When it comes to access, few states can match the variety and magnitude of those offered by Idaho. The state boasts nearly 53 million acres of publicly-owne land, the fourth-largest amount in the United States. Public hunting opportunities for western big game species are excellent. And the fishing? Top notch with thousands of miles of high-quality trout streams, scores of trout-rich high country lakes and plenty of reservoirs with classic warm-water fisheries.
• Access by boat along the Snake River
• Excellent hunting opportunities for whitetails, mountain lions, mule deer, elk, bears
• Special controlled hunts for bighorn sheep
• 2.6 million acres, located in central Idaho just north of Boise
• Reservoir fishing for warmwaters species; outstanding trout fishing on the Boise River
• Big game hunting for elk, mule deer, turkeys
• 1.6 million acres
• Houses the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area, largest continuous wilderness area in the lower 48
• Excellent river and stream trout fishing; abundant big game hunting opportunities
Couer ‘d Alene National Forest
• 736,000 acres
• One of three national forests in the Idaho panhandle system
• Excellent whitetail hunting; trout fishing in streams and high country lakes
• Access Yes! is a program that opens private lands to public hunting and allows access via private lands to other public lands
• 303,564 private acres enrolledand 256,805
• Additional access to 256,805 public land acres
Find more public land access opportunities with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Hunt Planner.
Photo: Coeur d’ Alene National Forest
Photo credit: flickr