Unit 70 70 (Bannock)
The Bannock Range at Pocatello's back door — a solid mule deer range with a general elk opportunity and a near-certain moose draw.
Southeast Idaho — Bannock & Power County (Bannock Range south of Pocatello) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
381
sq mi
Public land
55%
approx.
Elevation
4,500–9,000
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 70 takes in most of the Bannock Range south of Pocatello and west of McCammon, spanning portions of Bannock and Power counties from the Mink Creek and Scout Mountain country down toward Arbon Valley and Arimo. Steep, rocky sagebrush ridges tumble quickly to valley farmland on both the east and west sides, with easier basins and benches in between. The range holds a good number of mule deer and lower numbers of elk in the general Bannock Zone, plus a controlled Shiras moose tag that has historically posted near-total hunter success.
Terrain
A compact but rugged mountain range — sagebrush and grass ridges over 8,000 feet drop steeply to valley floors around 4,500-5,200 feet, with moderately steep slopes, aspen basins and rocky high ground.
Cover: Sagebrush and mountain-shrub on the open slopes and ridgetops, aspen and maple in the draws, and Douglas-fir and mixed conifer on the higher north-facing pitches, transitioning to cropland and pasture in the valleys.
Landmarks: Scout Mountain · Bonneville Peak · Mink Creek · Bannock Range crest · Arbon Valley · Portneuf River valley (McCammon)
Access
The Bannock Range crest is largely Caribou-Targhee National Forest and BLM with a good road and trail network out of the Mink Creek and Scout Mountain drainages near Pocatello. The valley bottoms on both sides are private farm and ranch, and the Fort Hall Indian Reservation borders the unit toward the Bannock Creek/Arbon side — verify boundaries and tribal land before hunting the northwest edge.
Managers: USFS Caribou-Targhee NF (Westside RD), BLM, Idaho Department of Lands (IDL), Private agriculture & ranch
Access points: Mink Creek Rd (from Pocatello) · Scout Mountain / Justice Park · Bannock Creek-Arbon Valley Hwy · Rattlesnake Creek / Garden Gap Rd · Portneuf Gap area near McCammon
Species notes
Mule Deer
common qualityThe bread-and-butter of Unit 70 — a good mule deer population spread through the sagebrush ridges and aspen basins of the Bannock Range, with mature bucks available to hunters willing to climb.
- →Glass sagebrush ridgelines and aspen edges at first and last light
- →Hunt the high basins early, then work down as pressure and weather push deer
- →Still-hunt maple and aspen draws where bucks bed
- →Cover country on foot away from the Mink Creek road pressure
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityA general Bannock Zone elk opportunity with lower elk numbers than deer — animals hold in the timbered north slopes and aspen pockets and shift with pressure between public and private ground.
- →Work the Douglas-fir and aspen on north-facing slopes
- →Bugle and cow-call the timbered basins in September
- →Glass open feed at dawn then push into cover
- →Follow elk onto secure public ground as valley pressure builds
Moose
limited qualityA controlled once-in-a-lifetime Idaho moose tag that has posted near-certain success — a small number of Shiras bulls use the willow bottoms and aspen-conifer draws of the range.
- →Glass willow creek-bottoms and aspen edges morning and evening
- →Check wet draws and springs on the higher slopes
- →Scout early and pattern the few resident bulls
- →Hunt patiently and selectively — this is a lifetime tag
Black Bear
limited lowMarginal black bear country with only occasional harvest — bears are scarce and incidental in this drier, more open range.
- →Focus on the wetter aspen and conifer draws where any bears concentrate
- →Glass green spring slopes and berry brush in fall
- →Treat a bear as opportunistic while hunting deer or elk
Pro tips
- →Mule deer are the strength here — hunt the high sagebrush ridges and aspen basins, not the private valleys
- →Elk are a general Bannock Zone opportunity but far fewer than deer — expect to work timbered north slopes
- →The moose tag is a controlled once-in-a-lifetime draw with historically excellent odds of filling
- →Verify the Fort Hall Reservation boundary on the northwest/Bannock Creek side before hunting
- →Close-to-Pocatello access means pressure near Mink Creek — hike away from the trailheads for better bucks
Watch out for
- !Private farm and ranch land fills the valleys on both sides of the range — verify boundaries
- !Fort Hall Indian Reservation tribal land adjoins the northwest edge
- !Steep rocky ridges and slick clay draws when wet
- !Road and trailhead pressure near Pocatello and Mink Creek
Logistics
Pocatello sits right at the north edge with full services, lodging and quick access up Mink Creek to the Scout Mountain country; McCammon and Inkom off I-15 cover the east side. Forest and BLM roads are decent but the high, rocky ridges and clay draws get slick when wet — carry recovery gear.
Nearest towns: Pocatello, McCammon, Inkom, Arimo
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Idaho sources:
Research sources: Unit 70 — IDFG Hunt Planner · Idaho Unit 70 Profile — GOHUNT · All Hunting in Idaho's Unit 70 — Bannock Elk Zone — HuntScore
FAQ
- How big is Unit 70 in Idaho?
- Unit 70 (70 (Bannock)) covers about 381 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,500 to 9,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 70?
- Approximately 55% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Caribou-Targhee NF (Westside RD), BLM, Idaho Department of Lands (IDL), Private agriculture & ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 70?
- 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 70 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.