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Idaho Hunting Unit 38
Elk and deer in Unit 38 (Ada, Canyon, Elmore, Payette, Gem 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 38
In the 2025 general season, 322 elk hunters took 51 elk: 16% success. There are too few seasons or hunters surveyed for a 5-year figure. Of the bulls taken, 39% had 6 or more points.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | 6+ pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 322 | 51 | 16% | 39% |
| 2015 | – | – | – | – |
Deer hunting in Unit 38
In the 2025 general season, 877 deer hunters took 246 deer: 28% success. Over the last five seasons, mule deer success averaged 30% (mule deer taken per deer hunter, 2021–2025). Idaho Fish and Game counts all deer: 3% of the 2025 harvest was whitetail.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | Whitetail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 877 | 246 | 28% | 3% |
| 2024 | 706 | 232 | 33% | 0% |
| 2023 | 708 | 208 | 29% | 0% |
| 2022 | 702 | 220 | 31% | 2% |
| 2021 | 612 | 179 | 29% | 0% |
| 2020 | 813 | 229 | 28% | 3% |
| 2019 | 832 | 191 | 23% | 4% |
| 2018 | 890 | 222 | 25% | 0% |
| 2017 | 1,045 | 219 | 21% | 2% |
| 2016 | 932 | 229 | 25% | 1% |
| 2015 | 1,258 | 395 | 31% | 0% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 1028 | Short-range | 4 | 0 | 0% |
| Hunt 1029 | Short-range | 19 | 6 | 32% |
| Hunt 1138 area 38-1X | Short-range | 7 | 4 | 57% |
| Hunt 1139 area 38-1X | Short-range | 3 | 1 | 33% |
| Hunt 1140 area 38-1X | Short-range | 8 | 0 | 0% |
| Hunt 1141 area 38-1X | Short-range | 6 | 1 | 17% |
Results are for the whole hunt area, which can reach beyond this unit.
2026 elk and deer seasons in Unit 38
General seasons (over the counter)
| Season | Dates | Sex | Tag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk, any weapon | Aug 1 – Sep 30 | either sex | Elk B Tag - Boise River Zone |
| Elk, any weapon | Oct 1 – Dec 31 | antlerless or spike | Elk B Tag - Boise River Zone |
| Deer, archery (99% of unit) | Aug 30 – Sep 30 | either sex | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, archery (99% of unit) | Aug 30 – Sep 30 | either sex | White-tailed Deer Tag |
| Deer, short-range (99% of unit) | Oct 10 – Oct 31 | antlered | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, short-range (99% of unit) | Oct 10 – Nov 24 | antlerless | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, short-range (99% of unit) | Oct 10 – Oct 31 | antlered | White-tailed Deer Tag |
| Deer, short-range (99% of unit) | Oct 10 – Nov 24 | antlerless | White-tailed Deer Tag |
Controlled hunts
| Hunt | Dates | Weapon | Sex | Tags | Drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer 1028 area 38-1 | Oct 10 – Nov 24 | Short-range | antlered | 5 | 16% (5 tags, 31 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1029 area 38-2 | Oct 10 – Nov 24 | Short-range | antlered | 20 | 43% (20 tags, 47 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1138 area 38-1X | Oct 10 – Oct 29 | Short-range | antlerless | 10 | 40% (10 tags, 25 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1139 area 38-1X | Oct 30 – Nov 18 | Short-range | antlerless | 10 | 21% (10 tags, 47 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1140 area 38-1X | Nov 19 – Dec 8 | Short-range | antlerless | 10 | 19% (10 tags, 53 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1141 area 38-1X | Dec 9 – Dec 28 | Short-range | antlerless | 10 | 13% (10 tags, 77 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 38
41% public land. Ownership: Private 59%, BLM 33%, State 5%, BOR 1.3%, Other 1.3%, DOD 0.6%.
Idaho Fish and Game Hunt Planner. The map shows public land boundaries and Forest roads you can drive.
Next to Unit 38
Five-year general-season success in the units that border Unit 38.
| Unit | Elk | Deer |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 38 (this unit) | – | 30% |
| Unit 32 | 22% | 28% |
| Unit 39 | 12% | 18% |
| Unit 40 | – | 28% |
| Unit 41 | – | 25% |
| Unit 45 | 19% | 15% |
| Unit 46 | 7% | 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 38.
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.