Unit 37-1

Borah Peak (12,662 feet) stands as the unit's most prominent summit, visible for glassing from numerous vantage points and essential for navigation. The Lost River Range provides a strong geographic anchor, while Grouse Peak and Grouse Creek Mountain offer additional high-elevation reference points. Lower-elevation basins—particularly Spud Basin, Sheep Pen Basin, and Dodge Basin—serve as logical hunting zones with distinct terrain character.

Horseheaven Pass and Leatherman Pass provide natural travel corridors. The Pahsimeroi and Salmon Rivers function as major drainages marking terrain boundaries and potential water sources.

Terrain spans from approximately 4,400 feet in river bottoms to over 12,500 feet on alpine ridges, with the median elevation around 7,100 feet indicating predominantly mid-to-high country character. The Lost River Range dominates the eastern portion, presenting steep, sparse-timbered slopes that transition to open ridges and windswept peaks. Lower elevations feature rolling sagebrush flats and basin country—areas like Spud Basin, Sheep Pen Basin, and Dodge Basin—interspersed with juniper and scattered conifer.

The sparse forest coverage means open country and glassing terrain prevail throughout, though timber becomes denser at higher elevations.

Over 1,500 miles of established roads traverse the unit, creating well-connected access via U.S. 93, State Highway 51, and county roads. Towns of Challis, May, Ellis, Patterson, and Goldburg provide logical staging points and supply access. The road network allows hunters to reach multiple drainages and basins without extensive foot travel, though the terrain complexity suggests pressure distributes across the large unit rather than concentrating in one area.

Higher elevations and remote basins likely see less hunting pressure than roads-accessible sagebrush flats, favoring hunters willing to climb and glass methodically.

Unit 37-1 encompasses portions of Custer and Lemhi Counties, bounded by major drainages and state infrastructure. The western boundary follows the Salmon River corridor near Challis, while the eastern edge traces the Idaho-Nevada state line. Highway corridors—U.S. 93 and State Highway 51—define key access points, with the Snake River forming the southern boundary near the Bruneau confluence.

The unit's sprawling geography captures multiple drainage systems including Poison, Shoofly, Jacks, and Pahsimeroi River valleys, creating a fragmented but well-defined hunting area with distinct terrain pockets.

Water is limited but concentrated in key systems. The Pahsimeroi River and Salmon River represent reliable perennial drainages, though access varies by season and location. Numerous named springs—Rattlesnake Spring, Rock Spring, Short Creek Springs, Poison Springs—dot the unit but require knowing their locations and seasonal reliability.

Warm Spring Creek, Sheep Creek, and Garden Creek provide secondary water options. Quake Lake, Goat Lake, and several reservoirs (Merriam Lake, Grouse Creek Lake, Pass Lake) offer reliable water in specific locations. The high terrain complexity and sparse water demand strategy around known sources.

Unit 37-1 is pronghorn country, particularly in the rolling sagebrush basins at lower-to-mid elevations where open terrain allows speed and visibility. The sparse forest and rolling topography create ideal glassing opportunities from ridges overlooking basin systems like Spud, Sheep Pen, and Dodge. Early season hunting focuses on locating pronghorn in lower-elevation basins before they shift with temperature changes.

Water strategy is critical—identify active springs and creeks ahead of time, as pronghorn concentrate near reliable sources during warm months. The unit's size and road access make it suitable for hunters comfortable with self-reliant pronghorn hunting across open country, using high-power optics and patience rather than stalking through timber.