Unit 66A Elk Hunting, Idaho
Idaho hunting unit · Diamond Creek Elk Zone · 268 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 66A is in the Diamond Creek Elk Zone, whose A and B tags carry different seasons. Nonresident general tags are allocated by random draw. It also has 5 controlled hunts, drawn by pure random draw with no points — resident odds from good odds to long odds. The zone's A tag and B tag are capped: a limited number, sold first-come, first-served.
What hunting Unit 66A is like
Unit 66A covers rolling to moderately steep country across the Caribou National Forest and Targhee National Forest, with mean slopes near 12 degrees and only a small sliver of steep ground. Elevations run from about 5,600 feet up to 9,800 feet, and most of the unit falls into gentle to moderate terrain rather than cliffy breaks, which makes for a lot of walkable ridge and drainage hunting on foot. Lower elevations mix riparian bottoms, sagebrush and conifer with a little aspen, while mid and higher elevations shift toward conifer and sagebrush dominance, with a small grass and meadow component up high. That range of cover gives elk places to hide at every elevation band, and a hunter willing to work the timber edges and sage benches can find elk sign without technical climbing.
About 68 percent of the unit, roughly 183 square miles, is generally open to public hunting through National Forest, BLM and Idaho state endowment land, though endowment parcels can be posted closed or leased so it pays to check before counting on a piece of ground. Private land makes up about 29 percent of the unit and requires written permission, and a small unclassified share rounds out the rest. Designated wilderness within the unit is closed to motorized travel, which keeps some pockets quieter for foot hunters.
Unit 66A sits in the Diamond Creek Elk Zone alongside Unit 76, and general tags here come only as an archery A tag valid across both units. Residents buy that A tag over the counter, while nonresidents apply for it through a random draw in which they choose the specific zone tag when applying rather than after the draw. Beyond the general archery season, the unit offers a run of controlled hunts through October and November that split rifle opportunity between antlered and antlerless elk, each drawn independently with its own limited number of tags.
General-season elk (2026)
General elk tags are sold by zone. Unit 66A is in the Diamond Creek Elk Zone (Units 66A and 76); 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 66A. 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: Units 66A and 76 | August 30 – September 30 | Any elk | Pre-Rut Transition, Rut Onset, Primary Rut |
A tag · Archery · August 30 – September 30
Archery hunters get first crack at Unit 66A elk while bulls are finishing the Pre-Rut Transition and moving into Rut Onset and Primary Rut by the season's back half. Early on, bulls are still shedding velvet and holding close to summering ground, so sitting water sources or glassing sagebrush benches and timber edges for a spot-and-stalk works well. As the rut builds through September, elk activity picks up across the conifer and sagebrush mix at mid and higher elevations. This is an any-elk archery tag valid across both Unit 66A and Unit 76, open to residents over the counter and to nonresidents who apply for this specific zone tag in the draw.
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 66A is valid only in its own hunt area.
| Season | Dates | Legal elk | Resident draw | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled hunt 66A-1 · Any weapon Motorized Hunting Rule Applies | October 1 – October 14 | Antlered only | — | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut |
| Controlled hunt 66A-1 · Any weapon Motorized Hunting Rule Applies | October 15 – October 24 | Antlered only | Long odds | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut, Post-Rut Recovery |
| Controlled hunt 66A · Any weapon Motorized Hunting Rule Applies | October 25 – November 5 | Antlerless only | Good odds | Post-Rut Recovery, 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 66-2 · Any weapon Motorized Hunting Rule Applies | November 1 – November 15 | Antlerless only | Good 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 66A-1 · Any weapon · October 1 – October 14
The first half of this any-weapon hunt falls in the Late Rut / Early Post-Rut phase, so bulls are coming off the rut and starting to settle into more predictable patterns after weeks of chasing. Light October snowfall and lows near freezing can start pushing elk out of the highest, most open country and into timber for cover. Hunters working the conifer stands at mid and upper elevations, or checking sagebrush edges where elk feed, stand a reasonable chance of finding antlered bulls. Only antlered elk are legal, and the motorized hunting rule applies, so vehicle access is restricted in parts of the unit.
Controlled hunt 66A-1 · Any weapon · October 15 – October 24
Running later into October, this hunt spans the tail of the Late Rut / Early Post-Rut phase into Post-Rut Recovery, when bulls have largely stopped rutting activity and are focused on rebuilding condition. The same light snowfall and cool lows continue to nudge elk toward timbered cover, so working conifer patches adjacent to sagebrush feeding areas is a sound approach. This hunt draws long odds for residents in the first-choice draw, so it is a limited-tag opportunity worth planning around. Only antlered elk are legal, and the motorized hunting rule applies.
Controlled hunt 66A · Any weapon · October 25 – November 5
This hunt is for the antlerless elk hunter, running through Post-Rut Recovery into the start of the Migration Transition phase as elk begin shifting off summer range. Increasing November snowfall and dropping lows during this window tend to push elk out of the highest ground and toward lower conifer and sagebrush cover, so checking mid-elevation timber edges and drainages can pay off. The motorized hunting rule applies, so much of the traveling has to be done on foot or with limited vehicle access. Residents drawing this hunt face good odds in the first-choice draw, and only antlerless elk may be taken.
Controlled hunt 66-2 · Any weapon · November 1 – November 15
Covering the first half of November, this antlerless hunt falls entirely within the Migration Transition phase, when elk are working their way off higher ground as winter approaches. Steady snowfall and colder lows during this stretch make lower conifer and sagebrush cover at mid elevations worth checking, since elk drift toward these areas as the season progresses. The motorized hunting rule applies here, limiting vehicle access on parts of the landscape. This hunt carries good odds for residents in the first-choice draw, and only antlerless elk are legal.
Controlled hunt 66-2 · Any weapon · November 16 – November 30
Running through the back half of November, this antlerless hunt also falls within the Migration Transition phase as elk continue moving off summer range ahead of winter. With snowfall building and lows dropping further, elk are likely concentrated in lower conifer and sagebrush cover rather than the open high country. This later window has no motorized restriction noted, which can make covering ground to find elk somewhat easier. Residents face good odds in the first-choice draw, and only antlerless elk may be taken.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,600–9,800 ft, typically around 6,800 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 43% gentle · 47% moderate · 10% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~183 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
- Riparian42%
- Sagebrush29%
- Conifer20%
- Other cover6%
- Aspen2%
Mid elevations
- Conifer54%
- Sagebrush37%
- Aspen7%
- Other cover1%
Higher elevations
- Conifer62%
- Sagebrush31%
- Aspen4%
- Grass and meadow3%
Cover classes from the USGS National Land Cover Database. “Other cover” is the remainder — bare ground, water, agriculture and developed land.
Land & access
About 68% of Unit 66A is public land a hunter can generally count on — National Forest, Idaho state endowment land and BLM.
- National Forest66%
- Idaho state endowment land2%
- BLM<1%
- Unclassified ownership2%
- Private29%
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 47°F
- September — highs around 68°F, lows around 39°F
- October — highs around 53°F, lows around 30°F, about 1.1 in of snowfall
- November — highs around 39°F, lows around 20°F, about 10.6 in of snowfall
- December — highs around 30°F, lows around 12°F, about 21 in of snowfall
Unit 66A elk hunting FAQ
Can a resident buy an elk tag for Unit 66A over the counter?
Yes, residents can buy the Diamond Creek Elk Zone A tag over the counter for the archery season without applying or drawing. That tag is valid for any elk in Units 66A and 76 from August 30 through September 30. Controlled hunts in Unit 66A, however, require a separate random draw application.
How do nonresidents get a general elk tag for this unit?
Nonresidents cannot simply buy a general tag; they must apply through a random draw for the Diamond Creek Elk Zone's A tag, choosing that specific tag when they apply. The tag is not selected after the draw, so applicants commit to the zone and season up front. If drawn, it covers the same any-elk archery season valid in Units 66A and 76.
How hard are the controlled hunts in Unit 66A to draw?
Odds vary by hunt: the October 15-24 antlered hunt for hunt 66A-1 carries long odds for residents in the first-choice draw, while the antlerless hunts (66A and the two 66-2 windows) carry good odds. All of these are pure random draws with a limited number of tags, and none involve points of any kind since Idaho does not use a points system for elk.
Which elk zone and tags cover Unit 66A?
Unit 66A falls within the Diamond Creek Elk Zone, which also includes Unit 76. The zone's A tag is the archery general tag valid in Unit 66A, while additional opportunity comes through several controlled hunts specific to Unit 66A and the shared Unit 66-2 controlled hunts.
How much of Unit 66A is public land a hunter can count on?
About 68 percent of the unit, roughly 183 square miles, is generally open to public hunting through National Forest, BLM and Idaho state endowment land. Endowment parcels can occasionally be posted closed or leased, so that share is a general guide rather than a guarantee. The remaining ground is roughly 29 percent private, requiring written permission, with a small unclassified portion.
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.