Idaho

Rugged backcountry, steep river breaks, and classic over-the-counter elk and deer opportunities.

Public Access & WMAs

Public Lands to Hunt in Idaho

Official Regulatory Authority

Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG)

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The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) manages 31 designated Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) encompassing over 370,000 acres dedicated to wildlife conservation and public hunting. In addition, Idaho is an open-range paradise with over 34 million acres of federal public land—comprising 63% of the entire state—managed by the U.S. Forest Service and BLM. Sportsmen enjoy virtually limitless access to the largest contiguous wilderness area in the lower 48 states, pursuing elk, mule deer, whitetail, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, black bear, wolf, and upland birds.
Craig Mountain Wildlife Management Area
Snake & Salmon Confluence | 124,224 Acres

Craig Mountain Wildlife Management Area

A magnificent 124,224-acre property in Nez Perce and Lewis counties where the Snake and Salmon rivers meet. Encompassing steep canyon slopes, basalt benches, grasslands, and coniferous timber. Prime habitat for Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, whitetail deer, black bear, mountain lion, and blue-ribbon chukar partridge hunting.

Snow Peak Wildlife Management Area
Shoshone County Wilderness | 32,292 Acres

Snow Peak Wildlife Management Area

A vast non-motorized backcountry haven in Shoshone County. Steep, heavily timbered slopes of cedar, hemlock, and subalpine fir lead up to rugged crags. Home to mountain goats, Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, black bear, and wolverines, offering pure wilderness backpack hunting along 33 miles of pristine trails.

Coeur d'Alene River Wildlife Management Area
Kootenai & Benewah | 8,638 Acres

Coeur d'Alene River Wildlife Management Area

Encompassing 8,638 acres of river delta, lateral chain lakes, marshlands, and timbered foothills. Renowned as northern Idaho's most significant waterfowl production and staging area, while surrounding uplands hold high densities of trophy whitetail deer, moose, and wild turkeys.

Boundary-Smith Creek Wildlife Management Area
Boundary County / Canada Border | 2,072 Acres

Boundary-Smith Creek Wildlife Management Area

Established in 1999 along the Kootenai River adjacent to the Canadian border. Restored wetlands, riparian cottonwood gallery forests, and croplands provide exceptional public waterfowl hunting for ducks and geese, as well as archery and rifle opportunities for big northern whitetail bucks and black bears.

Georgetown Summit & Sterling Wildlife Management Areas
Southeast Idaho | 8,400+ Acres Combined

Georgetown Summit & Sterling Wildlife Management Areas

Serving as critical wildlife corridors in southeast Idaho. Georgetown Summit (4,353 acres) protects essential winter range for Rocky Mountain elk and mule deer in Bear Lake County, while Sterling WMA (4,106 acres) provides Bingham County's most productive ring-necked pheasant, waterfowl, and mourning dove public hunting.