Big game
Gray Wolf seasons, limits and tags in Idaho, 2026-27
When and where to hunt wolves in Idaho for 2026-27: wolf hunting on April 1, 2026 and wolf trapping on July 1, 2026, plus limits and rules.
Photo: Matt Lavin (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Gray Wolf season snapshot, 2026-27
No application is needed for wolf hunting and wolf trapping; residents buy the wolf tag over the counter. Wolf dates run from April 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, starting with wolf hunting. Limit as printed for wolves: per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits).
From Idaho Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Wolf hunting and trapping by land type
Gray wolf hunting and trapping seasons by unit and land type July 2026-June 2027; trapping license required; transmitting cameras allowed for wolf trap checks from July 1, 2026. A hunting license is required to hunt (including predatory and unprotected wildlife); a trapping license to trap gray wolf; a tag for every big game species.
| Season | Land type | Units | Date windows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wolf hunting | Private land | 99 |
|
| Wolf hunting | Public land | 93 |
|
| Wolf trapping | Private land | 73 |
|
| Wolf trapping | Public land | 88 |
|
IDFG draws 13 wolf zones for data analysis, while the season rows follow units and private or public land.
From gray wolf rules, wolf hunting seasons, wolf trapping seasons and IDFG wolf zones layer (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Idaho wolf dates, row by row
Dates as printed by IDFG for wolves, with the area each line covers.
| Season line | Covers | Kind | Dates | Bag | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wolf trapping | Private land | Trapping | Mar 1–Jun 30, 2026 | Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | |
| Wolf trapping | Public land | Trapping | Mar 1–Jun 30, 2026 | Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | |
| Wolf hunting | Public land | Trapping | Apr 1–Nov 14, 2026 | Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | |
| Wolf hunting | Statewide (private land) | Trapping |
| Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | |
| Wolf hunting | Public land | Trapping |
| Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | |
| Wolf trapping | Private land | Trapping | Jul 1–Nov 30, 2026 | Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | |
| Wolf trapping | Public land | Trapping | Jul 1–Nov 30, 2026 | Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | |
| Wolf trapping | Public land | Trapping | Sep 10–Nov 14, 2026 | Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | |
| Wolf hunting | Public land | Trapping |
| Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | |
| Wolf trapping | Private land | Trapping |
| Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | |
| Wolf trapping | Public land | Trapping |
| Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | |
| Wolf trapping | Private land | Trapping |
| Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | |
| Wolf trapping | Public land | Trapping |
| Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) |
13 lines stand for 35 general wolf rows; matching rows share one line and all of their units.
From Idaho Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Gray Wolf by unit and county
Because unit lines follow ridges, rivers and roads, the counties below are reached by the wolf rows, sometimes only by a slice.
| County | Rows that reach it | Units | IDFG region | Time zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blaine | 24 | Magic Valley | MT | |
| Butte | 23 | Upper Snake | MT | |
| Lemhi | 22 | Salmon | MT | |
| Custer | 20 | Salmon | MT | |
| Idaho | 19 | Clearwater | PT/MT | |
| Jefferson | 19 | Upper Snake | MT | |
| Valley | 18 | Southwest | MT | |
| Adams | 17 | Southwest | MT | |
| Bingham | 17 | Southeast | MT | |
| Bonneville | 17 | Upper Snake | MT | |
| Caribou | 17 | Southeast | MT | |
| Clark | 17 | Upper Snake | MT | |
| Washington | 17 | Southwest | MT | |
| Minidoka | 15 | Magic Valley | MT | |
| Lincoln | 14 | Magic Valley | MT | |
| Power | 14 | Southeast | MT | |
| Bannock | 13 | Southeast | MT | |
| Cassia | 13 | Magic Valley | MT | |
| Boise | 12 | Southwest | MT | |
| Benewah | 11 | Panhandle | PT | |
| Kootenai | 11 | Panhandle | PT | |
| Shoshone | 11 | Panhandle | PT | |
| Elmore | 10 | Southwest | MT | |
| Bonner | 9 | Panhandle | PT | |
| Clearwater | 9 | Clearwater | PT | |
| Latah | 9 | Clearwater | PT | |
| Nez Perce | 9 | Clearwater | PT | |
| Ada | 8 | Southwest | MT | |
| Gem | 8 | Southwest | MT | |
| Payette | 8 | Southwest | MT | |
| Boundary | 7 | Panhandle | PT | |
| Lewis | 7 | Clearwater | PT | |
| Fremont | 6 | Upper Snake | MT | |
| Camas | 5 | Magic Valley | MT | |
| Oneida | 5 | Southeast | MT | |
| Canyon | 4 | Southwest | MT | |
| Franklin | 4 | Southeast | MT | |
| Owyhee | 4 | Southwest | MT | |
| Twin Falls | 4 | Magic Valley | MT | |
| Bear Lake | 3 | Southeast | MT | |
| Madison | 3 | Upper Snake | MT | |
| Gooding | 2 | Magic Valley | MT | |
| Jerome | 2 | Magic Valley | MT | |
| Teton | 2 | Upper Snake | MT |
From IDFG Game Units layer, Hunt Planner unit pages and Idaho Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Five years of Idaho wolf harvest
Across the unit rows, hunters took 239 wolves in 2025 (gray wolf, summed here); Unit 1, Unit 15, Unit 4 and Unit 27 led.
| Year | Harvest (sum of rows) | Rows |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 438 | 99 |
| 2022 | 351 | 99 |
| 2023 | 411 | 99 |
| 2024 | 288 | 99 |
| 2025 | 239 | 99 |
| Unit | Harvest | Hunters |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | 25 | – |
| Unit 15 | 19 | – |
| Unit 4 | 17 | – |
| Unit 27 | 16 | – |
| Unit 10A | 14 | – |
| Unit 39 | 14 | – |
| Unit 25 | 11 | – |
| Unit 6 | 7 | – |
| Unit 26 | 7 | – |
| Unit 36 | 7 | – |
From gray wolf harvest 2021, gray wolf harvest 2022, gray wolf harvest 2023, gray wolf harvest 2024, gray wolf harvest 2025 and Hunt Planner harvest statistics (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Idaho wolf limits, line by line
For wolves the brochures set the numbers below; the row count shows how often each bag appears.
| Source line | Limit |
|---|---|
| Season bag | Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) |
From species row source (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
What it costs to hunt wolves
Resident prices are the annual price with the Price Lock price beside it; nonresident prices are labelled as of December 1, 2024, as the brochure prints them.
| License | For | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Hunting license | Resident | $15.75 ($12.75 Price Lock) |
| Hunting license | Nonresident | $185.00 (as of Dec. 1, 2024) |
| Junior hunting license | Resident | $8.25 ($7.25 Price Lock) |
| Combination hunting & fishing | Resident | $38.75 ($33.50 Price Lock) |
| Combination hunting & fishing | Nonresident | $264.00 (as of Dec. 1, 2024) |
| Sportsman's Package | Resident | $144.60 ($124.25 Price Lock) |
| Trapping license | Resident | $29.75 ($26.75 Price Lock) |
| Gray wolf tag | Resident | $13.75 ($11.50 Price Lock) |
| Gray wolf tag | Nonresident | $31.75 (as of Dec. 1, 2024) |
Paperwork for wolves starts here: A hunting license is required to hunt (including predatory and unprotected wildlife); a trapping license to trap gray wolf; a tag for every big game species.
From license and tag fees, nonresident fees and license requirements (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Rules on the ground for wolves
What IDFG expects of wolf hunters in the field, from reporting to private land.
| Rule | Text |
|---|---|
| Reporting | Wolf hunters: present skull and hide within 10 days of kill at a regional office, checkpoint or to a conservation officer. |
| Technology | Wolf hunters: the technology restriction does not cover wolves, lions or predators. |
| Trapping | Wolf hunters: a hunting license is required to hunt (including predatory and unprotected wildlife); a trapping license to trap gray wolf; a tag for every big game species. |
| Super Hunt | Wolf hunters: Super Hunt drawings for a hunt in any open general or controlled hunt; no license needed to enter. |
| Taking wildlife | Wolf hunters: taking game animals, birds or furbearers is unlawful except as provided by law, rule or proclamation. |
From Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 10, Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 7, Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 8 and Idaho Code 36-1101 (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Open land for wolf hunters
Places whose own source names wolves come first; the rest sit inside units where wolf rows run, or carry the group flag in their program.
Snow Peak Wildlife Management Area lists wolf (IDFG WMA page); Unit 7 and Unit 9.
Owyhee Field Office, in Unit 40, Unit 41 and Unit 42, overlaps the wolf units.
Public ground in Unit 22, Unit 23 and Unit 24, part of the wolf map: Four Rivers Field Office.
Inside Unit 19A, Unit 20A and Unit 25, named in the wolf rows: Krassel Ranger District.
Middle Fork Ranger District, in Unit 25, Unit 27 and Unit 28, overlaps the wolf units.
Public ground in Unit 10, Unit 10A and Unit 12, part of the wolf map: Lochsa/Powell Ranger District.
Inside Unit 5, Unit 6 and Unit 7, named in the wolf rows: St. Joe Ranger District.
Burley Field Office, in Unit 46, Unit 47 and Unit 52A, overlaps the wolf units.
From Snow Peak Wildlife Management Area, Owyhee Field Office and Four Rivers Field Office (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Shooting light for wolves
Every time carries PT or MT; Idaho County is split by the Salmon River and is left out of this wolf table.
Legal light for wolves follows this IDFG line: "Wolf hunting hours: one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset." Times are rounded to the minute.
| Date | Benewah County centre (PT) | Blaine County centre (MT) | Butte County centre (MT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1, 2026 | 4:24 a.m. PT to 9:16 p.m. PT | 5:28 a.m. MT to 9:50 p.m. MT | 5:24 a.m. MT to 9:48 p.m. MT |
| Sep 15, 2026 | 5:52 a.m. PT to 7:31 p.m. PT | 6:44 a.m. MT to 8:18 p.m. MT | 6:41 a.m. MT to 8:15 p.m. MT |
| Dec 21, 2026 | 7:00 a.m. PT to 4:29 p.m. PT | 7:35 a.m. MT to 5:32 p.m. MT | 7:33 a.m. MT to 5:28 p.m. MT |
| Jan 15, 2027 | 6:59 a.m. PT to 4:51 p.m. PT | 7:36 a.m. MT to 5:53 p.m. MT | 7:33 a.m. MT to 5:49 p.m. MT |
Hours rule from Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 78; time zones from 49 CFR 71.9; times worked out with the NOAA solar formula for each county centre; checked November 12, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Packing list for Idaho wolf
Chosen to suit the game listed on this page.
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A dark gray wolf standing in open grasslandPhoto: Gregory "Slobirdr" Smith (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Lichen-covered rocks on a ridge above rolling green valleys in the White Knob MountainsPhoto: Bureau of Land Management Idaho (CC BY 2.0)
Lupine and balsamroot in bloom at sunset west of Lemhi PassPhoto: Bureau of Land Management Idaho (CC BY 2.0)
Common questions on wolves
When is wolf season in Idaho?
The wolf rows open April 1, 2026 and the last one ends June 30, 2027. Wolf hunting: April 1, 2026; Wolf trapping: July 1, 2026. Today (November 12, 2026) falls inside an open wolf window.
Does the Idaho technology rule cover wolves?
For wolves: new restrictions on technology for hunting or scouting big game and game birds August 30-December 31 (not wolves, lions or predators); transmitting cameras allowed for wolf trap checks from July 1, 2026.
Which permits apply to wolf hunting in Idaho?
A wolf hunter in Idaho needs a hunting license ($15.75 resident, $12.75 with Price Lock; $185.00 nonresident as of December 1, 2024) and a gray wolf tag ($13.75 resident, $31.75 nonresident).
What is the daily limit on wolves in Idaho?
For wolves, the brochure line reads: Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits).
Which Idaho hunting units open to wolves?
Wolf rows tied to units name 99 hunting units reaching 44 counties, and some rows are statewide; the most wolf rows fall in Unit 18, Unit 20A and Unit 22.
Where do general wolf seasons apply?
General wolf tags are sold over the counter to residents, with no application. General season deer, elk (A/B zone tags, some capped), black bear, mountain lion, gray wolf and turkey tags are sold over the counter to residents.
When is the Idaho wolf report due?
For wolves: present skull and hide within 10 days of kill at a regional office, checkpoint or to a conservation officer.
What are legal hours for wolves in Idaho?
For wolves, IDFG says: wolf hunting hours: one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. See the wolf legal light table above for times on the key dates.
What does a wolf trapper need?
For wolves: gray wolf hunting and trapping seasons by unit and land type July 2026-June 2027; trapping license required; transmitting cameras allowed for wolf trap checks from July 1, 2026; a hunting license is required to hunt (including predatory and unprotected wildlife); a trapping license to trap gray wolf; a tag for every big game species. The 13 wolf zones are IDFG data analysis units; the seasons themselves are set by unit and land type.
What does the 2025 wolf report show?
The 2025 gray wolf unit rows add up to 239 wolves (computed here from 99 rows).
Does Idaho require orange for wolves?
No statewide wolf orange rule applies: hunter orange is recommended, required only while hunting pheasants where the Upland Game Bird Permit is required (including IDFG properties and leases) and on sponsored hunts such as organized youth hunts; minimum 36 square inches above the waist.