Unit 75-1

Several reservoirs anchor the unit for navigation and water reference: Oneida Narrows, Glendale, and Johnson Reservoirs provide visual landmarks and reliable water. Strawberry Canyon runs north-south through the central unit and serves as a major drainage and navigation corridor. Ridge systems including Poulsen Ridge and Hogsback Ridge offer vantage points for glassing the surrounding country.

Soda Peak and Bloomington Peak stand as recognizable summits on higher terrain. The numerous named flats—Pine Flat, Cherryville Flat, Danish Flat—mark open basins useful for orientation and understanding basin-to-ridge movements.

Terrain spans from lower valley bottoms near 4,500 feet to ridges above 9,600 feet, with the bulk of the country sitting in the mid-elevation band. Lower basins—Franklin, Gibson, and others—feature sagebrush and grassland intermixed with scattered timber. As elevation increases through draws and up ridge systems, ponderosa and Douglas-fir become more dominant, transitioning to denser conifer stands on higher slopes.

The moderate forest coverage reflects this mix: open country in the basins gives way to timber on the breaks and ridges. This elevation progression creates natural habitat zones that support seasonal elk movement patterns.

The unit features a connected road network totaling nearly 1,820 miles, providing reasonable access to multiple areas without overwhelming concentration. Forest Service roads and county roads weave through basins and up drainages, allowing staging from small communities like Soda Springs and Glendale. The rolling terrain with moderate forest cover means that while roads exist, they don't penetrate every drainage deeply.

This creates both accessible areas near main roads and less-pressured country requiring off-road work. Road density supports fair accessibility without converting the unit into a highway-accessible destination.

Unit 75-1 sits in southeastern Idaho's Bear Lake region, bounded by Highway 34 on the west near Montpelier, U.S. 30 to the north, and U.S. 89 on the east. The western boundary follows the Blackfoot River and Reservoir downstream to Chesterfield Dam, then cuts south through Strawberry Canyon country toward Ovid. The unit sprawls across portions of Bear Lake, Caribou, and Franklin Counties, incorporating classic Basin and Range terrain characteristic of the Bear Lake valley system.

Multiple drainages and ridgelines provide natural navigation references across the rolling topography.

Water distribution is moderate but not uniform across the unit. Multiple reservoirs—Oneida Narrows, Fife, Foster, Johnson, and others—provide reliable water in their respective drainages. Maple Creek, Mink Creek, and Strawberry Creek flow through major canyon systems and serve as both water sources and travel corridors for elk.

Springs are scattered throughout, including Thorne Spring, Sawmill Spring, and others, though seasonal reliability varies. Lower basins may hold water only seasonally, while higher canyon systems and reservoirs maintain flow year-round. Understanding water location is critical for hunt planning.

Elk are the primary quarry in 75-1, and the unit's elevation range supports full seasonal hunting potential. Early season finds elk in higher basins and on ridges, using timber for thermal cover during warm days. The numerous basins—Franklin, Gibson, and others—concentrate animals in early fall.

As season progresses and weather cools, elk move between elevation bands and concentrate in canyon systems with reliable water. Strawberry Canyon, with its perennial creek flow, becomes critical habitat as the season advances. Glassing from ridge vantage points works early season; canyon hunting becomes more effective during rut and late season as elk funnel toward water and lower country.