Idaho Unit 45:elk draw odds & harvest
5 hunt codes for elk. Part of elk herd unit Smoky-Bennett. 2026: 25 to 125 tags, 169 to 1,224 applicants per hunt.
Idaho · Unit 45
Unit 45Neighbor units
Hardest draw in Unit 452026 draw
2023125 tags, 1,224 applied, 10% drew.
52nd hardest of 300 Idaho elk draws in 2026.
Hunt codes
Elk huntsin Unit 45
Whole-hunt draw results: applicants, tags and the share that drew.
| Hunt code | What it is | Draw result · 2026 | Tags | Success 3-yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2125 | archery · Aug 30–Sep 30All of Units 45 and 52. | 23 of 105 drew | 25 | 14–21% |
| 2023 | any weapon · Oct 1–Oct 31All of Unit 45. | 113 of 1,039 drew | 125 | 50–66% |
| 2194 | Elk Controlled Hunt 2194 · any weapon · Oct 1–Oct 31 | 33–100% | ||
| 2215 | Elk Controlled Hunt 2215 · any weapon · Oct 1–Oct 31 | 3 | 0–100% | |
| 2216 | Elk Controlled Hunt 2216 · any weapon · Dec 1–Dec 31 | 1 | 65–100% |
Some hunt codes cover several units; the hunt page lists them all.
Harvest & herd
How hunters didand how the herd is doing.
Harvest success by hunt, 2001–2025
% successAll hunters0–37%
24%
13%
0%
0%
14%
17%
32%
0%
35%
37%
0%
0%
18%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
'01'02'03'04'05'06'08'09'10'11'12'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'23'24'25
202329–94%
42%
35%
41%
39%
70%
32%
34%
29%
36%
40%
87%
77%
87%
94%
68%
76%
71%
49%
63%
53%
67%
58%
46%
62%
52%
'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
212514–70%
33%
25%
52%
25%
32%
58%
55%
22%
18%
38%
70%
44%
33%
30%
39%
32%
38%
41%
32%
35%
67%
40%
14%
16%
21%
'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
219415–100%
46%
95%
70%
15%
28%
70%
59%
59%
33%
100%
100%
'14'15'16'17'18'19'21'22'23'24'25
22150–100%
13%
100%
100%
60%
51%
100%
100%
0%
67%
'09'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22
22167–100%
7%
100%
68%
65%
100%
100%
200920152017201820202022
45%+28–45%Under 28%
How the herd is doing
Herd unit Smoky-Bennett
Population estimate 2015
4,872
Bulls / 100 cows 2015
36
Mature bulls / 100 cows 2015
11.1
Calves / 100 cows 2015
43
Before you apply
- Deadline
- “December 5–15, 2026: First application period for the Nonresident and DAV Draw.”
- Tag fee
- “Elk 651.75”
- Tag fee
- “Elk 30.75 36.75”
- Points
- “Controlled hunts have a limited number of tags that are issued by a random drawing.”
Rules for 2027.
Season dates · 2026
- 2023Any WeaponOct 1–Oct 31
- 2125ArcheryAug 30–Sep 30
- 2194Any WeaponOct 1–Oct 31
Confirm in the regulations before you go.
Map & access
Unit 45and the units around it
Neighbors with a FarWide page open on click.
Public land & access
Each program opens on the state's site. Check on-the-ground signage.
Offline maps
Take Unit 45into your map app
Opens in onX, Gaia GPS, CalTopo, Google Earth, and Garmin. Works offline in those apps.
Members
Unit 45 hunt pack
One file, layered: the unit boundary, with each elk hunt's draw odds and harvest success attached to the unit.
- Unit boundary
- Draw odds per hunt
- Harvest success per hunt
Unit 45 · 2125
23 of 105 drew
Success14–21%
Ask FarWide
Answers use the same figures as this page.
Source: IDFG · Updated Nov 13, 2026