Unit 23 Elk Hunting, Idaho
Idaho hunting unit · McCall Elk Zone · 745 sq mi
General season — resident tags over the counter
Residents buy general elk tags over the counter — no draw, no points. General elk is sold by zone: Unit 23 is in the McCall Elk Zone, whose A and B tags carry different seasons. Nonresident general tags are allocated by random draw. It also has 7 controlled hunts, drawn by pure random draw with no points — resident odds from good odds to very long odds.
What hunting Unit 23 is like
Unit 23 covers mixed country, with substantial steep ground, running from low river bottoms up near 1,700 feet to high ridgelines above 9,000 feet. Most of the unit is timbered at mid and higher elevations, with sagebrush and pockets of grass and meadow mixing in lower down and again up high, and a thin ribbon of riparian cover at both the lowest and highest bands. Small portions of the Nezperce National Forest and Payette National Forest fall within the unit, and a small sliver, about 2.5% of Unit 23, lies inside the Hells Canyon Wilderness, where motorized access is not allowed. This is largely foot-and-glass country, with enough steep and rugged ground mixed among the moderate slopes that hunters should plan on covering elevation on foot to find elk.
About 76% of the unit, roughly 563 square miles, is National Forest, BLM, or Idaho state endowment land generally open to public hunting, though endowment parcels can be posted closed or leased and are never a sure thing. The remaining 24% is private and requires written permission. On the northwest side of the unit, the Rattlesnake Creek fire burned about 8,200 acres, roughly 2% of Unit 23, in 2018; this fall that ground sits five to eight years post-fire, meaning heavy brush and downfall rather than open black timber. Hunters should always check for current fire closures before heading in.
Tags here run through the McCall Elk Zone, shared with Units 19A, 24 and 25. Residents buy general A or B zone tags over the counter, while nonresidents apply for a specific zone tag, A or B, in a random draw at the time of application. Beyond the general seasons, several controlled hunts in Unit 23 and its sub-units offer antlered or antlerless opportunity on a pure random draw, with no points banked from year to year.
General-season elk (2026)
General elk tags are sold by zone. Unit 23 is in the McCall Elk Zone (Units 19A, 23, 24 and 25); a hunter chooses its A tag or its B tag, and each carries its own seasons. The windows below are the ones valid in Unit 23. Residents buy the tag over the counter; nonresident general tags are allocated by random draw.
| Season | Dates | Legal elk | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| A tag · Short-range weapons Valid area: Units 23 and 24 outside NF boundary | August 15 – September 30 | Antlerless only | Late Summer / Velvet, Pre-Rut Transition, Rut Onset, Primary Rut |
| A tag · Archery Valid area: Units 19A, 23, 24 and 25 | August 30 – September 30 | Any elk | Pre-Rut Transition, Rut Onset, Primary Rut |
| A tag · Any weapon Valid area: Portion of McCall Zone; Spike bulls only | October 5 – October 14 | Spike bull only | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut |
| B tag · Any weapon Valid area: Portion of McCall Zone | October 15 – November 3 | Antlered only | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut, Post-Rut Recovery, Migration Transition |
| A tag · Short-range weapons Valid area: Units 23 and 24 | November 10 – November 30 | Antlerless only | Migration Transition |
A tag · Short-range weapons · August 15 – September 30
This early season runs through the tail end of summer and straight through the September rut phases, but it is an antlerless-only hunt, so the goal is simply finding cows and calves rather than reading bull behavior. In Unit 23 and 24 outside the National Forest boundary, that means working the lower-elevation country where conifer, sagebrush, and grass and meadow mix and elk have room to move between cover types. Riparian strips at low elevation are worth checking for animals holding near water and feed. Short-range weapons keep shots close, so still-hunting the timber edges or setting up along travel routes between cover and open feed makes sense for this tag.
A tag · Archery · August 30 – September 30
Archery season opens as bulls finish the Pre-Rut Transition and slide into Rut Onset and Primary Rut, and any elk is legal across Units 19A, 23, 24, and 25. Early on, bulls are shedding velvet and still hanging near where they summered, so sitting water sources or glassing open sagebrush and grass pockets for a spot-and-stalk works well before the rut fully kicks in. As the month progresses into peak rut, hunters can expect elk activity to concentrate around whatever cover and terrain features hold cows. The mix of conifer timber and sagebrush at mid and lower elevations gives archers plenty of edge habitat to work quietly.
A tag · Any weapon · October 5 – October 14
This short any-weapon window falls in the Late Rut / Early Post-Rut phase and is restricted to spike bulls only, valid on a portion of the McCall Zone. With the rut winding down, elk activity is settling and bulls are less vocal, so hunters need to cover ground and glass timber edges and openings to locate young bulls rather than relying on rut behavior. The mixed terrain, with a meaningful share of steep and rugged ground, rewards hunters willing to work the moderate slopes where spikes are more likely to be found away from heavier competition.
B tag · Any weapon · October 15 – November 3
The B tag any-weapon season opens as the rut is wrapping up and carries through Post-Rut Recovery into the start of Migration Transition, with antlered bulls the only legal animal on a portion of the McCall Zone. As elk settle from the rut and eventually begin shifting toward migration routes, hunters should expect activity to change through the season rather than staying static. November brings real weather, with snowfall averaging around 5.3 inches and lows near 25°F, which can help push elk out of high timber and into more predictable patterns. Covering the moderate-to-steep mixed terrain and watching for movement between elevation bands pays off as the season progresses.
A tag · Short-range weapons · November 10 – November 30
Running through late November, this antlerless-only short-range weapons season lands squarely in the Migration Transition phase, valid in Units 23 and 24. Snowfall averaging near 5.3 inches and lows around 25°F during this window can start moving animals between elevation bands, so hunters filling a cow or calf tag should focus on the terrain elk use while shifting toward lower ground. Working the edges between conifer timber and open sagebrush or grass at the lower and mid elevations gives a short-range hunter workable shot opportunities as animals travel.
Controlled elk 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 23 is valid only in its own hunt area.
| Season | Dates | Legal elk | Resident draw | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled hunt 23 · Any weapon | October 1 – October 14 | Antlered only | Very long odds | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut |
| Controlled hunt 23-1 · Any weapon Covers only part of this unit | October 1 – October 14 | Antlerless only | Fair odds | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut |
| Controlled hunt 23-2 · Any weapon Covers only part of this unit; Very limited access | October 5 – November 5 | Antlerless only | Good odds | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut, Post-Rut Recovery, Migration Transition |
| Controlled hunt 23-1 · Any weapon Covers only part of this unit | October 15 – November 8 | Antlerless only | Fair odds | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut, Post-Rut Recovery, Migration Transition |
| Controlled hunt 23-3 · Any weapon Covers only part of this unit; Very limited access | October 15 – November 8 | Antlerless only | Good odds | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut, Post-Rut Recovery, Migration Transition |
| Controlled hunt 23-2 · Any weapon Covers only part of this unit; Very limited access | December 1 – December 31 | Antlerless only | Long odds | Winter Range |
| Controlled hunt 23-3 · Any weapon Covers only part of this unit; Very limited access | December 1 – December 31 | Antlerless only | Long odds | Winter Range |
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 23 · Any weapon · October 1 – October 14
Controlled hunt 23 offers an any-weapon, antlered-only opportunity during the Late Rut / Early Post-Rut phase, and it draws very long odds for residents in the first-choice draw. With the rut fading, hunters need to rely on covering the unit's mixed terrain and glassing rather than counting on rut behavior to bring bulls in. The unit's mean slope and meaningful share of steep and rugged ground mean hunters willing to push into harder terrain may find less competition.
Controlled hunt 23-1 · Any weapon · October 1 – October 14
Controlled hunt 23-1's early window falls in the Late Rut / Early Post-Rut phase and is antlerless-only, covering only part of Unit 23, with fair odds for residents in the first-choice draw. Hunters filling this tag should focus on locating cow and calf groups in the terrain and cover available within the specific hunt area rather than the whole unit. Working the mix of timber and open sagebrush or grass typical of the unit's lower and mid elevations gives the best chance of finding animals still settling from the rut.
Controlled hunt 23-2 · Any weapon · October 5 – November 5
This long controlled hunt, 23-2, spans Late Rut / Early Post-Rut through Post-Rut Recovery and well into Migration Transition, antlerless-only, covering only part of the unit and noted for very limited access; residents draw good odds in the first-choice draw. The extended season length gives hunters time to work the elk's shift from post-rut settling into migration as November's snowfall, averaging about 5.3 inches, and lows near 25°F begin to move animals. Because access is very limited, hunters should plan carefully for how they will reach and hunt the specific area covered by this hunt.
Controlled hunt 23-1 · Any weapon · October 15 – November 8
Covering only part of Unit 23, this Controlled hunt 23-1 window runs from Late Rut / Early Post-Rut through Post-Rut Recovery and into Migration Transition, antlerless-only, with fair odds for residents in the first-choice draw. November weather, with snowfall around 5.3 inches and lows near 25°F, can nudge elk toward lower ground as the season progresses. Hunters filling this tag should focus on the terrain and cover within the specific hunt area, watching travel routes between elevation bands as migration begins.
Controlled hunt 23-3 · Any weapon · October 15 – November 8
Controlled hunt 23-3 runs the same October 15 to November 8 window, antlerless-only, covering only part of the unit with very limited access, and residents draw good odds in the first-choice draw. Spanning Late Rut / Early Post-Rut through Post-Rut Recovery and into Migration Transition, this hunt gives time to work elk as they settle post-rut and begin shifting with the season. Snowfall near 5.3 inches and lows around 25°F in November can help concentrate animals, but the very limited access means hunters need a solid plan for reaching the specific area this hunt covers.
Controlled hunt 23-2 · Any weapon · December 1 – December 31
Controlled hunt 23-2's December window falls entirely in the Winter Range phase, antlerless-only, covering only part of the unit with very limited access, and residents face long odds in the first-choice draw. December brings heavier snowfall, averaging about 13.9 inches, with lows near 19°F, conditions that push elk down onto winter range and concentrate them in lower-elevation cover. Hunters filling this tag should focus on the low-elevation habitat within the specific hunt area where elk are wintering, keeping in mind the very limited access into that ground.
Controlled hunt 23-3 · Any weapon · December 1 – December 31
Running the same December dates, Controlled hunt 23-3 also falls in the Winter Range phase, antlerless-only, covering only part of the unit with very limited access, and residents draw long odds in the first-choice draw. With snowfall averaging near 13.9 inches and lows around 19°F, elk are settled on winter range at lower elevations, making location more predictable even as access into the specific hunt area remains very limited. Hunters should concentrate on the low-elevation cover types where wintering elk are most likely to hold.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 1,700–9,400 ft, typically around 5,700 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 24% gentle · 46% moderate · 26% steep · 4% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~563 sq mi
- National forests
- Nezperce National Forest and Payette National Forest
- Designated wilderness
- Hells Canyon Wilderness (2%) — closed to motorized vehicles
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
- Conifer59%
- Sagebrush21%
- Grass and meadow12%
- Other cover6%
- Riparian1%
Mid elevations
- Conifer76%
- Sagebrush19%
- Grass and meadow4%
Higher elevations
- Conifer48%
- Sagebrush41%
- Grass and meadow8%
- Riparian1%
- Other cover1%
Cover classes from the USGS National Land Cover Database. “Other cover” is the remainder — bare ground, water, agriculture and developed land.
Recent fires
Wildfires in the last several seasons that burned a meaningful share of Unit 23. Fire perimeters show where a fire burned, not how hot — and closures change through the year, so check current fire closures and restrictions before you go.
- Rattlesnake Creek fire, 2018 — about 8,200 acres in the unit (2%), mostly on its northwest side.
Fire perimeters from the National Interagency Fire Center.
Land & access
About 76% of Unit 23 is public land a hunter can generally count on — National Forest, BLM and Idaho state endowment land.
- National Forest66%
- BLM6%
- Idaho state endowment land3%
- Private24%
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 79°F, lows around 49°F
- September — highs around 69°F, lows around 43°F
- October — highs around 54°F, lows around 34°F, about 0.3 in of snowfall
- November — highs around 41°F, lows around 25°F, about 5.3 in of snowfall
- December — highs around 34°F, lows around 19°F, about 13.9 in of snowfall
Unit 23 elk hunting FAQ
Can a resident buy an elk tag for Unit 23 over the counter?
Yes. Residents purchase a general McCall Elk Zone A or B tag over the counter with no draw or application required. The choice between the A tag and B tag depends on which season and weapon a hunter wants, since each has different dates and legal animals in Unit 23.
How do nonresidents get a general elk tag for Unit 23?
Nonresidents cannot simply buy a general tag; they enter a random draw and must apply for a specific tag, either the McCall Zone A tag or B tag, at the time of application. The tag is chosen when applying, not after the draw, so a nonresident should decide in advance which season and weapon fits their plans.
How hard are the controlled hunts in Unit 23 to draw?
Odds vary a lot by hunt. Controlled hunt 23's antlered any-weapon tag carries very long odds for residents, some antlerless hunts like 23-1 sit at fair odds, others like 23-2 and 23-3 in their earlier windows sit at good odds, and the December antlerless hunts run long odds. All are pure random draws with no points carried between years.
Which elk zone covers Unit 23?
Unit 23 is part of the McCall Elk Zone, along with Units 19A, 24, and 25. General elk tags in this area are sold by zone rather than by individual unit, and the zone's A and B tags each carry their own season dates and legal animal restrictions that apply specifically within Unit 23.
Which Unit 23 seasons fall during the rut?
The A tag archery season and the A tag short-range weapons season each span parts of September and overlap the Rut Onset and Primary Rut phases. Every other general and controlled season in Unit 23 falls outside those rut phases, in the Late Rut/Early Post-Rut phase or later.
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.