Unit 66 Elk Hunting, Idaho
Idaho hunting unit · Tex Creek Elk Zone · 350 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 66 is in the Tex Creek Elk Zone, whose A and B tags carry different seasons. 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 long odds.
What hunting Unit 66 is like
Unit 66 sits across the Caribou National Forest and Targhee National Forest, and the country is mixed, with substantial steep ground — a mean slope of about 18 degrees that ranges from gentle benches to sharp pitches. Lower elevations run heavy to sagebrush and conifer with a little riparian and aspen mixed in, mid elevations split fairly evenly between sagebrush and conifer, and the higher country closes in to mostly timber. Elevations run from about 5,200 feet at the low end up to 9,500 feet, which gives a hunter room to work either open sage slopes or tighter timber depending on how elk are using the country that week. Most of it is foot-and-glass country; a hunter willing to climb and cover ground will see more of it than one who stays on the road.
About 91 percent of the unit, roughly 320 square miles, is generally open to public hunting across National Forest, state endowment, and BLM ground — the only figure a hunter can really count on, though state parcels can be posted closed or leased and shouldn't be assumed open without checking. Private land makes up a small slice, under 6 percent, and needs written permission, while a sliver of ownership is unclassified and shouldn't be treated as either public or private. The Commissary fire burned about 6,900 acres on the unit's west side, and this fall that ground sits in the two-to-four-year window after a burn, when the open sightlines and new feed can make it some of the better hunting in the unit; anyone headed there should check for current fire closures before heading out.
General elk tags here are sold through the Tex Creek Elk Zone, shared with Unit 69, with an A tag and a B tag running different seasons and weapons that a hunter picks between. Residents buy either over the counter with no draw; nonresidents apply for a specific zone tag — A or B — through a random draw, choosing which one when they apply rather than after. Layered on top are four controlled hunts in Units 66-1 and 66-2, each a separate random draw with a limited number of tags and its own odds band.
General-season elk (2026)
General elk tags are sold by zone. Unit 66 is in the Tex Creek Elk Zone (Units 66 and 69); 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 66. Residents buy the tag over the counter; nonresident general tags are allocated by random draw.
| Season | Dates | Legal elk | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| B tag · Archery Valid area: Units 66 and 69 | August 30 – September 14 | Antlerless or spike bull | Pre-Rut Transition, Rut Onset, Primary Rut |
| A tag · Archery Valid area: Units 66 and 69 | August 30 – September 30 | Any elk | Pre-Rut Transition, Rut Onset, Primary Rut |
| B tag · Any weapon Valid area: Units 66 and 69 | October 15 – October 21 | Antlered only | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut, Post-Rut Recovery |
| A tag · Any weapon Valid area: Units 66 and 69 | October 22 – October 31 | Antlerless only | Post-Rut Recovery |
B tag · Archery · August 30 – September 14
This early archery window opens right as bulls are shedding velvet and still hanging near summer ground, covering the Pre-Rut Transition into the Rut Onset and Primary Rut phases as the season runs into mid-September. The B tag here is limited to antlerless elk or a spike bull, so a hunter drawing on a mature bull needs to look elsewhere, but sitting water sources or glassing the sage-and-timber mix at lower and mid elevations for a spot-and-stalk works well on the animals that do qualify. Foot access through the National Forest ground gives room to still-hunt timber edges where bulls are holding tight to cover.
A tag · Archery · August 30 – September 30
Running the length of August into the end of September, this A tag archery season covers the same velvet-shedding period through the Pre-Rut Transition and into the heart of the Rut Onset and Primary Rut phases, making it the widest window to catch elk on any part of that rut progression. Any elk is legal, so a hunter can work early-season water sites and glass sage benches for bulls still close to summer range, then shift tactics as rut activity builds through September. The mix of open sagebrush at lower elevations and heavier timber higher up gives options for both spot-and-stalk and calling as the month progresses.
B tag · Any weapon · October 15 – October 21
By mid-to-late October the rut has wound down and elk are settling into the Late Rut and Post-Rut Recovery phases, with antlered bulls the only legal target on this B tag. Snowfall is light this time of year but lows near freezing start pushing elk out of the most exposed sage and into timber cover, so working the edges between conifer and sagebrush at mid and higher elevations pays off. It's a short week-long window, so covering ground efficiently in the steeper, timbered portions of the unit matters more than it did in the archery seasons.
A tag · Any weapon · October 22 – October 31
This late-October A tag is antlerless only, and by this point elk are fully into Post-Rut Recovery with cooling temperatures and light snowfall starting to firm up. Focus on the cover types available at whatever elevation is being hunted — sagebrush and conifer lower down, timber-dominated ground higher up — and expect animals to be using both open and forested pockets as the month's weather sets in. The terrain's steeper sections demand more effort to reach, but the open Forest Service ground gives room to work through them methodically.
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 66 is valid only in its own hunt area.
| Season | Dates | Legal elk | Resident draw | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled hunt 66-1 · Muzzleloader Motorized Hunting Rule Applies | October 1 – October 14 | Antlered or antlerless | Fair odds | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut |
| Controlled hunt 66-2 · Any weapon Motorized Hunting Rule Applies | November 1 – November 15 | Antlerless only | Good odds | Migration Transition |
| Controlled hunt 66-2 · Any weapon Youth only; Motorized Hunting Rule Applies | November 1 – November 30 | Antlerless only | Youth only | Migration Transition |
| Controlled hunt 66-1 · Any weapon | November 15 – November 30 | Antlered only | Long odds | Migration Transition |
| Controlled hunt 66-2 · Any weapon | November 16 – November 30 | Antlerless only | Good 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 66-1 · Muzzleloader · October 1 – October 14
Muzzleloader hunters drawn for 66-1 hunt into the Late Rut and Early Post-Rut phase during the first two weeks of October, when bulls are settling down from the rut but haven't yet pushed into deep winter patterns. Either an antlered or antlerless animal is legal, which opens up more of the unit's cover types to work, from sagebrush flats to timber stands, though the Motorized Hunting Rule applies and limits vehicle access in the hunt area. Resident draw odds run Fair, and the light snowfall typical of the month shouldn't yet be pushing elk hard out of the higher country.
Controlled hunt 66-2 · Any weapon · November 1 – November 15
This antlerless-only November hunt in 66-2 falls in the Migration Transition phase, when elk are shifting off summer and fall range as heavier snow starts to accumulate — November brings notably more snowfall than October, with lows dropping into the 20s. That weather shift is worth planning around: elk moving through this period may be found working between the timber and sagebrush cover across elevation bands as conditions push them toward lower ground. The Motorized Hunting Rule applies in the hunt area, and resident draw odds run Good.
Controlled hunt 66-1 · Any weapon · November 15 – November 30
Running the second half of November, this antlered-only 66-1 hunt lands squarely in the Migration Transition phase, with elk on the move as snow accumulates and cold deepens. Bulls at this point may be shifting between timber and sagebrush cover across elevation bands as they respond to the weather, and the steeper, more rugged pockets of the unit can hold animals that have pushed off more open ground. Draw odds for residents run Long, and there's no motorized restriction noted for this particular hunt.
Controlled hunt 66-2 · Any weapon · November 16 – November 30
This late-November antlerless-only hunt in 66-2 also falls in the Migration Transition phase, with elk shifting off higher range as November's heavier snow and colder lows set in. Antlerless hunters should focus on the cover elk are likely using as they move — timber and sagebrush across the elevation bands — rather than any bull-specific sign. Resident draw odds run Good for this hunt.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,200–9,500 ft, typically around 6,600 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 24% gentle · 47% moderate · 28% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~320 sq mi
- National forests
- Caribou National Forest and 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
- Sagebrush43%
- Conifer40%
- Other cover13%
- Riparian3%
- Aspen2%
Mid elevations
- Sagebrush46%
- Conifer45%
- Aspen4%
- Riparian3%
- Other cover1%
Higher elevations
- Conifer59%
- Sagebrush36%
- Aspen3%
- Grass and meadow2%
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 66. 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.
- Commissary fire, 2024 — about 6,900 acres in the unit (3%), mostly on its west side.
Fire perimeters from the National Interagency Fire Center.
Land & access
About 91% of Unit 66 is public land a hunter can generally count on — National Forest, Idaho state endowment land and BLM.
- National Forest90%
- Idaho state endowment land2%
- BLM<1%
- Unclassified ownership3%
- Private6%
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 78°F, lows around 46°F
- September — highs around 68°F, lows around 38°F
- October — highs around 53°F, lows around 29°F, about 1.6 in of snowfall
- November — highs around 39°F, lows around 20°F, about 10.7 in of snowfall
- December — highs around 29°F, lows around 12°F, about 21.7 in of snowfall
Unit 66 elk hunting FAQ
Can a resident buy an elk tag for Unit 66 over the counter?
Yes. Residents purchase a general elk tag over the counter for the Tex Creek Elk Zone, choosing either the A tag or B tag season, with no draw or application required.
How do nonresidents get a general elk tag for Unit 66?
Nonresidents go through a random draw for the Tex Creek Elk Zone's general tags, and they apply for a specific tag — either the A tag or the B tag — at the time they submit their application. The choice of A or B is made when applying, not after the draw.
How hard are the controlled hunts in Unit 66 to draw?
Draw difficulty varies by hunt: Controlled hunt 66-1 Muzzleloader runs Fair odds for residents, Controlled hunt 66-2 Any weapon (November 1–15) runs Good odds, Controlled hunt 66-1 Any weapon (November 15–30) runs Long odds, and Controlled hunt 66-2 Any weapon (November 16–30) runs Good odds. None of these are guaranteed draws.
Which elk zone and tags cover Unit 66?
Unit 66 falls in the Tex Creek Elk Zone along with Unit 69. The zone offers an A tag and a B tag, each with its own season and legal-animal rules, and a hunter selects one or the other.
Which Unit 66 elk seasons fall during the rut?
The B tag archery season (August 30–September 14) and the A tag archery season (August 30–September 30) both fall during the September rut period. The later any-weapon and controlled hunts all take place after the rut has ended.
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.