ID River Otter Hunting

Idaho River Otter GMUs & Season 2026

River Otter season in Idaho runs Oct 15 – Mar 31 across 7 GMUs.

7 Seasons2 Weapon Types

Trapping

GMUTypeDatesHarvestPressurePublic
Zone clearwater-regionTrappingOct 15Mar 31
Zone magic-valley-regionTrappingOct 15Mar 31
Zone salmon-regionTrappingOct 15Mar 31
Zone southeast-regionTrappingOct 15Mar 31
Zone southwest-regionTrappingOct 15Mar 31
Zone upper-snake-regionTrappingOct 15Mar 31

General

GMUTypeDatesHarvestPressurePublic
Zone panhandle-regionGeneralOct 15Mar 31

River Otter in Idaho: FAQ

When is river otter season in Idaho?

River Otter season in Idaho currently runs Oct 15 to Mar 31, across 7 season rows and 7 GMUs, split by weapon (Trapping, General).

Where is the best place to hunt river otter in Idaho?

The best GMUs for river otter in Idaho depend on harvest success and public-land access, both shown per GMU above. Compare units before you apply for a tag or plan your hunt.

Plan your River Otter hunt in Idaho

View GMU boundaries, public land, and walk-in access areas on our interactive map.

Also see Idaho seasons, public land, and license.

River Otter seasons in Idaho — offline