Rut & RouteRut & Route › Idaho units › Unit 35
Idaho Hunting Unit 35
Elk and deer in Unit 35 (Boise, 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 35
In the 2025 general season, 344 elk hunters took 95 elk: 28% success. Over the last five seasons, success averaged 19% (total harvest over total hunters, 2021–2025). Of the bulls taken, 22% had 6 or more points.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | 6+ pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 344 | 95 | 28% | 22% |
| 2024 | 209 | 60 | 29% | 26% |
| 2023 | 371 | 31 | 8% | 44% |
| 2022 | 381 | 54 | 14% | 31% |
| 2021 | 352 | 72 | 20% | 5% |
| 2020 | 439 | 71 | 16% | 36% |
| 2019 | 460 | 63 | 14% | 18% |
| 2018 | 384 | 99 | 26% | 38% |
| 2017 | 392 | 51 | 13% | 5% |
| 2016 | 313 | 95 | 30% | 35% |
| 2015 | 387 | 104 | 27% | 41% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 2131 area 33-1 | Muzzleloader | 25 | 6 | 24% |
| Hunt 2132 area 33-2 | Muzzleloader | 41 | 11 | 27% |
Results are for the whole hunt area, which can reach beyond this unit.
Deer hunting in Unit 35
In the 2025 general season, 398 deer hunters took 76 deer: 19% success. Over the last five seasons, mule deer success averaged 20% (mule deer taken per deer hunter, 2021–2025). Idaho Fish and Game counts all deer: 2% of the 2025 harvest was whitetail.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | Whitetail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 398 | 76 | 19% | 2% |
| 2024 | 237 | 37 | 16% | 0% |
| 2023 | 485 | 86 | 18% | 0% |
| 2022 | 480 | 108 | 22% | 3% |
| 2021 | 467 | 105 | 22% | 0% |
| 2020 | 597 | 89 | 15% | 0% |
| 2019 | 517 | 102 | 20% | 0% |
| 2018 | 487 | 79 | 16% | 0% |
| 2017 | 589 | 64 | 11% | 2% |
| 2016 | 458 | 99 | 22% | 0% |
| 2015 | 722 | 234 | 32% | 4% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 1087 area 33 | Muzzleloader | 141 | 60 | 43% |
Results are for the whole hunt area, which can reach beyond this unit.
2026 elk and deer seasons in Unit 35
General seasons (over the counter)
| Season | Dates | Sex | Tag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk, archery | Aug 30 – Sep 30 | either sex | Elk A Tag - Sawtooth Zone |
| Elk, any weapon | Oct 15 – Nov 8 | antlered | Elk B Tag - Sawtooth Zone |
| Deer, archery | Aug 30 – Sep 30 | either sex | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, archery | Aug 30 – Sep 30 | either sex | White-tailed Deer Tag |
| Deer, any weapon | Oct 10 – Oct 31 | antlerless | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, any weapon | Oct 10 – Oct 31 | antlered | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, any weapon | Oct 10 – Nov 8 | either sex | White-tailed Deer Tag |
Controlled hunts
| Hunt | Dates | Weapon | Sex | Tags | Drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk 2131 area 33-1 | Nov 10 – Nov 30 | Muzzleloader | antlerless | 25 | 15% (25 tags, 164 1st choice, 2026) |
| Elk 2132 area 33-2 | Nov 10 – Nov 30 | Muzzleloader | antlered | 50 | 66% (50 tags, 76 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1087 area 33-1 | Nov 10 – Nov 30 | Muzzleloader | antlered | 150 | 36% (150 tags, 420 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1164 area 33 outfitter tags | Nov 10 – Nov 30 | Muzzleloader | antlered | 1 | 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 35
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 35
Five-year general-season success in the units that border Unit 35.
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 35.
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.