Unit 63A Deer Hunting, Idaho
Idaho hunting unit · 324 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 4 controlled hunts, drawn by pure random draw with no points — resident odds from fair odds to long odds.
What hunting Unit 63A is like
Unit 63A is gentle, rolling ground from start to finish, with almost no steep or rugged terrain anywhere in its 324 square miles. That kind of country makes for easy walking, but it also means deer have nowhere to hide from foot pressure the way they might in broken terrain, so cover and distance from access points matter more than elevation ever will here. There is no wilderness component to speak of; this is a unit where glassing and patient still-hunting through available cover does the work that climbing would do elsewhere.
Only about 22 percent of the unit, roughly 70 square miles, is generally open to public hunting, split between BLM, a state Wildlife Management Area, and Idaho state endowment land. The endowment ground is open unless posted closed or leased, so it pays to check before counting on any given parcel. The remaining 78 percent is private and requires written permission, which makes legal access the real limiting factor in Unit 63A — the gentle terrain may look easy to cover, but a hunter can only hunt where they are actually allowed to be.
Tag options here split along species lines. Residents buy the regular or white-tailed deer tag over the counter with no draw required, while nonresidents apply for a specific tag — regular or white-tailed — through a random draw, choosing which one they want at the time of application. On top of the general white-tailed deer seasons, four controlled hunts add extra antlerless opportunity for white-tailed deer or a limited either-sex short-range weapons hunt, all drawn by pure random chance with no points involved.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer tag · Archery Chronic Wasting Disease Testing Required | August 30 – September 30 | Antlered or antlerless | Summer Range / Bachelor Pattern, Velvet Shed / Early Fall Transition |
| White-tailed deer tag · Short-range weapons Chronic Wasting Disease Testing Required | October 10 – October 20 | Antlerless | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase |
| White-tailed deer tag · Short-range weapons Chronic Wasting Disease Testing Required | October 21 – October 31 | Antlered | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase, Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging |
| White-tailed deer tag · Archery Chronic Wasting Disease Testing Required | November 1 – December 19 | Antlered or antlerless | Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging, Primary Rut, Late Rut / Winter Consolidation |
White-tailed deer tag · Archery · August 30 – September 30
Late summer into September finds bucks still in velvet and loosely bachelored up, a pattern that holds through the Summer Range and into the Velvet Shed / Early Fall Transition phase. Scouting by glassing pays off more than anything else this time of year — look for deer near any available water or feeding on forbs and browse, then watch where a buck beds for the day, often in shade or on north-facing ground. A buck that seems to vanish midday is usually just tucked into a nearby draw or crevice rather than gone. This is an archery-only season on the white-tailed deer tag, open to antlered or antlerless deer, and CWD testing is required.
White-tailed deer tag · Short-range weapons · October 10 – October 20
This short window in mid-October falls during the Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase, when deer are settling into fall patterns but the tag itself is antlerless only. Cover in Unit 63A is limited enough that success comes down to identifying where does and fawns are using the available terrain and working the open ground carefully, since the gentle, rolling landscape offers little concealment for a close approach. Access is the real constraint — with most of the unit in private ownership, sticking to the open BLM, Wildlife Management Area, or state endowment ground is essential to legally close the distance. This short-range weapons season is antlerless only on the white-tailed deer tag, with CWD testing required.
White-tailed deer tag · Short-range weapons · October 21 – October 31
By late October bucks are increasingly nocturnal, a carryover from the Early Fall Migration phase, and by the tail end of the season some may begin drifting toward rutting ground as the Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging phase sets in. Most bucks are still fairly close to where they spent the summer, so glassing that same country, and watching the ground between summer range and likely rut destinations, is the way to connect. This short-range weapons season is antlered only on the white-tailed deer tag, and CWD testing is required.
White-tailed deer tag · Archery · November 1 – December 19
This long season covers the most action of the fall, opening in the Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging phase and running through the Primary Rut into Late Rut / Winter Consolidation. Early on, bucks may still be shifting toward rutting ground, but by November they are actively rutting and tracking does, so finding concentrations of does is the most reliable way to find bucks. Weather moving through in November and December can push deer down out of higher ground onto more open, easier-to-glass terrain, and fresh snow is worth checking for fresh buck tracks. This archery season on the white-tailed deer tag allows antlered or antlerless deer, with CWD testing required.
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 63A is valid only in its own hunt area.
| Season | Dates | Legal deer | Resident draw | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled hunt 63AX · Archery Extra antlerless tag; Archery only, White-tailed deer only; Chronic Wasting Disease Testing Required | August 30 – September 30 | Antlerless only | Fair odds | Summer Range / Bachelor Pattern, Velvet Shed / Early Fall Transition |
| Controlled hunt 63A · Short-range weapons Chronic Wasting Disease Testing Required; Short range weapons only | October 5 – November 15 | Antlered or antlerless | Long odds | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase, Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging, Primary Rut |
| Controlled hunt 63AX · Short-range weapons Extra antlerless tag; Short range weapons only, White-tailed deer only; Chronic Wasting Disease Testing Required | October 10 – October 20 | Antlerless only | Fair odds | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase |
| Controlled hunt 63AX · Archery Extra antlerless tag; Archery only, White-tailed deer only; Chronic Wasting Disease Testing Required | November 1 – December 19 | Antlerless only | Fair odds | Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging, 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 63AX · Archery · August 30 – September 30
Running the same August-to-September window as the general archery season, this hunt spans the Summer Range / Bachelor Pattern and Velvet Shed / Early Fall Transition phases but is antlerless only, aimed at white-tailed deer. Glassing open ground and any cover near water is the practical approach in this gentle, rolling terrain, and working the limited public and endowment ground carefully is important since private land dominates the unit. It is archery-only, requires CWD testing, and carries Fair odds in the resident first-choice draw for Controlled hunt 63AX.
Controlled hunt 63A · Short-range weapons · October 5 – November 15
Covering the Early Fall Migration, Early Pre-Rut, and into the Primary Rut phases, this long controlled season offers the widest window of the fall for an either-sex short-range weapons hunt. Bucks grow more nocturnal through October before shifting toward rutting ground late in the month, and by November they are rutting hard, so locating does is the key to finding a buck nearby. Weather in November can push deer onto more open, glassable ground, making fresh snow useful for picking up tracks. This short-range weapons hunt allows antlered or antlerless deer, requires CWD testing, and carries Long odds in the resident first-choice draw for Controlled hunt 63A.
Controlled hunt 63AX · Short-range weapons · October 10 – October 20
This brief mid-October hunt falls within the Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase and is antlerless only, targeting white-tailed deer. With cover limited across the unit's gentle terrain, success depends on locating deer using the open ground methodically and getting within range using the available shortrange weapon. Because most of the unit is private, staying within the generally open BLM, Wildlife Management Area, or state endowment tracts is critical to a legal hunt. This short-range weapons season requires CWD testing and carries Fair odds in the resident first-choice draw for Controlled hunt 63AX.
Controlled hunt 63AX · Archery · November 1 – December 19
Spanning the Early Pre-Rut, Primary Rut, and Late Rut / Winter Consolidation phases, this long archery season runs from November into December and is antlerless only, for white-tailed deer. Working the open ground on the limited public and endowment land, especially where deer concentrate as winter weather sets in, gives the best chance at filling this tag. Snowfall builds through November and December, which can push deer onto lower, more accessible ground within the unit. This archery hunt requires CWD testing and carries Fair odds in the resident first-choice draw for Controlled hunt 63AX.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 4,700–5,600 ft, typically around 4,800 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 99% gentle · 1% moderate · 0% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~70 sq mi
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 cover78%
- Sagebrush12%
- Riparian7%
- Grass and meadow2%
Cover classes from the USGS National Land Cover Database. “Other cover” is the remainder — bare ground, water, agriculture and developed land.
Land & access
About 22% of Unit 63A is public land a hunter can generally count on — BLM, State Wildlife Management Area and Idaho state endowment land.
- BLM14%
- State Wildlife Management Area7%
- Idaho state endowment land<1%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private78%
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 85°F, lows around 50°F
- September — highs around 75°F, lows around 42°F
- October — highs around 59°F, lows around 32°F, about 0.1 in of snowfall
- November — highs around 43°F, lows around 22°F, about 1.8 in of snowfall
- December — highs around 31°F, lows around 14°F, about 6.6 in of snowfall
Unit 63A deer hunting FAQ
Can a resident buy a deer tag for Unit 63A over the counter?
Yes. Residents can buy either the regular deer tag or the white-tailed deer tag over the counter for Unit 63A with no draw or application required.
How do nonresidents get a general tag for Unit 63A?
Nonresidents enter a random draw and apply for a specific tag — either the regular deer tag or the white-tailed deer tag — choosing which one they want at the time of application, not after the draw is complete.
How hard are the controlled hunts in Unit 63A to draw?
Draw difficulty varies by hunt. Controlled hunt 63A carries Long odds in the resident first-choice draw, while the three Controlled hunt 63AX antlerless seasons each carry Fair odds.
Which deer tags work in Unit 63A?
The regular deer tag covers 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. Both are available over the counter to residents and through the nonresident random draw.
How much of Unit 63A is public land a hunter can count on?
About 22 percent of the unit, roughly 70 square miles, is generally open to public hunting across BLM, a state Wildlife Management Area, and Idaho state endowment land. The remaining 78 percent is private and requires written permission to hunt.
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.