Idaho controlled hunt 2085: antlerless elk, area 43-1
In Idaho Fish and Game's 2026 drawing, 338 hunters chose hunt 2085 first, for 100 tags: 97 of 327 residents drew (30%) and 3 of 11 nonresidents (27%). In 2025, 81 hunters on this hunt took 22 elk, a 27% harvest success by IDFG's count. The 2026 season is October 15 to November 10, 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 15 to November 10, 2026 |
| Tags in the 2026 drawing | 100 (2 more offered in the second drawing) |
| Hunt area | 43-1, 124,319 acres |
| Units | 43, 44 |
| Elk zone | Smoky-Bennett |
| Public land in the area | 74% (IDFG's land manager figures) |
How many applied for hunt 2085, 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, 100 of the 100 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 | 100 | 338 | 97 of 327 (30%) | 3 of 11 (27%) | 0 of 273 | 2 of 2 |
| 2025 | 100 | 358 | 97 of 333 (29%) | 3 of 25 (12%) | 0 of 298 | 4 of 4 |
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 2085 changed?
IDFG's records go back to 2017 for this hunt: 220 first-choice applicants for 100 tags then, 338 for 100 in 2026.
| Year | Hunt number that year | Tags | First-choice applicants | First choices who drew | Residents: applied, drew | Nonresidents: applied, drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2085 | 100 | 338 | 100 (30%) | 327, 97 | 11, 3 |
| 2025 | 2085 | 100 | 358 | 100 (28%) | 333, 97 | 25, 3 |
| 2024 | 2083 | 100 | 264 | 100 (38%) | 252, 95 | 12, 5 |
| 2023 | 2083 | 100 | 217 | 100 (46%) | 204, 96 | 13, 4 |
| 2022 | 2089 | 100 | 259 | 100 (39%) | 246, 98 | 13, 2 |
| 2021 | 2089 | 100 | 214 | 100 (47%) | 203, 93 | 11, 7 |
| 2020 | 2092 | 100 | 239 | 100 (42%) | 231, 98 | 8, 2 |
| 2019 | 2092 | 100 | 294 | 100 (34%) | 284, 98 | 10, 2 |
| 2018 | 2111 | 100 | 192 | 100 (52%) | 180, 95 | 12, 5 |
| 2017 | 2111 | 100 | 220 | 100 (45%) | 208, 92 | 12, 8 |
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 2085). IDFG rounds its success percentages.
What is the harvest success on hunt 2085?
In 2025, 81 hunters reported on hunt 2085 and 22 took an animal: 27% success, over 553 days of hunting. In 2024 it was 25 taken by 85 hunters (as hunt 2083), 30% success in IDFG's figures. Across the 5 most recent years in the table, 32% of hunters took an animal.
| Year | Hunt number that year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | Days hunted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2085 | 81 | 22 | 27% | 553 |
| 2024 | 2083 | 85 | 25 | 30% | 507 |
| 2023 | 2083 | 89 | 26 | 29% | 491 |
| 2022 | 2089 | 88 | 31 | 35% | 444 |
| 2021 | 2089 | 94 | 37 | 39% | 686 |
| 2020 | 2092 | 89 | 19 | 21% | 544 |
| 2019 | 2092 | 91 | 16 | 18% | 668 |
| 2018 | 2111 | 93 | 33 | 36% | 649 |
| 2017 | 2111 | 92 | 23 | 25% | 587 |
| 2016 | 2106 | 96 | 26 | 27% | 494 |
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 2085) and its harvest statistics.
Where is hunt area 43-1?
IDFG's description of hunt area 43-1: Those portions of Units 43 and 44 west of the Pine-Featherville Road (County Road 61) and Rocky Bar Road (County Road 156).
It covers 124,319 acres.
| Land manager in area 43-1 | Share |
|---|---|
| U.S. Forest Service (USFS) | 69.95% |
| Private | 25.33% |
| U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) | 2.56% |
| U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) | 0.9% |
| Other | 0.68% |
| State of Idaho | 0.58% |
National forest: Boise National Forest. Check the forest's road and area closures before you go.
Area facts: IDFG Hunt Planner, hunt area 43-1; land managers from IDFG's surface management data (Inside Idaho), land cover from IDWR.
What rules come with hunt 2085?
- 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 elk hunts in units 43 and 44: 2019 (43), 2020 (43), 2021 (44), 2022 (44), 2089 (48-3), 2124 (44), 2158 (44). All elk draw results.
Questions hunters ask
How many people applied for Idaho hunt 2085 in 2026?
338 hunters listed hunt 2085 as their first choice in IDFG's 2026 drawing, for 100 tags. 97 of 327 resident first choices drew, and 3 of 11 nonresident first choices.
What is the harvest success on Idaho hunt 2085?
IDFG reports 81 hunters took 22 elk on hunt 2085 in 2025, 27% success. Over the last 5 years IDFG lists for this hunt, 32% of hunters took an animal.
When is Idaho hunt 2085 in 2026?
October 15 to November 10, 2026. It is antlerless elk, any weapon, in hunt area 43-1 (IDFG Hunt Planner).
Which units are in Idaho hunt area 43-1?
IDFG describes hunt area 43-1 as: "Those portions of Units 43 and 44 west of the Pine-Featherville Road (County Road 61) and Rocky Bar Road (County Road 156)." It covers 124,319 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 2085 and hunt area 43-1; 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 43 Unit 44 Smoky-Bennett Zone Idaho deadlines and fees