Elk Aug 1–Dec 31. Deer Oct 10–Nov 20. Deer Oct 10–Nov 20.
Idaho hunting seasons cover 2,597 season dates across 790 GMUs for Elk, Mule Deer, White-tailed Deer and more. Many big game hunts are draw or limited-entry, so confirm application windows before the deadline. Use the tables below for exact opening and closing dates by species and gmu.
Season data sourced from the Idaho wildlife agency. Always verify dates and regulations on the official site before hunting—regulations can change during the season.
| GMU | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone Bannock | Archery | Aug 30 — Sep 30 | — | — |
| Zone Bannock | General | Oct 25 — Nov 15 | — | — |
| Zone Bannock | Muzzleloader | Dec 1 — Dec 31 | — | — |
| Zone Bear-River | Archery | Aug 30 — Sep 14 | — | — |
| Zone Bear-River | Archery | Aug 30 — Sep 30 | — | — |
| Zone Bear-River | General | Oct 15 — Oct 24 | — | — |
| Zone Bear-River | General | Oct 25 — Nov 15 | — | — |
| Zone Bear-River | Muzzleloader | Dec 1 — Dec 31 | — | — |
| Zone Beaverhead | General | Aug 1 — Aug 29 | — | — |
| Zone Beaverhead | General | Aug 1 — Oct 31 | — | — |
| Zone Beaverhead | Archery | Aug 30 — Sep 30 | — | — |
| Zone Beaverhead | Muzzleloader | Oct 15 — Oct 31 | — | — |
| Zone Big-Desert | Archery | Aug 1 — Aug 30 | — | — |
| Zone Big-Desert | Archery | Aug 1 — Dec 31 | — | — |
| Zone Big-Desert | Short Range Weapon | Aug 1 — Dec 31 | — | — |
| Zone Big-Desert | Archery | Aug 30 — Sep 30 | — | — |
| Zone Big-Desert | General | Nov 1 — Dec 31 | — | — |
| Zone Boise-River | General | Aug 1 — Sep 30 | — | — |
| Zone Boise-River | General | Oct 1 — Dec 31 | — | — |
| Zone Boise-River | General | Oct 27 — Nov 9 | — | — |
| Zone Boise-River | Archery | Nov 10 — Nov 30 | — | — |
| Zone Brownlee | General | Aug 15 — Sep 30 | — | — |
| Zone Brownlee | Archery | Aug 30 — Sep 30 | — | — |
| Zone Brownlee | General | Nov 15 — Nov 30 | — | — |
+ 262 more Elk seasons
| GMU | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-10A | Controlled Hunt General | Dec 2 — Dec 31 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-11 | Controlled Hunt General | Oct 10 — Nov 3 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-11 | Controlled Hunt Outfitter Allocation | Oct 10 — Nov 3 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-11 | Controlled Hunt General | Nov 10 — Nov 24 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-11A | Controlled Hunt Archery | Aug 30 — Sep 30 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-11A | Controlled Hunt General | Oct 10 — Nov 3 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-11A | Controlled Hunt Outfitter Allocation | Oct 10 — Nov 3 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-11A | Controlled Hunt General | Oct 10 — Dec 31 | — | — |
+ 492 more Deer seasons
| GMU | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-10A | Controlled Hunt General | Dec 2 — Dec 31 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-11 | Controlled Hunt General | Oct 10 — Nov 3 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-11 | Controlled Hunt Outfitter Allocation | Oct 10 — Nov 3 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-11 | Controlled Hunt General | Nov 10 — Nov 24 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-11A | Controlled Hunt Archery | Aug 30 — Sep 30 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-11A | Controlled Hunt General | Oct 10 — Nov 3 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-11A | Controlled Hunt Outfitter Allocation | Oct 10 — Nov 3 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-11A | Controlled Hunt General | Oct 10 — Dec 31 | — | — |
+ 492 more Deer seasons
| GMU | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide | General | Oct 27 — Feb 28 | — | — |
| Statewide | Falconry | Jan 23 — Mar 10 | — | — |
| GMU | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone clearwater-region | General | Jan 1 — Jan 1 | — | — |
| Zone clearwater-region | Trapping | Jan 1 — Jan 1 | — | — |
| Zone magic-valley-region | General | Jan 1 — Jan 1 | — | — |
| Zone magic-valley-region | Trapping | Jan 1 — Jan 1 | — | — |
| Zone panhandle-region | General | Jan 1 — Jan 1 | — | — |
| Zone panhandle-region | Trapping | Jan 1 — Jan 1 | — | — |
| Zone salmon-region | Trapping | Jan 1 — Jan 1 | — | — |
| Zone salmon-region | General | Jan 1 — Jan 1 | — | — |
+ 6 more Badger seasons
| GMU | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone clearwater-region | Trapping | Oct 15 — Apr 15 | — | — |
| Zone controlled_unit_1 | Trapping | Oct 22 — Apr 15 | — | — |
| Zone controlled_unit_2 | Trapping | Oct 22 — Apr 15 | — | — |
| Zone controlled_unit_3 | Trapping | Oct 22 — Apr 15 | — | — |
| Zone magic-valley-region | Trapping | Oct 15 — Apr 15 | — | — |
| Zone panhandle-region | Trapping | Oct 15 — Apr 15 | — | — |
| Zone salmon-region | Trapping | Oct 15 — Apr 15 | — | — |
| Zone southeast-region | Trapping | Oct 15 — Apr 15 | — | — |
+ 2 more Beaver seasons
| GMU | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-11 | Controlled Hunt General | Aug 30 — Oct 13 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-17L | Controlled Hunt General | Aug 30 — Oct 31 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-19 | Controlled Hunt General | Aug 30 — Oct 13 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-19a | Controlled Hunt General | Aug 30 — Oct 13 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-20 | Controlled Hunt General | Aug 30 — Oct 13 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-20AL | Controlled Hunt General | Oct 14 — Oct 31 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-20a | Controlled Hunt General | Aug 30 — Oct 13 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-21 | Controlled Hunt General | Aug 30 — Oct 13 | — | — |
+ 24 more Bighorn Sheep seasons
| GMU | Weapon | Season | Harvest | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-1–1 | Controlled Hunt General | Sep 5 — Oct 9 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-22–1 | General | Apr 1 — May 22 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-22–1 | Controlled Hunt General | Sep 1 — Oct 31 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-22–1 | Controlled Hunt General | Sep 1 — Oct 31 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-22–1 | Controlled Hunt General | Apr 1 — May 22 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-32A | General | Apr 1 — May 22 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-32A | Controlled Hunt General | Sep 1 — Oct 31 | — | — |
| Zone controlled-hunt-area-32A | Controlled Hunt General | Apr 1 — May 22 | — | — |
+ 134 more Black Bear seasons
Idaho hunting season currently spans Aug 1 to Dec 31 for Elk, with other species opening at different times. Dates vary by gmu and weapon. This page lists 2,597 Idaho season dates across 790 GMUs.
Idaho offers hunting for 53 species, including Elk, Mule Deer, White-tailed Deer and more. Each species has its own season dates, weapon rules and bag limits.
Idaho is divided into 790 GMUs. Season dates, harvest rates and public-land access differ by unit—use the tables above to compare units before you apply or buy a tag.
Yes. Many Idaho big game hunts are allocated by draw or limited-entry tags rather than sold over the counter. Always confirm application windows on the official Idaho wildlife agency site before the deadline.
State Resource
Always verify season dates and regulations with the official state wildlife agency:
See GMU boundaries, public land, and walk-in access areas for Idaho on our interactive hunting map.
Also see Idaho public land, license, and regulations.