Unit 73 73 (Bannock)
Big, varied unit from the Mink Creek forest to the Curlew sagebrush flats — mule deer, foothill elk and open-country pronghorn
Southeast Idaho — Bannock/Malad Range & Curlew Grassland, Oneida/Bannock County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,239
sq mi
Public land
34%
approx.
Elevation
4,500–9,200
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 73 is a large, diverse unit stretching across parts of Bannock, Franklin, Power and Oneida counties, from the timbered Bannock and Malad ranges and the Mink Creek and Arbon Valley country south to the Utah line and west across the sagebrush sea of the Curlew National Grassland. It mixes Caribou National Forest timber, BLM and Grassland range, and heavy private farm ground. Mule deer are the primary draw across the whole spread, elk hold in the forested pockets, pronghorn roam the Curlew and Arbon sage flats, and moose along the riparian bottoms are a high-success controlled tag.
Terrain
A wide range of country: timbered mountains and canyons on the Bannock and Malad ranges and around Mink Creek, dropping to broad sagebrush valleys and dryland-wheat benches, and out to the open 47,000-acre Curlew National Grassland in the southwest.
Cover: Douglas-fir, aspen and mountain mahogany on the higher ranges; sagebrush-grass and bitterbrush on the foothills; extensive dryland wheat and irrigated ag in the valleys; open sagebrush-grass on the Curlew Grassland.
Landmarks: Bannock Range · Malad Range · Mink Creek · Arbon Valley · Curlew National Grassland · Malad City · Holbrook
Access
About a third of the unit is public — Caribou National Forest timber on the ranges, the USFS-administered Curlew National Grassland in the southwest, and scattered BLM, all threaded through dominant private farm and ranch ground (nearly two-thirds of the unit). The Curlew Grassland is a large contiguous public block; the mountain forest is more broken up by private at its edges. No designated wilderness.
Managers: USFS Caribou-Targhee National Forest, USFS Curlew National Grassland, BLM, IDL
Access points: Mink Creek / Scout Mountain area south of Pocatello · Arbon Valley Highway · Curlew National Grassland roads out of Holbrook and Stone · Malad-area forest roads on the Malad Range · State Highway 37
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityThe unit's cornerstone species across every habitat band — mountain mahogany and forest edges up high, sage draws and ag margins down low. This is a general-tag deer unit spread over a lot of ground.
- →Glass mahogany-and-mountain-brush benches on the Bannock and Malad ranges at first and last light
- →Work sage draws and dryland-ag edges in the foothills and Arbon Valley
- →Late season, hunt lower as storms push deer toward winter range
- →Cover country — with this much varied ground, mobility finds the best pockets
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityElk hold in the forested canyons and timber of the Bannock and Malad ranges and around Mink Creek, using ag and rangeland fringes to feed. A general-framed opportunity hunt with modest success.
- →Hunt the rough, timbered canyons of the mountain ranges where elk escape pressure
- →Glass forest-to-ag and forest-to-sage edges at dawn and dusk
- →Early archery hunters can work September bugles in the higher aspen and fir
- →Get well off the roads into the steepest cover to find undisturbed herds
Pronghorn
limited opportunityPronghorn roam the open sagebrush of the Curlew National Grassland and Arbon Valley flats — a controlled tag with classic spot-and-stalk potential on public range.
- →Glass the wide-open sage of the Curlew Grassland and Arbon Valley at long range
- →Locate bucks with spotting optics, then plan a stalk using terrain folds and draws
- →Water sources and fence-line travel routes concentrate antelope in dry early fall
- →The Grassland's large public block is the best bet for a legal stalk
Moose
limited qualityA high-success once-in-a-lifetime controlled tag. Moose use willow bottoms, mountain riparian corridors and aspen pockets on the ranges.
- →If drawn, scout willow-lined creek bottoms and beaver ponds on the ranges before the season
- →Glass riparian corridors and aspen edges at dawn and dusk
- →Bulls are patternable — pre-season legwork usually makes this drawn tag pay off
Pro tips
- →This is a big, three-part unit — decide whether you're after mountain deer/elk, Curlew pronghorn, or the ranges, and plan logistics around long distances
- →The Curlew National Grassland is a large public block ideal for open-country pronghorn and mule deer spot-and-stalk
- →Nearly two-thirds of the unit is private farm and ranch land — carry a good ownership map and secure permission where needed
- →Elk hide in the roughest timbered canyons of the Bannock and Malad ranges — get off the roads
- →A drawn moose tag on the ranges is a high-odds success — scout the willow bottoms early
Watch out for
- !About 64% of the unit is private — trespass risk is real on the ag-heavy checkerboard, verify boundaries
- !The forested public ground is broken up by private at the range edges — map legal access before you hunt the timber
- !The Curlew is open and exposed — no shade, no water, and long stalks; plan for heat and wind early season
- !Mountain forest roads turn slick and impassable after fall storms
Logistics
Pocatello anchors the north end with full services, and Malad City covers the south with fuel, lodging and supplies near the Curlew country. Interstate 15 and U.S. 91 provide fast access, and State Highway 37 reaches Holbrook and the Grassland. Given the unit's size, plan travel around whether you're hunting the northern Mink Creek forest, the mid-unit ranges, or the southwest Curlew flats — they're far apart.
Nearest towns: Malad City, Pocatello, Downey, Holbrook, Arimo
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Idaho sources:
Research sources: IDFG Hunt Planner — Unit 73 · Caribou-Targhee National Forest — Recreation / Curlew National Grassland
FAQ
- How big is Unit 73 in Idaho?
- Unit 73 (73 (Bannock)) covers about 1,239 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,500 to 9,200 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 73?
- Approximately 34% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Caribou-Targhee National Forest, USFS Curlew National Grassland, BLM, IDL. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 73?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Pronghorn, Moose. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Idaho agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 73 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.