Idaho controlled hunt 2066: antlerless elk, area 23-2
In Idaho Fish and Game's 2026 drawing, 100 hunters chose hunt 2066 first, for 25 tags: 24 of 99 residents drew (24%) and 1 of 1 nonresidents (100%). In 2025, 23 hunters on this hunt took 20 elk, an 87% harvest success by IDFG's count. The 2026 season is December 1 to 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 | December 1 to 31, 2026 |
| Tags in the 2026 drawing | 25 |
| Hunt area | 23-2, 85,940 acres |
| Unit | 23 |
| Elk zone | McCall |
| Public land in the area | 91% (IDFG's land manager figures) |
| Wilderness | Hells Canyon Wilderness 11,669 acres (13.58% of hunt area) |
How many applied for hunt 2066, 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, 25 of the 25 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 | 25 | 100 | 24 of 99 (24%) | 1 of 1 (100%) | 0 of 41 | |
| 2025 | 25 | 88 | 25 of 88 (28%) | none applied | 0 of 34 | 3 of 3 |
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 2066 changed?
IDFG's records go back to 2006 for this hunt: 62 first-choice applicants for 100 tags then, 100 for 25 in 2026.
| Year | Hunt number that year | Tags | First-choice applicants | First choices who drew | Residents: applied, drew | Nonresidents: applied, drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2066 | 25 | 100 | 25 (25%) | 99, 24 | 1, 1 |
| 2025 | 2066 | 25 | 88 | 25 (28%) | 88, 25 | 0, 0 |
| 2022 | 2066 (area 23-1) | 50 | 96 | 50 (52%) | 92, 46 | 4, 4 |
| 2021 | 2066 (area 23-1) | 50 | 68 | 50 (74%) | 68, 50 | 0, 0 |
| 2020 | 2066 (area 23-1) | 50 | 108 | 50 (46%) | 107, 49 | 1, 1 |
| 2019 | 2066 (area 23-1) | 50 | 99 | 50 (51%) | 97, 50 | 2, 0 |
| 2012 | 2066 (area 23-3) | 75 | 25 | 25 (100%) | 23, 49 | 2, 5 |
| 2011 | 2066 | 60 | 179 | 60 (34%) | 168, 54 | 11, 6 |
| 2010 | 2066 (area 23-4) | 40 | 19 | 19 (100%) | 19, 28 | 0, 0 |
| 2006 | 2066 (area 23-4) | 100 | 62 | 62 (100%) | 62, 74 | 0, 1 |
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 2066). IDFG rounds its success percentages.
What is the harvest success on hunt 2066?
In 2025, 23 hunters reported on hunt 2066 and 20 took an animal: 87% success, over 97 days of hunting. Across the 5 most recent years in the table, 42% of hunters took an animal.
| Year | Hunt number that year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | Days hunted | Bulls with 6+ points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2066 | 23 | 20 | 87% | 97 | |
| 2022 | 2066 (area 23-1) | 48 | 22 | 45% | 337 | |
| 2021 | 2066 (area 23-1) | 44 | 21 | 47% | 220 | |
| 2020 | 2066 (area 23-1) | 46 | 9 | 20% | 342 | |
| 2019 | 2066 (area 23-1) | 47 | 16 | 33% | 284 | |
| 2012 | 2066 (area 23-3) | 47 | 13 | 27% | 326 | |
| 2011 | 2066 | 60 | 21 | 34% | 347 | |
| 2010 | 2066 (area 23-4) | 38 | 9 | 23% | 150 | |
| 2006 | 2066 (area 23-4) | 89 | 46 | 52% | 320 | 0% |
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 2066) and its harvest statistics.
Where is hunt area 23-2?
IDFG's description of hunt area 23-2: That portion of Unit 23 west of U.S. 95 and north of, but excluding, the Boulder Creek drainage.
It covers 85,940 acres.
| Land manager in area 23-2 | Share |
|---|---|
| U.S. Forest Service (USFS) | 88.74% |
| Private | 8.68% |
| U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) | 1.9% |
| State of Idaho | 0.65% |
Land cover, by IDFG's figures for the area: forest 88.51% and rangeland 11.49%.
National forests: Nezperce National Forest and Payette National Forest. Check the forest's road and area closures before you go.
Wilderness in the area: Hells Canyon Wilderness 11,669 acres (13.58% of hunt area). No motorized vehicles are allowed in wilderness.
Area facts: IDFG Hunt Planner, hunt area 23-2; land managers from IDFG's surface management data (Inside Idaho), land cover from IDWR.
What rules come with hunt 2066?
- 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.
- Very limited access due to private property.
Other 2026 controlled hunts in area 23-2
| Hunt | Species and take | Weapon | Season | Tags | First-choice applicants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2065 | Antlerless elk | Any weapon | Oct 5 to Nov 5 | 75 | 18 |
Other 2026 elk hunts in unit 23: 2004 (23), 2063 (23-1), 2064 (23-1), 2067 (23-3), 2068 (23-3). All elk draw results.
Questions hunters ask
How many people applied for Idaho hunt 2066 in 2026?
100 hunters listed hunt 2066 as their first choice in IDFG's 2026 drawing, for 25 tags. 24 of 99 resident first choices drew, and 1 of 1 nonresident first choices.
What is the harvest success on Idaho hunt 2066?
IDFG reports 23 hunters took 20 elk on hunt 2066 in 2025, 87% success. Over the last 5 years IDFG lists for this hunt, 42% of hunters took an animal.
When is Idaho hunt 2066 in 2026?
December 1 to 31, 2026. It is antlerless elk, any weapon, in hunt area 23-2 (IDFG Hunt Planner).
Which units are in Idaho hunt area 23-2?
IDFG describes hunt area 23-2 as: "That portion of Unit 23 west of U.S. 95 and north of, but excluding, the Boulder Creek drainage." It covers 85,940 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 2066 and hunt area 23-2; 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 23 McCall Zone Idaho deadlines and fees