Unit 7

Key reference points include the St. Joe Mountains (primary ridge system), Sisters Basin, and the Three Sisters prominence. Named ridges like Pinnacle Ridge, Nugget Ridge, and the Coeur d'Alene–St.

Joe Divide serve as major navigation corridors and glassing benches. Saint Joe Lake, Frog Lake, and Twin Lakes provide water reference points. Summit peaks including Siwash Peak, Mount Chenoweth, and Whistling Peak offer elevation markers visible from surrounding drainages.

Rambiker Falls and Eagle Cliff mark notable terrain breaks. Forest Service roads—particularly Roads 209, 301, and 385—provide entry points and supply logical staging areas for multi-day ventures into the high country.

The unit spans from lower valley floors around 2,500 feet to ridgeline elevations near 7,700 feet, with most terrain concentrated in the 4,000- to 6,000-foot band. Dense forest dominates the landscape—predominantly Douglas-fir, western larch, and ponderosa pine at lower to mid-elevations, transitioning to subalpine fir and spruce on upper slopes. Open parks and ridgeline benches break up the timber, particularly along high divide country.

The steep topography creates rain-shadow effects and varied microclimates, resulting in pockets of sparser timber and brushy slope transitions. High complexity terrain with tight drainages alternates with broader ridges offering more open hunting.

Over 1,200 miles of roads exist throughout the unit, creating a relatively connected network compared to truly roadless backcountry, though most are Forest Service roads passable only in dry conditions. Primary access follows I-90 and Highway 3, with secondary penetration via Avery and Kingston staging areas. Road density does not translate to easy access due to steep terrain—roads follow ridge tops and valley bottoms but often dead-end, requiring substantial hiking to reach interior country.

Most pressure concentrates along main drainages and lower-elevation access points. Determined hunters who bushwhack and climb steep slopes can find solitude within miles of road access.

Unit 7 encompasses the northern portion of Shoshone County, bounded by the Idaho-Montana state line to the north and east, with the St. Joe and Coeur d'Alene River watersheds forming natural interior boundaries. Interstate 90 and State Highway 3 define the southern and western limits.

The unit includes the St. Joe Mountains and surrounding drainages, with access via Forest Service roads branching from towns like Avery and Kingston. The terrain is defined by steep mountain valleys carved by the North Fork and main stem of the Coeur d'Alene River system and tributaries of the St.

Joe River.

Water availability is moderate overall but unevenly distributed. The North Fork and main stem of the Coeur d'Alene River provide reliable water in major valleys, with the North Fork Fishhook Creek, Horsecamp Creek, and North Fork Saint Joe River as significant tributaries. Smaller creeks including West Fork Fishhook, Park Creek, and Shoepack Creek flow through secondary drainages.

Springs—notably Summit Springs, Bed Springs, and Bear Spring—offer reliable sources on ridge systems and benches. Lower valley floors can be dry, but upper terrain typically holds water throughout the season. Seasonal timing matters; early season may require higher-elevation springs and creeks, while late season concentrates animals near mainstem water.

The steep, forested terrain and elevation range support elk, mule deer, and black bear. Elk thrive in the mid-elevation timber and ridge benches; early season hunting focuses on high parks and open slopes, rut hunting on the main divide systems, and late season on lower drainages as animals migrate downslope. Mule deer use the brushy slope transitions and open parks.

Black bear hunt the same terrain as elk, with spring focus on open slopes and fall on berry-producing ridge country. Hunt strategy depends on elevation—early season means higher, fall means lower. The steep terrain funnels game into creek bottoms and along ridge saddles; glassing from named ridges before committing to long climbs saves effort.

Water sources concentrate animals on dry years. Physical fitness is mandatory; terrain complexity and distance favor hunters comfortable with 1,000+ foot elevation climbs per day.