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Idaho Hunting Unit 37A
Elk and deer in Unit 37A (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 37A
In the 2025 general season, 284 elk hunters took 45 elk: 16% success. Over the last five seasons, success averaged 20% (total harvest over total hunters, 2021–2025). Of the bulls taken, 39% had 6 or more points.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | 6+ pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 284 | 45 | 16% | 39% |
| 2024 | 300 | 107 | 36% | 28% |
| 2023 | 255 | 46 | 18% | 29% |
| 2022 | 293 | 47 | 16% | 59% |
| 2021 | 286 | 45 | 16% | 56% |
| 2020 | 463 | 122 | 26% | 56% |
| 2019 | 444 | 101 | 23% | 38% |
| 2018 | 385 | 41 | 11% | 7% |
| 2017 | 248 | 53 | 21% | 43% |
| 2016 | 252 | 39 | 15% | 65% |
| 2015 | 327 | 96 | 29% | 56% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 2013 | Any weapon | 92 | 49 | 53% |
| Hunt 2080 | Any weapon | 37 | 15 | 41% |
| Hunt 2189 outfitter tags | Any weapon | 5 | 4 | 80% |
Deer hunting in Unit 37A
In the 2025 general season, 239 deer hunters took 58 deer: 24% success. Over the last five seasons, mule deer success averaged 17% (mule deer taken per deer hunter, 2021–2025). Idaho Fish and Game counts all deer: 11% of the 2025 harvest was whitetail.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | Whitetail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 239 | 58 | 24% | 11% |
| 2024 | 223 | 60 | 27% | 34% |
| 2023 | 178 | 25 | 14% | 29% |
| 2022 | 198 | 38 | 19% | 47% |
| 2021 | 246 | 71 | 29% | 22% |
| 2020 | 331 | 87 | 26% | 26% |
| 2019 | 291 | 86 | 30% | 16% |
| 2018 | 420 | 62 | 15% | 23% |
| 2017 | 158 | 29 | 18% | 15% |
| 2016 | 249 | 120 | 48% | 9% |
| 2015 | 219 | 64 | 29% | 28% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 1070 area 21-1 | Archery | 10 | 6 | 60% |
| Hunt 1112 area 36A-1X youth only | Any weapon | 32 | 9 | 28% |
| Hunt 1136 area 36A-1X | Any weapon | 120 | 46 | 38% |
| Hunt 1137 area 36A-1X | Any weapon | 124 | 45 | 36% |
| Hunt 1157 area 21-1 outfitter tags | Archery | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Hunt 1163 area 29-1 outfitter tags | Muzzleloader | 2 | 1 | 50% |
Results are for the whole hunt area, which can reach beyond this unit.
2026 elk and deer seasons in Unit 37A
General seasons (over the counter)
| Season | Dates | Sex | Tag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk, any weapon | Aug 1 – Oct 31 | antlerless | Elk A Tag - Lemhi Zone |
| Elk, archery | Aug 30 – Sep 30 | either sex | Elk A Tag - Lemhi Zone |
| Elk, muzzleloader | Nov 25 – Dec 9 | antlerless | Elk A Tag - Lemhi 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 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 |
Controlled hunts
| Hunt | Dates | Weapon | Sex | Tags | Drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk 2013 area 37A | Oct 1 – Oct 31 | Any weapon | antlered | 100 | 18% (100 tags, 564 1st choice, 2026) |
| Elk 2189 area 37A outfitter tags | Oct 1 – Oct 31 | Any weapon | antlered | 5 | outfitter-allocated, not in the public draw |
| Elk 2080 area 37A | Dec 10 – Dec 31 | Any weapon | antlerless | 45 | 66% (45 tags, 68 1st choice, 2026) |
| 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 1136 area 36A-1X | Aug 30 – Oct 31 | Any weapon | antlerless | 200 | 100% (200 tags, 193 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1112 area 36A-1X youth only | Aug 30 – Dec 31 | Any weapon | antlerless | 75 | 100% (49 tags, 42 1st choice, youth applicants, 2026) |
| Deer 1137 area 36A-1X | Nov 1 – Dec 31 | Any weapon | antlerless | 200 | 57% (200 tags, 349 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1085 area 29-1 | Nov 25 – Dec 9 | Muzzleloader | antlered | 63 | 43% (63 tags, 147 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1163 area 29-1 outfitter tags | Nov 25 – Dec 9 | Muzzleloader | antlered | 2 | 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 37A
94% public land. Ownership: USFS 64%, BLM 26%, Private 5.8%, State 3.3%.
Idaho Fish and Game Hunt Planner. The map shows public land boundaries and Forest roads you can drive.
Next to Unit 37A
Five-year general-season success in the units that border Unit 37A.
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 37A.
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.