Unit 60A 60A (Island Park)
Sand Creek sagebrush desert grading into Targhee timber — a mixed-bag unit that adds pronghorn to the eastern-Idaho lineup.
Eastern Idaho — Sand Creek / Island Park fringe; Fremont & Clark Counties (Island Park Zone) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
920
sq mi
Public land
80%
approx.
Elevation
4,900–7,800
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 60A spans the transition from the Sand Creek sagebrush desert and dune country north of St. Anthony up into the lodgepole timber of the Island Park plateau, across Fremont and Clark counties. This ecotone gives it a broader mix than its neighbors: mule deer on the sage-and-timber edges, a general Island Park-Zone elk opportunity, pronghorn on the open sage flats, spring and fall black bear, and an occasional Shiras moose draw. The Sand Creek country is a major mule deer and elk winter range, and much of the unit is public Forest, BLM and state land.
Terrain
Rolling sagebrush steppe and sand dunes near 4,900 ft on the Sand Creek desert rising north and east into forested plateau ridges and buttes approaching 7,800 ft on the Island Park fringe.
Cover: Sagebrush steppe, grassland and open dune country in the south and west grading into aspen pockets, Douglas-fir and lodgepole timber at elevation, with willow creek bottoms and wet meadows along the Sand Creek drainages.
Landmarks: Sand Creek desert · St. Anthony Sand Dunes · Sand Creek WMA · Camas Meadows · Egin-Hamer area · Juniper Buttes
Access
A blend of Caribou-Targhee National Forest in the timbered north and east, BLM and state sagebrush country on the Sand Creek desert, and the IDFG Sand Creek WMA. Winter-range closures on the Sand Creek desert protect wintering deer and elk and can restrict access seasonally. Private irrigated ag ground fringes the southern and western edges near St. Anthony — respect boundaries.
Managers: USFS Caribou-Targhee NF, BLM, Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) endowment, IDFG Sand Creek WMA, Private (agricultural fringe)
Access points: St. Anthony (US-20 / SH-33) · Red Road / Egin-Hamer Road · Sand Creek WMA access roads · Kilgore / Camas area (north) · BLM and USFS road network
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer are the deer of this unit, using the sage-and-timber ecotone; the Sand Creek country is important winter range, so numbers concentrate seasonally. A general opportunity across varied ground.
- →Glass sagebrush edges and aspen pockets at first and last light
- →Hunt the timber-to-sage transitions where bucks bed and feed
- →Move to the sage flats and winter-range edges as snow pushes deer down
- →Cover open country with quality glass
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityA general Island Park-Zone elk opportunity with modest success; elk use the timbered north and the Sand Creek winter range seasonally, moving with weather between the plateau and the desert.
- →Hunt the timber pockets and meadow edges in the north early
- →Follow elk to the Sand Creek winter range as snow accumulates
- →Bugle and cow-call September ridges away from roads
- →Glass sage-timber edges at dawn and dusk
Pronghorn
limited opportunityPronghorn inhabit the open Sand Creek sagebrush flats — a limited controlled-tag opportunity with moderate success. Numbers are modest but the sage country supports a huntable herd.
- →Glass the open sage flats from high points for distant bucks
- →Use terrain and sage to close the last stretch on a stalk
- →Watch water sources and feeding routes in dry early season
- →Range carefully — shots on the flats can be long
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bears use the timbered north and creek bottoms with limited spring and fall opportunity. Be grizzly-aware near the Island Park and Camas country.
- →Glass green-up meadows and aspen in spring
- →Hunt berry and creek-bottom brush in fall
- →Carry bear spray and confirm black vs. grizzly before any shot
- →Focus effort in the timbered northern portion
Moose
limited trophyA small Shiras moose controlled-tag opportunity — a once-in-a-lifetime draw with willow creek bottoms and wet meadows holding the few bulls the unit produces.
- →If drawn, scout Sand Creek willow bottoms and wet meadows
- →Glass riparian edges at dawn and dusk
- →Hunt slow through brushy creek corridors
- →Expect a long point wait and low tag numbers
Pro tips
- →Play the ecotone — glass where sagebrush meets timber for the best mule deer
- →Time the late season to the migration onto the Sand Creek winter range, but check closure dates first
- →The open sage flats hold pronghorn and demand real glass and long-range confidence
- →Sandy desert two-tracks bog vehicles — air down and carry recovery gear
- →Grizzlies range the northern timber near Island Park — carry spray and identify bears carefully
Watch out for
- !Seasonal Sand Creek winter-range closures can restrict access exactly when deer and elk arrive
- !Soft sand and dune two-tracks strand vehicles — travel prepared
- !Private irrigated ag ground fringes the south and west near St. Anthony
- !Grizzly presence in the northern timber near Island Park and Camas
- !Open sage country offers little shelter — exposure and weather swings are real
Logistics
St. Anthony and Rexburg on the US-20 / SH-33 corridor offer fuel, groceries, lodging and processing; Ashton is a closer resupply for the north end. Access mixes maintained Forest and BLM roads with sandy desert two-tracks on the Sand Creek flats — carry recovery gear for soft sand. The Sand Creek WMA and dispersed Forest sites provide camping.
Nearest towns: St. Anthony, Ashton, Rexburg, Kilgore, Island Park
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Idaho sources:
Research sources: IDFG Hunt Planner — Unit 60A · IDFG Island Park Elk Zone · USFS Caribou-Targhee National Forest — Sand Creek / Ashton area
FAQ
- How big is Unit 60A in Idaho?
- Unit 60A (60A (Island Park)) covers about 920 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,900 to 7,800 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 60A?
- Approximately 80% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Caribou-Targhee NF, BLM, Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) endowment, IDFG Sand Creek WMA, Private (agricultural fringe). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 60A?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Pronghorn, 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 60A on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.