Unit 73 Deer Hunting, Idaho
Idaho hunting unit · 1,238 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 good odds to very long odds.
What hunting Unit 73 is like
Unit 73 is rolling country, with some steeper breaks, running from around 4,400 feet up to 9,300 feet, with most of the hunting happening near the 5,400-foot mark. Sagebrush dominates both the mid and higher elevations, joined higher up by pockets of conifer, aspen and grass and meadow. Much of the ground is walkable, foot-hunting terrain rather than technical mountain country, and the Caribou National Forest anchors a good share of the public hunting within the unit's boundaries.
Only about 36 percent of Unit 73, roughly 444 square miles, is generally open to public hunting across National Forest, BLM, state endowment land and a state Wildlife Management Area — and even that comes with caveats, since endowment parcels can be posted closed or leased. The remaining 64 percent is private and requires written permission. That split means a hunter has to plan around ownership lines as much as around deer sign, and public pockets can see more pressure than their size suggests.
Unit 73 carries a mix of tag types and access rules. Residents buy the general archery deer tag over the counter, while nonresidents apply for either the regular deer tag or the white-tailed deer tag through a random draw, choosing which one they want at the time of application rather than after the draw. Beyond the general archery season, several controlled hunts layer on top of it, some carrying a specific animal restriction, so matching a season to the right tag matters before drawing conclusions about how huntable the unit is.
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 Motorized Hunting Rule Applies | 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 pattern and closes just as they finish shedding velvet, so the approach barely changes across the month. Early on, bucks feed into the morning on forbs and browse before bedding in shade for most of the day, which makes shady pockets and north-facing slopes worth glassing hard at first light. A stalk on a bedded buck often works best in the middle of the day, while the evening glass is usually more about pinpointing him for a return trip the next morning than forcing an evening stalk. Once velvet sheds, the same routine holds but bucks tend to bed earlier and stay put later, so a buck that seems to vanish is usually just tucked into a nearby draw or crevice. Only antlered deer are legal, and the motorized hunting rule applies while hunting this season.
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 73 is valid only in its own hunt area.
| Season | Dates | Legal deer | Resident draw | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled hunt 66A-1X · Any weapon Extra antlerless tag; White-tailed deer only, Very limited access; Motorized Hunting Rule Applies in Units 66A, 73, 75, 76; 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 73 · Any weapon 1st choice only Unlimited Controlled Hunt; Motorized Hunting Rule Applies | October 10 – October 24 | Antlered only | Good odds | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase |
| Controlled hunt 73 · Any weapon Motorized Hunting Rule Applies | October 10 – October 31 | Antlered only | Long odds | Early Fall Migration / Nocturnal Buck Phase, Early Pre-Rut / Migration Corridor Staging |
| Controlled hunt 73 · Any weapon Motorized Hunting Rule Applies | 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 66A-1X · Any weapon · October 1 – November 30
This controlled hunt is antlerless-only and runs long, spanning the period when deer are migrating toward rut country, staging along corridors, moving through the primary rut, and finally settling into late-rut winter patterns. It is a white-tailed deer tag with very limited access, so success depends on covering ground carefully across sagebrush flats and any timber or grass pockets that hold deer as the season progresses into colder weather. By November, snowfall around 2.7 inches and lows near 25°F can start concentrating deer onto more accessible ground, which is worth factoring into where to focus effort late in the season. Filling the tag means focusing entirely on locating antlerless white-tailed deer, since no other class of deer is legal under this tag, and the extra-tag nature of this hunt gives resident applicants good odds in the draw. The motorized hunting rule applies here across Unit 73 and the neighboring units listed for this hunt.
Controlled hunt 73 · Any weapon · October 10 – October 24
This is the earliest of the any-weapon controlled hunts, running just as bucks are sliding into their nocturnal fall pattern. Most bucks are still hanging in the same country they used through summer, so the smart play is to hunt the same areas and habits described for archery season rather than expecting a rut-driven shift. Because bucks are moving less in daylight, mornings and evenings near known summer haunts are worth the most glassing time. Only antlered deer are legal, this is a first-choice-only unlimited controlled hunt, resident draw odds run good, and the motorized hunting rule applies.
Controlled hunt 73 · Any weapon · October 10 – October 31
Stretching a week longer than the shortest October hunt, this season starts with bucks going nocturnal in their summer range and ends just as the first push toward rutting ground begins. Early on, the pattern mirrors the shorter hunt — work the same country bucks have used all summer, since they haven't moved far yet. Toward the back half of the season, some bucks start migrating toward their eventual rut ground, so glassing the terrain between summer range and likely rutting country can catch deer in transit. Only antlered deer are legal, and resident draw odds sit at long for this hunt, with the motorized hunting rule in effect.
Controlled hunt 73 · Any weapon · October 10 – November 30
Running all the way from early October migration into the close of the primary and late rut, this is the longest of the any-weapon hunts and covers the widest range of buck behavior. Bucks start nocturnal and tied to summer range, then begin drifting toward rutting ground late in October, and by November they're fully into the rut and moving with does. Weather becomes a real factor late in the season — November brings around 2.7 inches of snowfall and lows near 25°F, which can push deer down out of the high country onto ground that's easier to glass and reach; fresh snow is also a good time to cut fresh buck tracks. The best strategy in November is to find concentrations of does, since bucks are typically nearby or moving between them. Only antlered deer are legal, resident draw odds are very long for this hunt, and the motorized hunting rule applies throughout.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 4,400–9,300 ft, typically around 5,400 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 56% gentle · 33% moderate · 11% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~444 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 cover69%
- Sagebrush22%
- Grass and meadow7%
- Riparian2%
Mid elevations
- Sagebrush72%
- Other cover22%
- Grass and meadow7%
Higher elevations
- Sagebrush74%
- Conifer17%
- Aspen5%
- Grass and meadow4%
Cover classes from the USGS National Land Cover Database. “Other cover” is the remainder — bare ground, water, agriculture and developed land.
Land & access
About 36% of Unit 73 is public land a hunter can generally count on — National Forest, BLM, Idaho state endowment land and State Wildlife Management Area.
- National Forest17%
- BLM17%
- Idaho state endowment land2%
- State Wildlife Management Area<1%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private64%
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 52°F
- September — highs around 75°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 25°F, about 2.7 in of snowfall
- December — highs around 34°F, lows around 18°F, about 9.2 in of snowfall
Unit 73 deer hunting FAQ
Can a resident buy a deer tag for Unit 73 over the counter?
Yes, residents can buy the general regular deer tag over the counter for the archery season without applying or waiting on a draw. Controlled hunts in Unit 73 are separate and still require entering the random draw even for residents.
How do nonresidents get a general tag in Unit 73?
Nonresidents enter a random draw and must choose the specific tag they want — either the regular deer tag or the white-tailed deer tag — at the time they apply. The tag is never selected after the draw results come out.
How hard are the controlled hunts in Unit 73 to draw?
Odds vary by hunt: the October 10–24 any-weapon hunt runs good odds for residents, the October 10–31 hunt runs long odds, and the October 10–November 30 hunt runs very long odds. The antlerless-only 66A-1X hunt, an extra tag, runs good odds for residents.
Which seasons in Unit 73 fall during the rut?
The controlled hunt 66A-1X antlerless season and the longest any-weapon controlled hunt, which runs October 10 through November 30, both extend into the primary rut. The archery season and the two shorter any-weapon controlled hunts fall outside the rut entirely.
How much of Unit 73 can a hunter count on for public access?
About 36 percent of the unit, roughly 444 square miles, is generally open to public hunting across National Forest, BLM, state endowment land and a state Wildlife Management Area. The remaining 64 percent is private and requires written permission, so access takes some planning even where public ground exists on paper.
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.