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Idaho Hunting Unit 46
Elk and deer in Unit 46 (Owyhee, Twin Falls, Elmore 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 46
In the 2025 general season, 6 elk hunters took 1 elk: 17% success. Over the last five seasons, success averaged 7% (total harvest over total hunters, 2021–2025).
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | 6+ pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | 17% | – |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | 0% | – |
| 2022 | 156 | 13 | 8% | 66% |
| 2021 | 176 | 11 | 6% | 66% |
| 2020 | 331 | 23 | 7% | 72% |
| 2019 | 367 | 58 | 16% | 61% |
| 2018 | 12 | 3 | 25% | 0% |
| 2017 | 12 | 0 | 0% | – |
| 2016 | 8 | 0 | 0% | – |
| 2015 | – | – | – | – |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 2024 area 46-1 | Any weapon | 10 | 5 | 50% |
| Hunt 2025 | Any weapon | 37 | 21 | 57% |
| Hunt 2086 | Any weapon | 59 | 18 | 31% |
| Hunt 2126 area 46-1 | Archery | 5 | 4 | 80% |
| Hunt 2136 area 46-1 | Muzzleloader | 5 | 1 | 20% |
Results are for the whole hunt area, which can reach beyond this unit.
Deer hunting in Unit 46
In the 2025 general season, 1,812 deer hunters took 406 deer: 22% success. Over the last five seasons, mule deer success averaged 26% (mule deer taken per deer hunter, 2021–2025). Idaho Fish and Game counts all deer: 1% of the 2025 harvest was whitetail.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | Whitetail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,812 | 406 | 22% | 1% |
| 2024 | 1,716 | 512 | 30% | 1% |
| 2023 | 1,593 | 431 | 27% | 1% |
| 2022 | 1,489 | 388 | 26% | 2% |
| 2021 | 1,696 | 423 | 25% | 0% |
| 2020 | 1,949 | 522 | 27% | 0% |
| 2019 | 1,875 | 391 | 21% | 1% |
| 2018 | 1,734 | 524 | 30% | 3% |
| 2017 | 1,853 | 498 | 27% | 0% |
| 2016 | 1,326 | 352 | 27% | 2% |
| 2015 | 1,403 | 412 | 29% | 4.6% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 1037 area 47-1 | Any weapon | 9 | 6 | 67% |
Results are for the whole hunt area, which can reach beyond this unit.
2026 elk and deer seasons in Unit 46
General seasons (over the counter)
| Season | Dates | Sex | Tag |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | antlered | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, any weapon | Oct 10 – Oct 31 | antlerless | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, any weapon | Oct 10 – Oct 31 | either sex | White-tailed Deer Tag |
Controlled hunts
| Hunt | Dates | Weapon | Sex | Tags | Drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk 2126 area 46-1 | Aug 30 – Sep 30 | Archery | antlered | 5 | 6% (5 tags, 80 1st choice, 2026) |
| Elk 2136 area 46-1 | Oct 1 – Oct 14 | Muzzleloader | antlered | 5 | 10% (5 tags, 48 1st choice, 2026) |
| Elk 2024 area 46-1 | Oct 15 – Nov 30 | Any weapon | antlered | 10 | 4% (10 tags, 258 1st choice, 2026) |
| Elk 2086 area 46 | Nov 15 – Dec 31 | Any weapon | antlerless | 75 | 40% (75 tags, 188 1st choice, 2026) |
| Elk 2025 area 46 | Dec 1 – Dec 31 | Any weapon | antlered | 40 | 7% (40 tags, 607 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1037 area 47-1 | Nov 15 – Nov 30 | Any weapon | antlered | 10 | 5% (10 tags, 198 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 46
82% public land. Ownership: BLM 70%, Private 18%, DOD 6.8%, State 4.2%.
Idaho Fish and Game Hunt Planner. The map shows public land boundaries and Forest roads you can drive.
Next to Unit 46
Five-year general-season success in the units that border Unit 46.
| Unit | Elk | Deer |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 46 (this unit) | 7% | 26% |
| Unit 38 | – | 30% |
| Unit 41 | – | 25% |
| Unit 45 | 19% | 15% |
| Unit 47 | – | 11% |
| Unit 53 | 12% | 33% |
| Unit 54 | – | 16% |
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 46.
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.