Idaho › Hunting seasons › Units › Unit 65
Teton County · Palisades Zone
Unit 65 hunt planner notes, 2026-27
Elk here go on the Palisades Zone A or B tag; 8 drawn hunts and 15 general lines reach Unit 65 in Teton.
Photo: Ken Lund (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Counties inside Unit 65
At 142,783 acres on the Hunt Planner, Unit 65 is filed with the IDFG Upper Snake Region; Teton County holds the biggest share, 100%. Unit 65 stays inside Teton County, which gives one county page for its towns, services and land.
| Where | Unit share | County share | Named |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teton County | 100% | 50% | Yes |
For Unit 65 the IDFG contact is Idaho Falls: the Upper Snake Region Office, 4279 Commerce Circle.
Region, elk zone and boundary counties from the IDFG Hunt Planner unit page; acreage from the Hunt Planner hunt page; shares from the IDFG Game Units layer over Census county lines (GIS measures); office from the IDFG offices page; data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Unit 65 elk zone, wolf zone and CWD
- The A/B choice for Unit 65 is made at the Palisades Zone level, shared with Units 64 and 67.
- Wolf: Unit 65 falls in the Island Park wolf zone, one of 13 IDFG data analysis units; wolf seasons themselves are set by unit and land type.
- Chronic wasting disease: Unit 65 is outside the management zone and the testing units.
Zone details: Palisades Zone · Wolf zones · CWD Management Zone
Elk zone from the Hunt Planner unit page and elk zone list; wolf zone from the IDFG Wolf Zones layer; CWD: CWD rules, Big Game 2026 p. 9; 2026 CWD changes; checked November 12, 2026.
Controlled hunt numbers in Unit 65
Drawn hunting in Unit 65: 8 hunt numbers and 600 tags for 2026, counting hunts that also reach other units. The largest quota touching the unit is 300 tags, on hunt 1144.
The controlled hunt draw is random; a successful applicant buys the tag before the August 1 deadline. Moose, sheep and goat dates come from the 2025 & 2026 brochure, read as 2026 hunts.
White-tailed deer buck in the trees
Deer, extra antlerless (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1144 | 60A-1X | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlerless | 300 | 7 units | p. 29 | Archery only, White-tailed deer only, Motorized Hunting Rule Applies in Units 66 and 69, See idfg.idaho.gov/hunt/access/motorized-vehicles |
Elk, antlerless (2)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2099 | 62-1 | Any Weapon | Oct 15 to Nov 14, 2026 | Antlerless | 150 | 62, 62A, 65 | p. 54 | — |
| 2101 | 64-1 | Any Weapon | Oct 15 to Nov 14, 2026 | Antlerless | 50 | 64, 65, 67 | p. 54 | — |
Elk, either sex (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2118 | 62-1 | Any Weapon | Nov 1 to Nov 14, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | 40 | 62, 62A, 65 | p. 54 | — |
Elk, muzzleloader (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2143 | 64-1 | Muzzleloader | Oct 1 to Oct 9, 2026 | Antlered | 35 | 64, 65, 67 | p. 56 | Antlered only |
Elk, outfitter allocated (2)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2209 | 62-1 | Any Weapon | Oct 15 to Nov 14, 2026 | Antlerless | 10 | 62, 62A, 65 | p. 59 | Antlerless only |
| 2210 | 62-1 | Any Weapon | Nov 1 to Nov 14, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | 5 | 62, 62A, 65 | p. 59 | Either sex |
Moose, antlered (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3071 | 65 | Any Weapon | Aug 30 to Nov 23, 2026 | Antlered | 10 | Only here | p. 10 | Short range weapons only in that portion of Unit 65 within 1/2 mile of the Teton River |
Hunt numbers, dates, bags and 2026 tags from the Idaho Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules and the Moose, Bighorn Sheep and Mountain Goat 2025 and 2026 brochure (page links per row); units and notes from each Hunt Planner hunt page; draw periods from the brochure draw rules; checked November 12, 2026.
Unit 65 hunts without a draw
Unit 65 carries 15 general season lines for deer, elk, black bear, mountain lion and gray wolf; residents buy these tags over the counter. The regular tag any-weapon line opens October 10, 2026 in this unit.
Deer (7)
| Tag or type | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Area | Notes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular tag | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlered | This unit | — | |
| Regular tag | Any Weapon | Oct 10 to Oct 24, 2026 | Antlered | This unit | — | |
| Regular tag | Archery | Nov 20 to Dec 19, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | This unit | — | |
| White-tailed tag | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | This unit | — | |
| White-tailed tag | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | This unit | — | |
| White-tailed tag | Any Weapon | Oct 10 to Oct 31, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | This unit | — | |
| White-tailed tag | Archery | Nov 1 to Dec 19, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | This unit | — |
Elk (2)
| Tag or type | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Area | Notes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A tag | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | 64, 65, 67 | — | |
| B tag | Any Weapon | Oct 15 to Oct 21, 2026 | Antlered | 64, 65, 67 | — |
Black bear (2)
| Tag or type | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Area | Notes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | Any weapon | Aug 30 to Oct 31, 2026 | One black bear per tag; females with young protected | 64, 65, 66, 67, 69 | Dogs prohibited: Oct 1 – Oct 31 | |
| Spring 2027 | Any weapon | Apr 15 to Jun 30, 2027 | One black bear per tag; females with young protected | 64, 65, 66, 67, 69 | Dogs prohibited: Oct 1 – Oct 31 |
Mountain lion (1)
| Tag or type | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Area | Notes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lion tag | Any weapon | Jul 1, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027 | One mountain lion per tag; females with spotted kittens protected | 17 units | Dogs prohibited: July 1 – Aug 29; Oct 1 – Nov 30; Apr 1 – June 30 |
Gray wolf (3)
| Tag or type | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Area | Notes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunting, private land | Hunting | Jul 1, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027 | Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | Statewide | — | |
| Hunting, public land | Hunting | Apr 1 to Nov 14, 2026 | Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | 39 units | — | |
| Hunting, public land | Hunting | Nov 15, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027 | Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | 39 units | — |
Pick the Palisades A or B tag by weapon and dates: 1 and 1 lines reach Unit 65.
Palisades Zone A and B tag lines (2)
| Tag | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Zone tags | In Unit 65 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A tag | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | — | Yes |
| B tag | Any Weapon | Oct 15 to Oct 21, 2026 | Antlered | — | Yes |
Season rows from the Idaho Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules (deer, elk, black bear, mountain lion, wolf) and the Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer 2026 and 2027 brochure (turkey), with unit lists from the Hunt Planner; over-the-counter sales from the brochure; checked November 12, 2026.
Unit 65 results by year
The Hunt Planner credits Unit 65 with 41 general season deer in 2025 from 320 hunters.
For elk the 2025 line reads 31 taken by 211 general hunters.
Other 2025 unit figures: 16 black bear, 2 mountain lion and 4 gray wolf.
A dash means the Hunt Planner prints no figure for that cell.
Take method, 2025
| Kind and method | Taken | Hunters | Success | Days | Antlered | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer, Any Weapon | 37 | 259 | 14% | 1,084 | 33 | 4 |
| Deer, Archery | 4 | 61 | 7% | 487 | 3 | 1 |
| Deer, All Weapons Combined | 41 | 320 | 13% | 1,571 | 35 | 6 |
| Elk, Any Weapon | 25 | 141 | 18% | 591 | 25 | — |
| Elk, Archery | 6 | 70 | 9% | 680 | 6 | — |
| Elk, All Weapons Combined | 31 | 211 | 15% | 1,271 | 31 | 0 |
Five seasons, 2021 to 2025
| Year | Deer (all weapons) | Elk (all weapons) | Black bear | Mountain lion | Gray wolf | Spring turkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 60 | 10 | 12 | 1 | — | — |
| 2022 | 38 | 29 | 11 | 5 | 1 | — |
| 2023 | 35 | 30 | 11 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| 2024 | 28 | 8 | 17 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 2025 | 41 | 31 | 16 | 2 | 4 | — |
Drawn hunts, harvest by year (8)
| Hunt | Species | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Hunters 2025 | Success 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1144 | Deer | 1 | — | 2 | 2 | 54 | 202 | 27% |
| 2099 | Elk | 70 | 49 | 104 | 101 | 48 | 136 | 35% |
| 2101 | Elk | 138 | 123 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 42 | 33% |
| 2118 | Elk | 131 | 140 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 40 | 25% |
| 2143 | Elk | 6 | 5 | 16 | 16 | 4 | 28 | 14% |
| 2209 | Elk | — | — | — | — | 8 | 9 | 89% |
| 2210 | Elk | 3 | 5 | — | — | 4 | 5 | 80% |
| 3071 | Moose | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 90% |
A young mule deer buck stepping out of green brush
IDFG Hunt Planner harvest statistics 2021-2025 (2025 pages linked): general deer, general elk, black bear, mountain lion, gray wolf, turkey, controlled deer, controlled elk, controlled moose; data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Unit 65 WMAs, forests and walk-in land
7 land records cross into Unit 65, 7 with a page of their own.
Land records and their units from IDFG, USFS, BLM, USFWS and IDL sources (see each land page); closed places from the Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules and 18 U.S.C. 1165 for tribal land; checked November 12, 2026.
Near Unit 65
Driggs sits inside the lines of Unit 65.
- DriggsIn unit · Teton County
Main street storefronts in Driggs in Teton Valley
Units in the counties Unit 65 reaches, with their elk zones and 2025 deer:
| Unit | Shared counties | Elk zone | Deer 2025 | Hunts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 67 | Teton | Palisades | 91 | 8 |
| Unit 62 | Teton | Island Park | 120 | 10 |
| Unit 64 | Teton | Palisades | 94 | 4 |
Towns and their units from places.json (Census places joined to the IDFG Game Units layer); 2025 deer from the Hunt Planner; checked November 12, 2026.
Legal hours around Unit 65
Clocks fall back on November 1, 2026 and spring forward on March 14, 2027, so the Unit 65 times jump an hour across those dates.
| Day | Why it matters | Sun up | Sun down | Shooting hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 6:45 a.m. MT | 8:06 p.m. MT | 6:15 a.m. MT to 8:36 p.m. MT |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Chukar opener | 7:03 a.m. MT | 7:37 p.m. MT | 6:33 a.m. MT to 8:07 p.m. MT |
| Oct 3, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:23 a.m. MT | 7:04 p.m. MT | 6:53 a.m. MT to 7:34 p.m. MT |
| Oct 10, 2026 | General deer opener | 7:31 a.m. MT | 6:52 p.m. MT | 7:01 a.m. MT to 7:22 p.m. MT |
| Oct 15, 2026 | General elk opener | 7:37 a.m. MT | 6:43 p.m. MT | 7:07 a.m. MT to 7:13 p.m. MT |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:55 a.m. MT | 4:50 p.m. MT | 7:25 a.m. MT to 5:20 p.m. MT |
Hours rule from the Idaho Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules (wolf and upland game animals: same rule, wolf, upland); time zone from 49 CFR 71.9; sunrise and sunset worked out for this location with the NOAA solar formula (Mountain Time); migratory bird hours: IDFG migratory bird table; checked November 12, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Questions on Unit 65
May a whole deer carcass leave Unit 65?
The zone transport rule does not reach this unit.
Is wolf hunting open in Unit 65?
3 wolf lines reach it, split by public and private land.
Where are rooms and meals closest to Unit 65?
Driggs.
Is there Access Yes! land in Unit 65?
Yes, 1 property.
Which IDFG region files Unit 65?
IDFG Upper Snake Region; its staff work out of Idaho Falls.
Who manages wildlife in Unit 65?
IDFG Upper Snake Region staff based in Idaho Falls.
How does the draw work for Unit 65?
Idaho draws controlled tags at random; apply in the period for the species, then buy the tag if drawn.
Which units share the Palisades Zone with Unit 65?
Units 64 and 67.
What was elk success in Unit 65 in 2025?
15% (31 elk).
Is there a general deer season in Unit 65?
Yes, 7 lines on the regular tag and white-tailed tag.
Is there spring bear hunting in Unit 65?
Yes, April 15, 2027 to June 30, 2027.
Answers drawn from the IDFG sources cited on this page; checked November 12, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); Tony Hisgett (CC BY 2.0); Ken Lund (CC BY-SA 2.0).