Idaho controlled hunt 2031: antlered elk, area 51
In Idaho Fish and Game's 2026 drawing, 292 hunters chose hunt 2031 first, for 10 tags: 10 of 271 residents drew (4%) and 0 of 21 nonresidents (0%). In 2025, 10 hunters on this hunt took 6 elk, a 60% 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 | 10 (1 more offered in the second drawing) |
| Hunt area | 51, 604,464 acres |
| Unit | 51 |
| Elk zone | Lemhi |
| Public land in the area | 92% (IDFG's land manager figures) |
How many applied for hunt 2031, 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, 10 of the 10 tags went to first choices. In a hunt with 19 or fewer tags, no more than one tag may go to a nonresident (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 | 10 | 292 | 10 of 271 (4%) | 0 of 21 (0%) | 0 of 230 | 1 of 1 |
| 2025 | 10 | 337 | 10 of 313 (3%) | 0 of 24 (0%) | 0 of 202 |
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 2031 changed?
IDFG's records go back to 2014 for this hunt: 611 first-choice applicants for 125 tags then, 292 for 10 in 2026.
| Year | Hunt number that year | Tags | First-choice applicants | First choices who drew | Residents: applied, drew | Nonresidents: applied, drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2031 | 10 | 292 | 10 (3%) | 271, 10 | 21, 0 |
| 2025 | 2031 | 10 | 337 | 10 (3%) | 313, 10 | 24, 0 |
| 2024 | 2031 | 125 | 914 | 125 (14%) | 780, 113 | 134, 12 |
| 2023 | 2031 | 125 | 979 | 125 (13%) | 843, 113 | 136, 12 |
| 2014 | 2031 | 125 | 611 | 125 (20%) | 528, 113 | 83, 12 |
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 2031). IDFG rounds its success percentages.
What is the harvest success on hunt 2031?
In 2025, 10 hunters reported on hunt 2031 and 6 took an animal: 60% success, over 36 days of hunting. In 2024 it was 69 taken by 117 hunters, 59% success in IDFG's figures. Across the 4 most recent years in the table, 51% of hunters took an animal.
| Year | Hunt number that year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | Days hunted | Bulls with 6+ points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2031 | 10 | 6 | 60% | 36 | 80% |
| 2024 | 2031 | 117 | 69 | 59% | 786 | 51% |
| 2023 | 2031 | 122 | 54 | 44% | 817 | 29% |
| 2014 | 2031 | 121 | 58 | 48% | 663 | 42.2% |
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 2031) and its harvest statistics.
Where is hunt area 51?
IDFG's description of hunt area 51: All of Unit 51.
It covers 604,464 acres.
| Land manager in area 51 | Share |
|---|---|
| U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) | 44.75% |
| U.S. Forest Service (USFS) | 44.55% |
| Private | 8.17% |
| State of Idaho | 2.22% |
Land cover, by IDFG's figures for the area: rangeland 65.45%, forest 28.16%, irrigated-sprinkler 3.88% and irrigated-gravity flow 2.26%.
National forests: Targhee National Forest and Salmon-Challis National Forest. Check the forest's road and area closures before you go.
Area facts: IDFG Hunt Planner, hunt area 51; land managers from IDFG's surface management data (Inside Idaho), land cover from IDWR.
What rules come with hunt 2031?
- 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.
- Motorized Hunting Rule (MHR): Motorized vehicle use by all big game hunters is restricted to established roadways legally open to travel by full-sized automobiles. The motorized hunting rule applies only to big game animals, including moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goats, in designated units from August 30 through December 31.
Other 2026 controlled hunts in area 51
| Hunt | Species and take | Weapon | Season | Tags | First-choice applicants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2032 | Antlered elk | Any weapon | Nov 1 to Nov 30 | 125 | 940 |
| 2090 | Antlerless elk | Any weapon | Oct 16 to Nov 5 | 75 | 147 |
| 2091 | Antlerless elk | Any weapon | Dec 10 to Dec 31 | 75 | 194 |
| 3055 | Antlered moose | Any weapon | Aug 30 to Nov 23 | 5 | 64 |
| 4015 | Pronghorn of either sex | Any weapon | Sep 25 to Oct 24 | 75 | 2,337 |
Other 2026 elk hunts in unit 51: 2114 (51-1), 2283 (51-1X). All elk draw results.
Questions hunters ask
How many people applied for Idaho hunt 2031 in 2026?
292 hunters listed hunt 2031 as their first choice in IDFG's 2026 drawing, for 10 tags. 10 of 271 resident first choices drew, and 0 of 21 nonresident first choices.
What is the harvest success on Idaho hunt 2031?
IDFG reports 10 hunters took 6 elk on hunt 2031 in 2025, 60% success. Over the last 4 years IDFG lists for this hunt, 51% of hunters took an animal.
When is Idaho hunt 2031 in 2026?
October 1 to 14, 2026. It is antlered elk, any weapon, in hunt area 51 (IDFG Hunt Planner).
Which units are in Idaho hunt area 51?
IDFG describes hunt area 51 as: "All of Unit 51." It covers 604,464 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 2031 and hunt area 51; 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 51 Lemhi Zone Idaho deadlines and fees