Idaho controlled hunt 2049: antlerless elk, area 5-1
In Idaho Fish and Game's 2026 drawing, 599 hunters chose hunt 2049 first, for 200 tags: 187 of 558 residents drew (34%) and 13 of 41 nonresidents (32%). In 2025, 167 hunters on this hunt took 86 elk, a 51% harvest success by IDFG's count. The 2026 season is October 10 to December 31, 2026: antlerless 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 | Antlerless elk |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any weapon |
| Season, 2026 | October 10 to December 31, 2026 |
| Tags in the 2026 drawing | 200 (12 more offered in the second drawing) |
| Hunt area | 5-1, 457,550 acres |
| Unit | 5 |
| Elk zone | Panhandle |
| Public land in the area | 6% (IDFG's land manager figures) |
| Towns in the area | Coeur d'Alene, St. Maries, Plummer and Harrison |
How many applied for hunt 2049, 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, 200 of the 200 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 | 200 | 599 | 187 of 558 (34%) | 13 of 41 (32%) | 0 of 144 | 12 of 12 |
| 2025 | 200 | 691 | 186 of 643 (29%) | 14 of 48 (29%) | 0 of 129 | 9 of 9 |
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 2049 changed?
IDFG's records go back to 2015 for this hunt: 349 first-choice applicants for 50 tags then, 599 for 200 in 2026.
| Year | Hunt number that year | Tags | First-choice applicants | First choices who drew | Residents: applied, drew | Nonresidents: applied, drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2049 | 200 | 599 | 200 (33%) | 558, 187 | 41, 13 |
| 2025 | 2049 | 200 | 691 | 200 (29%) | 643, 186 | 48, 14 |
| 2024 | 2049 | 100 | 489 | 100 (20%) | 467, 97 | 22, 3 |
| 2023 | 2049 | 100 | 511 | 100 (20%) | 485, 100 | 26, 0 |
| 2016 | 2049 | 50 | 285 | 50 (18%) | 280, 50 | 5, 0 |
| 2015 | 2049 | 50 | 349 | 50 (14%) | 346, 50 | 3, 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 2049). IDFG rounds its success percentages.
What is the harvest success on hunt 2049?
In 2025, 167 hunters reported on hunt 2049 and 86 took an animal: 51% success, over 1,600 days of hunting. In 2024 it was 52 taken by 90 hunters, 57% success in IDFG's figures. Across the 5 most recent years in the table, 59% of hunters took an animal.
| Year | Hunt number that year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | Days hunted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2049 | 167 | 86 | 51% | 1,600 |
| 2024 | 2049 | 90 | 52 | 57% | 1,047 |
| 2023 | 2049 | 86 | 51 | 60% | 914 |
| 2016 | 2049 | 44 | 35 | 79% | 302 |
| 2015 | 2049 | 50 | 36 | 72% | 355 |
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 2049) and its harvest statistics.
Where is hunt area 5-1?
IDFG's description of hunt area 5-1: That portion of Unit 5 on or within one mile of private agricultural lands. "Private agricultural lands" are defined as privately-owned lands that are used for growing or storing plants for profit, in the form of pasture or stored feed for animal production, croplands, nurseries, vineyards, or orchards, but which do not include private timberlands.
It covers 457,550 acres.
| Land manager in area 5-1 | Share |
|---|---|
| Private | 75.67% |
| Indian Reservation / Bureau of Indian Affairs | 12.41% |
| Other | 6.16% |
| State of Idaho | 4.85% |
| U.S. Forest Service (USFS) | 0.51% |
National forests: Caribou National Forest and Idaho Panhandle National Forest. Check the forest's road and area closures before you go.
Towns IDFG lists in the area: Coeur d'Alene (US 95 Interstate 90), St. Maries (Idaho 3), Plummer (US 95), Harrison (Idaho 97) and Worley (US 95).
Area facts: IDFG Hunt Planner, hunt area 5-1; land managers from IDFG's surface management data (Inside Idaho), land cover from IDWR.
What rules come with hunt 2049?
- Antlerless Elk. Only elk without antlers or with antlers shorter than 6 inches may be taken in any season which is open for antlerless elk only.
Other 2026 controlled hunts in area 5-1
| Hunt | Species and take | Weapon | Season | Tags | First-choice applicants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1126 | Antlerless white-tailed deer | Weapon by season period | Oct 10 to Dec 1 | 50 | 266 |
Other 2026 elk hunts in unit 5: 2109 (1-2), 2150 (5). All elk draw results.
Questions hunters ask
How many people applied for Idaho hunt 2049 in 2026?
599 hunters listed hunt 2049 as their first choice in IDFG's 2026 drawing, for 200 tags. 187 of 558 resident first choices drew, and 13 of 41 nonresident first choices.
What is the harvest success on Idaho hunt 2049?
IDFG reports 167 hunters took 86 elk on hunt 2049 in 2025, 51% success. Over the last 5 years IDFG lists for this hunt, 59% of hunters took an animal.
When is Idaho hunt 2049 in 2026?
October 10 to December 31, 2026. It is antlerless elk, any weapon, in hunt area 5-1 (IDFG Hunt Planner).
Which units are in Idaho hunt area 5-1?
IDFG describes hunt area 5-1 as: "That portion of Unit 5 on or within one mile of private agricultural lands. "Private agricultural lands" are defined as privately-owned lands that are used for growing or storing plants for profit, in the form of pasture or stored feed for animal production, croplands, nurseries, vineyards, or orchards, but which do not include private timberlands." It covers 457,550 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 2049 and hunt area 5-1; 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 5 Panhandle Zone Idaho deadlines and fees