Montpelier Wildlife Management Area: hunting, access and rules
Montpelier Wildlife Management Area is 2,137 acres in Bear Lake County, in Idaho Fish and Game's Southeast Region, inside game management unit 76, established in 1971. Sagebrush slopes near Bear Lake that serve as winter range in severe winters: IDFG's surveys count about 1,000 deer and 350 elk within five miles, with about 500 animals on the WMA itself.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: IDFG's page for Montpelier WMA, read October 18, 2026. Outline: PAD-US. Harvest: IDFG harvest statistics, 2025.
| Size | 2,137 acres (IDFG) |
|---|---|
| County | Bear Lake County |
| Established | 1971 |
| IDFG region | Southeast |
| Game management unit | 76 |
| Elk zone | Diamond Creek |
| Primary purpose (IDFG) | Elk and mule deer winter range |
| Habitat (IDFG) | Sagebrush steppe |
| Camping | Primitive camping, no facilities, no open fires. |
What is Montpelier WMA?
Sagebrush slopes near Bear Lake that serve as winter range in severe winters: IDFG's surveys count about 1,000 deer and 350 elk within five miles, with about 500 animals on the WMA itself. It began in 1971 as a 558-acre gift of an old phosphate mine from Stauffer Chemical; bitterbrush has been planted ever since, most recently 15,000 seedlings in 2011.
What can you hunt on Montpelier WMA?
Big game hunters are the main visitors. Access is on foot or horseback only.
IDFG lists these uses for the area: hunting, trapping, hiking, horseback riding and camping.
How do you get onto Montpelier WMA, and when is it closed?
No motor vehicles. One parking area off US 89, not plowed in winter, with a horse stile.
Can you camp on Montpelier WMA?
Primitive camping, no facilities, no open fires.
How many elk and deer are taken in the surrounding units?
IDFG counts harvest by unit, not by WMA. These are the whole units Montpelier WMA lies in, for 2025:
| Unit | Elk harvested | Elk success | Deer harvested | Deer success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 76 | 263 | 22% | 716 | 29% |
General seasons, all weapons. Source: IDFG harvest statistics.
IDFG's maps and rules for Montpelier WMA
Questions hunters ask
What can you hunt on Montpelier WMA?
Big game hunters are the main visitors. Access is on foot or horseback only. Seasons and tags follow the regulations for Unit 76.
Can you camp on Montpelier WMA?
Primitive camping, no facilities, no open fires.
How do you get onto Montpelier WMA?
No motor vehicles. One parking area off US 89, not plowed in winter, with a horse stile.
Which hunting unit is Montpelier WMA in?
Unit 76, in the Diamond Creek elk zone.
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, rules, access, camping and uses: IDFG, Montpelier 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.