Unit 62A Elk Hunting, Idaho
Idaho hunting unit · Island Park Elk Zone · 243 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 62A is in the Island Park Elk Zone, whose A and B tags carry different seasons. Nonresident general tags are allocated by random draw. It also has 8 controlled hunts, drawn by pure random draw with no points — resident odds from good odds to very long odds.
What hunting Unit 62A is like
Unit 62A is gentle and rolling country, more foot country than mountain country, with a mean slope of just over seven degrees and almost none of it classed as rugged. Elevations run from about 5,200 feet up to nearly 7,900 feet, and the timber thickens with elevation: lower ground mixes conifer with a good share of sagebrush, riparian strips and some grass and meadow, while the higher band is dominated by conifer with sagebrush and aspen filling in the rest. Targhee National Forest anchors much of the public ground, and the easy grades mean a hunter can cover a lot of country on foot without technical terrain slowing things down.
About 90 percent of Unit 62A, roughly 218 of its 243 square miles, is generally open to public hunting across National Forest, BLM and Idaho state endowment land, though endowment parcels can be posted closed or leased and should be checked rather than assumed open. The remaining ground, a little under 10 percent, is private and requires written permission. That leaves a dependable base of public land to plan around, even if it isn't a guarantee of solitude or of elk on any given day.
Unit 62A sits in the Island Park Elk Zone alongside Units 60, 60A and 61. Residents buy the zone's general tag over the counter with no application; nonresidents enter a random draw in which they apply for a specific tag choice, either the zone's A tag or its B tag, chosen at the time of applying rather than after the draw. Beyond the general archery season, a run of controlled hunts split across hunt areas 60 and 62 fill October and November, mixing antlered, antlerless and either-sex opportunity with draw odds that range from good to very long depending on the hunt.
General-season elk (2026)
General elk tags are sold by zone. Unit 62A is in the Island Park Elk Zone (Units 60, 60A, 61, 62 and 62A); 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 62A. Residents buy the tag over the counter; nonresident general tags are allocated by random draw.
| Season | Dates | Legal elk | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| A tag · Archery Valid area: Island Park Zone | August 30 – September 30 | Any elk | Pre-Rut Transition, Rut Onset, Primary Rut |
A tag · Archery · August 30 – September 30
Archery season opens right as bulls are finishing the pre-rut transition and pushing into rut onset and the primary rut by month's end, which makes for some of the most vocal, predictable bull behavior of the fall. Early on, bulls are still shedding velvet and holding close to summer haunts, so sitting water sources or glassing open sagebrush flats at the lower and mid elevations for a spot-and-stalk works well before elk shift into full rut mode. The gentle terrain across Unit 62A makes still-hunting through conifer stands and along riparian edges manageable on foot. This is an any-elk tag under the Island Park Zone's A tag, open to any legal archery equipment.
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 62A is valid only in its own hunt area.
| Season | Dates | Legal elk | Resident draw | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled hunt 60-1 · Any weapon | October 1 – October 14 | Antlered only | Very long odds | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut |
| Controlled hunt 60-1 · Any weapon | October 10 – October 24 | Antlerless only | Good odds | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut, Post-Rut Recovery |
| Controlled hunt 62-1 · Any weapon | October 15 – November 14 | Antlerless only | Good odds | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut, Post-Rut Recovery, Migration Transition |
| Controlled hunt 60-1 · Any weapon | October 25 – November 14 | Antlerless only | Good odds | Post-Rut Recovery, Migration Transition |
| Controlled hunt 62-1 · Any weapon | November 1 – November 14 | Antlered or antlerless | Long odds | Migration Transition |
| Controlled hunt 60-2 · Any weapon | November 1 – November 15 | Antlered or antlerless | Long odds | Migration Transition |
| Controlled hunt 60-2 · Any weapon | November 15 – November 30 | Antlerless only | Fair odds | Migration Transition |
| Controlled hunt 60-2 · Any weapon | November 16 – November 30 | Antlered or antlerless | Very long odds | Migration Transition |
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 60-1 · Any weapon · October 1 – October 14
This short, any-weapon hunt falls in the late rut and early post-rut window, when bull activity is winding down from the peak of September. Only antlered elk are legal, so hunters should focus effort on timber edges and mid-elevation conifer where bulls linger after the rut. Early October snow is generally light and overnight lows are only starting to drop into the high twenties, so weather is rarely a major factor yet. With very long odds in the resident draw, this hunt sees limited pressure relative to the ground available.
Controlled hunt 60-1 · Any weapon · October 10 – October 24
This antlerless hunt spans the tail end of the late rut into post-rut recovery, a stretch when animals are settling out of the rigors of the rut. Hunters carrying a cow or calf tag should work the lower and mid-elevation conifer and sagebrush mix, where open ground and timber edges make for good glassing and stalking on the unit's gentle slopes. Early season snow is light and lows are only starting to dip toward freezing, so access across the mostly gentle terrain stays straightforward. Good odds in the resident draw put this among the more attainable controlled hunts here.
Controlled hunt 62-1 · Any weapon · October 15 – November 14
Covering a full month from mid-October into mid-November, this antlerless hunt runs through post-rut recovery and well into the migration transition, as elk begin shifting off higher ground. Hunters should concentrate on lower and mid-elevation conifer, sagebrush and riparian cover where elk tend to settle as they move down in elevation, especially as November snow accumulates and lows drop into the high teens. The long season length and gentle terrain give plenty of room to adjust location as conditions and elk movement change. Good odds in the resident draw make this one of the more accessible antlerless opportunities in the unit.
Controlled hunt 60-1 · Any weapon · October 25 – November 14
This antlerless hunt opens in post-rut recovery and runs into the migration transition, as elk continue shifting toward lower ground with the onset of heavier November snow and lows near the high teens. Hunters should work the lower-elevation conifer, sagebrush and riparian bands where elk concentrate as higher country becomes less hospitable. The unit's gentle, rolling terrain keeps foot access open even as snow builds. Good odds in the resident draw make this a solid antlerless option later in the fall.
Controlled hunt 62-1 · Any weapon · November 1 – November 14
Running the first half of November, this hunt falls entirely within the migration transition, when elk are shifting away from higher timber toward lower elevations ahead of winter. Either-sex legality means hunters can watch for bulls and cows alike moving through conifer and sagebrush corridors at the lower and mid elevations as snow accumulates and lows fall into the high teens. The gentle terrain keeps travel manageable even as conditions turn colder. Long odds in the resident draw make this a tougher draw than the antlerless-only hunts running the same weeks.
Controlled hunt 60-2 · Any weapon · November 1 – November 15
This hunt also falls in the migration transition, giving either-sex hunters two weeks in November to intercept elk shifting down from higher conifer country as snow builds and lows drop into the high teens. Working travel routes between mid and lower elevation cover, where conifer gives way to more open sagebrush, is the practical approach on this unit's easy terrain. Because both bulls and cows are legal, hunters can stay flexible on what they take. Long odds in the resident draw mean tags are limited relative to demand.
Controlled hunt 60-2 · Any weapon · November 15 – November 30
Covering the back half of November, this antlerless hunt sits squarely in the migration transition as elk continue moving down out of higher timber with the season's heavier snow and lows near the high teens. Hunters should focus on lower-elevation conifer, sagebrush and riparian cover, where animals tend to settle as winter conditions build. The unit's gentle slopes keep foot travel practical even with accumulating snow. Fair odds in the resident draw put this hunt within reach for a decent share of applicants.
Controlled hunt 60-2 · Any weapon · November 16 – November 30
Closing out the season in the last two weeks of November, this either-sex hunt runs through the migration transition as elk continue settling into lower-elevation cover ahead of winter, with snow building and lows near the high teens. Hunters can work the same lower and mid-elevation conifer and sagebrush travel corridors used earlier in the migration, watching for elk pushed down by accumulating snow. The unit's gentle terrain remains passable on foot through this stretch. Very long odds in the resident draw make this the hardest of the late-season hunts to draw.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,200–7,900 ft, typically around 6,300 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 76% gentle · 20% moderate · 4% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~218 sq mi
- National forests
- Targhee 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
- Conifer50%
- Sagebrush22%
- Other cover20%
- Riparian4%
- Aspen3%
- Grass and meadow1%
Mid elevations
- Conifer68%
- Sagebrush26%
- Riparian3%
- Aspen2%
- Other cover2%
Higher elevations
- Conifer90%
- Sagebrush6%
- Aspen2%
- Other cover2%
Cover classes from the USGS National Land Cover Database. “Other cover” is the remainder — bare ground, water, agriculture and developed land.
Land & access
About 90% of Unit 62A is public land a hunter can generally count on — National Forest, Idaho state endowment land and BLM.
- National Forest86%
- Idaho state endowment land3%
- BLM<1%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private10%
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 45°F
- September — highs around 69°F, lows around 37°F
- October — highs around 54°F, lows around 28°F, about 1 in of snowfall
- November — highs around 39°F, lows around 18°F, about 9.8 in of snowfall
- December — highs around 28°F, lows around 10°F, about 22.8 in of snowfall
Unit 62A elk hunting FAQ
Can a resident buy an elk tag for Unit 62A over the counter?
Yes. Residents purchase the Island Park Elk Zone's general A tag over the counter with no application or draw required, and Unit 62A falls within that zone. The tag covers the archery season running August 30 through September 30.
How do nonresidents get a general elk tag for this unit?
Nonresidents cannot simply buy a general tag; they enter a random draw for the Island Park Elk Zone. When applying, they choose a specific tag, either the zone's A tag or its B tag, and that choice is locked in at the time of application rather than decided after the draw.
How hard are the controlled hunts in Unit 62A to draw?
Odds vary widely by hunt. Several antlerless hunts in hunt areas 60 and 62 carry good or fair resident draw odds, while the either-sex and antlered-only hunts run from long to very long odds, so a hunter's chances depend heavily on which specific hunt and dates they choose.
Which elk zone and tags cover Unit 62A?
Unit 62A lies within the Island Park Elk Zone, which also includes Units 60, 60A and 61. General tags are sold by zone rather than by unit, with an A tag and a B tag carrying different seasons and weapons for a hunter to choose between.
How much of Unit 62A is public land a hunter can count on?
About 90 percent of the unit, roughly 218 of its 243 square miles, is generally open to public hunting across National Forest, BLM and Idaho state endowment land. The remaining share 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.