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Idaho Hunting Unit 52
Elk and deer in Unit 52 (Lincoln, Blaine, Camas, Gooding 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 52
In the 2025 general season, 116 elk hunters took 4 elk: 3% success. Over the last five seasons, success averaged 11% (total harvest over total hunters, 2021–2025).
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | 6+ pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 116 | 4 | 3% | – |
| 2024 | 137 | 11 | 8% | – |
| 2023 | 154 | 10 | 6% | – |
| 2022 | 140 | 32 | 23% | – |
| 2021 | 168 | 23 | 14% | – |
| 2020 | 573 | 201 | 35% | – |
| 2019 | 667 | 90 | 13% | – |
| 2018 | 25 | 2 | 8% | – |
| 2017 | 11 | 2 | 18% | – |
| 2016 | 36 | 11 | 31% | – |
| 2015 | 40 | 1 | 4% | – |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 2033 | Any weapon | 48 | 24 | 50% |
| Hunt 2115 | Any weapon | 22 | 8 | 36% |
| Hunt 2125 area 45-1 | Archery | 24 | 5 | 21% |
| 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 52
In the 2025 general season, 81 deer hunters took 5 deer: 6% success. Over the last five seasons, mule deer success averaged 11% (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 | 81 | 5 | 6% | 0% |
| 2024 | 78 | 16 | 21% | 0% |
| 2023 | 68 | 8 | 12% | 0% |
| 2022 | 75 | 5 | 7% | 0% |
| 2021 | 94 | 11 | 12% | 0% |
| 2020 | 118 | 15 | 13% | 0% |
| 2019 | 111 | 14 | 13% | 24% |
| 2018 | 91 | 7 | 8% | 0% |
| 2017 | 147 | 20 | 14% | 0% |
| 2016 | 124 | 21 | 17% | 0% |
| 2015 | 132 | 19 | 14% | 0% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 1041 | Any weapon | 74 | 52 | 70% |
| Hunt 1078 | Archery | 10 | 5 | 50% |
| Hunt 1091 | Muzzleloader | 23 | 14 | 61% |
| Hunt 1176 outfitter tags | Muzzleloader | 1 | 0 | 0% |
2026 elk and deer seasons in Unit 52
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 2033 area 52 | Oct 1 – Oct 31 | Any weapon | antlered | 50 | 16% (50 tags, 316 1st choice, 2026) |
| Elk 2115 area 52 | Dec 1 – Dec 31 | Any weapon | either sex | 25 | 7% (25 tags, 371 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1078 area 52 | Aug 15 – Sep 14 | Archery | antlered | 10 | 25% (10 tags, 40 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1041 area 52 | Oct 5 – Oct 31 | Any weapon | antlered | 75 | 7% (75 tags, 1,012 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1091 area 52 | Nov 1 – Nov 14 | Muzzleloader | antlered | 25 | 10% (25 tags, 246 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1176 area 52 outfitter tags | Nov 1 – Nov 14 | Muzzleloader | antlered | 1 | 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 52
Five-year general-season success in the units that border Unit 52.
| Unit | Elk | Deer |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 52 (this unit) | 11% | 11% |
| Unit 44 | 20% | 12% |
| Unit 45 | 19% | 15% |
| Unit 48 | 14% | 30% |
| Unit 49 | 18% | 27% |
| Unit 52A | 26% | 17% |
| 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 52.
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.