Our magazine, which is available in print and online, has everything in one location - application info, draw details and odds, fees, hunter requirements, point structure, age restrictions, youth information, weapon restrictions,  other tag opportunites, hunt planning, and much more. If you would like access to all of our research, join today!

For specific hunt dates, consult the Idaho Big Game Regulations.

For archery hunters, Idaho provides some great opportunities and long season dates. For the best limited-entry archery hunts in the state with 350”+ potential, look at units 40 and 54. Two other really fun archery hunts are units 44 and 39. Both of these have some great bulls with lower tag numbers. Unit 39 does have a muzzleloader hunt going on at the same time with 50 tags. Units 18, 45, and 46 offer a fun hunt with low hunting pressure due to limited tag numbers.

Idaho’s best elk tag is the unit 54 muzzleloader hunt that opens on September 25. The bulls will be rutting, and hunters will have plenty of big bulls to chase. Typically, there are some 380”+ bulls taken on this hunt. Another muzzleloader rut hunt is unit 39. This hunt takes place the entire month of September and always produces a few 330”+ bulls. Units 46-1 and 50 have an October 1 opener, and hunters will enjoy some bugling bulls and less hunting pressure during. Some better draw odds can be found in the November muzzleloader hunts in units 30A, 49, and 55-2. These units are good hunts for someone who wants to hunt hard for wintering bulls.