Unit 3, Idaho

The unit is defined by the Coeur d'Alene Mountains, a rugged subrange of the northern Bitterroot system. Elevations range from roughly 2,100 feet at the lake shorelines and river corridors up to approximately 5,900 feet at the highest summits, including Grizzly Mountain (5,938 ft), the tallest peak in the range. The western portion is characterized by a high plateau dissected by narrow canyons and river valleys (notably the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River), while the eastern slopes toward the Montana border are steeper and more rugged, with alpine cirques, scree fields, and small mountain lakes near the higher summits. The St. Joe River corridor along the southern boundary adds a distinct low-elevation riparian component.

The unit is served by several key paved arteries. Interstate 90 forms the northern boundary segment east from the Kingston interchange; State Highway 3 runs along the southern boundary from Mission Point (St. Joe River) northeast to I-90; U.S. Highway 95 defines the western boundary south from Coeur d'Alene Lake; and State Highway 54 provides the northwest boundary from Farragut State Park to US-95. The primary interior access route is Forest Highway 9 (North Fork Coeur d'Alene River Road), a paved scenic byway running north from the Kingston area along the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River. Forest Service Road 209 (Little North Fork Road) branches off FH-9 and penetrates the eastern interior toward the watershed divide. The Idaho Panhandle National Forests (Coeur d'Alene Ranger District and Kaniksu Ranger District) administer roughly 52% of the unit. No federally designated wilderness areas exist within Unit 3. The Access Yes! program lists no properties currently enrolled in Unit 3. Some higher-elevation forest roads are subject to seasonal closures (typically snow-related from late fall through spring); hunters should verify current road status with the IPNF Coeur d'Alene Ranger District before accessing backcountry. Private land comprises approximately 42% of the unit.

Vegetation is highly diverse across elevations. Lower-elevation and moist north-facing slopes support dense coastal-type forest associations including western red cedar, western hemlock, and western white pine — species more typical of the Pacific coast than the interior Rockies. Mid-elevation forests transition to Douglas-fir, grand fir, ponderosa pine (especially on drier south-facing slopes), western larch, and lodgepole pine. Upper elevations carry Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, and whitebark pine. Riparian corridors along the St. Joe River, North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River, and smaller drainages feature black cottonwood, western paper birch, and quaking aspen. Overall land cover is approximately 75% forest with about 12% dryland agriculture in the valley portions.

White-tailed deer are the dominant deer species in Unit 3, comprising 100% of the 2025 deer harvest (1,258 total; 34% success any-weapon general season). Elk are broadly distributed across the forested mid- to high-elevation terrain, with seasonal movements between summer ranges in the higher Coeur d'Alene Mountains and lower-elevation winter range near valley bottoms and private agricultural lands (275 elk harvested in 2025, 9% combined success rate). Black bear are present throughout the forested unit. Moose occupy riparian corridors and moist conifer forest, particularly along the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River and St. Joe drainages; the unit supports controlled-hunt moose with high success rates (94% in 2025). Gray wolf packs are present and huntable under state seasons. Mountain lion range across the unit in low densities. Forest grouse (blue and ruffed) and wild turkey are also present. The panhandle region also supports grizzly bear (not huntable), wolverine, and other sensitive species that use the Coeur d'Alene Mountains corridor.