Unit 76 76 (Diamond Creek)
Big, high phosphate-country ranges east of Soda Springs — a general mule deer and elk unit anchored by the Diamond Creek Zone.
Southeast Idaho — Caribou/Bear Lake County (Caribou Range / Diamond Creek) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,395
sq mi
Public land
54%
approx.
Elevation
5,800–9,957
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 76 is a large, rugged block of southeastern Idaho spanning Caribou and Bear Lake counties, bounded by U.S. 89 and Montpelier on the west, U.S. 30 to Soda Springs, State Highway 34, and the Idaho-Wyoming and Idaho-Utah state lines. Its core is the Caribou, Webster, Preuss, and Aspen ranges of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, cut by the Blackfoot River headwaters and the Diamond Creek and Stump Creek drainages. Mule deer are the headline general-season opportunity, backed by solid elk numbers in the Diamond Creek Elk Zone, a healthy black bear population, and small controlled moose and pronghorn hunts. Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Wayan is a notable feature at the unit's northern edge.
Terrain
High, folded sedimentary ranges — Caribou Mountain (9,803 ft) and Meade Peak (9,957 ft) crown steep timbered ridges that fall to broad sage valleys along the Blackfoot River, Diamond Creek, and Georgetown Canyon.
Cover: Roughly a third forest (aspen, Douglas-fir, subalpine fir, lodgepole) and a third rangeland sagebrush-bunchgrass, laced with riparian willow bottoms and stringers; the low country holds dryland and irrigated farm and ranch ground.
Landmarks: Caribou Mountain (9,803 ft) · Meade Peak (9,957 ft) · Caribou Range · Webster Range · Preuss Range · Diamond Creek drainage · Blackfoot River headwaters · Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge · Smoky Canyon phosphate mine
Access
About 54% public (USFS ~43%, BLM ~7%, state ~4%) with the high country largely national forest and the valley bottoms private ranch and farm ground. Forest roads climb the Caribou and Webster ranges from Soda Springs, Wayan, and the Diamond Creek-Lanes Creek Road; the Diamond Creek Zone lies north and east of the Stump Creek-Smoky Canyon-Timber Creek Road. Active phosphate mining (Smoky Canyon) restricts some access. Grays Lake NWR has special hunting rules.
Managers: Caribou-Targhee NF (USFS), BLM (Idaho Falls District), Idaho Dept of Lands (IDL), US Fish & Wildlife Service (Grays Lake NWR)
Access points: Diamond Creek-Lanes Creek Road from Wayan · Stump Creek Road / Tincup · Georgetown Canyon Road · State Highway 34 (Soda Springs to Freedom) · Blackfoot River Road
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityThe top harvest species and a general-season opportunity hunt — the largest deer take in the Bear River / Diamond Creek country. Success runs modest, so the reward goes to hunters who cover ground and hunt the timber-sage edges.
- →Glass sage benches and aspen edges at first and last light along the Caribou and Webster range fronts
- →Hunt higher in warm early season, then work Blackfoot and Diamond Creek drainages as snow pushes deer to winter range
- →Still-hunt aspen pockets and mahogany during the late-October rut
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunitySolid elk numbers in the Diamond Creek Elk Zone with general A/B tag opportunity. Success is typical of general Idaho elk (low-to-modest), but the country holds animals for hunters who get off the roads.
- →Locate bulls in the timbered high basins of the Caribou and Preuss ranges, then still-hunt the dark timber
- →Hunt dawn and dusk on aspen-sage transitions where elk feed
- →Push into roadless benches north and east of the Diamond Creek Road away from pressure
Black Bear
common opportunityA healthy black bear population across the forested ranges, with a steady harvest — one of the better incidental and spring/fall bear opportunities in the Southeast Region.
- →Glass green avalanche chutes, aspen stands, and berry benches in spring and early fall
- →Hunt oak brush, chokecherry, and serviceberry pockets when fruit ripens
- →Work forest-rangeland edges and old burns at first and last light
Moose
limited qualityA small controlled-hunt opportunity with strong success (around 70%) for the few who draw. Bulls concentrate in the wet willow bottoms and aspen stringers of the high drainages, including near Grays Lake.
- →Hunt willow bottoms, beaver ponds, and mountain meadows along the Blackfoot River and Diamond Creek drainages
- →Scout forage and water in the days before the hunt to pin down bulls
- →Work aspen stringers on cool mornings when moose feed in the open
Pronghorn
limited qualityA small controlled-hunt pronghorn opportunity on the open sage flats and valleys, with high success (around 80%) for the handful who draw.
- →Glass wide sage valleys and bench tops early and late
- →Use terrain rolls and gullies to close on exposed bucks
- →Focus the broad flats along State Highway 34 and the Blackfoot valley margins
Pro tips
- →This is a big general-season opportunity unit — plan to cover ground and hunt the timber-sage transitions rather than expecting a trophy destination.
- →Learn the Diamond Creek Zone boundary (north and east of the Stump Creek-Smoky Canyon-Timber Creek Road) — it defines your elk hunt area.
- →Active phosphate mining around Smoky Canyon can close roads and ground — check current access before committing to that country.
- →Grays Lake NWR at the north edge has special hunting rules and holds moose and elk — verify what's open before hunting near it.
- →Public up high, private in the valleys — carry a current ownership map, especially at road access from ranch ground.
Watch out for
- !Roughly 40% private in the valleys — trespass risk is real; verify ownership at every access point.
- !Early, heavy snow strands vehicles on the high Caribou and Webster forest roads.
- !Phosphate-mining activity (Smoky Canyon) restricts access and can close roads without notice.
- !Grays Lake NWR carries special regulations distinct from the surrounding forest.
- !Grizzly bears are expanding in the greater Yellowstone region — know bear identification and carry deterrent in the high country.
Logistics
Soda Springs and Montpelier are the full-service hubs (fuel, lodging, licenses, groceries) on U.S. 30/89; Wayan and Freedom offer minimal supplies near the high country. Caribou-Targhee National Forest campgrounds and dispersed sites stage hunters, and State Highway 34 plus the Diamond Creek-Lanes Creek and Stump Creek roads are the main arteries into the ranges.
Nearest towns: Soda Springs, Montpelier, Georgetown, Wayan, Freedom
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Idaho sources:
Research sources: IDFG Hunt Planner — Unit 76 (ownership %, habitat %, boundary, species) · IDFG Diamond Creek Elk Zone description · Caribou DAU / Caribou-Targhee NF context (ranges, ownership)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 76 in Idaho?
- Unit 76 (76 (Diamond Creek)) covers about 1,395 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,800 to 9,957 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 76?
- Approximately 54% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Caribou-Targhee NF (USFS), BLM (Idaho Falls District), Idaho Dept of Lands (IDL), US Fish & Wildlife Service (Grays Lake NWR). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 76?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Black Bear, Moose, Pronghorn. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Idaho agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 76 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.