Unit 28 Elk Hunting, Idaho
Idaho hunting unit · Salmon Elk Zone · 1,309 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 28 is in the Salmon Elk Zone, whose A and B tags carry different seasons. Nonresident general tags are allocated by random draw. The zone's B tag is capped: a limited number, sold first-come, first-served.
What hunting Unit 28 is like
Unit 28 sits mostly inside the Salmon-Challis National Forest, with about 14% of the unit lying in the Frank Church - River of No Return Wilderness where no motorized travel is allowed. Terrain runs mixed, with substantial steep ground: gentle benches and rolling country account for a minority of the ground, while the bulk of the unit is moderate to steep, and mean slope sits near 22 degrees. This is foot-and-legs country for the most part, with the wilderness portion demanding stock or backpacking gear to reach effectively. Lower elevations open into sagebrush flats with pockets of conifer and grass, while mid and higher elevations turn increasingly to timber, with conifer dominating over sagebrush and small grass and meadow openings.
Roughly 96% of the unit is generally open to public hunting across National Forest, BLM, and Idaho state endowment land, making this one of the more dependable units for access, though state endowment parcels can be posted closed or leased and public land still means real elevation and distance on foot. Private land accounts for about 3.5% of the unit and requires written permission. Four fires have reshaped parts of the landscape: the Moose fire (2022) burned about 15% of the unit on the northeast side, the Red Rock fire (2024) burned about 9% through the middle of the unit, the Rabbit Foot fire (2018) burned about 3% on the south side, and the Mud Lick fire (2021) burned about 3% on the northwest side. The two more recent burns are now two to four years out and offer some of the better glassing and feed in the unit, while the two older burns have grown thick with brush and deadfall. Hunters should check for current fire closures before heading in.
General elk tags here are sold through the Salmon Elk Zone, which also covers Units 21, 21A, and 36B. The zone carries a B tag valid for any weapon and an A tag valid for archery only, each with its own season and legal animal, and a hunter picks one path rather than hunting both.
General-season elk (2026)
General elk tags are sold by zone. Unit 28 is in the Salmon Elk Zone (Units 21, 21A, 28 and 36B); 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 28. Residents buy the tag over the counter; nonresident general tags are allocated by random draw.
| Season | Dates | Legal elk | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| B tag · Any weapon Valid area: Units 21, 21A, 28 and 36B | October 15 – November 8 | Antlered only | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut, Post-Rut Recovery, Migration Transition |
| A tag · Archery Valid area: Unit 28 | December 1 – December 31 | Any elk | Winter Range |
B tag · Any weapon · October 15 – November 8
By the time the B tag any-weapon season opens, elk are moving out of the Late Rut / Early Post-Rut phase and into Post-Rut Recovery before shifting into the Migration Transition phase as the season closes in early November. This is a long window that rewards covering ground on foot through the mixed moderate-to-steep terrain, working the edges of the Moose fire and Red Rock fire burns where the timber has opened up and glassing is easier, especially in early morning and evening when elk move along the burn edges to feed. Only antlered elk are legal, and the tag is valid across Units 21, 21A, 28, and 36B, so hunters can work the country broadly within that footprint. Snowfall builds through the season, from light totals in October to notably heavier snow by November, which can push elk toward lower ground as the month progresses.
A tag · Archery · December 1 – December 31
The archery-only A tag season falls entirely within the Winter Range phase, with elk settled into their winter pattern by December. Any elk is legal, which sets this season apart from the fall B tag hunt, and it is valid only within Unit 28 itself. Heavy snowfall averaging over 16 inches for the month and lows near 14°F reshape the hunt, concentrating elk at lower elevations and making sagebrush-dominated ground and the fringes of timber worth checking, while steep and rugged terrain becomes harder and more dangerous to move through. Hunters willing to work on foot through snow and cold in the lower-elevation country stand the best chance of connecting during this month-long archery close.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 3,000–10,000 ft, typically around 6,900 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 14% gentle · 45% moderate · 38% steep · 2% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~1,263 sq mi
- National forests
- Salmon-Challis National Forest
- Designated wilderness
- Frank Church - River of No Return Wilderness (14%) — 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
- Sagebrush58%
- Conifer31%
- Grass and meadow8%
- Other cover3%
Mid elevations
- Conifer67%
- Sagebrush30%
- Grass and meadow3%
Higher elevations
- Conifer62%
- Sagebrush26%
- Grass and meadow12%
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 28. 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.
- Moose fire, 2022 — about 123,000 acres in the unit (15%), mostly on its northeast side.
- Red Rock fire, 2024 — about 71,000 acres in the unit (9%), toward the middle of the unit.
- Rabbit Foot fire, 2018 — about 27,000 acres in the unit (3%), mostly on its south side.
- Mud Lick fire, 2021 — about 21,000 acres in the unit (3%), mostly on its northwest side.
Fire perimeters from the National Interagency Fire Center.
Land & access
About 96% of Unit 28 is public land a hunter can generally count on — National Forest, BLM and Idaho state endowment land.
- National Forest88%
- BLM8%
- Idaho state endowment land<1%
- Private4%
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 75°F, lows around 48°F
- September — highs around 65°F, lows around 41°F
- October — highs around 50°F, lows around 31°F, about 1.4 in of snowfall
- November — highs around 36°F, lows around 21°F, about 8.4 in of snowfall
- December — highs around 28°F, lows around 14°F, about 16.4 in of snowfall
Unit 28 elk hunting FAQ
Can a resident buy an elk tag for Unit 28 over the counter?
Yes. Residents purchase general elk tags over the counter with no draw or application required. The choice is between the Salmon Elk Zone's A tag and B tag, each with its own season and legal animal in Unit 28.
How do nonresidents get a general elk tag for Unit 28?
Nonresident general elk tags are allocated through a random draw, and the applicant applies for a specific tag, either the Salmon Elk Zone's A tag or its B tag, at the time of application. The tag is chosen when applying, never after the draw is complete.
Which elk zone and tags cover Unit 28?
Unit 28 falls in the Salmon Elk Zone along with Units 21, 21A, and 36B. The zone offers an A tag and a B tag with different seasons and weapons, and the B tag is capped, meaning a limited number are sold first-come, first-served until they run out.
Do any of the Unit 28 elk seasons fall during the September rut?
No. Neither the B tag any-weapon season nor the A tag archery season overlaps the Primary Rut phase, which runs in September. The B tag season begins in mid-October during the Late Rut / Early Post-Rut phase, and the A tag season runs entirely in December during the Winter Range phase.
How much of Unit 28 is public land a hunter can count on?
About 96% of the unit, roughly 1,263 square miles, is generally open to public hunting across National Forest, BLM, and Idaho state endowment land. State endowment parcels can occasionally be posted closed or leased, so 'generally open' does not mean every acre is guaranteed at all times.
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.