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Idaho Hunting Unit 26
Elk and deer in Unit 26 (Valley, Idaho counties): 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 26
In the 2025 general season, 227 elk hunters took 39 elk: 17% success. Over the last five seasons, success averaged 16% (total harvest over total hunters, 2021–2025). Of the bulls taken, 10% had 6 or more points.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | 6+ pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 227 | 39 | 17% | 10% |
| 2024 | 223 | 35 | 16% | 39% |
| 2023 | 246 | 38 | 16% | 46% |
| 2022 | 213 | 30 | 14% | 43% |
| 2021 | 264 | 40 | 15% | 30% |
| 2020 | 199 | 18 | 9% | 24% |
| 2019 | 215 | 39 | 18% | 33% |
| 2018 | 278 | 37 | 13% | 72% |
| 2017 | 240 | 48 | 20% | 66% |
| 2016 | 190 | 37 | 19% | 52% |
| 2015 | 188 | 43 | 23% | 44% |
Deer hunting in Unit 26
In the 2025 general season, 176 deer hunters took 52 deer: 30% success. Over the last five seasons, mule deer success averaged 27% (mule deer taken per deer hunter, 2021–2025). Idaho Fish and Game counts all deer: 0% of the 2025 harvest was whitetail.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | Whitetail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 176 | 52 | 30% | 0% |
| 2024 | 163 | 53 | 33% | 0% |
| 2023 | 178 | 39 | 22% | 0% |
| 2022 | 220 | 43 | 20% | 0% |
| 2021 | 173 | 61 | 35% | 0% |
| 2020 | 226 | 41 | 18% | 3% |
| 2019 | 189 | 47 | 25% | 7% |
| 2018 | 200 | 28 | 14% | 0% |
| 2017 | 211 | 49 | 23% | 15% |
| 2016 | 162 | 40 | 25% | 14% |
| 2015 | 106 | 36 | 33% | 0% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 1017 | Any weapon | 80 | 35 | 44% |
| Hunt 1160 outfitter tags | Any weapon | 36 | 26 | 72% |
2026 elk and deer seasons in Unit 26
General seasons (over the counter)
| Season | Dates | Sex | Tag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk, any weapon | Sep 15 – Sep 30 | antlered | Elk B Tag - Middle Fork Zone |
| Elk, any weapon | Oct 1 – Oct 31 | antlered | Elk A Tag - Middle Fork Zone |
| Elk, any weapon | Nov 1 – Nov 18 | antlered | Elk B Tag - Middle Fork Zone |
| Deer, any weapon | Sep 15 – Oct 31 | antlered | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, any weapon | Sep 15 – Nov 18 | either sex | White-tailed Deer Tag |
Controlled hunts
| Hunt | Dates | Weapon | Sex | Tags | Drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer 1017 area 26 | Nov 1 – Nov 18 | Any weapon | antlered | – | 58% (114 tags, 106 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1160 area 26 outfitter tags | Nov 1 – Nov 18 | Any weapon | antlered | 46 | outfitter-allocated, not in the public draw |
Drew: share of first-choice applicants who drew a tag in the latest draw (for youth-only hunts, youth applicants). Outfitter tags go to licensed outfitters and are not drawn. A controlled hunt area can reach beyond this unit.
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 26
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 26
Five-year general-season success in the units that border Unit 26.
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 26.
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.