Unit 51

The Hawley Mountains form the central spine of the unit, anchored by Hawley Mountain, Sunset Peak, and Howe Peak—all useful visual references for navigation. Taylor Canyon and Eightmile Canyon cut through the core, providing clear drainage corridors. Notable springs including Barney Hot Springs, Willow Springs, and Blind Springs mark reliable water sources for planning routes.

Copper Lake and Horse Lake offer additional water-finding references. The Red Hills and Donkey Hills define eastern terrain boundaries, while Foss Mountain and Spring Mountain provide secondary navigation points across the rolling country.

Terrain ranges from around 4,700 feet in lower basins to over 12,000 feet atop ridgeline peaks, with most country falling in the 6,500-9,000 foot band. Open sagebrush dominates lower elevations and south-facing slopes, transitioning to scattered juniper and ponderosa stands on north aspects and higher ridges. Above 9,000 feet, sparse timber becomes more prevalent, giving way to alpine tundra on the highest summits.

The mix of open sage country and patchy forest creates varied glassing opportunities and travel corridors through otherwise exposed terrain.

Extensive road network totaling 1,466 miles of Forest Service and access roads provides well-developed connectivity throughout the unit. Highway 33 forms the western gateway, with multiple Forest Service roads including the Little Smoky Creek-Carrie Creek-Dollarhide Summit Road (FS 227) and Five Points Creek Road (FS 094) penetrating the interior. Towns including Howe, Berenice, and Clyde provide logical staging areas.

Connected access means the unit experiences moderate to heavy pressure during season, particularly near major road corridors. Ridge systems and canyon drainages offer opportunities to find solitude by moving away from main travel routes.

Unit 51 encompasses the high country draining into the Little Lost River system, bounded by the Butte-Custer-Lemhi County divide and extending along ridgelines from Couch Summit northward through terrain carved by Five Points Creek and Little Smoky Creek. The unit sits in central Idaho's remote interior, accessible via Highway 33 and Forest Service roads branching into the Hawley Mountains and surrounding ranges. Highway 33 provides primary access from the west, while Forest Service roads penetrate the interior from multiple directions.

This is vast, moderate-elevation terrain characterized by rolling ridges interspersed with steep canyon systems.

Water is limited but concentrated in predictable locations. The Little Lost River and Long Lost Creek form the primary drainages, with numerous tributary creeks including Hilts Creek, Massacre Creek, Barney Creek, and Jackson Creek providing reliable flow in spring and early season. Multiple springs dot the unit—Buck Springs, Fowler Springs, Fallert Springs, Coyote Spring—critical for mid-summer hunting when creeks diminish.

Several small reservoirs and lakes including Copper Lake, Horse Lake, Summit Reservoir, and Nolan Lake offer additional water access. Strategic placement near spring-fed canyons becomes essential in dry season.

This is classic pronghorn country, with open sagebrush basins and rolling slopes providing excellent glassing habitat. Early season opportunities focus on lower-elevation sage flats and basin country where pronghorn congregate before heat forces movement. Mid-season hunting requires understanding water sources—pronghorn will follow creeks and springs during dry periods.

Late season sees animals migrate to lower elevations; focus efforts on lower basins and valley systems accessible from main roads. Terrain complexity comes from navigating canyon systems while maintaining glassing capability. Success hinges on early scouting to identify bedding and travel corridors, then positioning yourself between watering areas and preferred grazing grounds.