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Idaho Hunting Unit 28
Elk and deer in Unit 28 (Lemhi, Custer 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 28
In the 2025 general season, 1,015 elk hunters took 312 elk: 31% success. Over the last five seasons, success averaged 28% (total harvest over total hunters, 2021–2025). Of the bulls taken, 18% had 6 or more points.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | 6+ pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,015 | 312 | 31% | 18% |
| 2024 | 847 | 259 | 31% | 36% |
| 2023 | 961 | 198 | 21% | 26% |
| 2022 | 953 | 279 | 29% | 19% |
| 2021 | 971 | 278 | 29% | 18% |
| 2020 | 1,098 | 230 | 21% | 20% |
| 2019 | 1,133 | 307 | 27% | 28% |
| 2018 | 1,037 | 186 | 18% | 29% |
| 2017 | 1,052 | 204 | 19% | 25% |
| 2016 | 1,033 | 244 | 24% | 13% |
| 2015 | 1,316 | 424 | 32% | 20% |
Deer hunting in Unit 28
In the 2025 general season, 1,649 deer hunters took 568 deer: 34% 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: 6% of the 2025 harvest was whitetail.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | Whitetail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,649 | 568 | 34% | 6% |
| 2024 | 1,287 | 445 | 35% | 14% |
| 2023 | 1,456 | 269 | 18% | 10% |
| 2022 | 1,440 | 388 | 27% | 6% |
| 2021 | 1,458 | 509 | 35% | 9% |
| 2020 | 2,033 | 488 | 24% | 7% |
| 2019 | 1,807 | 573 | 32% | 9% |
| 2018 | 1,760 | 488 | 28% | 13% |
| 2017 | 1,940 | 545 | 28% | 10% |
| 2016 | 1,709 | 715 | 42% | 7% |
| 2015 | 1,734 | 645 | 37% | 5.7% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 1019 | Any weapon | 5 | 4 | 80% |
| Hunt 1070 area 21-1 | Archery | 10 | 6 | 60% |
| Hunt 1101 area 28-1 youth only | Any weapon | 15 | 5 | 33% |
| Hunt 1111 area 21-1X youth only | Any weapon | 46 | 27 | 59% |
| Hunt 1134 area 21-1X | Any weapon | 155 | 77 | 50% |
| Hunt 1135 area 21-1X | Any weapon | 135 | 64 | 47% |
| Hunt 1157 area 21-1 outfitter tags | Archery | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Hunt 1162 outfitter tags | Any weapon | 1 | 1 | 100% |
Results are for the whole hunt area, which can reach beyond this unit.
2026 elk and deer seasons in Unit 28
General seasons (over the counter)
| Season | Dates | Sex | Tag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk, any weapon | Oct 15 – Nov 8 | antlered | Elk B Tag - Salmon Zone |
| Elk, archery | Dec 1 – Dec 31 | either sex | Elk A Tag - Salmon Zone |
| Deer, any weapon | Oct 10 – Oct 24 | antlered | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, any weapon | Oct 10 – Oct 31 | antlerless | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, any weapon | Oct 10 – Oct 31 | antlered | White-tailed Deer Tag |
| Deer, any weapon | Oct 10 – Oct 31 | antlerless | White-tailed Deer Tag |
| Deer, short-range | Nov 1 – Dec 9 | antlered | White-tailed Deer Tag |
| Deer, short-range | Nov 1 – Dec 31 | antlerless | White-tailed Deer Tag |
| Deer, archery | Dec 1 – Dec 31 | either sex | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, archery | Dec 1 – Dec 31 | either sex | White-tailed Deer Tag |
Controlled hunts
| Hunt | Dates | Weapon | Sex | Tags | Drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer 1070 area 21-1 | Aug 1 – Sep 30 | Archery | antlered | 10 | 19% (10 tags, 53 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1157 area 21-1 outfitter tags | Aug 1 – Sep 30 | Archery | antlered | 1 | outfitter-allocated, not in the public draw |
| Deer 1134 area 21-1X | Aug 30 – Oct 31 | Any weapon | antlerless | 200 | 75% (200 tags, 266 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1111 area 21-1X youth only | Aug 30 – Dec 31 | Any weapon | antlerless | 75 | 76% (75 tags, 99 1st choice, youth applicants, 2026) |
| Deer 1101 area 28-1 youth only | Sep 15 – Oct 31 | Any weapon | either sex | 15 | 27% (15 tags, 55 1st choice, youth applicants, 2026) |
| Deer 1019 area 28 | Oct 10 – Nov 30 | Any weapon | antlered | 5 | 1% (5 tags, 428 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1162 area 28 outfitter tags | Oct 10 – Nov 30 | Any weapon | antlered | 1 | outfitter-allocated, not in the public draw |
| Deer 1135 area 21-1X | Nov 1 – Dec 31 | Any weapon | antlerless | 200 | 51% (200 tags, 394 1st choice, 2026) |
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 28
97% public land. Ownership: USFS 88%, BLM 8.4%, Private 3.3%.
Idaho Fish and Game Hunt Planner. The map shows public land boundaries and Forest roads you can drive.
Next to Unit 28
Five-year general-season success in the units that border Unit 28.
| Unit | Elk | Deer |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 28 (this unit) | 28% | 27% |
| Unit 20A | 19% | 14% |
| Unit 21 | 22% | 32% |
| Unit 21A | 29% | 19% |
| Unit 27 | 16% | 32% |
| Unit 29 | 22% | 21% |
| Unit 30 | 21% | 21% |
| Unit 36B | 21% | 28% |
| Unit 37 | 25% | 33%* |
| Unit 37A | 20% | 17% |
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 28.
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.