Unit 74 Elk Hunting, Idaho
Idaho hunting unit · Bannock Elk Zone · 611 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 74 is in the Bannock Elk Zone, whose A and B tags carry different seasons. Nonresident general tags are allocated by random draw. It also has 6 controlled hunts, drawn by pure random draw with no points — resident odds from good odds to very long odds.
What hunting Unit 74 is like
Unit 74 is rolling country, with some steeper breaks, running from around 4,500 feet up to 9,200 feet, with most of the ground sitting in that gentler-to-moderate middle range rather than sheer terrain. At mid elevations the cover is dominated by sagebrush with only scattered conifer and aspen, so open hillsides and long sightlines are the norm; higher up, conifer and sagebrush split the ground more evenly and aspen becomes a more regular part of the mix. Foot travel is practical across most of the elevation range here, and the country rewards glassing as much as it does pushing through timber.
Only about a quarter of Unit 74, roughly 157 of its 611 square miles, is generally open to public hunting, split between Idaho state endowment land and BLM ground; state endowment parcels can be closed or leased, so that access is not automatic even where it's mapped as open. The remaining three-quarters is private and requires written permission. That access picture, not the terrain, is what limits how much of the unit a hunter can actually plan on hunting.
General elk tags for Unit 74 are sold through the Bannock Elk Zone, which also covers Units 70, 71, 72, 73 and 73A, and the zone offers an A tag and a B tag with different seasons and weapons; only the A tag windows apply in Unit 74. Residents buy either general tag over the counter with no draw or application, while nonresidents apply for a specific zone tag, choosing the A tag or the B tag at the time of application through a random draw. Beyond the general season, Unit 74 also carries controlled hunts — 70-1 and 74X — that are separate, limited-tag, pure random draws open to residents and nonresidents alike.
General-season elk (2026)
General elk tags are sold by zone. Unit 74 is in the Bannock Elk Zone (Units 70, 71, 72, 73, 73A and 74); 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 74. 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 70, 71, 72, 73, 73A and 74 | August 30 – September 30 | Any elk | Pre-Rut Transition, Rut Onset, Primary Rut |
| A tag · Any weapon Valid area: Units 70, 71, 72, 73, 73A and 74 | October 25 – November 15 | Antlerless only | Post-Rut Recovery, Migration Transition |
| A tag · Muzzleloader Valid area: Units 70, 71, 72, 73, 73A and 74 | December 1 – December 31 | Antlerless only | Winter Range |
A tag · Archery · August 30 – September 30
Archery season opens right as bulls are finishing the Pre-Rut Transition and moving into Rut Onset and then Primary Rut by the back half of September, making this the one general season that falls inside the rut. Early on, bulls are still shedding velvet and holding close to their summer haunts, so sitting water sources or glassing open sagebrush slopes for a spot-and-stalk works well in this open, rolling country. The A tag archery season allows any elk, giving hunters the option to fill a tag with a bull or a cow. Access stays limited to the roughly quarter of the unit that is generally open, so scouting where that public ground lies matters as much as reading the rut.
A tag · Any weapon · October 25 – November 15
By the time this antlerless season opens, elk have moved through Post-Rut Recovery and into the Migration Transition, a period when animals are shifting off summer range toward lower ground. November brings modest snowfall and colder nights, which can help push elk out of the higher conifer-sagebrush mix and down toward the sagebrush-dominated mid elevations where cover is more open and glassing is productive. The A tag any-weapon season is antlerless only, so hunters should focus on locating cow-calf groups in the open, rolling terrain rather than tracking bulls. With most of the unit private, working the public state endowment and BLM ground carefully is essential to finding elk that are accessible.
A tag · Muzzleloader · December 1 – December 31
This December muzzleloader season falls entirely within the Winter Range phase, when elk have settled into their late-season pattern and heavier snowfall of the month can concentrate animals onto lower, more open ground. The A tag muzzleloader season is antlerless only, so the goal is finding cow-calf groups rather than working bull sign. Colder nights and building snow can make elk more visible against the sagebrush-dominated mid elevations, but the same conditions make travel slower. Hunters are still confined to the limited public ground, so identifying open state endowment or BLM parcels before the snow piles up pays off.
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 74 is valid only in its own hunt area.
| Season | Dates | Legal elk | Resident draw | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled hunt 70-1 · Any weapon | October 1 – October 14 | Antlered only | Very long odds | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut |
| Controlled hunt 70-1 · Any weapon | October 15 – October 24 | Antlered only | Long odds | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut, Post-Rut Recovery |
| Controlled hunt 70-1 · Muzzleloader | November 16 – November 30 | Antlered or antlerless | Good odds | Migration Transition |
| Controlled hunt 70-1 · Muzzleloader | December 1 – December 31 | Antlered or antlerless | Good odds | Winter Range |
| Controlled hunt 74X · Any weapon Extra antlerless tag | December 1 – December 15 | Antlerless only | Good odds | Winter Range |
| Controlled hunt 74X · Any weapon Extra antlerless tag | December 16 – December 31 | Antlerless only | Fair 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 70-1 · Any weapon · October 1 – October 14
This early-October controlled hunt falls in the Late Rut / Early Post-Rut phase, when bull activity is winding down from the peak of the rut but bulls are still catchable in the rolling, open-to-moderate terrain that defines Unit 74. It's an any-weapon, antlered-only hunt, and the resident draw odds run very long, so it's a hunt to plan for on a tag drawn rather than something to count on repeating. Hunters who draw it benefit from the unit's mix of sagebrush and timber cover for glassing and stalking bulls that are still holding to late-rut patterns.
Controlled hunt 70-1 · Any weapon · October 15 – October 24
Running from mid to late October, this any-weapon controlled hunt spans the tail end of the Late Rut / Early Post-Rut phase into Post-Rut Recovery, when bull movement is settling down after the rut's peak. It remains antlered-only, and the resident draw odds are long, making it a tag worth having but not one to bank on. The open, rolling character of the unit and its mix of sagebrush and conifer cover still support glassing for bulls that have shifted into post-rut patterns.
Controlled hunt 70-1 · Muzzleloader · November 16 – November 30
This mid-to-late November muzzleloader hunt lands in the Migration Transition phase, when elk are shifting off higher ground as the season's modest snowfall and cooling temperatures build. It allows either antlered or antlerless elk, widening the opportunity for hunters who draw it, and the resident draw odds are good. Working the edges between higher conifer-sagebrush cover and the sagebrush-heavy mid elevations makes sense as animals move with the season.
Controlled hunt 70-1 · Muzzleloader · December 1 – December 31
By December, this muzzleloader controlled hunt sits squarely in the Winter Range phase, with elk settled onto lower ground as the month's heavier snowfall accumulates. Either antlered or antlerless elk may be taken, and the resident draw odds are good, making this one of the more attainable controlled tags in Unit 74. Hunters should expect elk concentrated in the more open, sagebrush-dominated terrain at mid elevations as deeper snow limits movement.
Controlled hunt 74X · Any weapon · December 1 – December 15
This early-December extra antlerless hunt falls in the Winter Range phase, when elk have settled onto lower ground as snow builds through the month. It's an antlerless-only tag, so the focus is locating cow-calf groups rather than bulls, and the open, sagebrush-heavy mid-elevation terrain makes glassing practical even as snow accumulates. The resident draw odds are good, making this an approachable way to fill an antlerless tag late in the year within the limited public ground available.
Controlled hunt 74X · Any weapon · December 16 – December 31
Running through the back half of December, this extra antlerless hunt stays within the Winter Range phase as the month's snowfall continues to build and elk hold to lower, more open ground. It remains antlerless only, so hunters should concentrate on finding cow-calf groups in the sagebrush-dominated mid elevations rather than watching for bulls. The resident draw odds are fair, and deepening snow by this point in the season can both concentrate elk and complicate travel across the unit's limited public ground.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 4,500–9,200 ft, typically around 5,700 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 56% gentle · 36% moderate · 8% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~157 sq mi
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
- Other cover65%
- Sagebrush31%
- Grass and meadow3%
- Riparian1%
Mid elevations
- Sagebrush54%
- Other cover41%
- Conifer3%
- Aspen1%
Higher elevations
- Conifer47%
- Sagebrush42%
- Aspen8%
- Other cover3%
Cover classes from the USGS National Land Cover Database. “Other cover” is the remainder — bare ground, water, agriculture and developed land.
Land & access
About 26% of Unit 74 is public land a hunter can generally count on — Idaho state endowment land and BLM.
- Idaho state endowment land13%
- BLM13%
- Private74%
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 84°F, lows around 52°F
- September — highs around 73°F, lows around 44°F
- October — highs around 59°F, lows around 34°F, about 0.3 in of snowfall
- November — highs around 44°F, lows around 24°F, about 3.6 in of snowfall
- December — highs around 33°F, lows around 17°F, about 10.6 in of snowfall
Unit 74 elk hunting FAQ
Can a resident buy an elk tag for Unit 74 over the counter?
Yes. Residents can buy a general A tag or B tag for the Bannock Elk Zone, which covers Unit 74, directly over the counter with no draw or application needed. The choice is simply which zone tag and season fits the hunter's plans.
How do nonresidents get a general elk tag for Unit 74?
Nonresidents cannot buy a general tag over the counter; instead they apply through a random draw for a specific Bannock Elk Zone tag, choosing either the A tag or the B tag at the time of application. The tag and its season are locked in when applying, not selected afterward.
How hard is it to draw one of the controlled hunts in Unit 74?
Odds vary a lot by hunt. Controlled hunt 70-1's early any-weapon season carries very long resident odds, its later any-weapon season is long, and its muzzleloader seasons are good; the 74X antlerless hunts run good to fair depending on the date range chosen.
Which elk zone and tags cover Unit 74?
Unit 74 falls within the Bannock Elk Zone, along with Units 70, 71, 72, 73 and 73A. General tags for the zone come as an A tag or a B tag, each with its own season, and only the A tag windows are valid within Unit 74 itself.
How much of Unit 74 is public land a hunter can count on?
About 26 percent of the unit, roughly 157 square miles, is generally open to public hunting through Idaho state endowment land and BLM ground. The rest, close to three-quarters of the unit, is private and requires written permission to hunt.
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.