Idaho controlled hunt 2020: antlered elk, area 43
In Idaho Fish and Game's 2026 drawing, 1,382 hunters chose hunt 2020 first, for 125 tags: 113 of 1,095 residents drew (10%) and 12 of 287 nonresidents (4%). In 2025, 118 hunters on this hunt took 54 elk, a 46% harvest success by IDFG's count. The 2026 season is October 15 to November 10, 2026: antlered elk, any weapon.
Data updated October 2026. Draws: IDFG's 2026 and 2025 controlled hunt drawing results. Harvest: IDFG's harvest statistics through 2025. Season: IDFG Hunt Planner, 2026.
| Species and take | Antlered elk |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any weapon |
| Season, 2026 | October 15 to November 10, 2026 |
| Tags in the 2026 drawing | 125 |
| Hunt area | 43, 448,051 acres |
| Unit | 43 |
| Elk zone | Smoky-Bennett |
| Public land in the area | 97% (IDFG's land manager figures) |
| Wilderness | Sawtooth Wilderness 0 acres (0% of hunt area) |
How many applied for hunt 2020, and how many drew?
Idaho draws controlled hunt tags at random, with no points: each application gets a random number, and tags go to first choices in that order before any second choice is looked at. In 2026, 125 of the 125 tags went to first choices. In a hunt with more than 19 tags, no more than 10 percent may go to nonresidents; with 19 or fewer, no more than one (brochure page 109).
| Drawing year | Tags | First-choice applicants | Residents who drew | Nonresidents who drew | Second choices: drew of applied | Second drawing: tags issued of offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 125 | 1,382 | 113 of 1,095 (10%) | 12 of 287 (4%) | 0 of 632 | |
| 2025 | 125 | 1,179 | 113 of 946 (12%) | 12 of 233 (5%) | 0 of 594 | 7 of 7 |
Source: IDFG, elk controlled hunt drawing odds, 2026 and 2025, first and second drawings. "Drew" is IDFG's count of tags issued to that group's first choices; the percentage is worked out from IDFG's two figures.
How has the draw for hunt 2020 changed?
IDFG's records go back to 2015 for this hunt: 663 first-choice applicants for 90 tags then, 1,382 for 125 in 2026.
| Year | Hunt number that year | Tags | First-choice applicants | First choices who drew | Residents: applied, drew | Nonresidents: applied, drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2020 | 125 | 1,382 | 125 (9%) | 1,095, 113 | 287, 12 |
| 2025 | 2020 | 125 | 1,179 | 125 (11%) | 946, 113 | 233, 12 |
| 2018 | 2020 | 10 | 229 | 10 (4%) | 205, 9 | 24, 1 |
| 2017 | 2020 | 10 | 233 | 10 (4%) | 216, 10 | 17, 0 |
| 2016 | 2020 | 90 | 782 | 90 (12%) | 642, 81 | 140, 9 |
| 2015 | 2020 | 90 | 663 | 90 (14%) | 551, 81 | 112, 9 |
First drawing only. IDFG's Hunt Planner lists these years for this hunt, under the hunt number (and, where it differs, the area) used that year (Hunt Planner, hunt 2020). IDFG rounds its success percentages.
What is the harvest success on hunt 2020?
In 2025, 118 hunters reported on hunt 2020 and 54 took an animal: 46% success, over 858 days of hunting. Across the 5 most recent years in the table, 43% of hunters took an animal.
| Year | Hunt number that year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | Days hunted | Bulls with 6+ points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2020 | 118 | 54 | 46% | 858 | 52% |
| 2018 | 2020 | 8 | 5 | 59% | 24 | 63.2% |
| 2017 | 2020 | 8 | 4 | 47% | 54 | 37.5% |
| 2016 | 2020 | 81 | 31 | 39% | 434 | 48.2% |
| 2015 | 2020 | 90 | 37 | 41% | 600 | 58.1% |
IDFG's success percentages are its own and can differ slightly from harvest divided by hunters. From IDFG's mandatory hunter reports and check stations, as its Hunt Planner prints them for this hunt (hunt 2020) and its harvest statistics.
Where is hunt area 43?
IDFG's description of hunt area 43: All of Unit 43.
It covers 448,051 acres.
| Land manager in area 43 | Share |
|---|---|
| U.S. Forest Service (USFS) | 94.51% |
| Private | 3.01% |
| U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) | 1.29% |
| U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) | 0.75% |
Land cover, by IDFG's figures for the area: forest 75.07% and rangeland 24.44%.
National forests: Boise National Forest and Sawtooth National Forest. Check the forest's road and area closures before you go.
Wilderness in the area: Sawtooth Wilderness 0 acres (0% of hunt area). No motorized vehicles are allowed in wilderness.
Area facts: IDFG Hunt Planner, hunt area 43; land managers from IDFG's surface management data (Inside Idaho), land cover from IDWR.
What rules come with hunt 2020?
- Antlered Elk. Only elk with at least one antler longer than 6 inches may be taken in any season which is open for antlered elk only. In antlered or spike-only seasons, antlers much accompany the carcass while in transit.
Other 2026 controlled hunts in area 43
| Hunt | Species and take | Weapon | Season | Tags | First-choice applicants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1088 | Antlered or antlerless mule deer or white-tailed deer | Muzzleloader only | Oct 1 to Oct 9 | 125 | 183 |
| 2019 | Antlered elk | Any weapon | Oct 1 to Oct 14 | 20 | 403 |
Other 2026 elk hunts in unit 43: 2085 (43-1). All elk draw results.
Questions hunters ask
How many people applied for Idaho hunt 2020 in 2026?
1,382 hunters listed hunt 2020 as their first choice in IDFG's 2026 drawing, for 125 tags. 113 of 1,095 resident first choices drew, and 12 of 287 nonresident first choices.
What is the harvest success on Idaho hunt 2020?
IDFG reports 118 hunters took 54 elk on hunt 2020 in 2025, 46% success. Over the last 5 years IDFG lists for this hunt, 43% of hunters took an animal.
When is Idaho hunt 2020 in 2026?
October 15 to November 10, 2026. It is antlered elk, any weapon, in hunt area 43 (IDFG Hunt Planner).
Which units are in Idaho hunt area 43?
IDFG describes hunt area 43 as: "All of Unit 43." It covers 448,051 acres.
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Where these numbers come from
- Drawing: IDFG controlled hunt drawing odds, 2025 and 2026.
- History, harvest and area: IDFG Hunt Planner, hunt 2020 and hunt area 43; IDFG harvest statistics.
- Season and rules: IDFG, Idaho Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules and the Hunt Planner; nonresident limit from the big game brochure, page 109.
FilledTag is not part of Idaho Fish and Game. Hunt numbers change from year to year: use the current brochure when you apply. Nothing on this page predicts a future draw.
Idaho elk draw results Unit 43 Smoky-Bennett Zone Idaho deadlines and fees