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Idaho Hunting Unit 17
Elk and deer in Unit 17 (Idaho County): hunter success by year, 2026 seasons and draw odds, public land and rules, from Idaho Fish and Game records.
Hunter success by year
General season success as Idaho Fish and Game reports it. Year-by-year numbers are in the tables below.
Elk hunting in Unit 17
In the 2025 general season, 518 elk hunters took 82 elk: 16% success. Over the last five seasons, success averaged 14% (total harvest over total hunters, 2021–2025). Of the bulls taken, 53% had 6 or more points.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | 6+ pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 518 | 82 | 16% | 53% |
| 2024 | 500 | 78 | 16% | 51% |
| 2023 | 534 | 64 | 12% | 53% |
| 2022 | 557 | 82 | 15% | 47% |
| 2021 | 547 | 65 | 12% | 37% |
| 2020 | 505 | 94 | 19% | 61% |
| 2019 | 488 | 101 | 21% | 50% |
| 2018 | 461 | 80 | 17% | 64% |
| 2017 | 394 | 79 | 20% | 47% |
| 2016 | 339 | 53 | 16% | 41% |
| 2015 | 361 | 103 | 28% | 54% |
Deer hunting in Unit 17
In the 2025 general season, 506 deer hunters took 155 deer: 31% success. Over the last five seasons, deer success averaged 32% (all deer, 2021–2025); whitetail were 58% of the harvest, so this is mostly a whitetail unit. Idaho Fish and Game counts all deer: 50% of the 2025 harvest was whitetail.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | Whitetail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 506 | 155 | 31% | 50% |
| 2024 | 449 | 140 | 31% | 52% |
| 2023 | 554 | 197 | 36% | 56% |
| 2022 | 494 | 127 | 26% | 75% |
| 2021 | 465 | 183 | 39% | 56% |
| 2020 | 503 | 163 | 32% | 55% |
| 2019 | 532 | 183 | 34% | 49% |
| 2018 | 577 | 243 | 42% | 57% |
| 2017 | 456 | 177 | 39% | 55% |
| 2016 | 371 | 178 | 48% | 44% |
| 2015 | 387 | 193 | 50% | 17% |
2026 elk and deer seasons in Unit 17
General seasons (over the counter)
| Season | Dates | Sex | Tag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk, any weapon | Sep 15 – Sep 30 | antlered | Elk B Tag - Selway Zone |
| Elk, any weapon | Oct 1 – Oct 31 | antlered | Elk A Tag - Selway Zone |
| Elk, any weapon | Nov 1 – Nov 11 | antlered | Elk B Tag - Selway Zone |
| Deer, any weapon | Sep 15 – Nov 20 | either sex | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, any weapon | Sep 15 – Nov 20 | either sex | White-tailed Deer Tag |
From the Idaho Fish and Game Hunt Planner, checked Oct 16, 2026. Seasons and rules change: confirm in the current regulations before you hunt.
Land in Unit 17
100% public land. Ownership: USFS 100%.
Idaho Fish and Game Hunt Planner. The map shows public land boundaries and Forest roads you can drive.
Next to Unit 17
Five-year general-season success in the units that border Unit 17.
| Unit | Elk | Deer |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 17 (this unit) | 14% | 32%* |
| Unit 12 | 11% | 28%* |
| Unit 16 | 20% | 45%* |
| Unit 16A | 10% | 22%* |
| Unit 20 | 15% | 36%* |
| Unit 21 | 22% | 32% |
Deer: mule deer success; * mostly whitetail, so all deer. – means no recent general season or too few seasons or hunters for a 5-year figure.
Sources
- Harvest, hunters and success: Idaho Fish and Game harvest statistics (survey estimates, checked Oct 16, 2026).
- Seasons and draw odds: Idaho Fish and Game Hunt Planner (checked Oct 16, 2026).
- Land and unit details: Idaho Fish and Game page for Unit 17.
Five-year success is the total harvest divided by the total hunters over the last five seasons (at least 100 hunters); for deer, the whitetail share is taken out, except in mostly-whitetail units, where it is all deer. Everything else is shown as published. Data checked Oct 16, 2026.