Unit 74 74 (Bannock)
Private-heavy Portneuf Range unit with the Bannock Zone's best deer and elk numbers
Southeast Idaho — Portneuf Range / Lava Hot Springs, Bannock-Caribou-Franklin County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
607
sq mi
Public land
26%
approx.
Elevation
5,000–9,200
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 74 covers the Portneuf River country south and east of Pocatello, spanning parts of Bannock, Caribou, and Franklin counties from Preston north to the Bancroft-Pebble area and bounded by U.S. 91, I-15, U.S. 30, and State Highway 34. It centers on the timbered Portneuf Range around Lava Hot Springs, with grain benches and irrigated valley bottoms below. Within the Bannock Elk Zone it posts the strongest deer and elk harvest of the local units — but at roughly 74% private, this is an access-first hunt where permission or knowing the scattered public parcels makes or breaks the trip.
Terrain
Irrigated and dryland-farmed valleys along the Portneuf River climbing into the forested Portneuf Range. Roughly balanced between dryland agriculture (28%), rangeland (25%), and forest (23%), with substantial irrigated valley bottom.
Cover: Grain and irrigated hay/pasture on the valley floor, sagebrush-grass and mountain-mahogany foothills, and Douglas-fir, aspen, and conifer stringers on the higher Portneuf Range slopes and canyon heads.
Landmarks: Portneuf Range · Portneuf River valley · Lava Hot Springs · Bonneville Peak / Pebble Creek area · Bancroft and Grace farm country · Chesterfield Reservoir vicinity
Access
About 74% private — working ranches, grain benches, and irrigated valley farms. Accessible public ground is roughly 13% state endowment land and 12% BLM, concentrated on the Portneuf Range slopes; Caribou-Targhee National Forest edges in on the timbered heights. The valley bottom is almost all private, so hunt the mountain public parcels or arrange access to the ranch foothills.
Managers: IDL (State of Idaho), BLM, Caribou-Targhee NF (USFS)
Access points: U.S. 30 through Lava Hot Springs · State Highway 34 toward Grace and Bancroft · U.S. 91 / I-15 corridor on the west · Pebble Creek / Portneuf Range Forest and BLM roads
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityThe unit's headline animal — a general-season deer harvest near 370 with success around 30% is strong for the Bannock Zone. Deer work the mahogany-and-sage foothills and grain edges of the Portneuf Range.
- →Glass foothill sage, mahogany, and grain-field edges at first and last light
- →Hunt the timber-to-farm transition where bucks feed low and bed upslope
- →Late-season cold and snow push deer down onto the range fronts and ag benches
- →Nail down private-land permission or target the state and BLM parcels on the mountain
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityA solid general Bannock-Zone elk unit — harvest around 120 and success near 18% ride the timbered Portneuf Range. The capped general A-tag makes this an accessible elk opportunity if you plan early.
- →Hunt north-slope conifer, aspen pockets, and the timbered heads of drainages in the Portneuf Range
- →Elk retreat to public timber under valley and road pressure
- →Glass high parks and burns at daylight before elk bed
- →Bannock-zone tags are capped and sell out — buy early
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bears are thinly distributed through the higher Portneuf Range timber and brushy draws — an incidental opportunity (harvest is only a bear or two) rather than a target species.
- →Spring: glass green south-facing slopes and avalanche brush for feeding bears
- →Fall: focus on chokecherry, serviceberry, and hawthorn draws
- →Bears here are few and scattered — treat one as a bonus while deer or elk hunting
Moose
limited trophyA small controlled-hunt moose herd uses the willow river bottoms and aspen draws of the Portneuf drainage. Tags are rare draw-only, but drawn hunters see high success — a coveted once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
- →Glass willow bottoms, beaver ponds, and aspen edges along the Portneuf and its tributaries morning and evening
- →Moose hold in the wettest brush and riparian corridors
- →If drawn, scout access early given the heavy private ownership
Pro tips
- →This is an access-first unit — roughly three-quarters private, so secure ranch permission or hunt the state/BLM parcels on the Portneuf Range
- →The best deer and elk numbers in the local Bannock units are here; it rewards boots on public timber
- →Buy the capped Bannock-zone elk tag early — general tags sell out
- →Glass the ag-to-timber edge at dawn and dusk for feeding bucks
- →Carry an ownership-map layer; state, BLM, private, and Forest ground interlock on the mountain fronts
Watch out for
- !About 74% private land — trespass risk is high and boundaries on the benches are poorly marked
- !Valley bottom is almost entirely private farms and ranches; plan public access on the mountain
- !Gravel Forest and farm roads become slick and rutted when wet
- !Lava Hot Springs draws heavy fall recreation traffic — expect company near town
- !Respect standing crops and irrigated pasture when asking permission
Logistics
Pocatello is the primary full-service hub; Lava Hot Springs, Bancroft, Grace, and Preston offer fuel, lodging, and small-town services close to the unit. Roads range from paved highways to gravel Forest and farm access that gets greasy when wet — carry recovery gear off the pavement.
Nearest towns: Pocatello, Lava Hot Springs, Bancroft, Grace, Preston
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Idaho sources:
Research sources: IDFG Hunt Planner — Unit 74 · IDFG Hunt Planner — Bannock Elk Zone · Caribou-Targhee National Forest (USFS)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 74 in Idaho?
- Unit 74 (74 (Bannock)) covers about 607 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,000 to 9,200 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 74?
- Approximately 26% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: IDL (State of Idaho), BLM, Caribou-Targhee NF (USFS). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 74?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Black Bear, Moose. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Idaho agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 74 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.