Unit 70 Deer Hunting, Idaho
Idaho hunting unit · 379 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 good odds to very long odds.
What hunting Unit 70 is like
Unit 70 is rolling to moderately steep country, running from around 4,400 feet up to nearly 8,700 feet, with most of the ground sitting near a typical elevation of 5,500 feet. Sagebrush dominates the cover at every elevation band, mixing with grass and meadow lower down and giving way to conifer and some aspen at the higher elevations within Caribou National Forest. Slopes are gentle to moderate across most of the unit, with only a modest share of steep ground, so this is foot-and-glass country more than a technical wilderness hunt, though the terrain still demands real effort to cover.
Only about 38 percent of the unit, roughly 145 sq mi, is generally open to public hunting through National Forest, BLM, and Idaho state endowment land, and that endowment ground can be closed or leased in places, so it pays to check status before counting on a parcel. The remaining majority of the unit, around 62 percent, is private and requires written permission to hunt. That split means a hunter has to plan around ownership boundaries carefully rather than assuming free rein across the landscape.
Deer tags here break into a general archery season that residents buy over the counter and nonresidents enter through a random draw for a specific tag chosen at the time of application, plus a handful of controlled hunts layered on top. Those controlled hunts range from archery and muzzleloader options to any-weapon seasons that reach into the November rut, along with an antlerless-only white-tailed deer hunt aimed at trimming numbers on part of the unit. Draw difficulty varies widely by hunt, from good odds to very long odds, so it is worth matching expectations to the specific hunt applied for.
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 |
Regular deer tag · Archery · August 30 – September 30
This archery season opens while bucks are still working through their summer bachelor patterns and closes just as they finish shedding velvet, so the hunt covers both phases in one stretch. Early on, bucks feed into the morning then bed in shade for most of the day, which makes glassing shady pockets and north-facing slopes in Unit 70's sagebrush and timber mix the most productive approach. A buck spotted at first light and watched into his bed can often be stalked at midday, or picked up again in the evening for a return the next morning. Once velvet sheds in September, bucks keep similar habits but tend to bed earlier and stay put later, so a buck that seems to vanish is usually still nearby in a nearby draw or crevice. This is a general season, meaning residents can buy the tag over the counter and nonresidents can apply for it as their chosen tag in the draw, and only antlered deer are legal.
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 70 is valid only in its own hunt area.
| Season | Dates | Legal deer | Resident draw | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled hunt 70 · Archery Archery only | August 30 – September 30 | Antlered only | Very long odds | Summer Range / Bachelor Pattern, Velvet Shed / Early Fall Transition |
| Controlled hunt 70 · Muzzleloader | October 1 – October 9 | Antlered only | Good odds | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase |
| Controlled hunt 66A-1X · Any weapon Extra antlerless tag; White-tailed deer only, Very limited access; 77 and 78 | October 1 – November 30 | Antlerless only | Good odds | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase, Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging, Primary Rut, Late Rut / Winter Consolidation |
| Controlled hunt 70 · Any weapon | October 10 – October 31 | Antlered only | Very long odds | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase, Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging |
| Controlled hunt 70 · 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 |
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 70 · Archery · August 30 – September 30
Running the same dates as the general archery season, this controlled hunt covers the same bachelor-pattern and velvet-shed phases, so the deer behavior and tactics are identical — summer scouting and glassing matter more than anything else. Bucks feed into the morning and bed in shade through the heat of the day, making shady pockets and north-facing slopes worth glassing at first light so a bedded buck can be stalked at midday. Evening glassing often serves better to pattern a buck for the next morning than for an immediate stalk. Once velvet is shed the pattern holds, with bucks bedding earlier and staying down later, so persistence in checking small crevices and draws pays off. Only antlered deer are legal, and this archery-only controlled hunt draws very long odds for residents on the first choice.
Controlled hunt 70 · Muzzleloader · October 1 – October 9
By the time this muzzleloader hunt opens in October, bucks have entered the early fall migration phase and are growing steadily more nocturnal, though most haven't moved far from their summer range yet. That means still-hunting or glassing the same general country where bucks were located over the summer remains the best strategy, with less daylight movement to count on than earlier seasons. Only antlered deer are legal in this hunt, and it carries good odds for residents in the first-choice draw, making it one of the more attainable controlled opportunities in Unit 70.
Controlled hunt 66A-1X · Any weapon · October 1 – November 30
This long any-weapon season runs from the early fall migration phase through the pre-rut staging period, the primary rut, and into late rut and winter consolidation, giving it the widest phase coverage of any hunt in the unit. Snow becomes a factor by November, with modest accumulation and lows dropping into the mid-20s, which can push deer down out of higher ground. This is an antlerless-only hunt restricted to white-tailed deer, with very limited access on part of the unit, and it carries good odds for residents in the first-choice draw. Hunters filling this tag should focus on the accessible ground within the hunt's limited footprint and plan around the colder, snowier conditions that arrive as the season progresses into November.
Controlled hunt 70 · Any weapon · October 10 – October 31
Spanning the early fall migration phase into the pre-rut staging period, this October any-weapon hunt catches bucks at their most nocturnal, still holding close to summer range early on. Toward the back half of the season, deer may begin shifting toward rutting ground, so glassing the country between summer range and likely rut destinations can pay off as the month closes. Only antlered deer are legal, and this hunt carries very long odds for residents in the first-choice draw, so it is a hunt to enter with modest expectations of drawing.
Controlled hunt 70 · Any weapon · October 10 – November 30
This any-weapon hunt runs longest of all the controlled seasons, opening in the early fall migration phase and carrying through pre-rut staging, the primary rut, and into late rut and winter consolidation by the time it closes in November. Bucks start nocturnal and tied to summer range, then begin shifting toward rutting ground late in October, and by November they are actively rutting, which is when finding does becomes the key to finding bucks nearby. Weather moving in during November, with modest snowfall and lows near the mid-20s, can push deer out of high country onto ground that is easier to glass and reach, and fresh snow is a good time to cut fresh buck tracks. Only antlered deer are legal, and despite covering the rut this hunt carries very long odds for residents in the first-choice draw.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 4,400–8,700 ft, typically around 5,500 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 49% gentle · 38% moderate · 13% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~145 sq mi
- National forests
- Caribou 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
- Other cover42%
- Sagebrush37%
- Grass and meadow19%
- Riparian1%
Mid elevations
- Sagebrush56%
- Grass and meadow27%
- Other cover15%
- Conifer2%
Higher elevations
- Sagebrush55%
- Conifer25%
- Grass and meadow8%
- Aspen7%
- Other cover4%
Cover classes from the USGS National Land Cover Database. “Other cover” is the remainder — bare ground, water, agriculture and developed land.
Land & access
About 38% of Unit 70 is public land a hunter can generally count on — National Forest, BLM and Idaho state endowment land.
- National Forest25%
- BLM11%
- Idaho state endowment land2%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private62%
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 84°F, lows around 51°F
- September — highs around 73°F, lows around 43°F
- October — highs around 58°F, lows around 33°F, about 0.2 in of snowfall
- November — highs around 43°F, lows around 24°F, about 3.8 in of snowfall
- December — highs around 33°F, lows around 17°F, about 10.6 in of snowfall
Unit 70 deer hunting FAQ
Can a resident buy a deer tag for Unit 70 over the counter?
Yes, residents can buy the general Regular deer tag for the archery season over the counter with no draw or application required. Controlled hunts in Unit 70, however, require entering the random draw regardless of residency.
How do nonresidents get a general tag in Unit 70?
Nonresidents enter a random draw for the general season, and they apply for a specific tag — either the regular deer tag or the white-tailed deer tag — at the time of application. The tag is chosen when applying, not after the draw is completed.
How hard are the controlled hunts in Unit 70 to draw?
Odds vary a lot by hunt. The muzzleloader hunt and the antlerless white-tailed deer hunt both carry good odds for residents on the first choice, while the archery controlled hunt and both any-weapon controlled hunts carry very long odds.
Which seasons in Unit 70 fall during the rut?
The Controlled hunt 66A-1X antlerless season and the Controlled hunt 70 any-weapon season running October 10 through November 30 both extend into the primary rut phase in November. The archery seasons, the muzzleloader hunt, and the shorter October any-weapon hunt all fall before the rut begins.
How much of Unit 70 is public land a hunter can count on?
About 38 percent of the unit, roughly 145 sq mi, is generally open to public hunting through National Forest, BLM, and Idaho state endowment land. The remaining 62 percent is private and requires written permission to access.
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.