Unit 62 Deer Hunting, Idaho
Idaho hunting unit · 492 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 5 controlled hunts, drawn by pure random draw with no points — resident odds from fair odds to very long odds.
What hunting Unit 62 is like
Unit 62 is gentle and rolling country, with mean slope of only about 5.4 degrees and almost none of the ground classed as steep or rugged. Elevations run from roughly 4,900 feet up to 7,200 feet, and most hunting happens on the easier, rolling ground rather than in broken terrain. Some of the unit falls within the Targhee National Forest, and where designated wilderness exists it is closed to motorized travel, but overall this is a unit that rewards glassing and legwork more than technical mountain hunting.
Only about 24 percent of Unit 62, roughly 118 square miles, is generally open to public hunting across National Forest, BLM, and Idaho state endowment land, and even the endowment parcels can be closed or leased at times. The remaining 76 percent is private and requires permission to access. That split means the gentle terrain does not translate into easy hunting — legal access, not footing, is what limits where a hunter can actually go, and no one should expect to cover or reach most of the unit.
Deer here are managed through both general and controlled tags. Residents buy general regular deer and white-tailed deer tags over the counter with no draw required, while nonresidents go through a random draw in which they apply for one specific general tag — either the regular deer tag or the white-tailed deer tag — chosen at the time of application. Controlled hunts 60A-1X and 62 add further opportunity through a separate pure random draw, including antlerless-only options and an any-weapon rifle hunt, each with its own limited number of tags and its own resident first-choice odds band.
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 · Archery | November 1 – December 19 | Antlered or antlerless | Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging, Primary Rut, Late Rut / Winter Consolidation |
| Regular deer tag · Archery White-tailed deer only | November 20 – December 19 | Antlered: white-tailed deer only; antlerless: white-tailed deer only | Primary Rut, Late Rut / Winter Consolidation |
Regular deer tag · Archery · August 30 – September 30
This archery season runs through the tail end of summer patterns, when bucks are still bachelored up and carrying velvet before shedding it later in September. In Unit 62's gentle, rolling terrain, glassing shady pockets and north-facing slopes in the morning is the way to locate a bedded buck, since there is little steep ground to force deer into predictable pinch points. Once a buck is spotted and bedded, the stalk works best in the middle of the day; evenings are for relocating him or simply watching him until dark to return the next morning. A buck that seems to vanish is usually still close by in a small crevice or draw, and this pattern holds into late September as bucks stay near the same country they used all summer. Only antlered deer are legal under the regular deer tag during this archery season.
White-tailed deer tag · Archery · August 30 – September 30
Running the same August 30 to September 30 window, this white-tailed deer archery season covers bucks still in velvet and bachelored through most of it, shifting into the velvet-shed transition by late September. The rolling, open character of Unit 62 favors early morning glassing of shady bedding cover, followed by a midday stalk once a buck is patterned into his bed. Evening glassing is often more about relearning where a buck is for a morning return than forcing an evening stalk. This tag allows both antlered and antlerless white-tailed deer, giving more flexibility than the regular deer tag's antlered-only restriction during the same stretch.
Regular deer tag · Any weapon · October 10 – October 24
By early-to-late October bucks are sliding into the nocturnal phase of the fall migration, moving less in daylight but mostly still holding in the same country they used through summer. Unit 62's lack of steep terrain means there are few natural travel funnels, so still-hunting and glassing the fringes of cover near known summer haunts is the more productive approach than trying to intercept movement corridors. This any-weapon season under the regular deer tag is antlered-only, and October weather brings modest snowfall and lows near 29°F, though it is more a comfort factor than a driver of deer movement yet.
White-tailed deer tag · Any weapon · October 10 – October 31
This white-tailed deer any-weapon season spans the nocturnal buck phase into early pre-rut staging, so bucks start the stretch holding near summer ground and finish it beginning to drift toward rutting areas. Early in the season, deer are still tied to the same country they used all summer, so daylight movement stays limited and quiet glassing of cover edges pays off. Toward the end of October, watching the open ground between summer range and likely rutting areas can catch deer on the move. The white-tailed deer tag allows either antlered or antlerless deer through this period, with October snowfall staying light and lows near 29°F.
White-tailed deer tag · Archery · November 1 – December 19
Covering the pre-rut staging period through the primary rut and into late-rut consolidation, this long white-tailed deer archery season is built around the best behavioral window of the fall. Early on, deer are still migrating toward rutting ground, so glassing the open country between summer range and rut areas is worthwhile; by November, bucks are actively rutting and can be found near does rather than off on their own. Weather moving through in November and December, with snowfall increasing from about 8.2 inches to 17.6 inches and lows dropping toward 11°F, tends to push deer out of higher ground onto more open, glassable terrain — fresh snow is especially useful for cutting fresh buck tracks. This tag takes either antlered or antlerless white-tailed deer across the entire window.
Regular deer tag · Archery · November 20 – December 19
Restricted to white-tailed deer only, this late archery season opens in the heart of the primary rut and runs through late-rut consolidation. Bucks are rutting and traveling with or checking on does, so the most efficient approach is finding concentrations of does and watching for bucks nearby rather than searching for solitary bucks. Building snowfall through November and December, along with lows near 11°F by December, tends to move deer down out of higher terrain onto ground that is easier to glass and reach in Unit 62's rolling country. Both antlered and antlerless white-tailed deer are legal under this tag during this stretch.
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 62 is valid only in its own hunt area.
| Season | Dates | Legal deer | Resident draw | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled hunt 60A-1X · Archery Extra antlerless tag; Archery only, White-tailed deer only | August 30 – September 30 | Antlerless only | Fair odds | Summer Range / Bachelor Pattern, Velvet Shed / Early Fall Transition |
| Controlled hunt 62 · Any weapon | October 5 – November 8 | Antlered or antlerless | Fair odds | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase, Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging |
| Controlled hunt 60A-1X · Any weapon Extra antlerless tag; White-tailed deer only | October 10 – October 31 | Antlerless only | Fair odds | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase, Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging |
| Controlled hunt 62 · Any weapon Youth only | October 10 – October 24 | Antlered or antlerless | Youth only | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase |
| Controlled hunt 62 · Any weapon | October 10 – November 30 | Antlered only | Very long odds | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase, Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging, Primary Rut, Late Rut / Winter Consolidation |
| Controlled hunt 60A-1X · Archery Extra antlerless tag; Archery only, White-tailed deer only | November 20 – December 19 | Antlerless only | Fair 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 60A-1X · Archery · August 30 – September 30
This is an antlerless-only controlled hunt for white-tailed deer, running archery-only across the same summer-to-fall transition window. Hunters filling this tag should focus on the cover and open ground within Unit 62's gentle, rolling terrain, working the limited public land where access is available. Resident draw odds for hunt 60A-1X in this season sit in the Fair odds band, and the tag is intended as an additional antlerless opportunity beyond the general seasons.
Controlled hunt 62 · Any weapon · October 5 – November 8
This any-weapon controlled hunt spans the shift from nocturnal buck behavior in October into early pre-rut staging by early November, taking either antlered or antlerless deer. Early in the season bucks hold close to their summer range and move mostly after dark, rewarding patient glassing of cover edges; as the season closes in on its final weeks, deer begin drifting toward rutting ground and can be caught crossing the open country in between. Snowfall stays light through October before picking up in November, with lows falling from around 29°F to 19°F. Resident draw odds for hunt 62 in this season are in the Fair odds band.
Controlled hunt 60A-1X · Any weapon · October 10 – October 31
This antlerless-only white-tailed deer controlled hunt runs any-weapon through most of October, giving hunters a rifle option for filling a doe or fawn tag. The gentle, rolling terrain of Unit 62 keeps travel manageable, but the same access limits apply, so working the open public ground carefully matters. October snowfall stays light with lows near 29°F. Resident draw odds for hunt 60A-1X in this season fall in the Fair odds band.
Controlled hunt 62 · Any weapon · October 10 – November 30
This long any-weapon controlled hunt covers the entire fall arc from the nocturnal buck phase through the primary rut and into late-rut consolidation, and it is antlered-only. Early on, bucks hold near summer range and move mainly at night; by late October they start shifting toward rutting ground, and through November they are fully engaged in the rut, most often found near does. Snowfall builds from light in October to moderate in November, with lows dropping from near 29°F to 19°F, and weather fronts can push deer down onto more open, huntable ground. Resident draw odds for hunt 62 in this season are in the Very long odds band, reflecting the length and quality of this season relative to its limited tags.
Controlled hunt 60A-1X · Archery · November 20 – December 19
This antlerless-only archery controlled hunt for white-tailed deer runs through the primary rut and into late-rut consolidation. Hunters should focus on locating deer that weather has pushed down from higher ground, since building snowfall in November and December, with lows falling to around 11°F, tends to concentrate animals on more open, accessible terrain. The tag is limited to antlerless white-tailed deer only. Resident draw odds for hunt 60A-1X in this season are in the Fair odds band.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 4,900–7,200 ft, typically around 5,800 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 87% gentle · 10% moderate · 3% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~118 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.
Across the unit
- Other cover54%
- Conifer23%
- Sagebrush18%
- Riparian3%
- Aspen2%
Cover classes from the USGS National Land Cover Database. “Other cover” is the remainder — bare ground, water, agriculture and developed land.
Land & access
About 24% of Unit 62 is public land a hunter can generally count on — National Forest, BLM and Idaho state endowment land.
- National Forest22%
- BLM2%
- Idaho state endowment land<1%
- Private76%
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 80°F, lows around 45°F
- September — highs around 70°F, lows around 38°F
- October — highs around 55°F, lows around 29°F, about 0.8 in of snowfall
- November — highs around 40°F, lows around 19°F, about 8.2 in of snowfall
- December — highs around 29°F, lows around 11°F, about 17.6 in of snowfall
Unit 62 deer hunting FAQ
Can a resident buy a deer tag for Unit 62 over the counter?
Yes. Residents can buy either the general regular deer tag or the general white-tailed deer tag over the counter with no draw or application required.
How do nonresidents get a general deer tag in Unit 62?
Nonresidents go through a random draw, and they apply for one specific tag as their choice — either the regular deer tag or the white-tailed deer tag. The tag is selected at the time of application, not chosen afterward.
How hard are the controlled hunts in Unit 62 to draw?
Controlled hunts 60A-1X and 62 are awarded by pure random draw with no points involved. Resident first-choice odds range from Fair odds for most of the 60A-1X antlerless hunts and the hunt 62 any-weapon October-November season, to Very long odds for the long antlered-only hunt 62 season running October 10 through November 30.
Which deer tags work in Unit 62?
The regular deer tag covers mule deer or white-tailed deer in most seasons, except the November 20–December 19 archery season, which is white-tailed deer only. The white-tailed deer tag is valid only for white-tailed deer across all of its seasons.
How much of Unit 62 is public land a hunter can count on?
About 24 percent of the unit, roughly 118 square miles, is generally open to public hunting through National Forest, BLM, and Idaho state endowment land. The remaining roughly 76 percent is private land requiring written permission, so legal access rather than terrain is the main limiting factor here.
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.