Unit 40 Deer Hunting, Idaho
Idaho hunting unit · 2,261 sq mi
General season — resident tags over the counter
Residents buy general deer tags over the counter — no draw, no points. Nonresident general tags are allocated by random draw. It also has 2 controlled hunts, drawn by pure random draw with no points — resident odds from long odds to very long odds.
What hunting Unit 40 is like
Unit 40 is rolling country, with some steeper breaks, running from low sagebrush flats up through mid-elevation grass and sage benches to higher timbered ridges near 8,400 feet. Most of the ground is gentle to moderate walking, with only a small share of steep or rugged terrain, which makes it approachable on foot or on horseback rather than a place demanding technical climbing. The North Fork Owyhee Wilderness covers a small slice of the unit's higher country and is closed to motorized travel, adding a quieter option for hunters willing to walk in.
About three-quarters of Unit 40 is generally open to public hunting through BLM and Idaho state endowment land, though endowment parcels can be posted closed or leased and should not be assumed open without checking. The remaining quarter is private and requires written permission. Four wildfires have reshaped parts of the unit in recent years: the Jump fire burned about 18,000 acres on the northwest side in 2024, the Rosie fire burned about 5,600 acres on the south side in 2024, and the Striker and Flint fires each burned several thousand acres on the northeast and southwest sides respectively within the last year. Hunters should check for current fire closures before heading out.
Deer hunting here runs on a mix of general and controlled opportunity. Residents buy general regular deer or white-tailed deer tags over the counter, while nonresidents apply for one specific tag in a random draw at the time of application. Beyond the general seasons, two controlled hunts add archery and late any-weapon opportunity, both drawn at random with no points involved and with the odds shifting sharply between the two.
General-season deer (2026)
The Regular Deer tag is valid for mule deer or white-tailed deer unless a season says otherwise; the White-tailed Deer tag is white-tailed deer only. Residents buy general deer tags over the counter; nonresident general tags are allocated by random draw.
| Season | Dates | Legal deer | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular deer tag · Archery 2-point deer only | August 30 – September 30 | Antlered: 2-point deer only | Summer Range / Bachelor Pattern, Velvet Shed / Early Fall Transition |
| White-tailed deer tag · Archery 2-point deer only | August 30 – September 30 | Antlered: 2-point deer only; antlerless | Summer Range / Bachelor Pattern, Velvet Shed / Early Fall Transition |
| Regular deer tag · Any weapon 2-point deer only | October 10 – October 24 | Antlered: 2-point deer only | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase |
| White-tailed deer tag · Any weapon 2-point deer only | October 10 – October 24 | Antlered: 2-point deer only | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase |
Regular deer tag · Archery · August 30 – September 30
Through late August and September, bucks are still working through the Summer Range / Bachelor Pattern phase before shifting into the Velvet Shed / Early Fall Transition phase, and they hold to small bachelor groups near whatever water and feed the country offers. Glassing shady pockets and north-facing slopes in the sagebrush and grass country, especially at the mid and higher elevation bands where conifer and riparian patches offer shade, is the way to locate a bedded buck. First light and last light are for finding him; the middle of the day, while he is bedded, is for closing the stalk. This tag is restricted to 2-point bucks only, so judging antlers before drawing is part of the job, and the wilderness portion of the unit offers a quieter, foot-access option for hunters willing to walk in.
White-tailed deer tag · Archery · August 30 – September 30
This white-tailed deer archery season overlaps the same Summer Range / Bachelor Pattern and Velvet Shed / Early Fall Transition stretch, with bucks bachelored up and keying on forbs, browse, and whatever water is available through late summer. The same glass-and-stalk rhythm applies — find a buck early, mark where he beds, and either move on him at midday or watch him again in the evening before returning the next morning. The legal buck here is a 2-point deer only, but this tag also allows an antlerless white-tailed deer, which widens the option for hunters working the brushier riparian and sagebrush pockets at the lower and mid elevations where whitetails concentrate. Access holds the same as elsewhere in the unit — mostly open BLM and state ground, with private parcels requiring permission.
Regular deer tag · Any weapon · October 10 – October 24
By October, bucks are deep into the Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase, moving less in daylight but generally still holding near the same ground they used through summer. That makes the hunt more about patience and covering likely feeding edges early and late than about long glassing sessions, since bucks are harder to catch moving in the open. The any-weapon format opens the door to rifle hunters working the gentler sagebrush and grass benches at low and mid elevations, and the recent burns — Jump, Rosie, Striker, and Flint — are worth a look where they border unburned timber, since deer often work the edges between the two. Only 2-point bucks are legal under this regular deer tag, so a quick, accurate look at antlers still matters before taking a shot.
White-tailed deer tag · Any weapon · October 10 – October 24
This white-tailed deer any-weapon season falls in the same window as the regular tag's October hunt, with bucks in the Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase and increasingly nocturnal but still tied to their summer range. Working brushy riparian and sagebrush edges near dawn and dusk, rather than trying to spot deer moving at midday, fits the pattern here. The burned ground from the Jump, Rosie, Striker, and Flint fires is worth checking where unburned timber borders it, since deer move between the two for feed and cover. Only 2-point bucks are legal, so hunters need a clear look at antlers before committing to a shot.
Controlled deer hunts (2026)
Controlled hunts have a limited number of tags and are drawn by pure random draw — Idaho uses no points, so years of applying do not improve the odds. First choices are drawn before second choices. A hunt marked as covering part of Unit 40 is valid only in its own hunt area.
| Season | Dates | Legal deer | Resident draw | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled hunt 40 · Archery | August 15 – September 30 | Antlered only | Long odds | Summer Range / Bachelor Pattern, Velvet Shed / Early Fall Transition |
| Controlled hunt 40-1X · Any weapon Covers only part of this unit; Youth only; Portion of Units 40 and 41 only, Very limited access | October 10 – November 24 | Antlerless only | Youth only | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase, Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging, Primary Rut |
| Controlled hunt 40 · Any weapon | November 1 – November 24 | Antlered only | Very long odds | Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging, Primary Rut |
Resident draw is a band in words from the 2026 first-choice results: good, fair, long or very long odds. It is not a published percentage, and nonresident odds differ. Youth-only hunts are shown without a band.
Controlled hunt 40 · Archery · August 15 – September 30
This controlled archery hunt covers the same Summer Range / Bachelor Pattern and Velvet Shed / Early Fall Transition stretch as the general archery seasons, with bucks bachelored and predictable around water and shade through August and September. The approach is the same disciplined glass-stalk-glass routine: locate a buck at first light, track him to his bed, close the distance at midday, and be ready to watch him again into the evening if the stalk doesn't come together. Only antlered bucks are legal here, and the hunt draws under long odds for residents, so it is not a tag to count on drawing every time applied for. The wilderness area and the unit's broad public land base give plenty of room to work a pattern once a buck is found.
Controlled hunt 40 · Any weapon · November 1 – November 24
This late controlled hunt lands squarely in the rut, spanning the Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging phase into the Primary Rut phase, when bucks are moving with or searching for does rather than holding to a fixed pattern. Toward the start of the hunt, glassing the country between summer range and likely rutting ground can pick up bucks on the move; once the rut is in full swing, finding does is the surest way to find a buck nearby. November weather can push deer down out of the higher country onto easier, more glassable ground, and fresh snow is a good time to cut fresh tracks. Only antlered bucks are legal, the hunt draws under very long odds for residents, and it covers the whole unit rather than a limited portion.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 2,200–8,400 ft, typically around 4,500 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 60% gentle · 34% moderate · 6% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~1,705 sq mi
- Designated wilderness
- North Fork Owyhee Wilderness (3%) — closed to motorized vehicles
Habitat & cover
What grows here, by elevation. Each band adds to 100% on its own — these are shares of that band, not of the unit.
Lower elevations
- Sagebrush55%
- Grass and meadow25%
- Other cover20%
Mid elevations
- Sagebrush54%
- Grass and meadow41%
- Conifer2%
- Riparian2%
Higher elevations
- Sagebrush65%
- Conifer22%
- Grass and meadow13%
Cover classes from the USGS National Land Cover Database. “Other cover” is the remainder — bare ground, water, agriculture and developed land.
Recent fires
Wildfires in the last several seasons that burned a meaningful share of Unit 40. Fire perimeters show where a fire burned, not how hot — and closures change through the year, so check current fire closures and restrictions before you go.
- Jump fire, 2024 — about 18,000 acres in the unit (1%), mostly on its northwest side.
- Flint fire, 2026 — about 6,900 acres in the unit, mostly on its southwest side.
- Striker fire, 2025 — about 5,800 acres in the unit, mostly on its northeast side.
- Rosie fire, 2024 — about 5,600 acres in the unit, mostly on its south side.
Fire perimeters from the National Interagency Fire Center.
Land & access
About 75% of Unit 40 is public land a hunter can generally count on — BLM and Idaho state endowment land.
- BLM66%
- Idaho state endowment land10%
- Private25%
Idaho state endowment land is generally open to hunting unless posted closed or leased — check the parcel before planning around it.
Fall weather
- August — highs around 83°F, lows around 53°F
- September — highs around 74°F, lows around 44°F
- October — highs around 60°F, lows around 34°F, about 0.1 in of snowfall
- November — highs around 45°F, lows around 26°F, about 3.1 in of snowfall
- December — highs around 37°F, lows around 20°F, about 7.8 in of snowfall
Unit 40 deer hunting FAQ
Can a resident buy a deer tag for Unit 40 over the counter?
Yes. Residents can buy a general regular deer tag or a general white-tailed deer tag over the counter with no application or draw required. The controlled hunts are separate and still require entering a random draw.
How do nonresidents get a general tag in Unit 40?
Nonresidents enter a random draw and apply for one specific tag — either the regular deer tag or the white-tailed deer tag — at the time they apply. The tag cannot be chosen after the draw; it is selected on the application itself.
How hard are the controlled hunts in Unit 40 to draw?
The archery controlled hunt draws under long odds for residents, while the late any-weapon controlled hunt draws under very long odds. Neither draw is guaranteed, and both are pure random draws with no points involved.
Which deer tags are valid in Unit 40?
The regular deer tag covers mule deer or white-tailed deer unless a season restricts it further, while the white-tailed deer tag is valid for white-tailed deer only. Several seasons in Unit 40 further restrict legal bucks to 2-point deer only, so tag choice and antler point count both matter.
How much of Unit 40 is public land a hunter can count on?
About 75 percent of the unit, roughly 1,705 square miles, is BLM or Idaho state endowment land generally open to hunting. State endowment parcels can be posted closed or leased, so checking status before heading out is worthwhile even on land that is usually open.
Data sources & methodology
- Idaho Fish and Game — Idaho Big Game 2026 Seasons & Rules — general and controlled season dates, legal animals and the brochure's unit notes
- Idaho Fish and Game — Idaho Hunt Planner — unit boundaries, the national forests and wilderness areas in each unit, and controlled-hunt drawing results behind the odds bands
- Idaho Fish and Game — 2026 Nonresident General Tags and Tags Allocated to Outfitters — which general elk zone tags are capped
- USGS / MRLC — National Land Cover Database — habitat and cover classes by elevation band
- USGS PAD-US — Protected Areas Database of the United States — land ownership and access
- Daymet daily climate, 1991–2020 (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) — fall weather
- National Interagency Fire Center — wildfire perimeters — recent fires, their size and where they burned
Controlled-hunt draw difficulty is a qualitative band from resident first-choice results, not published odds. Land shares are separate, non-overlapping categories. Confirm current dates and rules in the Idaho Big Game Seasons & Rules brochure before you hunt. Unit data last updated September 29, 2026.