Idaho controlled hunt 2144: antlered or antlerless elk, area 66-1
In Idaho Fish and Game's 2026 drawing, 281 hunters chose hunt 2144 first, for 75 tags: 68 of 201 residents drew (34%) and 7 of 80 nonresidents (9%). In 2025, 71 hunters on this hunt took 32 elk, a 45% harvest success by IDFG's count. The 2026 season is October 1 to 14, 2026: antlered or antlerless elk, muzzleloader only.
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 or antlerless elk |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Muzzleloader only |
| Season, 2026 | October 1 to 14, 2026 |
| Tags in the 2026 drawing | 75 (2 more offered in the second drawing) |
| Hunt area | 66-1, 1,149,590 acres |
| Units | 66, 69 |
| Elk zone | Tex Creek |
| Public land in the area | 35% (IDFG's land manager figures) |
| Towns in the area | Idaho Falls, Blackfoot and Shelley |
How many applied for hunt 2144, 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, 75 of the 75 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 | 75 | 281 | 68 of 201 (34%) | 7 of 80 (9%) | 0 of 88 | 2 of 2 |
| 2025 | 75 | 171 | 68 of 139 (49%) | 7 of 32 (22%) | 0 of 66 | 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 2144 changed?
IDFG's records go back to 2021 for this hunt: 155 first-choice applicants for 50 tags then, 281 for 75 in 2026.
| Year | Hunt number that year | Tags | First-choice applicants | First choices who drew | Residents: applied, drew | Nonresidents: applied, drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2144 | 75 | 281 | 75 (27%) | 201, 68 | 80, 7 |
| 2025 | 2144 | 75 | 171 | 75 (44%) | 139, 68 | 32, 7 |
| 2022 | 2144 | 50 | 157 | 50 (32%) | 122, 45 | 35, 5 |
| 2021 | 2144 | 50 | 155 | 50 (32%) | 129, 45 | 26, 5 |
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 2144). IDFG rounds its success percentages.
What is the harvest success on hunt 2144?
In 2025, 71 hunters reported on hunt 2144 and 32 took an animal: 45% success, over 437 days of hunting. Across the 3 most recent years in the table, 37% of hunters took an animal.
| Year | Hunt number that year | Hunters | Harvest | Success | Days hunted | Bulls with 6+ points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2144 | 71 | 32 | 45% | 437 | 48% |
| 2022 | 2144 | 51 | 13 | 26% | 260 | 39% |
| 2021 | 2144 | 49 | 18 | 36% | 220 | 77.4% |
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 2144) and its harvest statistics.
Where is hunt area 66-1?
IDFG's description of hunt area 66-1: All of Units 66 and 69.
It covers 1,149,590 acres.
| Land manager in area 66-1 | Share |
|---|---|
| Private | 48.53% |
| U.S. Forest Service (USFS) | 17.83% |
| Indian Reservation / Bureau of Indian Affairs | 15.4% |
| State of Idaho | 12.57% |
| U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) | 3.32% |
| U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) | 1.67% |
| U.S. Corps of Engineers (COE) | 0.53% |
Land cover, by IDFG's figures for the area: rangeland 35.9%, dryland agriculture 27.25%, forest 25.69%, irrigated-gravity flow 5.78% and irrigated-sprinkler 3.61%.
National forests: Caribou National Forest and Targhee 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): East of Ririe Reservoir/Meadow Creek Junction.
Towns IDFG lists in the area: Idaho Falls (Interstate 15 US 20 US 26), Blackfoot (Interstate 15 US 26 US 91) and Shelley (US 91).
Area facts: IDFG Hunt Planner, hunt area 66-1; land managers from IDFG's surface management data (Inside Idaho), land cover from IDWR.
What rules come with hunt 2144?
- Antlerless or Antlered Elk. Either sex may be taken.
- Muzzleloader. Muzzleloader ONLY.
- 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 66-1
| Hunt | Species and take | Weapon | Season | Tags | First-choice applicants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | Antlered elk | Any weapon | Nov 15 to Nov 30 | 50 | 508 |
Other 2026 elk hunts in units 66 and 69: 2102 (66-2), 2103 (66-2), 2162 (66-2), 2171 (69-1X), 2285 (69-1X). All elk draw results.
Questions hunters ask
How many people applied for Idaho hunt 2144 in 2026?
281 hunters listed hunt 2144 as their first choice in IDFG's 2026 drawing, for 75 tags. 68 of 201 resident first choices drew, and 7 of 80 nonresident first choices.
What is the harvest success on Idaho hunt 2144?
IDFG reports 71 hunters took 32 elk on hunt 2144 in 2025, 45% success. Over the last 3 years IDFG lists for this hunt, 37% of hunters took an animal.
When is Idaho hunt 2144 in 2026?
October 1 to 14, 2026. It is antlered or antlerless elk, muzzleloader only, in hunt area 66-1 (IDFG Hunt Planner).
Which units are in Idaho hunt area 66-1?
IDFG describes hunt area 66-1 as: "All of Units 66 and 69." It covers 1,149,590 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 2144 and hunt area 66-1; 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 66 Unit 69 Tex Creek Zone Idaho deadlines and fees