Rut & RouteRut & Route › Idaho units › Unit 68A
Idaho Hunting Unit 68A
Elk and deer in Unit 68A (Bingham, Bannock, Power, Bonneville 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 68A
In the 2025 general season, 91 elk hunters took 24 elk: 26% success. Over the last five seasons, success averaged 13% (total harvest over total hunters, 2021–2025). Of the bulls taken, 23% had 6 or more points.
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | 6+ pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 91 | 24 | 26% | 23% |
| 2024 | 32 | 0 | 0% | – |
| 2023 | 51 | 10 | 20% | 0% |
| 2022 | 54 | 4 | 7% | 48% |
| 2021 | 73 | 1 | 1% | – |
| 2020 | 37 | 9 | 24% | 80% |
| 2019 | 35 | 10 | 29% | 0% |
| 2018 | 56 | 31 | 55% | 19% |
| 2017 | 22 | 7 | 32% | – |
| 2016 | 52 | 7 | 13% | 0% |
| 2015 | 81 | 11 | 14% | 100% |
Deer hunting in Unit 68A
In the 2025 general season, 30 deer hunters took 0 deer: 0% success. Over the last five seasons, mule deer success averaged 6% (mule deer taken per deer hunter, 2021–2025).
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | Whitetail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30 | 0 | 0% | – |
| 2024 | 38 | 0 | 0% | – |
| 2023 | 34 | 10 | 30% | 0% |
| 2022 | 26 | 0 | 0% | – |
| 2021 | 26 | 0 | 0% | – |
| 2020 | 33 | 1 | 3% | 0% |
| 2019 | 40 | 5 | 12% | 100% |
| 2018 | 37 | 6 | 16% | 0% |
| 2017 | 41 | 11 | 27% | 0% |
| 2016 | 32 | 3 | 9% | 0% |
| 2015 | 47 | 19 | 40% | 0% |
Controlled hunt results, 2025
| Hunt | Weapon | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt 1081 | Archery | 221 | 54 | 24% |
| Hunt 1147 area 68AX | Archery | 43 | 12 | 28% |
Results are for the whole hunt area, which can reach beyond this unit.
2026 elk and deer seasons in Unit 68A
General seasons (over the counter)
| Season | Dates | Sex | Tag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk, archery | Aug 1 – Dec 31 | either sex | Elk A Tag - Big Desert Zone |
Controlled hunts
| Hunt | Dates | Weapon | Sex | Tags | Drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer 1081 area 68A | Aug 30 – Dec 19 | Archery | antlered | – | 100% (353 tags, 260 1st choice, 2026) |
| Deer 1147 area 68AX | Aug 30 – Dec 19 | Archery | antlerless | 50 | 27% (50 tags, 186 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 68A
9.9% public land. Ownership: Private 50%, Tribal 40%, BOR 3.9%, Other 3.1%, BLM 2.1%, State 0.7%.
Idaho Fish and Game Hunt Planner. The map shows public land boundaries and Forest roads you can drive.
Next to Unit 68A
Five-year general-season success in the units that border Unit 68A.
| Unit | Elk | Deer |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 68A (this unit) | 13% | 6% |
| Unit 63 | – | 12% |
| Unit 63A | 10% | 27%* |
| Unit 68 | 31% | 17% |
| Unit 69 | 19% | 16% |
| Unit 70 | 12% | 12% |
| Unit 71 | 8% | 20% |
| 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 68A.
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.