Unit 37A

May Mountain and Flatiron Mountain anchor the visual landscape and serve as glassing stations overlooking multiple drainages. Goat Lake provides a landmark for high-country orientation. Major drainages—McKim Creek, Mill Creek, North Fork Big Creek, and Snowslide Creek—create natural travel corridors and drainage systems for navigation.

Red Point's cliffs mark another significant terrain feature. Spring Gulch and Black Canyon offer named reference points through complex terrain. Devils Basin sits as a notable feature in the unit's makeup.

These landmarks are critical for navigation in steep, complex country.

Terrain rises dramatically from sagebrush-lined river valleys into dense conifer forests and breaks above timberline into alpine meadows and exposed ridges. The median elevation around 7,600 feet places most of the unit in transition zone habitat—lodgepole and whitebark pine below, transitioning to sparse alpine vegetation on higher slopes. This vertical relief creates distinct habitat zones within short distances, with lower drainages offering brush and limited timber contrasting sharply with the open, rocky terrain above timberline where bighorn sheep thrive.

The steep topography limits flat ground almost entirely.

Four hundred thirty-five miles of roads provide access, but density is sparse and concentrated on valley floors and major drainages rather than distributed across the unit. This creates logical access points but leaves most alpine terrain roadless and demanding of foot travel. Patterson and surrounding areas serve as the logical staging point.

The steep terrain and limited road access naturally distribute pressure—most hunters concentrate in accessible drainages, leaving the highest, steepest country less pressured but harder to reach. Navigation is challenging; terrain complexity of 8.1 demands experience.

37A encompasses the Salmon and Pahsimeroi River drainages across Custer and Lemhi counties in central Idaho's high country. The unit sits at the transition between lower river valleys and alpine basins, with elevations spanning from roughly 4,400 feet in the drainages to over 11,300 feet on ridgeline peaks. This moderate-sized unit is predominantly public land, anchored by the steep mountain systems that define the central Idaho wilderness character.

Access is limited but connected via maintained roads, with the town of Patterson providing local reference and supply point.

Water is limited and seasonal, concentrated in spring-fed sources and small creeks rather than reliable year-round flows. Graves Spring and McKim Creek represent named water sources, but neither guarantees abundant water during all seasons. The Salmon and Pahsimeroi Rivers bound the unit but may be inaccessible from much of the terrain.

Snowslide Creek and other north-fork systems provide seasonal options. Hunters must plan water strategy carefully—carrying capacity may be necessary for extended stays in the higher drainages where sheep habitat is best. Scout water sources before committing to routes.

This unit exists for bighorn sheep—habitat, elevation, and landmark distribution all point to sheep as the primary focus. Steep terrain with exposed alpine meadows and rocky slopes above timberline provides classic sheep habitat. Hunting strategy hinges on glassing from distance: identify sheep on distant ridges and benches, then plan the approach understanding terrain and escape routes.

Water scarcity demands knowledge of spring locations and seasonal flows. Early season and late season may compress sheep to reliable water sources in lower drainages. The complexity and steepness mean this is hunt-fit-and-experienced-only country; aerial reconnaissance via maps is essential before boots on ground.