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Idaho Hunting Unit 20
Elk and deer in Unit 20 (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 20
In the 2025 general season, 315 elk hunters took 43 elk: 14% success. Over the last five seasons, success averaged 15% (total harvest over total hunters, 2021–2025). Of the bulls taken, 59% had 6 or more points.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | 6+ pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 315 | 43 | 14% | 59% |
| 2024 | 313 | 60 | 19% | 37% |
| 2023 | 249 | 34 | 14% | 29% |
| 2022 | 288 | 33 | 11% | 49% |
| 2021 | 238 | 35 | 15% | 40% |
| 2020 | 296 | 51 | 17% | 33% |
| 2019 | 324 | 53 | 16% | 37% |
| 2018 | 312 | 46 | 15% | 31% |
| 2017 | 243 | 43 | 18% | 16% |
| 2016 | 215 | 42 | 20% | 38% |
| 2015 | 151 | 22 | 14% | 62% |
Deer hunting in Unit 20
In the 2025 general season, 303 deer hunters took 102 deer: 34% success. Over the last five seasons, deer success averaged 36% (all deer, 2021–2025); whitetail were 51% of the harvest, so this is mostly a whitetail unit. Idaho Fish and Game counts all deer: 42% of the 2025 harvest was whitetail.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | Whitetail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 303 | 102 | 34% | 42% |
| 2024 | 302 | 138 | 46% | 58% |
| 2023 | 279 | 66 | 24% | 30% |
| 2022 | 300 | 125 | 42% | 76% |
| 2021 | 232 | 78 | 34% | 48% |
| 2020 | 308 | 99 | 32% | 32% |
| 2019 | 317 | 93 | 29% | 27% |
| 2018 | 441 | 193 | 44% | 60% |
| 2017 | 308 | 113 | 37% | 69% |
| 2016 | 280 | 105 | 38% | 56% |
| 2015 | 199 | 79 | 40% | 22% |
2026 elk and deer seasons in Unit 20
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 20
100% public land. Ownership: USFS 99%.
Idaho Fish and Game Hunt Planner. The map shows public land boundaries and Forest roads you can drive.
Next to Unit 20
Five-year general-season success in the units that border Unit 20.
| Unit | Elk | Deer |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 20 (this unit) | 15% | 36%* |
| Unit 15 | 14% | 41%* |
| Unit 16A | 10% | 22%* |
| Unit 17 | 14% | 32%* |
| Unit 19 | 18% | 22% |
| Unit 20A | 19% | 14% |
| 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 20.
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.