Unit 36 36 (Sawtooth)
Postcard high country around Stanley — Sawtooth peaks, White Cloud basins and a broad sage valley holding deer, zone elk, pronghorn and lottery sheep and goats.
Central Idaho — Sawtooth Valley & Stanley Basin, Custer County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,061
sq mi
Public land
96%
approx.
Elevation
6,200–11,800
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 36 wraps the Sawtooth Valley and Stanley Basin, the headwaters of the Salmon River, bracketed by the jagged Sawtooth Range to the west and the White Cloud Peaks to the east. It is a large, overwhelmingly public unit spanning flat sagebrush valley to some of the highest, steepest granite in Idaho. Mule deer and Sawtooth-Zone elk are the bread-and-butter hunts; pronghorn work the open Stanley Basin flats; and the high peaks hold coveted once-in-a-lifetime bighorn sheep and mountain goat controlled tags with very high success for the few who draw.
Terrain
A high sagebrush valley floor near 6,500 ft at Stanley, flanked by the towering granite spires of the Sawtooth Range on the west and the alpine White Cloud Peaks (Castle Peak, 11,815 ft) on the east — some of the steepest terrain in the state.
Cover: Sagebrush-grass and willow-lined riparian meadows on the valley floor, rising through lodgepole and Douglas-fir into subalpine fir, whitebark pine and open alpine rock, tundra and cirque basins on both mountain walls.
Landmarks: Sawtooth Range · White Cloud Peaks (Castle Peak) · Stanley Basin · Redfish Lake · Salmon River headwaters · Alturas Lake · Sawtooth Wilderness · Sawtooth National Recreation Area
Access
Almost entirely public national forest inside the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, with two large wilderness blocks — the Sawtooth Wilderness west of the valley and the White Clouds/Hemingway-Boulders wilderness to the east — that are foot-and-horse only. Idaho 75 and Idaho 21 provide the paved spine; forest roads branch into the trailheads. Private ranch inholdings quilt the valley floor along the Salmon River.
Managers: USFS Sawtooth NF (Sawtooth NRA), USFS Salmon-Challis NF, Sawtooth Wilderness, Hemingway-Boulders / White Clouds Wilderness, Private (Sawtooth Valley ranch inholdings)
Access points: Idaho 75 (Sawtooth Scenic Byway) · Idaho 21 (Stanley–Lowman) · Redfish Lake / Alturas Lake roads · Fourth of July Creek & White Cloud trailheads (east) · Stanley (hub)
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityThe most-hunted big game in the unit. Mule deer summer in the high basins and timber and move to the sage benches and valley edges as snow builds; the largest bucks live in the steep, remote high country.
- →Glass sage-timber edges and open slopes at dawn and dusk
- →Hunt the transition zones as early snow pushes deer off the peaks
- →Climb into the wilderness basins for older bucks
- →Watch willow bottoms and aspen pockets in the valley
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityElk are hunted on the quota-limited Sawtooth Zone A/B tags rather than pure over-the-counter. The herd is respectable but the terrain is big and steep, keeping success moderate.
- →Work the timbered benches and drainage heads between the sage and the peaks
- →Bugle the September ridges at first light
- →Glass burns and meadow edges morning and evening
- →Push into wilderness pockets away from the road corridor
Pronghorn
limited opportunityPronghorn use the open sagebrush flats of the Stanley Basin and Sawtooth Valley — a small but genuine antelope opportunity in high mountain-valley country.
- →Glass the open sage flats early and stalk with terrain
- →Locate bucks near water and green meadow margins
- →Use the valley's rolling benches to close distance
- →Be patient — numbers are modest and animals are spread out
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bears work the timbered slopes and berry fields on both mountain walls, with spring green-up and fall huckleberry the productive windows.
- →Spring: glass south-facing green-up and avalanche chutes
- →Fall: hunt huckleberry and mountain-ash brush
- →Watch for color-phase bears
- →Cover ground glassing timber-meadow edges
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyRocky Mountain bighorns inhabit the high crags of the Sawtooth and White Cloud country — a once-in-a-lifetime controlled tag with very high success for the rare hunter who draws.
- →If you draw, scout the alpine cliffs and cirque basins for months ahead
- →Glass rocky ridgelines and rams at first light
- →Be prepared for steep, technical alpine hunting
- →Expect a long point wait for this coveted tag
Mountain Goat
limited trophyMountain goats hold the highest crags of the Sawtooth Range northwest of Stanley Basin, west of Redfish Lake and near Alturas Lake — a once-in-a-lifetime controlled tag, often miles from the nearest road.
- →If you draw, scout the alpine rock northwest of Stanley and above Redfish/Alturas
- →Glass cliff bands and high snowfields at dawn
- →Plan a multi-day backcountry alpine hunt
- →Be ready for exposed, technical terrain and fast weather
Pro tips
- →This is a mule deer and Sawtooth-Zone elk unit at its core — the sheep and goat tags are lottery bonuses
- →Elk run on the capped Sawtooth Zone tag, not OTC — confirm quota status before planning
- →Time your hunt to the first real snow that pushes animals off the high peaks into the transition zone
- →Hunt the wilderness edges to escape the heavy road-corridor pressure around Stanley and Redfish
- →Apply and be patient for the once-in-a-lifetime sheep and goat tags — success is very high once drawn
Watch out for
- !Two large wilderness blocks (Sawtooth and White Clouds/Hemingway-Boulders) are foot-and-horse only — no motorized or mechanized travel
- !Private ranch inholdings quilt the Sawtooth Valley floor — respect posted boundaries along the Salmon River
- !Extreme alpine terrain in the sheep/goat country demands serious fitness and mountaineering care
- !Early snow and Galena Summit closures can strand high-country access
- !Heavy recreation traffic around Redfish and Stanley means competition on the accessible ground
Logistics
Stanley sits at the heart of the unit where Idaho 75 and Idaho 21 meet, with limited fuel, lodging and services. Ketchum/Sun Valley over Galena Summit to the south and Challis to the northeast are larger supply towns. The paved highways give easy valley access, but every high hunt means leaving the road for foot or horse travel into wilderness.
Nearest towns: Stanley, Ketchum, Sun Valley, Challis, Lowman
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Idaho sources:
Research sources: IDFG Hunt Planner — Unit 36 · IDFG Hunt Planner — Sawtooth Zone · USFS Sawtooth National Forest — Hunting
FAQ
- How big is Unit 36 in Idaho?
- Unit 36 (36 (Sawtooth)) covers about 1,061 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,200 to 11,800 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 36?
- Approximately 96% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Sawtooth NF (Sawtooth NRA), USFS Salmon-Challis NF, Sawtooth Wilderness, Hemingway-Boulders / White Clouds Wilderness, Private (Sawtooth Valley ranch inholdings). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 36?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Pronghorn, Black Bear, Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Goat. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Idaho agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 36 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.