Unit 63A 63A (Snake River)
Small, private-heavy river-bottom unit where deer and river-corridor moose outshine everything else.
Eastern Idaho — South Fork Snake River bottoms (Bonneville/Jefferson/Madison County) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
325
sq mi
Public land
17%
approx.
Elevation
4,700–5,800
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 63A is a compact ~325-square-mile unit east of Idaho Falls, bounded by U.S. 26, the South Fork Snake River, State Highway 33 and I-15. It is overwhelmingly irrigated farmland stitched together by the cottonwood and willow galleries of the South Fork Snake River, which give the unit its identity. Deer are the main quarry and produce well for the country (about 29% success on 260-plus animals), a mix of mule deer on the benches and whitetail in the river bottoms. A productive controlled moose hunt in the willow corridors is the trophy draw, and elk are a general-season sidelight. Public ground is scarce — roughly 80% is private.
Terrain
Broad irrigated valley floor and low benches flanking the braided South Fork Snake River, with the river's cottonwood-willow bottomlands providing the only real cover in an otherwise open farm landscape.
Cover: Predominantly irrigated gravity-flow farm ground (potatoes, grain, hay) with scattered sagebrush rangeland; dense riparian cottonwood, willow and brush along the South Fork Snake River corridor.
Landmarks: South Fork Snake River · Ririe Reservoir vicinity · Heise / Poplar area · Menan Buttes (near NW boundary) · State Highway 33 corridor
Access
Public ground is limited — about 14% BLM (much of it along the South Fork Snake River) plus a few percent state land; roughly 81% is private irrigated farm and ranch. The BLM river corridor and boat access are the most reliable public entries; most upland hunting requires landowner permission.
Managers: BLM (South Fork river corridor), IDL endowment, Bureau of Reclamation, private farm/ranch
Access points: South Fork Snake River BLM boat ramps (Heise, Byington, Lorenzo) · U.S. 26 river-corridor pullouts · State Highway 33 and county farm roads · Floating the South Fork to reach walk-in bottoms
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer hold the sage benches and farm edges away from the river and, together with whitetail, drive the unit's solid ~29% deer success on 260-plus animals.
- →Glass benches and sage draws above the farm ground at first and last light
- →Watch alfalfa and grain edges where deer feed at dawn and dusk
- →Focus on transition ground between river cover and open fields
Whitetail Deer
common qualityWhitetail thrive in the dense cottonwood and willow bottoms of the South Fork Snake River, one of eastern Idaho's premier river-corridor whitetail habitats.
- →Still-hunt cottonwood-willow bottoms along the South Fork during the rut
- →Float the river to reach isolated brushy islands and gravel bars
- →Watch field-edge to river transitions at last light
Moose
limited trophyA controlled moose hunt in the river-bottom willows posts a strong ~77% success on about 10 tags — the standout trophy opportunity in an otherwise farm-country unit.
- →Draw the controlled tag, then scout willow flats and river islands
- →Glass the South Fork bottoms early and late when bulls move
- →Use a raft or drift boat to reach thick riparian pockets
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited opportunityUnit 63A remains part of the Snake River Zone general elk hunt, but elk are few in this farm-and-river country — success runs low (~13% on a handful of animals) and hinges on catching elk using the river bottoms or filtering off the surrounding hills.
- →Hunt the South Fork bottoms where elk shelter during pressure
- →Glass field edges at the base of the hills at dawn
- →Be mobile — elk move through rather than reside here
Pro tips
- →The South Fork Snake River is the key — its BLM corridor and float access unlock the best public hunting
- →Chase whitetail in the river bottoms and mule deer on the outer benches
- →Prioritize the controlled moose draw; it is the unit's best trophy odds
- →Knock on doors early — most upland deer ground is private farmland
- →A drift boat or raft turns inaccessible bottoms into productive hunts
Watch out for
- !About 81% private farmland — verify permission and posting before hunting
- !River-bottom hunting requires care with private inholdings along the banks
- !Bureau of Reclamation and canal lands have their own access rules
- !Elk are thin here; do not expect resident herds
- !Warm early-season bottoms mean insects and quick meat spoilage
Logistics
Idaho Falls sits at the western edge with full services; Ririe and Rigby cover the interior. Road access is good but most upland ground is private — the South Fork Snake River, with its BLM ramps and float access, is the practical public artery for reaching huntable cover.
Nearest towns: Idaho Falls, Ririe, Rigby, Ammon, Heise
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Idaho sources:
Research sources: IDFG Hunt Planner — Unit 63A · BLM — South Fork Snake River corridor
FAQ
- How big is Unit 63A in Idaho?
- Unit 63A (63A (Snake River)) covers about 325 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,700 to 5,800 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 63A?
- Approximately 17% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM (South Fork river corridor), IDL endowment, Bureau of Reclamation, private farm/ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 63A?
- Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Moose, Rocky Mountain Elk. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Idaho agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 63A on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.