Unit 30A 30A (Beaverhead)
High sagebrush valley climbing to the Montana divide — pronghorn on the flats, elk and mule deer up the breaks.
East-Central Idaho — Lemhi County (Beaverhead Mountains / Continental Divide) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
278
sq mi
Public land
88%
approx.
Elevation
6,000–10,800
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
Unit 30A covers the Lemhi River drainage on the west flank of the Beaverhead Mountains, running from the sagebrush foothills south of Leadore up to the Continental Divide on the Montana line near Eighteenmile Peak. It is overwhelmingly public — BLM at lower elevations and Salmon-Challis National Forest across the high country — and part of the Beaverhead Elk Zone. Open pronghorn ground on the valley floor gives way to timbered ridges and steep divide country that hold elk, mule deer, and a scattering of moose.
Terrain
A broad, ~22-mile sagebrush valley (~7 miles wide) drained by the Lemhi River, with low eroded foothills in the middle and the Beaverhead Mountains rising sharply on the east to the Continental Divide.
Cover: Big sagebrush and bunchgrass rangeland dominates (~75%); Douglas-fir, lodgepole, and subalpine fir on the higher slopes (~18%); irrigated hay meadows and river-bottom willows along the Lemhi.
Landmarks: Beaverhead Mountains · Continental Divide / Montana line · Eighteenmile Peak · Bannock Pass · Lemhi River
Access
Highway 28 and Highway 29 frame the valley; forest and BLM roads climb the drainages toward the divide. No designated wilderness, so motorized travel is broadly allowed on public routes (respect any seasonal or travel-plan restrictions). Private hay ground along the Lemhi bottoms needs permission; public land is the norm once you climb out of the valley.
Managers: BLM, Salmon-Challis NF (USFS), Idaho Dept of Lands (IDL)
Access points: State Highway 28 (Lemhi Valley) · State Highway 29 / Bannock Pass road · Eighteenmile Creek road · Forest roads off the Beaverhead front
Species notes
Pronghorn
common opportunityThe open Lemhi Valley sage flats hold a huntable pronghorn population; controlled-hunt tags with solid success for those who draw.
- →Glass the eroded foothills and sage benches in the middle of the valley at first and last light
- →Use terrain folds and irrigation ditches to close distance on wary bucks
- →Watch alfalfa/hay edges early season where antelope water and feed
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityPart of the Beaverhead Elk Zone (units 30, 30A, 58, 59, 59A); elk use the timbered divide country and spill into the foothills. General-season framing keeps success moderate but opportunity real.
- →Hunt the timber-and-park transitions high on the Beaverhead front, especially north-facing pockets
- →Push toward the Continental Divide breaks as pressure builds
- →Cover ground glassing at dawn where sage foothills meet the first timber
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer summer high on the Beaverheads and drop to sage foothills with weather; a classic sage-to-timber ecotone hunt.
- →Glass sage-and-rock foothills mornings and evenings
- →Climb into aspen pockets and timber edges for mature bucks
- →Time later hunts to catch a weather push that moves deer to lower winter range
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bears occur in the forested drainages and higher timber; harvest is light but the country holds bears in berry and green-up areas.
- →Glass avalanche chutes, berry fields, and green draws in the high country
- →Focus on creek bottoms and north-slope timber
- →Hunt spring green-up on the lower forested slopes
Moose
limited opportunityShiras moose are present in the willow bottoms and timbered drainages; strictly controlled-hunt, a once-in-a-lifetime draw for most.
- →Work willow-lined creek bottoms and beaver complexes at dawn and dusk
- →Glass wet meadows and riparian corridors off the Lemhi tributaries
Pro tips
- →Think elevation bands: pronghorn on the valley floor, mule deer and elk in the sage-to-timber transition, moose in the willow bottoms.
- →The Beaverhead front is a hard, steep climb — plan pack-out logistics before you shoot high on the divide.
- →Most quality opportunity here (pronghorn, moose) is controlled-hunt; check draw odds and apply rather than counting on general tags.
- →Late-season weather is your friend for deer — a storm off Montana concentrates animals on lower BLM winter range.
- →Verify BLM vs. private boundaries in the valley bottom; hay ground is private and the public land starts as you climb.
Watch out for
- !Private irrigated ranch land along the Lemhi River requires permission — public land is up the drainages, not on the valley floor.
- !Early snow can close upper forest roads and strand trucks near the divide.
- !Extremely remote with no cell service in the high drainages — carry a satellite communicator.
- !The Montana state line runs along the divide; know exactly where you are before shooting near the top.
Logistics
Leadore is the closest supply point with fuel and basics; Salmon (about 45 minutes north) has full services, lodging, and licenses. Expect long gravel drives to trailheads and no cell coverage in the drainages. Fill fuel and water before leaving pavement.
Nearest towns: Leadore, Salmon, Tendoy, Lima, MT
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Idaho sources:
Research sources: IDFG Hunt Planner — Unit 30A summary · IDFG Hunt Planner — Unit 30 / Beaverhead descriptions · Salmon-Challis National Forest (USFS)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 30A in Idaho?
- Unit 30A (30A (Beaverhead)) covers about 278 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,000 to 10,800 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 30A?
- Approximately 88% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM, Salmon-Challis NF (USFS), Idaho Dept of Lands (IDL). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 30A?
- Pronghorn, Rocky Mountain Elk, 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 30A on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.