Unit 49 49 (Pioneer)
Sagebrush pronghorn flats rising into the glacier-carved Pioneer high country south of Sun Valley.
Central Idaho — Pioneer Mountains, Blaine & Butte County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
798
sq mi
Public land
70%
approx.
Elevation
4,800–11,800
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 49 sprawls across the eastern edge of Blaine County into the Big Lost River country, running from the sage-and-lava desert near Carey and Craters of the Moon up into the rugged Pioneer Mountains — one of Idaho's tallest ranges, crowned by 12,000-foot peaks. It is a genuine three-species big-game unit: pronghorn work the open sage basins on the south end, mule deer hold the foothill draws and aspen benches, and elk range the timbered Pioneer slopes as part of the capped Pioneer Zone. Black bear numbers are modest. The dramatic elevation spread means hunters can chase antelope in the flats one day and climb into alpine basins the next.
Terrain
Enormous vertical relief — from sagebrush and lava desert near 4,800 ft around Carey and the Big Lost River sink up to the alpine crest of the Pioneer Mountains, where Hyndman Peak and Standhope Peak push past 11,000-12,000 ft.
Cover: Big sagebrush, bitterbrush and grassland flats on the south and east give way to mountain-mahogany, aspen pockets and Douglas-fir on the foothills, then lodgepole, subalpine fir and open alpine tundra with granite cirques toward the Pioneer crest.
Landmarks: Pioneer Mountains (Hyndman Peak, Standhope Peak) · Big Lost River · Craters of the Moon lava fields (edge) · Fish Creek Reservoir · Carey / U.S. 20-26 corridor · Copper Basin
Access
A large majority of the unit is public — BLM sage country on the desert end and Sawtooth/Salmon-Challis National Forest across the Pioneer foothills and high country. Private ranchland concentrates along the Big Lost River bottom and around Carey; the alpine core is roadless and steep. Copper Basin Road and Trail Creek country open the north end.
Managers: USFS Sawtooth NF, USFS Salmon-Challis NF, BLM, Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) endowment, Private ranch & farmland
Access points: Carey (U.S. 20-26) · Trail Creek Rd from Sun Valley/Ketchum · Copper Basin Rd · Big Lost River / Wildhorse Creek drainages · Fish Creek Reservoir area
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityThe bread-and-butter deer of the unit, holding the aspen benches, mountain-mahogany draws and foothill transition between sage and timber; the mainstay of local hunter effort.
- →Glass foothill aspen pockets and mahogany draws at first and last light
- →Work the sage-timber transition where deer feed out of cover
- →Push higher into the Pioneers as pressure builds on the front country
- →Hunt storm fronts that move deer down off the high basins
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityPart of the capped Pioneer Elk Zone (Units 36A/49/50), so tags are limited rather than over-the-counter; elk range the timbered Pioneer slopes and pockets of dark timber, with success typical of a rugged mountain zone.
- →Hunt the north-slope timber and aspen stringers in the Pioneer foothills
- →Bugle the September ridges then still-hunt bedding pockets
- →Cut fresh sign on logging and Forest roads, then climb into the dark timber
- →Focus on remote basins away from the Sun Valley trail traffic
Pronghorn
common opportunityPronghorn inhabit the open sage basins and lava-flat margins on the south and east ends toward Carey and Craters of the Moon; a controlled-draw antelope opportunity with steady success for those who draw.
- →Glass wide-open sage flats from vehicle-accessible high points
- →Use terrain folds and dry washes to close the distance on spotted bucks
- →Water sources and the sage-desert edges concentrate animals in early season
- →Be ready for long shots — practice out to your ethical limit
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bears are present but not abundant here, holding the timbered Pioneer drainages and aspen basins; more incidental than a primary draw.
- →Spring: glass green-up on south-facing avalanche chutes and old burns
- →Fall: hunt aspen and berry pockets where bears feed before denning
- →Cover ground between timbered drainages — densities are thin
Pro tips
- →Treat this as two units — plan a low-elevation sage hunt and a high-mountain hunt separately
- →The Pioneer elk are in a capped zone, so secure the correct zone tag before counting on elk
- →Antelope here are controlled-draw — build points and know your odds before planning around them
- →Early snow is your friend for pushing high-country mule deer down into glassable country
- →Trail Creek and Copper Basin roads are rough and remote — carry recovery gear and extra fuel
Watch out for
- !Extreme elevation and exposed alpine terrain — sudden storms, cold and rockfall in the Pioneers
- !Private ranchland along the Big Lost River bottom and around Carey — verify boundaries before crossing
- !Remote roads (Copper Basin, Trail Creek) can drift shut with early snow, stranding vehicles
- !Capped Pioneer Elk Zone and controlled antelope hunts mean tag availability is limited, not general
Logistics
Carey on U.S. 20-26 is the gateway to the south and east country; Ketchum/Sun Valley and Trail Creek Road access the northern Pioneer high country, and Mackay/Arco serve the Big Lost River side. Services are full in the Wood River Valley towns and limited elsewhere — fuel and provision up before heading into Copper Basin or the desert flats.
Nearest towns: Carey, Ketchum, Sun Valley, Hailey, Arco, Mackay
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Idaho sources:
Research sources: IDFG Hunt Planner — Unit 49 · IDFG Hunt Planner — Pioneer Elk Zone (Units 36A/49/50) · USFS Sawtooth National Forest
FAQ
- How big is Unit 49 in Idaho?
- Unit 49 (49 (Pioneer)) covers about 798 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,800 to 11,800 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 49?
- Approximately 70% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Sawtooth NF, USFS Salmon-Challis NF, BLM, Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) endowment, Private ranch & farmland. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 49?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, 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 49 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.