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Idaho Hunting Unit 3
Elk and deer in Unit 3 (Kootenai, Shoshone 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 3
In the 2025 general season, 2,982 elk hunters took 275 elk: 9% success. Over the last five seasons, success averaged 10% (total harvest over total hunters, 2021–2025). Of the bulls taken, 12% had 6 or more points.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | 6+ pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,982 | 275 | 9% | 12% |
| 2024 | 3,131 | 272 | 9% | 19% |
| 2023 | 3,261 | 340 | 10% | 18% |
| 2022 | 2,845 | 353 | 12% | 12% |
| 2021 | 3,180 | 321 | 10% | 7% |
| 2020 | 3,165 | 386 | 12% | 3% |
| 2019 | 3,406 | 414 | 12% | 18% |
| 2018 | 3,474 | 488 | 14% | 13% |
| 2017 | 3,654 | 466 | 13% | 17% |
| 2016 | 2,675 | 254 | 9% | 9% |
| 2015 | 3,280 | 245 | 7% | 22% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 2047 area 3-1 | Any weapon | 41 | 28 | 68% |
| Hunt 2048 area 3-2 | Any weapon | 47 | 27 | 57% |
| Hunt 2109 area 1-2 | Any weapon | 23 | 16 | 70% |
| Hunt 2148 youth only | Any weapon | 23 | 14 | 61% |
Results are for the whole hunt area, which can reach beyond this unit.
Deer hunting in Unit 3
In the 2025 general season, 4,016 deer hunters took 1,258 deer: 31% success. Over the last five seasons, deer success averaged 29% (all deer, 2021–2025); whitetail were 99% of the harvest, so this is mostly a whitetail unit. Idaho Fish and Game counts all deer: 100% of the 2025 harvest was whitetail.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | Whitetail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,016 | 1,258 | 31% | 100% |
| 2024 | 3,652 | 1,135 | 31% | 100% |
| 2023 | 4,061 | 1,269 | 31% | 99% |
| 2022 | 3,687 | 909 | 25% | 99% |
| 2021 | 3,872 | 1,003 | 26% | 99% |
| 2020 | 4,121 | 1,254 | 30% | 98% |
| 2019 | 4,472 | 1,090 | 24% | 99% |
| 2018 | 4,502 | 1,295 | 29% | 100% |
| 2017 | 4,549 | 1,429 | 31% | 99% |
| 2016 | 5,014 | 1,397 | 28% | 98% |
| 2015 | 5,551 | 1,767 | 32% | 97% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 1001 area 1-1 | Any weapon | 55 | 28 | 51% |
| Hunt 1125 area 3-1X | Muzzleloader | 61 | 36 | 59% |
| Hunt 1148 area 1-1 outfitter tags | Any weapon | 1 | 0 | 0% |
Results are for the whole hunt area, which can reach beyond this unit.
2026 elk and deer seasons in Unit 3
General seasons (over the counter)
| Season | Dates | Sex | Tag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk, archery | Aug 30 – Sep 30 | antlered | Elk A Tag - Panhandle Zone |
| Elk, archery | Sep 6 – Sep 12 | antlered | Elk B Tag - Panhandle Zone |
| Elk, archery | Sep 15 – Sep 21 | either sex | Elk A Tag - Panhandle Zone |
| Elk, any weapon | Oct 10 – Oct 24 | antlered | Elk B Tag - Panhandle Zone |
| Elk, any weapon | Oct 25 – Oct 29 | antlered | Elk A Tag - Panhandle Zone |
| Elk, muzzleloader | Dec 2 – Dec 8 | antlerless | Elk A Tag - Panhandle Zone |
| Elk, muzzleloader | Dec 2 – Dec 8 | antlerless | Elk B Tag - Panhandle Zone |
| Elk, archery | Dec 10 – Dec 16 | antlered | Elk A Tag - Panhandle Zone |
| Deer, archery | Aug 30 – Sep 30 | antlerless | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, archery | Aug 30 – Sep 30 | antlered | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, archery | Aug 30 – Sep 30 | either sex | White-tailed Deer Tag |
| Deer, any weapon | Oct 10 – Oct 31 | antlered | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, any weapon | Oct 10 – Dec 1 | antlerless | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, any weapon | Oct 10 – Dec 1 | either sex | White-tailed Deer Tag |
| Deer, any weapon | Nov 1 – Nov 14 | antlered | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, any weapon | Nov 15 – Dec 1 | antlered | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, archery | Dec 10 – Dec 24 | antlered | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, archery | Dec 10 – Dec 24 | antlerless | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, archery | Dec 10 – Dec 24 | either sex | White-tailed Deer Tag |
Controlled hunts
| Hunt | Dates | Weapon | Sex | Tags | Drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk 2047 area 3-1 | Aug 1 – Dec 31 | Any weapon | antlerless | 50 | 17% (50 tags, 291 1st choice, 2026) |
| Elk 2048 area 3-2 | Aug 1 – Dec 31 | Any weapon | antlerless | 50 | 23% (50 tags, 213 1st choice, 2026) |
| Elk 2109 area 1-2 | Aug 30 – Dec 1 | Any weapon | either sex | 25 | 1% (25 tags, 1,760 1st choice, 2026) |
| Elk 2148 area 3 youth only | Aug 30 – Sep 30 | Archery | antlerless | 25 | 38% (25 tags, 65 1st choice, youth applicants, 2026) |
| Elk 2148 area 3 youth only | Oct 10 – Dec 1 | Any weapon | antlerless | 25 | 38% (25 tags, 65 1st choice, youth applicants, 2026) |
| Deer 1001 area 1-1 | Aug 30 – Dec 1 | Any weapon | antlered | 60 | 4% (60 tags, 1,422 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1125 area 3-1X | Aug 30 – Sep 30 | Archery | antlerless | 75 | 22% (75 tags, 338 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1148 area 1-1 outfitter tags | Aug 30 – Dec 1 | Any weapon | antlered | 1 | outfitter-allocated, not in the public draw |
| Deer 1125 area 3-1X | Oct 10 – Dec 1 | Any weapon | antlerless | 75 | 22% (75 tags, 338 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1125 area 3-1X | Dec 10 – Dec 24 | Archery | antlerless | 75 | 22% (75 tags, 338 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1125 area 3-1X | Dec 25 – Dec 31 | Muzzleloader | antlerless | 75 | 22% (75 tags, 338 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 3
58% public land. Ownership: USFS 52%, Private 42%, Other 2.5%, State 2.3%, BLM 0.8%.
Idaho Fish and Game Hunt Planner. The map shows public land boundaries and Forest roads you can drive.
Rules to know
Grizzly country. Grizzly bears are federally listed as threatened; killing one is illegal except in self-defense. North Idaho: most often seen in the Selkirk and Cabinet ranges in Unit 1, infrequently in Units 2, 3, 4, 4A, 6, 7 and 9, and IDFG says they can occupy any Panhandle unit. Eastern Idaho (Yellowstone / Island Park): expect them in Units 60, 61, 62, 62A, 65, 67 and parts of 64; IDFG also confirmed a grizzly in Unit 59 in 2023. Carry bear spray and be sure of your target before shooting a bear.
Next to Unit 3
Five-year general-season success in the units that border Unit 3.
| Unit | Elk | Deer |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 3 (this unit) | 10% | 29%* |
| Unit 2 | 7% | 34%* |
| Unit 4 | 10% | 17%* |
| Unit 4A | 8% | 30%* |
| Unit 5 | 17% | 40%* |
| Unit 6 | 15% | 37%* |
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 3.
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.