Rut & RouteRut & Route › Idaho units › Unit 52A
Idaho Hunting Unit 52A
Elk and deer in Unit 52A (Blaine, Lincoln, Minidoka, Butte 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 52A
In the 2025 general season, 472 elk hunters took 136 elk: 29% success. Over the last five seasons, success averaged 26% (total harvest over total hunters, 2021–2025). Of the bulls taken, 63% had 6 or more points.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | 6+ pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 472 | 136 | 29% | 63% |
| 2024 | 350 | 87 | 25% | 86% |
| 2023 | 280 | 82 | 30% | 49% |
| 2022 | 353 | 102 | 29% | 47% |
| 2021 | 354 | 57 | 16% | 62% |
| 2020 | 517 | 134 | 26% | 22% |
| 2019 | 537 | 134 | 25% | 70% |
| 2018 | 119 | 15 | 13% | 60% |
| 2017 | 103 | 17 | 17% | 43% |
| 2016 | 107 | 14 | 13% | 66% |
| 2015 | 114 | 13 | 11% | 63% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 2034 area 52A-1 | Any weapon | 93 | 55 | 59% |
Results are for the whole hunt area, which can reach beyond this unit.
Deer hunting in Unit 52A
In the 2025 general season, 1,353 deer hunters took 207 deer: 15% success. Over the last five seasons, mule deer success averaged 17% (mule deer taken per deer hunter, 2021–2025). Idaho Fish and Game counts all deer: 4% of the 2025 harvest was whitetail.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | Whitetail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,353 | 207 | 15% | 4% |
| 2024 | 1,110 | 244 | 22% | 1% |
| 2023 | 1,170 | 169 | 14% | 0% |
| 2022 | 1,099 | 200 | 18% | 0% |
| 2021 | 1,240 | 234 | 19% | 1% |
| 2020 | 1,125 | 189 | 17% | 0% |
| 2019 | 1,222 | 244 | 20% | 1% |
| 2018 | 1,206 | 158 | 13% | 5% |
| 2017 | 1,380 | 200 | 14% | 2% |
| 2016 | 847 | 172 | 20% | 0% |
| 2015 | 994 | 196 | 20% | 0% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 1092 | Muzzleloader | 69 | 23 | 33% |
2026 elk and deer seasons in Unit 52A
General seasons (over the counter)
| Season | Dates | Sex | Tag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk, archery | Aug 30 – Sep 30 | either sex | Elk A Tag - Big Desert Zone |
| Elk, any weapon | Nov 1 – Dec 31 | antlerless | Elk B Tag - Big Desert Zone |
| Deer, archery | Aug 30 – Sep 30 | either sex | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, any weapon | Oct 10 – Oct 31 | antlered | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, any weapon | Oct 10 – Oct 31 | antlerless | Regular Deer Tag |
Controlled hunts
| Hunt | Dates | Weapon | Sex | Tags | Drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk 2034 area 52A-1 | Oct 1 – Nov 30 | Any weapon | antlered | 100 | 6% (100 tags, 1,610 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1092 area 52A | Nov 10 – Nov 24 | Muzzleloader | either sex | 75 | 55% (75 tags, 137 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 52A
91% public land. Ownership: BLM 55%, NPS 34%, Private 8.8%, State 2.1%.
Idaho Fish and Game Hunt Planner. The map shows public land boundaries and Forest roads you can drive.
Next to Unit 52A
Five-year general-season success in the units that border Unit 52A.
| Unit | Elk | Deer |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 52A (this unit) | 26% | 17% |
| Unit 49 | 18% | 27% |
| Unit 50 | 22% | 20% |
| Unit 52 | 11% | 11% |
| Unit 53 | 12% | 33% |
| Unit 68 | 31% | 17% |
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 52A.
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.