Unit 76, Idaho

Elevations range from roughly 6,000 to 9,100 feet across a mosaic of mountain ranges and broad valleys. The northeast corner holds the Caribou Range; the south and west contain the Bear Lake Plateau and Sheep Creek Hills; additional named ranges include Dry Ridge, Webster, Grays, Aspen, and Preuss. Approximately 36% of the unit is rangeland and 34% forest. Slopes are comparatively moderate — roughly 80% of the unit has slopes of 24 degrees or less — though the interior backcountry can be rugged and requires four-wheel-drive access.

The unit is accessed via US Highway 30 (Pocatello–Montpelier corridor), US Highway 89 (Montpelier south to Utah line), and State Highway 34 (Soda Springs northeast toward Wyoming). Interior roads include Georgetown Canyon Road (from US 30 at Georgetown, ~12 miles northwest of Montpelier), which transitions into Slug Creek Road heading north into the Caribou-Targhee National Forest; the Wayan Loop Road in the northern portion; and Crow Creek Road near the Wyoming border. The unit is managed primarily by the Caribou-Targhee National Forest (USFS 42.99%), with BLM at 7.27%, State of Idaho 3.89%, and a Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge presence (1.92%). Total public land is approximately 56%. There are no federally designated wilderness areas within Unit 76. One Access Yes! property (Fox Hills Ranch) provides additional access. Some private ranches block access to public land in several areas.

Higher forested zones support spruce, fir, pine, and extensive aspen groves. Mid-elevation transitions carry lodgepole pine mixed with aspen. Lower elevations and valley floors are dominated by sagebrush-steppe with grassy meadows, bigtooth maple, chokecherry, serviceberry, and scattered juniper. Riparian corridors along drainages are lined with willows. The southern Bear Lake Plateau is primarily open sagebrush and bunchgrass range used as critical mule deer winter habitat.

Mule deer are the primary big game species; the regional herd numbers approximately 20,000 animals. Deer migrate seasonally between summer range in the Caribou Mountains and winter range on the Bear Lake Plateau, crossing US Highway 30 at Rocky Point south of Montpelier — a documented migration bottleneck where roughly one-third of the herd crosses, with over 100 deer struck by vehicles annually in a 20-mile stretch (70% within the four-mile Rocky Point section). Conservation easements of 1,800+ acres have been secured at this crossing. Elk inhabit the higher mountains and forested ranges (Caribou Range, Dry Ridge); the rut begins as early as the first week of September. Pronghorn are present primarily in the southern sub-unit (76-1) along lower-elevation sagebrush terrain south of Highway 89. Shiras moose are present in riparian willow corridors and wetter drainages. Black bear, mountain lion, and gray wolf round out big game. Upland birds including sage-grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, chukar, gray partridge, quail, and pheasant inhabit sagebrush and transitional edge habitat.