Idaho Unit 52:elk draw odds & harvest
3 hunt codes for elk. Part of elk herd unit Smoky-Bennett. 2026: 25 to 50 tags, 169 to 371 applicants per hunt.
Idaho · Unit 52
Unit 52Neighbor units
Hardest draw in Unit 522026 draw
211525 tags, 371 applied, 7% drew.
34th hardest of 300 Idaho elk draws in 2026.
Hunt codes
Elk huntsin Unit 52
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% |
| 2033 | any weapon · Oct 1–Oct 31All of Unit 52. | 45 of 261 drew | 50 | 50–66% |
| 2115 | any weapon · Dec 1–Dec 31All of Unit 52. | 23 of 347 drew | 25 | 36–54% |
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 hunters0–46%
10%
4%
0%
0%
9%
13%
46%
0%
32%
32%
31%
33%
3%
0%
0%
0%
13%
0%
0%
0%
0%
'01'02'03'04'05'06'08'09'10'11'12'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'22'23'25
203333–100%
39%
45%
47%
44%
55%
41%
36%
35%
33%
56%
71%
70%
72%
40%
69%
44%
61%
48%
41%
45%
80%
100%
59%
66%
50%
'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
211520–60%
24%
39%
47%
39%
34%
31%
32%
32%
45%
60%
36%
35%
37%
37%
32%
40%
36%
24%
41%
39%
46%
20%
50%
56%
36%
'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
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
- 2033Any WeaponOct 1–Oct 31
- 2115Any WeaponDec 1–Dec 31
- 2125ArcheryAug 30–Sep 30
Confirm in the regulations before you go.
Map & access
Unit 52and 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 52into your map app
Opens in onX, Gaia GPS, CalTopo, Google Earth, and Garmin. Works offline in those apps.
Members
Unit 52 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 52 · 2125
23 of 105 drew
Success14–21%
Ask FarWide
Answers use the same figures as this page.
Source: IDFG · Updated Nov 13, 2026