Idaho controlled hunt 2026: antlered elk, area 48
In Idaho Fish and Game's 2026 drawing, 263 hunters chose hunt 2026 first, for 20 tags: 18 of 212 residents drew (8%) and 2 of 51 nonresidents (4%). In 2025, 19 hunters on this hunt took 8 elk, a 42% harvest success by IDFG's count. The 2026 season is October 1 to 14, 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 1 to 14, 2026 |
| Tags in the 2026 drawing | 20 |
| Hunt area | 48, 389,791 acres |
| Unit | 48 |
| Elk zone | Smoky-Bennett |
| Public land in the area | 83% (IDFG's land manager figures) |
| Towns in the area | Hailey, Sun Valley / Ketchum and Bellevue |
How many applied for hunt 2026, 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, 20 of the 20 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 | 20 | 263 | 18 of 212 (8%) | 2 of 51 (4%) | 0 of 156 | |
| 2025 | 20 | 301 | 18 of 227 (8%) | 2 of 74 (3%) | 0 of 137 |
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 2026 changed?
IDFG's records go back to 2015 for this hunt: 147 first-choice applicants for 10 tags then, 263 for 20 in 2026.
| Year | Hunt number that year | Tags | First-choice applicants | First choices who drew | Residents: applied, drew | Nonresidents: applied, drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2026 | 20 | 263 | 20 (8%) | 212, 18 | 51, 2 |
| 2025 | 2026 | 20 | 301 | 20 (7%) | 227, 18 | 74, 2 |
| 2024 | 2026 | 150 | 758 | 150 (20%) | 618, 135 | 140, 15 |
| 2023 | 2026 | 150 | 748 | 150 (20%) | 631, 135 | 117, 15 |
| 2020 | 2026 | 20 | 280 | 20 (7%) | 217, 18 | 63, 2 |
| 2019 | 2026 | 20 | 163 | 20 (12%) | 135, 18 | 28, 2 |
| 2016 | 2026 | 10 | 151 | 10 (7%) | 138, 9 | 13, 1 |
| 2015 | 2026 | 10 | 147 | 10 (7%) | 138, 10 | 9, 0 |
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 2026). IDFG rounds its success percentages.
What is the harvest success on hunt 2026?
In 2025, 19 hunters reported on hunt 2026 and 8 took an animal: 42% success, over 131 days of hunting. In 2024 it was 59 taken by 138 hunters, 43% success in IDFG's figures. 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 | 2026 | 19 | 8 | 42% | 131 | 63% |
| 2024 | 2026 | 138 | 59 | 43% | 926 | 38% |
| 2023 | 2026 | 143 | 54 | 38% | 832 | 48% |
| 2020 | 2026 | 19 | 8 | 42% | 138 | 57.4% |
| 2019 | 2026 | 20 | 17 | 86% | 99 | 68% |
| 2016 | 2026 | 10 | 8 | 80% | 54 | 62.5% |
| 2015 | 2026 | 10 | 6 | 57% | 59 | 75% |
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 2026) and its harvest statistics.
Where is hunt area 48?
IDFG's description of hunt area 48: All of Unit 48.
It covers 389,791 acres.
| Land manager in area 48 | Share |
|---|---|
| U.S. Forest Service (USFS) | 69.39% |
| Private | 16.72% |
| U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) | 11.81% |
| State of Idaho | 2.09% |
Land cover, by IDFG's figures for the area: rangeland 51.95%, forest 38.18%, riparian 4.08%, irrigated-gravity flow 3% and irrigated-sprinkler 1.85%.
National forest: Sawtooth National Forest. Check the forest's road and area closures before you go.
Access Yes! properties IDFG lists here (private land open to hunters through the program): Rinker Rock Creek Ranch, Wood River Land Trust - Draper Wood River Preserve and Colorado Gulch Preserve.
Towns IDFG lists in the area: Hailey (Idaho 75), Sun Valley / Ketchum (Idaho 75) and Bellevue (Idaho 75).
Area facts: IDFG Hunt Planner, hunt area 48; land managers from IDFG's surface management data (Inside Idaho), land cover from IDWR.
What rules come with hunt 2026?
- 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 48
| Hunt | Species and take | Weapon | Season | Tags | First-choice applicants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1038 | Antlered mule deer or white-tailed deer | Any weapon | Nov 10 to Nov 24 | 10 | 261 |
| 2027 | Antlered elk | Any weapon | Oct 15 to Nov 10 | 150 | 918 |
| 2137 | Antlered or antlerless elk | Muzzleloader only | Nov 15 to Nov 30 | 75 | 51 |
Other 2026 elk hunts in unit 48: 2087 (48-1), 2088 (48-2), 2089 (48-3). All elk draw results.
Questions hunters ask
How many people applied for Idaho hunt 2026 in 2026?
263 hunters listed hunt 2026 as their first choice in IDFG's 2026 drawing, for 20 tags. 18 of 212 resident first choices drew, and 2 of 51 nonresident first choices.
What is the harvest success on Idaho hunt 2026?
IDFG reports 19 hunters took 8 elk on hunt 2026 in 2025, 42% success. Over the last 5 years IDFG lists for this hunt, 43% of hunters took an animal.
When is Idaho hunt 2026 in 2026?
October 1 to 14, 2026. It is antlered elk, any weapon, in hunt area 48 (IDFG Hunt Planner).
Which units are in Idaho hunt area 48?
IDFG describes hunt area 48 as: "All of Unit 48." It covers 389,791 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 2026 and hunt area 48; 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 48 Smoky-Bennett Zone Idaho deadlines and fees