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Idaho Hunting Unit 45
Elk and deer in Unit 45 (Elmore, Gooding, Camas 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 45
In the 2025 general season, 326 elk hunters took 34 elk: 10% success. Over the last five seasons, success averaged 19% (total harvest over total hunters, 2021–2025). Of the bulls taken, 0% had 6 or more points.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | 6+ pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 326 | 34 | 10% | 0% |
| 2024 | 421 | 127 | 30% | 0% |
| 2023 | 433 | 45 | 10% | – |
| 2022 | 439 | 146 | 33% | – |
| 2021 | 455 | 45 | 10% | – |
| 2020 | 1,625 | 664 | 41% | 0% |
| 2019 | 1,646 | 280 | 17% | – |
| 2018 | 62 | 9 | 15% | – |
| 2017 | 91 | 16 | 18% | – |
| 2016 | 102 | 30 | 29% | – |
| 2015 | 125 | 20 | 16% | – |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 2023 | Any weapon | 117 | 61 | 52% |
| Hunt 2125 area 45-1 | Archery | 24 | 5 | 21% |
| Hunt 2194 outfitter tags | Any weapon | 4 | 4 | 100% |
| Hunt 2195 area 45-1 outfitter tags | Archery | 1 | 1 | 100% |
Results are for the whole hunt area, which can reach beyond this unit.
Deer hunting in Unit 45
In the 2025 general season, 31 deer hunters took 9 deer: 29% success. Over the last five seasons, mule deer success averaged 15% (mule deer taken per deer hunter, 2021–2025). Idaho Fish and Game counts all deer: 0% of the 2025 harvest was whitetail.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | Whitetail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 31 | 9 | 29% | 0% |
| 2024 | 31 | 3 | 10% | 0% |
| 2023 | 40 | 3 | 8% | 0% |
| 2022 | 64 | 14 | 22% | 0% |
| 2021 | 80 | 9 | 11% | 0% |
| 2020 | 155 | 32 | 21% | 0% |
| 2019 | 126 | 40 | 32% | 0% |
| 2018 | 124 | 36 | 29% | 10% |
| 2017 | 90 | 17 | 19% | 0% |
| 2016 | 176 | 71 | 40% | 0% |
| 2015 | 132 | 28 | 22% | 0% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 1035 | Any weapon | 71 | 61 | 86% |
| Hunt 1077 | Archery | 10 | 5 | 50% |
| Hunt 1089 | Muzzleloader | 36 | 10 | 28% |
| Hunt 1172 outfitter tags | Archery | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Hunt 1173 outfitter tags | Any weapon | 1 | 1 | 100% |
2026 elk and deer seasons in Unit 45
General seasons (over the counter)
| Season | Dates | Sex | Tag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk, any weapon | Nov 10 – Nov 24 | antlerless | Elk B Tag - Smoky-Bennett Zone |
Controlled hunts
| Hunt | Dates | Weapon | Sex | Tags | Drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk 2125 area 45-1 | Aug 30 – Sep 30 | Archery | antlered | 25 | 15% (25 tags, 169 1st choice, 2026) |
| Elk 2195 area 45-1 outfitter tags | Aug 30 – Sep 30 | Archery | antlered | 1 | outfitter-allocated, not in the public draw |
| Elk 2023 area 45 | Oct 1 – Oct 31 | Any weapon | antlered | 125 | 10% (125 tags, 1,224 1st choice, 2026) |
| Elk 2194 area 45 outfitter tags | Oct 1 – Oct 31 | Any weapon | antlered | 4 | outfitter-allocated, not in the public draw |
| Deer 1077 area 45 | Aug 15 – Sep 14 | Archery | antlered | 10 | 8% (10 tags, 128 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1172 area 45 outfitter tags | Aug 15 – Sep 14 | Archery | antlered | 1 | outfitter-allocated, not in the public draw |
| Deer 1089 area 45 | Oct 1 – Oct 14 | Muzzleloader | antlered | 40 | 19% (40 tags, 211 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1035 area 45 | Oct 15 – Oct 31 | Any weapon | antlered | 75 | 3% (75 tags, 2,616 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1173 area 45 outfitter tags | Oct 15 – Oct 31 | Any weapon | 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.
Next to Unit 45
Five-year general-season success in the units that border Unit 45.
| Unit | Elk | Deer |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 45 (this unit) | 19% | 15% |
| Unit 38 | – | 30% |
| Unit 39 | 12% | 18% |
| Unit 44 | 20% | 12% |
| Unit 46 | 7% | 26% |
| Unit 52 | 11% | 11% |
| Unit 53 | 12% | 33% |
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 45.
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.