough — carry recovery gear and spare tires.
Nearest towns: Riggins, New Meadows, Pollock, McCall
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Idaho sources:
Research sources: IDFG Hunt Planner — Unit 23 (boundaries, ownership, wilderness, habitat) · IDFG McCall Elk Zone · USFS Payette National Forest
FAQ
- How big is Unit 23 in Idaho?
- Unit 23 (23 (McCall)) covers about 747 square miles, ranging from roughly 3,000 to 8,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 23?
- Approximately 75% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Payette NF, USFS Nez Perce-Clearwater NF, BLM, IDL. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 23?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Black Bear. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Idaho agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 23 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.