Unit 60 Deer Hunting, Idaho
Idaho hunting unit · 438 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 6 controlled hunts, drawn by pure random draw with no points — resident odds from good odds to long odds.
What hunting Unit 60 is like
Unit 60 is gentle, rolling country, with the vast majority of the ground classed as gentle or moderate and only a sliver of steep terrain. Elevations run from about 5,000 feet up to roughly 7,800 feet, with most of the unit sitting near 6,200 feet. Lower elevations are dominated by sagebrush with pockets of conifer and riparian cover, mid elevations mix sagebrush and conifer in closer to even shares, and the highest ground shifts to majority conifer with sagebrush still holding a strong share. That kind of open, walkable country rewards glassing and covering ground on foot over technical mountain hunting, though the timbered mid and upper bands offer enough cover for deer to hole up during the day.
About 65 percent of the unit, roughly 287 square miles, is generally open to public hunting across National Forest — including the Targhee National Forest — BLM, state endowment, and Wildlife Management Area ground, though individual state endowment parcels can be posted closed or leased and should not be assumed open. Private land makes up close to 29 percent of the unit and requires written permission, and a small unclassified share rounds out the rest. Designated wilderness within the unit is closed to motorized travel, which keeps some of that open ground foot-access only.
Unit 60 offers a wide spread of ways to hunt deer here. Residents buy general regular deer or white-tailed deer tags over the counter, while nonresidents apply for one specific tag — regular or white-tailed — in a random draw before the season. On top of the general seasons, a run of controlled hunts adds extra opportunity, including youth-only and antlerless-only options on 60-1 and extra antlerless white-tailed tags under 60-1X, plus the either-sex 60-2 hunt, each drawn independently with its own odds.
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 | August 30 – September 30 | Antlered | Summer Range / Bachelor Pattern, Velvet Shed / Early Fall Transition |
| White-tailed deer tag · Archery | August 30 – September 30 | Antlered or antlerless | Summer Range / Bachelor Pattern, Velvet Shed / Early Fall Transition |
| Regular deer tag · Any weapon | October 10 – October 24 | Antlered | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase |
| White-tailed deer tag · Any weapon | October 10 – October 31 | Antlered or antlerless | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase, Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging |
| White-tailed deer tag · Any weapon | November 10 – December 9 | Antlered or antlerless | Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging, Primary Rut, Late Rut / Winter Consolidation |
Regular deer tag · Archery · August 30 – September 30
Early in this archery season bucks are still in their summer bachelor groups and holding to a fairly predictable pattern, carrying velvet into mid-September before shedding it later in the month. Glassing at first light to find a bedded buck, then closing the distance in the middle of the day while he's bedded, is the most productive approach in this open, rolling country, especially working the shady pockets and north-facing slopes in the sagebrush and timber mix at mid elevation. Water can be scarce enough that a small seep or a rain-soaked patch of forbs and browse is worth watching. A buck that seems to vanish from a hillside is usually still there, tucked into a small crevice or draw nearby. The regular deer tag is valid for an antlered mule deer or white-tailed buck through this stretch.
White-tailed deer tag · Archery · August 30 – September 30
This archery season overlaps the same summer bachelor pattern and velvet shed as the regular deer archery season, with bucks feeding into the morning and bedding in shade through the heat of the day. Working shady draws and north-facing slopes at first light, then still-hunting or stalking bedded bucks at midday, works well across the gentle, open terrain that makes up most of this unit. The white-tailed deer tag is broader here than the regular tag, allowing either an antlered or antlerless white-tailed deer, so does and fawns are fair game alongside bucks through the full run of the season.
Regular deer tag · Any weapon · October 10 – October 24
By this point in October, bucks are sliding into a more nocturnal pattern and moving less in daylight, though most haven't left the country where they spent the summer. That makes it a season for patient glassing of the sagebrush and timber edges at mid and lower elevations rather than chasing fresh sign, since deer are more likely found bedded or feeding at the margins of daylight. Light snowfall and cooling lows in October can nudge movement but haven't triggered any real migration yet. The regular deer tag covers only antlered bucks during this any-weapon season.
White-tailed deer tag · Any weapon · October 10 – October 31
Bucks are still mostly nocturnal early in this season and holding near their summer range, but by the back half of October some deer start drifting toward their rutting ground, making the country between summer range and rut range worth glassing. The white-tailed deer tag allows either sex here, so hunters can watch travel routes between elevation bands for does and fawns as well as bucks moving with them. Cooling temperatures and light snow through the month can help push deer to more visible ground in the mornings and evenings.
White-tailed deer tag · Any weapon · November 10 – December 9
This late-season white-tailed hunt opens with deer still staging along migration routes before sliding into the primary rut and then into late-rut winter consolidation by December. Once bucks are rutting, glassing early and late is the way to find them, and a fresh snow is a good time to cut tracks, since finding does is often the fastest way to find a rutting buck nearby. Heavier snowfall in November and especially December can push deer down out of the higher timber and onto lower, more open and glassable ground. The white-tailed deer tag is valid for either sex through the full run of the season, which stretches into early December.
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 60 is valid only in its own hunt area.
| Season | Dates | Legal deer | Resident draw | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled hunt 60-1X · Archery Extra antlerless tag; Archery only, White-tailed deer only | August 30 – September 30 | Antlerless only | Good odds | Summer Range / Bachelor Pattern, Velvet Shed / Early Fall Transition |
| Controlled hunt 60-2 · Any weapon | October 5 – November 8 | Antlered or antlerless | Long odds | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase, Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging |
| Controlled hunt 60-1 · Any weapon | October 10 – November 30 | See the hunt's rules | — | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase, Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging, Primary Rut, Late Rut / Winter Consolidation |
| Controlled hunt 60-1X · Any weapon Extra antlerless tag; White-tailed deer only | October 10 – October 31 | Antlerless only | Good odds | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase, Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging |
| Controlled hunt 60-1 · Any weapon Youth only | October 10 – October 24 | Antlered or antlerless | Youth only | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase |
| Controlled hunt 60-1 · Any weapon | October 25 – November 15 | Antlerless only | Good odds | Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging, Primary Rut |
| Controlled hunt 60-1X · Any weapon Extra antlerless tag; White-tailed deer only | November 20 – December 19 | Antlerless only | Good odds | Primary Rut, Late Rut / Winter Consolidation |
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 60-1X · Archery · August 30 – September 30
This controlled archery hunt runs the same calendar as the general archery seasons, spanning the summer bachelor pattern into the velvet shed transition, but the tag itself is antlerless-only and restricted to white-tailed deer with archery gear. Hunters should work the same sagebrush-to-timber terrain and cover used elsewhere in the unit, focusing effort near water and forb-rich feeding areas at lower and mid elevations where whitetail does and fawns are likely to be found. Resident draw odds for this extra antlerless tag run good.
Controlled hunt 60-2 · Any weapon · October 5 – November 8
This any-weapon hunt spans the same window as bucks slide from a nocturnal pattern in October into early pre-rut staging by early November, with deer still generally close to their summer range early on before starting to drift toward rutting ground later in the season. The open, rolling terrain favors long-range glassing to pattern movement between those two areas rather than trying to intercept deer on a single feature. This tag allows either an antlered or antlerless deer, but resident draw odds run long, making it a harder tag to draw than the extra antlerless hunts in this unit.
Controlled hunt 60-1 · Any weapon · October 10 – November 30
This long controlled hunt covers the fullest stretch of the fall, opening while bucks are still slipping into a nocturnal pattern in October, continuing through the migration-corridor staging period, and running clear through the primary rut and into late-rut winter consolidation by the November close. Early on, patient glassing of summer range pays off; later, as weather pushes deer out of higher country, glassing lower and more open ground in the mornings and evenings, and checking fresh snow for tracks, becomes the better plan, with does often leading to nearby bucks during the rut. Legal animals for this hunt follow its own specific rules rather than a simple antlered-or-antlerless standard, so hunters need to check what's allowed before heading out.
Controlled hunt 60-1X · Any weapon · October 10 – October 31
This antlerless-only controlled hunt runs through the period when deer are shifting from a nocturnal pattern in October into early staging along migration routes toward the rut, restricted to white-tailed deer. Hunters filling this tag should focus on the sagebrush and timber mix at lower and mid elevations where whitetail concentrations hold through this stretch, working travel corridors between summer range and rutting range as the month progresses. Resident draw odds for this extra antlerless tag run good.
Controlled hunt 60-1 · Any weapon · October 25 – November 15
This antlerless-only hunt on 60-1 opens as deer are staging ahead of the rut and runs into the primary rut itself, giving hunters a good window to work travel corridors and open glassing ground as animals move between summer and rut range. Focusing on lower-elevation sagebrush flats and mid-elevation mixed cover where deer concentrate during this transition is the most practical approach. Resident draw odds for this hunt run good.
Controlled hunt 60-1X · Any weapon · November 20 – December 19
This late antlerless-only hunt on 60-1X spans the primary rut into late-rut winter consolidation, restricted to white-tailed deer, running into the heart of winter by its December close. Heavier snowfall typical of November and December can push whitetail does and fawns down out of higher timber onto lower, more open ground, which is where hunters should concentrate their efforts late in this season. Resident draw odds for this extra antlerless tag run good.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,000–7,800 ft, typically around 6,200 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 87% gentle · 11% moderate · 2% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~287 sq mi
- National forests
- Targhee National Forest
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
- Sagebrush61%
- Other cover24%
- Conifer9%
- Riparian5%
- Aspen1%
Mid elevations
- Sagebrush44%
- Conifer36%
- Riparian10%
- Other cover8%
- Grass and meadow1%
- Aspen1%
Higher elevations
- Conifer53%
- Sagebrush43%
- Aspen1%
- Riparian1%
Cover classes from the USGS National Land Cover Database. “Other cover” is the remainder — bare ground, water, agriculture and developed land.
Land & access
About 65% of Unit 60 is public land a hunter can generally count on — National Forest, BLM, Idaho state endowment land and State Wildlife Management Area.
- National Forest39%
- BLM12%
- Idaho state endowment land11%
- State Wildlife Management Area4%
- Unclassified ownership6%
- Private29%
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 78°F, lows around 46°F
- September — highs around 67°F, lows around 38°F
- October — highs around 52°F, lows around 28°F, about 1.2 in of snowfall
- November — highs around 37°F, lows around 18°F, about 11.1 in of snowfall
- December — highs around 27°F, lows around 10°F, about 25.5 in of snowfall
Unit 60 deer hunting FAQ
Can a resident buy a deer tag for Unit 60 over the counter?
Yes. Residents can buy either the regular deer tag or the white-tailed deer tag over the counter for the general seasons without applying or drawing. Controlled hunts like 60-1, 60-1X, and 60-2 are separate and still require a random draw even for residents.
How do nonresidents get a general deer tag in Unit 60?
Nonresidents cannot simply buy a general tag over the counter; they apply for one specific tag, either the regular deer tag or the white-tailed deer tag, through a random draw. The specific tag is chosen at the time of application, not after the draw results are known.
How hard are the controlled hunts in Unit 60 to draw?
It varies by hunt. The extra antlerless white-tailed hunts under 60-1X and the antlerless hunt on 60-1 run good odds for residents in the first-choice draw, while the either-sex 60-2 hunt runs long odds. Odds are never guaranteed and can shift from year to year.
Which deer tags are valid in Unit 60?
The regular deer tag covers either mule deer or white-tailed deer unless a specific season restricts it, while the white-tailed deer tag is valid for white-tailed deer only. Several controlled hunts add antlerless-only or youth-only options on top of the general seasons, and one hunt on 60-1 follows its own specific legal-animal rules.
Which Unit 60 deer seasons fall during the rut?
The white-tailed deer tag any-weapon season running November 10 through December 9, along with the controlled hunts on 60-1 and 60-1X that fall in November, overlap the primary rut. The archery seasons and the October any-weapon seasons all fall before the rut begins.
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.