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Idaho Hunting Unit 51
Elk and deer in Unit 51 (Butte, Custer, Lemhi 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 51
In the 2025 general season, 500 elk hunters took 92 elk: 18% success. Over the last five seasons, success averaged 20% (total harvest over total hunters, 2021–2025). Of the bulls taken, 37% had 6 or more points.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | 6+ pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 500 | 92 | 18% | 37% |
| 2024 | 467 | 87 | 19% | 32% |
| 2023 | 465 | 80 | 17% | 42% |
| 2022 | 421 | 95 | 23% | 48% |
| 2021 | 407 | 101 | 25% | 48% |
| 2020 | 611 | 126 | 21% | 29% |
| 2019 | 463 | 87 | 19% | 35% |
| 2018 | 442 | 51 | 12% | 63% |
| 2017 | 469 | 86 | 18% | 76% |
| 2016 | 753 | 127 | 17% | 22% |
| 2015 | 721 | 192 | 27% | 16% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 2031 | Any weapon | 10 | 6 | 60% |
| Hunt 2032 | Any weapon | 120 | 53 | 44% |
| Hunt 2090 | Any weapon | 62 | 20 | 32% |
| Hunt 2091 | Any weapon | 65 | 42 | 65% |
| Hunt 2114 area 51-1 | Any weapon | 22 | 14 | 64% |
| Hunt 2283 area 51-1X | Any weapon | 13 | 8 | 62% |
Results are for the whole hunt area, which can reach beyond this unit.
Deer hunting in Unit 51
In the 2025 general season, 979 deer hunters took 251 deer: 26% 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: 8% of the 2025 harvest was whitetail.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | Whitetail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 979 | 251 | 26% | 8% |
| 2024 | 846 | 199 | 24% | 11% |
| 2023 | 833 | 190 | 23% | 7% |
| 2022 | 853 | 177 | 21% | 18% |
| 2021 | 912 | 175 | 19% | 8% |
| 2020 | 1,116 | 175 | 16% | 8% |
| 2019 | 1,077 | 261 | 24% | 7% |
| 2018 | 1,054 | 225 | 21% | 9% |
| 2017 | 1,087 | 264 | 24% | 10% |
| 2016 | 899 | 292 | 32% | 4% |
| 2015 | 975 | 308 | 32% | 3% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 1090 | Muzzleloader | 47 | 17 | 36% |
2026 elk and deer seasons in Unit 51
General seasons (over the counter)
| Season | Dates | Sex | Tag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk, any weapon (55% of unit) | Aug 1 – Aug 29 | 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 | antlered | 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 | either sex | White-tailed Deer Tag |
| Deer, any weapon | Nov 10 – Dec 9 | either sex | White-tailed Deer Tag |
Controlled hunts
| Hunt | Dates | Weapon | Sex | Tags | Drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk 2114 area 51-1 | Aug 1 – Aug 29 | Any weapon | either sex | 25 | 24% (25 tags, 105 1st choice, 2026) |
| Elk 2031 area 51 | Oct 1 – Oct 14 | Any weapon | antlered | 10 | 3% (10 tags, 292 1st choice, 2026) |
| Elk 2090 area 51 | Oct 16 – Nov 5 | Any weapon | antlerless | 75 | 51% (75 tags, 147 1st choice, 2026) |
| Elk 2032 area 51 | Nov 1 – Nov 30 | Any weapon | antlered | 125 | 13% (125 tags, 940 1st choice, 2026) |
| Elk 2091 area 51 | Dec 10 – Dec 31 | Any weapon | antlerless | 75 | 39% (75 tags, 194 1st choice, 2026) |
| Elk 2283 area 51-1X | Jan 1, 2027 – Feb 15, 2027 | Any weapon | antlerless | 25 | 14% (25 tags, 182 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1090 area 51-1 | Nov 1 – Nov 30 | Muzzleloader | antlered | 50 | 14% (50 tags, 363 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 51
92% public land. Ownership: BLM 45%, USFS 45%, Private 8.2%, State 2.2%.
Idaho Fish and Game Hunt Planner. The map shows public land boundaries and Forest roads you can drive.
Next to Unit 51
Five-year general-season success in the units that border Unit 51.
| Unit | Elk | Deer |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 51 (this unit) | 20% | 20% |
| Unit 29 | 22% | 21% |
| Unit 37 | 25% | 33%* |
| Unit 37A | 20% | 17% |
| Unit 50 | 22% | 20% |
| Unit 58 | 19% | 20% |
| Unit 63 | – | 12% |
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 51.
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.