Unit 28-1

The Lemhi River anchors the north end and serves as a major reference point for orientation. The Deadwood River drainage offers a natural corridor for access and navigation, with Nine Mile Creek marking a significant tributary. Morning Glory Peak and Baldy provide glassing points and visual landmarks from higher ridges.

Major creeks including Bob Moore, Fenster, Gorley, and Jesse provide navigation aids and water sources. Wallace Lake and U P Lake offer water breaks for longer hunts, though they're not massive features. Gutzman Ridge runs through mid-unit country, useful for travel and spotting.

The unit spans from mid-valley bottoms near 3,900 feet up to high ridges above 9,100 feet, creating three distinct zones. Valley floors and lower drainages support mixed forest with opening patches ideal for deer movement and feeding. Mid-elevations between 6,000 and 8,000 feet hold the bulk of the unit's character—rolling terrain with scattered to moderate timber interspersed with open ridges and meadow pockets.

Higher country above 8,000 feet becomes increasingly forested and steeper. The elevation range supports reliable white-tailed deer habitat throughout, with seasonal movement between elevation zones.

About 150 miles of road thread through the unit, primarily following major drainages and ridgelines. This decent road network means the lower drainages and main valleys see moderate hunter pressure during seasons. However, the rolling terrain and moderate timber breaks up sightlines, so pushing back from roadside country quickly puts hunters into less-pressured terrain.

The combination of road access and forest cover means pressure concentrates in obvious spots; hunters willing to work steeper slopes or smaller side canyons can find quieter country. Staging from nearby valley towns is straightforward.

Unit 28-1 is anchored by the Deadwood River and South Fork Payette drainages in north-central Idaho, straddling Lemhi and Custer counties. The unit's northern boundary follows the Lemhi River, with the Deadwood River system forming the core of the northern section. The South Fork Payette drainage dominates the southern portion, drawing the boundary to Ellis Creek and Morgan Creek.

The unit is roughly triangular in shape, compressed between major river systems and forest service boundaries. This positioning puts it at the intersection of valley and high-country terrain.

The Lemhi River provides permanent water on the north boundary, and the South Fork Payette holds flow year-round in the south section. The Deadwood River is the main corridor through the northern half, fed by reliable tributaries including Perreau Creek and Spring Creek. Chipps and Huckleberry creeks provide secondary drainages.

Water becomes scarcer at higher elevations and in the ridgetop country—hunters moving away from main drainages should plan accordingly. Late-season hunting may require knowledge of spring locations; early season generally offers better water availability throughout.

White-tailed deer are the primary focus for this unit. Early season hunting targets deer on open ridges and in meadow pockets at higher elevations, where morning and evening light favor glassing. Transition zones between timber and open country hold deer during feeding windows.

Mid-elevation rolling forest offers good stalking country in autumn, with deer moving between bedding timber and open feeding areas. Rut activity in late season concentrates deer movement through the major drainages and saddle country. Water sources become hunting magnets in dry periods.

The rolling terrain rewards hunters who can move quietly and cover country methodically rather than relying on long-range glassing alone.