Rut & RouteRut & Route › Idaho units › Unit 59A
Idaho Hunting Unit 59A
Elk and deer in Unit 59A (Clark, 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 59A
In the 2025 general season, 421 elk hunters took 92 elk: 22% success. Over the last five seasons, success averaged 19% (total harvest over total hunters, 2021–2025). Of the bulls taken, 26% had 6 or more points.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | 6+ pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 421 | 92 | 22% | 26% |
| 2024 | 422 | 78 | 18% | 25% |
| 2023 | 413 | 70 | 17% | 25% |
| 2022 | 404 | 61 | 15% | 57% |
| 2021 | 440 | 100 | 23% | 47% |
| 2020 | 429 | 57 | 13% | 30% |
| 2019 | 388 | 81 | 21% | 39% |
| 2018 | 365 | 58 | 16% | 72% |
| 2017 | 214 | 31 | 14% | 67% |
| 2016 | 265 | 30 | 11% | 93% |
| 2015 | 266 | 43 | 16% | 56% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 2007 area 30-1 | Any weapon | 29 | 27 | 93% |
| Hunt 2037 area 58-1 | Any weapon | 71 | 34 | 48% |
| Hunt 2095 area 59-1 | Any weapon | 225 | 97 | 43% |
| Hunt 2202 area 58-1 outfitter tags | Any weapon | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| Hunt 2284 area 63-1X | Muzzleloader | 28 | 11 | 39% |
Results are for the whole hunt area, which can reach beyond this unit.
Deer hunting in Unit 59A
In the 2025 general season, 624 deer hunters took 135 deer: 22% 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: 7% of the 2025 harvest was whitetail.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | Whitetail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 624 | 135 | 22% | 7% |
| 2024 | 588 | 95 | 16% | 6% |
| 2023 | 541 | 76 | 14% | 17% |
| 2022 | 594 | 123 | 21% | 8% |
| 2021 | 632 | 131 | 21% | 3% |
| 2020 | 612 | 143 | 23% | 0% |
| 2019 | 492 | 102 | 21% | 8% |
| 2018 | 514 | 124 | 24% | 0% |
| 2017 | 427 | 79 | 19% | 0% |
| 2016 | 431 | 146 | 34% | 0% |
| 2015 | 402 | 103 | 26% | 0% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 1048 area 58-1 | Any weapon | 8 | 7 | 88% |
Results are for the whole hunt area, which can reach beyond this unit.
2026 elk and deer seasons in Unit 59A
General seasons (over the counter)
| Season | Dates | Sex | Tag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk, any weapon (57% of unit) | Aug 1 – Aug 29 | antlerless | Elk A Tag - Beaverhead Zone |
| Elk, archery | Aug 30 – Sep 30 | either sex | Elk A Tag - Beaverhead Zone |
| Elk, muzzleloader | Oct 15 – Oct 31 | antlerless | Elk A Tag - Beaverhead 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 2007 area 30-1 | Oct 1 – Oct 14 | Any weapon | antlered | 30 | 4% (30 tags, 839 1st choice, 2026) |
| Elk 2037 area 58-1 | Nov 1 – Nov 30 | Any weapon | antlered | 75 | 5% (75 tags, 1,372 1st choice, 2026) |
| Elk 2095 area 59-1 | Nov 1 – Nov 30 | Any weapon | antlerless | 250 | 34% (250 tags, 725 1st choice, 2026) |
| Elk 2202 area 58-1 outfitter tags | Nov 1 – Nov 30 | Any weapon | antlered | 2 | outfitter-allocated, not in the public draw |
| Elk 2284 area 63-1X | Jan 1, 2027 – Feb 15, 2027 | Short-range | antlerless | 50 | 10% (50 tags, 522 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1048 area 58-1 | Oct 10 – Nov 30 | Any weapon | antlered | 10 | 1% (10 tags, 860 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 59A
85% public land. Ownership: USFS 43%, BLM 39%, Private 15%, State 2.4%, Other 0.6%.
Idaho Fish and Game Hunt Planner. The map shows public land boundaries and Forest roads you can drive.
Next to Unit 59A
Five-year general-season success in the units that border Unit 59A.
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 59A.
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.