Montour Wildlife Management Area: hunting, access and rules
Montour Wildlife Management Area is 1,350 acres in Gem County, in Idaho Fish and Game's Southwest Region, inside game management unit 32, established in 1983. Cottonwood and willow river bottom, ponds and fields on the Payette River floodplain above Black Canyon Dam.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: IDFG's page for Montour WMA, read October 18, 2026. Outline: PAD-US. Harvest: IDFG harvest statistics, 2025.
| Size | 1,350 acres (IDFG) |
|---|---|
| County | Gem County |
| Established | 1983 |
| IDFG region | Southwest |
| Game management unit | 32 |
| Elk zone | Weiser River |
| Primary purpose (IDFG) | Waterfowl and upland bird production |
| Camping | A Bureau of Reclamation campground on the WMA, with a no-shooting safety zone around it. |
What is Montour WMA?
Cottonwood and willow river bottom, ponds and fields on the Payette River floodplain above Black Canyon Dam. Sediment behind the 1924 dam caused years of flooding, and the Bureau of Reclamation bought the floodplain; it is now managed by Reclamation and IDFG. It has some of the best river-bottom habitat left above the dam.
What can you hunt on Montour WMA?
Pheasants (game-farm birds are released), waterfowl early in the season, and some deer and elk under a short-range weapons rule: shotgun, archery or muzzleloader. Turkeys in fall and spring, and doves.
IDFG lists these uses for the area: hunting, fishing, trapping, wildlife watching, hiking, horseback riding and camping.
How do you get onto Montour WMA, and when is it closed?
Sections are closed February 1 to July 31 for nesting birds; vehicles must stay on established roads. Ponds open to fishing August 1.
Can you camp on Montour WMA?
A Bureau of Reclamation campground on the WMA, with a no-shooting safety zone around it.
How many elk and deer are taken in the surrounding units?
IDFG counts harvest by unit, not by WMA. These are the whole units Montour WMA lies in, for 2025:
| Unit | Elk harvested | Elk success | Deer harvested | Deer success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | 395 | 21% | 886 | 29% |
General seasons, all weapons. Source: IDFG harvest statistics.
IDFG's maps and rules for Montour WMA
Questions hunters ask
What can you hunt on Montour WMA?
Pheasants (game-farm birds are released), waterfowl early in the season, and some deer and elk under a short-range weapons rule: shotgun, archery or muzzleloader. Turkeys in fall and spring, and doves. Seasons and tags follow the regulations for Unit 32.
Can you camp on Montour WMA?
A Bureau of Reclamation campground on the WMA, with a no-shooting safety zone around it.
How do you get onto Montour WMA?
Sections are closed February 1 to July 31 for nesting birds; vehicles must stay on established roads. Ponds open to fishing August 1.
Which hunting unit is Montour WMA in?
Unit 32, in the Weiser River elk zone.
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, rules, access, camping and uses: IDFG, Montour WMA, written up by FilledTag in its own words.
- Outline: USGS Protected Areas Database (PAD-US), land managed by Idaho Fish and Game. Units: IDFG's unit boundaries.
- Harvest: IDFG harvest statistics.
FilledTag is not part of Idaho Fish and Game. WMA rules change: check IDFG's page and its posted rules before you go.