Unit 45 45 (Smoky - Bennett)
Big, BLM-dominated desert-mountain unit with sleeper trophy mule deer and the zone's best elk success
Southwest-Central Idaho — Mount Bennett Hills, Camas/Elmore/Gooding County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,272
sq mi
Public land
70%
approx.
Elevation
2,600–7,100
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 45 is the large southern block of the Smoky-Bennett zone, spanning the Mount Bennett Hills and Danskin/Bennett Mountain country between Mountain Home, Gooding, and the Snake River. It is mostly public BLM land — broken lava, sagebrush, and juniper laced with wilderness study areas — and is quietly known for producing big mule deer that grow old under light hunting pressure. Elk here post the best success rate in the zone, and open-country pronghorn add a third big-game opportunity.
Terrain
Rolling lava-rock sagebrush plateaus and the timbered Mount Bennett Hills, dropping to the Snake River plain; expansive open country cut by rimrock canyons.
Cover: Sagebrush-steppe and bunchgrass over broken basalt, juniper and mountain-mahogany on higher slopes, scattered Douglas-fir and aspen on the highest ridges, riparian brush in canyon bottoms.
Landmarks: Mount Bennett Hills · Bennett Mountain · Danskin Mountains · Anderson Ranch Dam Road · Snake River rim · wilderness study areas
Access
Predominantly BLM public land with several wilderness study areas that limit motorized travel; national forest on the northern edge near Anderson Ranch. Private agricultural ground clusters along the Snake River bottoms and around Gooding and Mountain Home. Networks of BLM two-tracks reach much of the interior, but WSAs and rimrock create foot-only pockets.
Managers: BLM, Sawtooth NF, IDL, Bureau of Reclamation
Access points: U.S. 20 and Anderson Ranch Dam Road · State Highway 46 near Gooding · State Highway 51 out of Mountain Home · BLM roads into the Bennett Hills
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityThe best elk unit of the Smoky-Bennett zone by success rate, with the largest elk harvest — general-season opportunity in broken desert-mountain country that holds elk in unexpected places.
- →Glass juniper/mahogany pockets and canyon heads at first light
- →Hunt the timbered higher Bennett Hills where elk shelter from open-country pressure
- →Work water sources and canyon rims in dry early seasons
- →Cover big ground — elk are scattered across the plateau
Mule Deer
common trophyA sleeper trophy unit: light pressure and rough lava country let bucks reach maturity, best accessed through the limited controlled deer tags rather than the low general harvest.
- →Glass sage benches, rimrock, and mahogany pockets from high vantage at dawn/dusk
- →Hunt the broken lava and canyon breaks where mature bucks bed
- →Focus mahogany and bitterbrush ridges in the Bennett Hills
- →Be patient and cover country — quality over quantity
Pronghorn
common qualityOpen-country pronghorn across the sage plateau on a controlled tag, capable of producing good bucks under light pressure.
- →Drive-glass the open flats and stalk with terrain
- →Hunt water in warm early-season conditions
- →Use rimrock and folds to close on spotted bucks
Black Bear
limited opportunityA small black bear harvest from the timbered pockets and canyon riparian of the higher Bennett Hills.
- →Glass green canyon heads and mahogany draws in spring
- →Check riparian bottoms and berry pockets in fall
- →Focus the higher, timbered northern country
Pro tips
- →This is the sleeper trophy mule deer unit — big bucks come from light pressure; pursue the controlled deer tag rather than the general hunt.
- →It also posts the zone's best elk success — don't overlook elk in this desert-mountain terrain.
- →Learn the BLM wilderness study area boundaries; walking past a road closure into a WSA is where the mature animals live.
- →Carry water — the lava plateau is dry and hot early season.
- →Watch the roads: lava-country two-tracks turn to slick clay after rain and can snow up high.
Watch out for
- !Private agricultural land lines the Snake River bottoms and clusters near Gooding/Mountain Home — verify boundaries.
- !Wilderness study areas restrict motorized travel; know where roads legally end.
- !Very limited water and extreme early-season heat on the open plateau.
- !Rough, tire-shredding lava rock and slick clay roads after storms.
Logistics
Mountain Home and Gooding bookend the unit with full services and fuel off I-84 and U.S. 20/26; Bliss and Fairfield are smaller options. Access is via BLM two-tracks off the highway corridors. Water is scarce across the lava plateau — carry your own. Cell coverage is spotty away from the highways; a satellite communicator is wise.
Nearest towns: Mountain Home, Gooding, Fairfield, Bliss
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Idaho sources:
Research sources: IDFG Hunt Planner — Unit 45 · IDFG Hunt Planner — Smoky-Bennett Elk Zone hunts · BLM Idaho — Four Rivers Field Office (Mount Bennett Hills)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 45 in Idaho?
- Unit 45 (45 (Smoky - Bennett)) covers about 1,272 square miles, ranging from roughly 2,600 to 7,100 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 45?
- Approximately 70% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM, Sawtooth NF, IDL, Bureau of Reclamation. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 45?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn, 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 45 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.