Unit 69 69 (Tex Creek)
The great migratory winter range east of Idaho Falls — thousands of mule deer and elk funnel into the Tex Creek WMA when the snow flies.
Eastern Idaho — Bonneville & Bingham County (Tex Creek country) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,442
sq mi
Public land
60%
approx.
Elevation
4,800–7,200
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 69 sprawls across the foothills and sagebrush breaks east and southeast of Idaho Falls, anchored by the 34,000-acre Tex Creek Wildlife Management Area between Willow Creek and the South Fork of the Snake River. This is classic terminal winter range: while some resident mule deer and elk hold here year-round, the majority are migratory and pour down out of the Caribou Range foothills once high-country snow pushes them out — upwards of 3,000 mule deer and 4,000 elk may winter on the WMA. Deer are the numbers game, elk are a capped Tex Creek Zone draw with strong bulls, and moose is a coveted controlled tag with very high success.
Terrain
Rolling sagebrush foothills, brushy draws and aspen benches rising east from the Snake River plain toward the lower Caribou Range, cut by Willow Creek, Tex Creek and their tributary canyons.
Cover: A mosaic of sagebrush steppe, bitterbrush and grassland on the open slopes, with aspen stands and mountain-shrub in the draws and dryland cultivated cropland on the private fringes toward the valley.
Landmarks: Tex Creek WMA · Willow Creek · South Fork Snake River · Ririe Reservoir · Caribou Range foothills · Kelly Canyon area
Access
A large public core of state WMA, BLM and Caribou-Targhee timber sits behind a ranch-country road network, but the valley edges toward Idaho Falls and Ririe are private dryland farm and pasture — knock on doors or use the WMA and BLM blocks. Of roughly 31 miles of WMA road, most are county-maintained; a stretch is closed each winter to protect wintering game.
Managers: IDFG Tex Creek WMA, BLM, USFS Caribou-Targhee NF, Idaho Department of Lands (IDL), Private agriculture & ranch
Access points: Willow Creek Rd (from US-26/Ririe) · Kelly Canyon / Heise · Tex Creek WMA entrances off Bone Rd · Meadow Creek · South Fork Snake River corridor
Species notes
Mule Deer
abundant qualityOne of eastern Idaho's premier migratory mule deer units — big autumn concentrations arrive with the first hard weather and the herd produces good mature bucks.
- →Glass sagebrush ridges and aspen edges at first and last light
- →Time late hunts to storms that push migratory deer down onto the WMA
- →Still-hunt the brushy draws and coulees where bucks bed
- →Cover country on foot from the road closures into secure basins
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityPart of the capped Tex Creek Elk Zone (Units 66 and 69) — a controlled-tag draw rather than open general opportunity, with a healthy wintering herd and quality bulls for those who draw.
- →Learn the migration timing — big herds shift onto the WMA with snow
- →Bugle the aspen pockets and timbered draws in the early season
- →Glass open feed at dawn then push into brush for bedded bulls
- →Hunt hard on weather fronts that concentrate elk
Moose
limited qualityA prized once-in-a-lifetime controlled Idaho moose tag with very high hunter success — Shiras bulls hold in the willow bottoms and aspen along the creek drainages.
- →Glass willow-choked creek bottoms along Willow and Tex creeks morning and evening
- →Look for bulls loafing at aspen-meadow edges
- →Scout early — moose are patternable on limited water and browse
- →Be patient and selective; you likely only draw this once
Black Bear
limited opportunityModest black bear opportunity in the aspen and brushy draws, best where mountain-shrub and berry cover concentrates bears near the timbered fringes.
- →Glass green draws and aspen pockets in spring
- →Hunt fall berry and chokecherry brush
- →Watch aspen edges at dawn and dusk
- →Cover country between the open sage and timber transition
Pro tips
- →This is a winter-range unit — the best deer hunting keys on the first serious snowstorm that triggers migration
- →Elk here are a capped Tex Creek Zone controlled draw, not open general opportunity — plan your tag application accordingly
- →Respect the December-to-spring road closures that protect wintering game
- →Sort public WMA/BLM blocks from private dryland farms on your GPS before you hunt the valley fringe
- →Wet clay roads can strand a truck — time access to dry or frozen conditions
Watch out for
- !Extensive private dryland agriculture and ranch land on the western/valley fringe — verify boundaries
- !Seasonal winter-range road closures on and around the Tex Creek WMA
- !Gumbo clay roads become impassable when wet
- !Migratory game means quality varies wildly with weather timing
Logistics
Idaho Falls is a full-service hub 20-30 minutes from the west edge with lodging, gas and outfitters; Ririe and Swan Valley offer closer fuel and supplies. Expect gravel ranch roads that turn to greasy gumbo when wet — carry recovery gear and watch for seasonal winter-range road closures.
Nearest towns: Idaho Falls, Ririe, Iona, Ammon, Swan Valley
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Idaho sources:
Research sources: Tex Creek WMA — Idaho Fish and Game · Tex Creek Zone — IDFG Hunt Planner · Tex Creek Wildlife Management Area — Wikipedia
FAQ
- How big is Unit 69 in Idaho?
- Unit 69 (69 (Tex Creek)) covers about 1,442 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,800 to 7,200 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 69?
- Approximately 60% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: IDFG Tex Creek WMA, BLM, USFS Caribou-Targhee NF, Idaho Department of Lands (IDL), Private agriculture & ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 69?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Moose, 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 69 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.