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Idaho Hunting Unit 68
Elk and deer in Unit 68 (Bingham, Power, Blaine, 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 68
In the 2025 general season, 448 elk hunters took 122 elk: 27% success. Over the last five seasons, success averaged 31% (total harvest over total hunters, 2021–2025). Of the bulls taken, 34% had 6 or more points.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | 6+ pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 448 | 122 | 27% | 34% |
| 2024 | 322 | 125 | 39% | 47% |
| 2023 | 284 | 102 | 36% | 50% |
| 2022 | 363 | 122 | 34% | 59% |
| 2021 | 356 | 78 | 22% | 44% |
| 2020 | 108 | 33 | 31% | 43% |
| 2019 | 84 | 19 | 23% | 49% |
| 2018 | 89 | 16 | 18% | 44% |
| 2017 | 82 | 18 | 22% | 70% |
| 2016 | 101 | 17 | 17% | 46% |
| 2015 | 85 | 17 | 20% | 100% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 2034 area 52A-1 | Any weapon | 93 | 55 | 59% |
| Hunt 2106 | Any weapon | 114 | 37 | 32% |
Results are for the whole hunt area, which can reach beyond this unit.
Deer hunting in Unit 68
In the 2025 general season, 769 deer hunters took 148 deer: 19% 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 | 769 | 148 | 19% | 4% |
| 2024 | 686 | 168 | 24% | 0% |
| 2023 | 554 | 77 | 14% | 1% |
| 2022 | 549 | 77 | 14% | 10% |
| 2021 | 564 | 88 | 16% | 0% |
| 2020 | 646 | 152 | 24% | 4% |
| 2019 | 533 | 108 | 20% | 0% |
| 2018 | 594 | 87 | 15% | 6% |
| 2017 | 677 | 119 | 18% | 2% |
| 2016 | 493 | 136 | 28% | 1% |
| 2015 | 654 | 94 | 14% | 0% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 1095 | Muzzleloader | 20 | 6 | 30% |
| Hunt 1146 area 66A-1X | Any weapon | 53 | 14 | 26% |
Results are for the whole hunt area, which can reach beyond this unit.
2026 elk and deer seasons in Unit 68
General seasons (over the counter)
| Season | Dates | Sex | Tag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk, archery | Aug 1 – Aug 30 | either sex | Elk A Tag - Big Desert Zone |
| 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 | antlered | Regular Deer Tag |
| Deer, any weapon | Oct 10 – Oct 24 | antlered | 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) |
| Elk 2106 area 68 | Oct 15 – Oct 31 | Any weapon | antlerless | 125 | 83% (125 tags, 151 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1146 area 66A-1X | Oct 1 – Nov 30 | Any weapon | antlerless | 100 | 78% (100 tags, 128 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1095 area 68 | Nov 16 – Nov 30 | Muzzleloader | antlered | 20 | 25% (20 tags, 79 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 68
70% public land. Ownership: BLM 55%, Private 30%, NPS 6.7%, Other 6.4%, State 2.1%.
Idaho Fish and Game Hunt Planner. The map shows public land boundaries and Forest roads you can drive.
Next to Unit 68
Five-year general-season success in the units that border Unit 68.
| Unit | Elk | Deer |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 68 (this unit) | 31% | 17% |
| Unit 50 | 22% | 20% |
| Unit 52A | 26% | 17% |
| Unit 53 | 12% | 33% |
| Unit 56 | 16% | 22% |
| Unit 63 | – | 12% |
| Unit 68A | 13% | 6% |
| Unit 73A | 12% | 24% |
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 68.
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.