Unit 639 Cache, East Rich
The eastern Rich County shoulder of the Cache unit — sage-and-aspen foothills, Bear River bottoms and border-country bulls that slip in from Wyoming
Northern Utah — Bear Lake / Bear River Range · Last reviewed 2026-07-13
Area
372
sq mi
Public land
60%
approx.
Elevation
5,900–9,000
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
The East Rich portion of the Cache unit covers the low, rolling mountains and sage valleys between Bear Lake and the Wyoming line, plus the private Bear River bottoms that thread through them. It is quieter and more open than the high Bear River Range to the west: most of the hills are public BLM and state land laced with dirt and gravel roads, while the productive river bottoms are largely private farmland. Elk here are scattered and run mostly spike-to-raghorn, though mature bulls occasionally wander in from Wyoming, Idaho or the neighboring Cache herd. As part of the broader Cache unit, the mule deer hunting is quality limited-entry, and the range also holds a Bear River Range moose population and pronghorn on the open sage flats.
Terrain
Rolling low mountains, foothills and sagebrush valleys east of Bear Lake rising toward the Wyoming line, drained by the Bear River. Far gentler and more open than the steep Bear River Range crest to the west; the Crawford Mountains form the eastern edge near the state line.
Cover: Sagebrush-grassland valleys and benches, mountain brush and bitterbrush on the slopes, aspen and scattered conifer pockets on the higher north-facing draws, and irrigated hay and pasture bottoms along the Bear River.
Landmarks: Bear Lake · Bear River bottoms · Crawford Mountains · Randolph · Woodruff · Wyoming state line
Access
The hills and low mountains are largely public — BLM and SITLA state trust land (open to hunting) — reachable by an extensive dirt and gravel road network. The Bear River bottoms, where elk key on green feed, are mostly private farmland; hunters with permission on those ag lands hold a real advantage. Higher timbered ground to the west falls under the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Respect fences and posted ranch boundaries in the valley.
Managers: BLM, SITLA, private, USFS
Access points: Randolph · Woodruff · SR-16 corridor · Crawford Mountains roads · Bear River bottoms county roads · Highway 30 (Bear Lake side)
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited opportunityScattered elk use the sage hills and river bottoms, with most bulls taken being spikes and raghorns. Occasionally a mature bull drifts in from Wyoming, Idaho or the adjacent Cache herd, and hunters with access to the private farmland where elk feed have the clear edge.
- →Get on private-land access along the Bear River bottoms where elk concentrate on green feed
- →Glass the sage-and-brush hills at first and last light as elk move between bedding and feed
- →Work the public hills adjacent to private ag where elk bed by day and feed at night
- →Watch the Wyoming/Idaho border draws for bulls filtering in
Mule Deer
common qualityAs part of the larger Cache limited-entry deer unit, the East Rich country offers quality bucks with good public access. Deer use the mountain brush, aspen edges and sage benches, and the mix of open glassing country and cover suits a spot-and-stalk approach.
- →Glass the sagebrush benches and mountain-brush slopes at dawn, then still-hunt aspen edges midday
- →Focus on the transition between open sage and timbered draws where mature bucks bed
- →Hunt the rut when bucks travel and drop their guard
- →Cover the public hills adjacent to private ag where deer shelter
Moose
limited qualityThe Bear River Range carries an established Shiras moose population that spills into the willowed bottoms and aspen-conifer draws of the unit. A once-in-a-lifetime tag in Utah, with limited but genuine opportunity.
- →Hunt willow-choked creek bottoms and beaver-pond complexes at first and last light
- →Glass aspen-conifer edges and mountain meadows where bulls feed
- →Move slowly and quietly through riparian corridors
Pronghorn
limited opportunityPronghorn range the open sagebrush valleys and flats around Randolph and Woodruff in the Rich County high desert. Numbers are modest but bands are visible and huntable in the open country.
- →Glass the open sage valleys from high points and cover ground until you locate a band
- →Use terrain rolls and draws to close the distance across open flats
- →Focus on water sources and green feed in dry stretches
Pro tips
- →Elk success here often hinges on private-land access along the Bear River bottoms — line up permission before the season
- →This is border country: watch the Wyoming and Idaho lines for animals moving across, but know exactly where you are relative to state and unit boundaries
- →Lean on the open sage terrain — glass long and cover ground rather than still-hunting timber
- →Dress and prepare for early, hard cold; Rich County can be brutally cold even in early fall
- →SITLA state trust parcels are open to hunting here and expand your public footprint — map them before you go
Watch out for
- !Best elk feed is on private river bottoms — access is the limiting factor
- !Checkerboard public/private and SITLA parcels — verify boundaries carefully
- !Harsh, early cold and snow can close higher roads
- !Modest, scattered elk numbers with mostly spike/raghorn bulls
- !Spotty cell coverage in the backcountry
Logistics
Randolph and Woodruff are the closest towns with basic services; Garden City and Laketown sit on the Bear Lake side, and Logan (over the range to the west) offers full services and the largest supply base. The valley road network is extensive and most public hills are reachable by 2WD dirt roads in dry conditions, though high-clearance helps. Cell coverage is spotty in the back country. Weather can turn hard and early at these elevations.
Nearest towns: Randolph, Woodruff, Garden City, Laketown, Logan, Evanston (WY)
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: GOHUNT — Utah Cache, East Rich Elk Unit Profile · GOHUNT — Utah Cache Deer Limited-Entry Unit Profile · UDWR Deer Herd Unit Management Plan #2 (Cache) · Bear River Range — Wikipedia
FAQ
- How big is Unit 639 in Utah?
- Unit 639 (Cache, East Rich) covers about 372 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,900 to 9,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 639?
- Approximately 60% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM, SITLA, private, USFS. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 639?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Moose, Pronghorn. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Utah agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 639 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.