Unit 61 61 (Island Park)
Centennial Divide goat country over Kilgore's sage meadows — general elk and mule deer with a pronghorn draw and a once-in-a-lifetime goat tag.
Eastern Idaho — Centennial Mountains & west Island Park; Clark & Fremont Counties (Island Park Zone) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
802
sq mi
Public land
75%
approx.
Elevation
5,900–10,200
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 61 covers the northwest corner of the Island Park Zone in Clark and Fremont Counties, running from Spencer and the Kilgore–Camas Meadows sage country up into the Centennial Mountains along the Idaho–Montana Continental Divide. It spans a huge range of habitat: high, rugged divide peaks approaching Mount Jefferson's 10,200 ft that hold mountain goats, timbered mid-slopes and caldera-edge lodgepole with general Island Park-Zone elk, good mule deer numbers tied to the regional Sand Creek/east-Idaho herds, spring-and-fall black bear, a limited pronghorn draw on the open flats, and a coveted once-in-a-lifetime Shiras moose tag. Big, cold, and mostly Caribou-Targhee National Forest, it rewards hunters willing to climb.
Terrain
Open sage meadows and ranch valleys near Kilgore and Spencer around 5,900–6,500 ft climbing north into the steep, rocky Centennial Mountains along the Continental Divide, topping out near Mount Jefferson above 10,000 ft.
Cover: Sagebrush-grass flats and irrigated meadow bottoms give way to aspen and Douglas-fir on the lower slopes, then lodgepole and spruce-fir, with subalpine fir, rock and alpine basins along the high Centennial crest.
Landmarks: Centennial Mountains · Continental Divide (Idaho–Montana line) · Mount Jefferson · Kilgore · Camas Meadows · Spencer · Shotgun Valley
Access
The mountain half of the unit is extensive Caribou-Targhee National Forest reached by a Forest road and trail grid off the Spencer–Kilgore Road and Shotgun Valley Road. The valley floors around Kilgore, Camas Meadows and Spencer are private ranch and irrigated ground — get permission or hunt the public timber above. The high Centennial crest is steep, roadless goat country along the Montana line.
Managers: USFS Caribou-Targhee NF, Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) endowment, Private ranch & agriculture (Kilgore/Spencer/Camas valleys)
Access points: Spencer (I-15 exit) · Spencer–Kilgore Road · Shotgun Valley Road to US-20 · Camas Meadows / Kilgore area roads · Centennial Mountains USFS trailheads
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityA general Island Park-Zone elk opportunity and the unit's top big-game harvest, spread across timbered mid-slopes and caldera-edge lodgepole. Success is modest but tags are general; bulls hold in the roadless Centennial pockets.
- →Work timber pockets and meadow edges above the valley ranches
- →Push into the roadless Centennial slopes away from road pressure
- →Bugle and cow-call the September ridges and aspen fringes
- →Follow elk to lower ground after the first hard snows
Mule Deer
common opportunitySolid mule deer numbers tied to the broader east-Idaho/Sand Creek herds, using sage edges, aspen pockets and mountain openings. A strong general opportunity with the occasional good buck up high.
- →Glass sagebrush-and-aspen edges at first and last light
- →Hunt timber-to-opening transitions on the mid-slopes
- →Climb into the Centennial benches for older bucks
- →Watch migration onto the flats as snow builds
Pronghorn
limited opportunityPronghorn use the open sage meadows and flats around Kilgore, Camas Meadows and Shotgun Valley — a limited controlled-draw opportunity rather than a large herd.
- →Glass the open sage flats and meadow margins from the roads
- →Spot-and-stalk using terrain rolls to close the gap
- →Scout private-vs-public boundaries before the season
- →Set up on morning and evening feeding movements
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bears use the timbered slopes and aspen-berry country with both spring and fall opportunity. This is occupied grizzly range near Yellowstone — identify your target with certainty.
- →Spring: glass green-up meadows and south-facing openings
- →Fall: hunt aspen, chokecherry and huckleberry brush
- →Cover ground between glassing knobs on the Forest road grid
- →Carry bear spray and confirm black vs. grizzly before any shot
Moose
common trophyShiras moose are a genuine trophy draw here with very high success for those who draw — one of the better moose units in the zone. Willow bottoms, wet meadows and riparian creeks hold good bulls.
- →If drawn, scout willow bottoms and wet meadows along the creeks
- →Glass Camas and Shotgun Valley riparian corridors at dawn and dusk
- →Hunt slow through brushy willow flats
- →Expect a long point wait to draw the tag
Mountain Goat
limited trophyThe Centennial Mountains hold a small mountain goat population hunted on a once-in-a-lifetime controlled tag (Hunt Area 61) with essentially guaranteed opportunity for the rare drawee. Steep, rocky divide terrain.
- →If drawn, glass the high rock faces and cliff bands along the Centennial crest
- →Scout access and safe approach lines well before the hunt
- →Be ready for steep, exposed climbing near the Montana line
- →Plan pack-out logistics from remote alpine terrain
Pro tips
- →Escape road pressure by climbing off the Spencer–Kilgore and Shotgun Valley roads into the roadless Centennial slopes
- →Sort out private ranch boundaries around Kilgore, Camas Meadows and Spencer before you hunt the flats
- →This is occupied grizzly range — carry bear spray and be certain of any bear before shooting
- →If you draw the goat or moose tag, scout access and pack-out logistics early
- →Watch the weather — early Divide snow moves elk and deer and can gate the high roads fast
Watch out for
- !Occupied grizzly bear range — food storage, bear spray and target ID are essential
- !Private ranch and irrigated ground blankets the Kilgore, Camas Meadows and Spencer valley floors
- !High, steep Centennial terrain along the Montana line is remote and physically demanding
- !Early, heavy snow can gate Forest roads and strand vehicles at elevation
- !Know the Idaho–Montana state line — tags and seasons differ across the Divide
Logistics
Spencer sits right on I-15 with basic services; Dubois to the south and Island Park to the east offer more fuel, lodging and groceries, with Idaho Falls the regional hub. The Spencer–Kilgore and Shotgun Valley roads are the main arteries into the Forest, with a network of secondary Forest and IDL roads climbing toward the Centennials. Expect cold nights and early snow at elevation.
Nearest towns: Spencer, Kilgore, Island Park, Dubois, Ashton
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Idaho sources:
Research sources: IDFG Hunt Planner — Unit 61 · IDFG Island Park Zone · IDFG Hunt Area 61 Mountain Goat Controlled Hunt 6020 · USFS Caribou-Targhee National Forest
FAQ
- How big is Unit 61 in Idaho?
- Unit 61 (61 (Island Park)) covers about 802 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,900 to 10,200 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 61?
- Approximately 75% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Caribou-Targhee NF, Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) endowment, Private ranch & agriculture (Kilgore/Spencer/Camas valleys). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 61?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Black Bear, Moose, 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 61 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.