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Idaho county hunting, 2026-27
Gem County Hunting Overview
From August archery elk to winter lion hunts, this Gem County guide gathers unit shares, zone tags, hunt numbers, harvest tables and public ground for 2026-27.
Photo: Ken Lund (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Gem County region, seat and size
On the IDFG regional map the county belongs entirely to the Southwest Region; the region's other counties are Ada, Adams, Boise, Canyon, Elmore and Owyhee. The 2024 population estimate is 21,857 (14.3% up from the 2020 base of 19,127), with Emmett as the seat of government. By land area (560 square miles) Gem County places 40th among Idaho counties.
It shares its boundary with Ada County, Adams County, Boise County, Canyon County, Payette County, Valley County and Washington County. Mountain Time applies across Gem County; the Pacific Time block starts far to the north. For licenses, check-ins and questions, the regional contact is Nampa (Southwest Region South – Nampa Office).
Population from the Census Vintage 2024 estimates; area from the 2024 Census gazetteer; neighbours from Census county adjacency; regions from the IDFG regions and the IDFG administrative regions layer; offices from the IDFG office locations page; time zone from 49 CFR 71.9. Checked November 12, 2026.
Gem County by hunting unit
Of county: how much of the county lies in the unit. Of unit: how much of the unit lies in the county.
Seasons here follow unit lines rather than the county line: 3 units cross it, Unit 32 biggest at 64%. Of the counties sharing units with Gem County, Washington County leads with 2.
| Hunting unit | % of county | % of unit | Elk zone | Wolf zone | CWD | Also covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 32 | 64% | 25% | Weiser River Zone | McCall – Weiser | — | Washington, Payette, Boise +3 |
| Unit 32A | 24% | 22% | Weiser River Zone | McCall – Weiser | — | Adams, Valley, Washington +1 |
| Unit 38 | 12% | 4% | Boise River Zone | Southern Idaho | — | Ada, Canyon, Elmore +1 |
For black bear, Unit 38 sits outside the units listed in the general tables.
Unit shares from the IDFG Game Units layer overlaid on Census county polygons (GIS shares of land area, both ways); elk zone of each unit from the IDFG Elk Zones layer; wolf zones from the IDFG Wolf Zones layer; CWD units from the 2026 brochure; bear tables from the 2026 brochure. Checked November 12, 2026.
Gem County general elk tags by zone
Each zone page lists every unit in it and its controlled elk hunts.
Idaho sells a general elk tag for one zone at a time as an A tag or a B tag; 2 zones reach Gem County, led by the Weiser River Zone at 88%.
| Elk tag zone | % of county | % of zone | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weiser River Zone | 88% | 17% | 32/32A |
| Boise River Zone | 12% | 2% | 38 |
Gem County elk zone tag seasons
| Zone | Tag | Method | Open | Close | Limit | Reach | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weiser River | B Tag | Any Weapon | Aug 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | Antlerless | 32 | — |
| Weiser River | A Tag | Archery | Aug 30, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | 22/32/32A | — |
| Weiser River | B Tag | Any Weapon | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | Antlerless | Unit 32 | — |
| Weiser River | B Tag | Any Weapon | Oct 25, 2026 | Nov 3, 2026 | Antlered | Units 22,32,32A | — |
| Weiser River | A Tag | Any Weapon | Nov 1, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | Antlerless | Unit 32 | — |
| Weiser River | A Tag | Any Weapon | Nov 16, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | Antlerless | 32 | — |
| Boise River | B Tag | Any Weapon | Aug 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | Unit 38 | — |
| Boise River | B Tag | Any Weapon | Oct 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | Antlerless or Spike | Unit 38 | — |
| Boise River | B Tag | Any Weapon | Oct 27, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | Antlered | Portion of Unit 39 | — |
| Boise River | A Tag | Archery | Nov 10, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | Portion of Unit 39 | — |
Zone shares from the IDFG Elk Zones layer overlaid on county polygons; A and B tag lines from the IDFG Hunt Planner general hunt pages and the brochure elk zone table; tag sale dates from the 2026 brochure. Checked November 12, 2026.
CWD and wolf rules for Gem County
Hunters in Gem County face no CWD zone or testing requirement in 2026. The testing list shifted for 2026 (64 and 69 added, 24 and 32A removed), and Unit 32A is part of Gem County.
Gem County wolf lines by unit
The county's units belong to 2 wolf zones (McCall – Weiser and Southern Idaho); seasons follow units and whether the land is public or private. Wolf trapping requires the trapping license and wolf trapper education, and transmitting trail cameras are allowed for checks from July 1, 2026.
| Kind | Land type | County units | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunting | Private land | 32/32A/38 | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 |
| Hunting | Public land | 32/32A | Apr 1, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 |
| Hunting | Public land | 38 | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 |
| Hunting | Public land | 32/32A | Nov 15, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 |
| Trapping | Private land | 32/32A/38 | Nov 15, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 |
| Trapping | Public land | 32/32A | Sep 10, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 |
| Trapping | Public land | 38 | Sep 10, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 |
| Trapping | Public land | 32/32A | Nov 15, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 |
| Trapping | Public land | 38 | Nov 15, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 |
CWD zone, transport and testing rules from the Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 9; 2026 changes from IDFG, What hunters need to know about CWD requirements for 2026; county units from the IDFG CWD zone rules; wolf rules from the 2026 brochure; wolf zones from the IDFG Wolf Zones layer. Checked November 12, 2026.
Dated seasons around Gem County
IDFG writes big game seasons unit by unit, and Gem County spans Unit 32, Unit 32A and Unit 38; the area column shows which of those units each line covers.
| Game | Hunt name | Tag kind | Units or area | From | To | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | General tag | Units 32, 32A, 38 | Aug 30, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Deer | Controlled: Antlered | Controlled | 4 hunts | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | |
| Deer | Controlled: Extra Antlerless | Controlled | 4 hunts | Oct 10, 2026 | Dec 28, 2026 | |
| Deer | Any Weapon | General tag | Units 32, 32A | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | |
| Deer | Any Weapon | General tag | Units 32, 32A | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Short-Range Weapon | General tag | Unit 38 | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Short-Range Weapon | General tag | Unit 38 | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | |
| Elk | B Tag | B tag | Unit 32 | Aug 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Elk | B Tag | B tag | Unit 38 | Aug 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Elk | A Tag | A tag | Units 32, 32A | Aug 30, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Elk | Controlled: Antlerless | Controlled | 4 hunts | Oct 1, 2026 | Dec 30, 2026 | |
| Elk | Controlled: Youth Only | Controlled | 2 hunts | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 10, 2026 | |
| Elk | B Tag | B tag | Unit 38 | Oct 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Elk | B Tag | B tag | Units 32, 38 | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | |
| Elk | B Tag | B tag | Units 32, 32A | Oct 25, 2026 | Nov 3, 2026 | |
| Elk | A Tag | A tag | Units 32, 38 | Nov 1, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Elk | Controlled: Extra Antlerless | Controlled | 2 hunts | Nov 16, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Elk | A Tag | A tag | Unit 32 | Nov 16, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | |
| Pronghorn | Controlled: Either Sex | Controlled | 2 hunts | Sep 25, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | |
| Pronghorn | Controlled: Youth Only | Controlled | 1 hunt | Sep 25, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Fall 2026 | General tag | Units 32, 32A | Aug 30, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Fall controlled | Controlled | 1 hunt | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Spring 2027 | General tag | Units 32, 32A | Apr 1, 2027 | May 22, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Spring controlled | Controlled | 1 hunt | Apr 1, 2027 | May 22, 2027 | |
| Mountain lion | July 2026 – June 2027 | General tag | Units 32, 32A, 38 | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall general – outside National Forest System lands | Units 32, 32A | Aug 30, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 | ||
| Wild turkey | Spring general – youth only | Units 32, 32A | Apr 8, 2027 | Apr 14, 2027 | ||
| Wild turkey | Spring general | Units 32, 32A | Apr 15, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | ||
| Forest grouse | Forest grouse (dusky, ruffed, spruce) | Area 2 | Aug 30, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | ||
| Chukar | Chukar | Statewide | Sep 15, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | ||
| Gray partridge | Gray (Hungarian) partridge | Statewide | Sep 15, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | ||
| Quail | California and bobwhite quail | Statewide | Sep 15, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | ||
| Pheasant | Pheasant – youth (17 and under) | Statewide | Oct 8, 2026 | Oct 14, 2026 | ||
| Pheasant | Pheasant – resident | Statewide | Oct 15, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | ||
| Pheasant | Pheasant – nonresident | Statewide | Oct 20, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | ||
| Cottontail rabbit | Cottontail | Statewide | Aug 30, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | ||
| Snowshoe hare | Snowshoe hare | Statewide | Aug 30, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | ||
| Red squirrel | Red squirrel | Statewide | Aug 30, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | ||
| Ducks | Youth and veterans/active military waterfowl weekend | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | ||
| Ducks | Ducks | Permit | Area 1 | Oct 19, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Scaup | Scaup | Area 1 | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | ||
| American coot | American coot | Area 1 | Oct 19, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | ||
| Wilson's snipe | Wilson's snipe | Area 1 | Oct 19, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | ||
| Canada goose | Canada goose | Area 1 | Oct 19, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | ||
| White-fronted goose | White-fronted goose (4 areas) | Areas 1-4 | Oct 3, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | ||
| Light goose | Snow, blue and Ross's geese (5 areas) | Areas 1-5 | Oct 3, 2026 | Mar 10, 2027 | ||
| Mourning dove | Mourning and white-winged dove | Permit | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| American crow | American crow | Statewide | Oct 27, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | ||
| Badger | Trapping and hunting | Trapping | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Beaver | Trapping | Trapping | Statewide | Oct 15, 2026 | Apr 15, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Trapping and hunting | Trapping | Statewide | Dec 14, 2026 | Feb 16, 2027 | |
| Marten | Trapping | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Mink | Trapping | Trapping | Statewide | Oct 15, 2026 | Apr 15, 2027 | |
| Muskrat | Trapping | Trapping | Statewide | Oct 15, 2026 | Apr 15, 2027 | |
| River otter | Trapping | Trapping | Statewide | Oct 15, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Trapping and hunting – other regions (year-round) | By region | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 |
From the Idaho Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules, the Moose, Bighorn Sheep and Mountain Goat 2025 and 2026 brochure, the Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer 2026 and 2027 brochure, the Migratory Game Bird 2026-2027 brochure and the IDFG Hunt Planner (Idaho Department of Fish and Game), data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Gem County hunt numbers by species
Tags are 2026 counts for the whole hunt.
Hunts whose units reach the county in 2026 total 21, made up of 8 deer, 8 elk, 3 pronghorn and 2 black bear. The tag total for these hunts is 1,390 in 2026, counted by hunt rather than by county.
A second application period, August 5 to 15, covers tags left after the first draw, and controlled tags must be bought by August 1.
Gem County: controlled deer (8)
| Hunt | Category | Units here | Weapon | Open | Close | Bag | Tag count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1023 | Antlered | 32 | Any Weapon | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | Antlered | 40 |
| 1024 | Antlered | 32A | Any Weapon | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | Antlered | 30 |
| 1028 | Antlered | 38 | Short-Range Weapons | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | Antlered | 5 |
| 1029 | Antlered | 38 | Short-Range Weapons | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | Antlered | 20 |
| 1138 | Extra Antlerless | 38 | Short-Range Weapons | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 29, 2026 | Antlerless | 10 |
| 1139 | Extra Antlerless | 38 | Short-Range Weapons | Oct 30, 2026 | Nov 18, 2026 | Antlerless | 10 |
| 1140 | Extra Antlerless | 38 | Short-Range Weapons | Nov 19, 2026 | Dec 8, 2026 | Antlerless | 10 |
| 1141 | Extra Antlerless | 38 | Short-Range Weapons | Dec 9, 2026 | Dec 28, 2026 | Antlerless | 10 |
Controlled elk in Gem County (8)
| Hunt | Category | Units here | Weapon | Open | Close | Bag | Tag count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2060 | Antlerless | 32A | Any Weapon | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | Antlerless | 200 |
| 2152 | Youth Only | 32A | Any Weapon | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | Antlerless | 150 |
| 2061 | Antlerless | 32A | Any Weapon | Oct 25, 2026 | Nov 10, 2026 | Antlerless | 200 |
| 2153 | Youth Only | 32A | Any Weapon | Oct 25, 2026 | Nov 10, 2026 | Antlerless | 150 |
| 2062 | Antlerless | 32A | Any Weapon | Nov 11, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | Antlerless | 100 |
| 2165 | Extra Antlerless | 32 | Any Weapon | Nov 16, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | Antlerless | 150 |
| 2075 | Antlerless | 32A | Any Weapon | Dec 1, 2026 | Dec 30, 2026 | Antlerless | 50 |
| 2166 | Extra Antlerless | 32A | Short-Range Weapons | Dec 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | Antlerless | 50 |
Controlled pronghorn in Gem County (3)
| Hunt | Category | Units here | Weapon | Open | Close | Bag | Tag count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4003 | Either Sex | 32/32A | Any Weapon | Sep 25, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | 5 |
| 4006 | Either Sex | 38 | Any Weapon | Sep 25, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | 10 |
| 4050 | Youth Only | 32/32A | Any Weapon | Sep 25, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | 15 |
Gem County: controlled black bear (2)
| Hunt | Category | Units here | Weapon | Open | Close | Bag | Tag count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8503 | Fall | 32A | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | 100 | ||
| 8002 | Spring | 32A | Apr 1, 2027 | May 22, 2027 | 75 |
Hunt numbers, types, units, dates, bags and 2026 tags from the IDFG Hunt Planner hunt pages (each hunt number links its page) matched to the Idaho Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules and the Moose, Bighorn Sheep and Mountain Goat 2025 and 2026 brochure; counties are whole units, so a hunt area can be smaller. Application periods from the 2026 brochure, the moose, sheep and goat brochure and the spring bear page. Checked November 12, 2026.
Gem County unit harvest, 2025
Each figure belongs to the whole unit, not to the county.
Harvest figures come from the IDFG Hunt Planner statistics for 2025, unit by unit, and the units run past the county line. For general season elk, Unit 32A led with 419 taken by 2,450 hunters in 2025, all weapons combined. On the deer side, Unit 32 returned 886 deer at 29% success.
| Unit (2025) | Deer (success) | Elk (success) | Black bear | Mountain lion | Turkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 32 | 886 (29%) | 395 (21%) | 21 | 4 | 463 |
| Unit 32A | 430 (16%) | 419 (17%) | 47 | 3 | 139 |
| Unit 38 | 246 (28%) | 51 (16%) | — | — | 227 |
2025 harvest from the IDFG Hunt Planner statistics: general season deer 2025; general season elk 2025; black bear 2025; mountain lion 2025; spring turkey 2025. Deer and elk cells are IDFG’s “All Weapons Combined” unit rows (harvest and success); bear, lion and wolf cells are unit harvest; turkey is the spring unit row. IDFG publishes harvest by hunting unit and controlled hunt only (Hunt Planner harvest statistics); no county harvest exists. `counties` on unit rows list every county named in the unit boundary description. Checked November 12, 2026.
Gem County public land, owner by owner
Solid points on the map are places in the county; hollow ones lie just outside it.
Open public ground in Gem County totals 129,867 GIS acres once overlapping layers are counted once; that is 36% of the county. Sort the owners by size and BLM land comes first, 68,216 acres within the county line. Roughly 59,815 forest acres in the county belong to the Emmett Ranger District (Boise National Forest), the largest of 1 districts.
| Land type | Acres | Of the county | Open? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department WMAs | 1,792 | under 1% | Rules by area |
| National forest (incl. NRAs) | 59,859 | 17% | Open in season |
| BLM land | 68,216 | 19% | Open in season |
| Total open (GIS) | 129,867 | 36% | Deduplicated |
| Access Yes! (private) | 3,228 | under 1% | Not in total |
| State trust land | 18,687 | 5% | See rule |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 173 | under 1% | Not in total |
The field office with the largest BLM footprint in Gem County is the Four Rivers Field Office, at 68,216 of 68,216 acres. The 18,687 endowment acres are trust land managed for revenue, so they get their own row.
Gem County public places by owner
Payette River Wildlife Management Area
Units 32/38
A L Cattle – Dodson Pass (Access Yes!)
Units 32/32A
Boise National Forest
Units 24/25/32 +8
Cascade Ranger District
Units 24/25/33 +1
Emmett Ranger District
Units 24/32/32A +2
Boise District
Units 22/23/24 +13
Four Rivers Field Office
Units 22/23/24 +12
Open land a short drive from Gem County
- Paddock Valley Reservoir (Access Yes!)14 miles, Access Yes! property
- A L Cattle – Shirts Creek (Access Yes!)25 miles, Access Yes! property
- Osborn Ranch – Indian Valley (Access Yes!)31 miles, Access Yes! property
- Midvale Hill (Access Yes!)34 miles, Access Yes! property
- Fort Boise Wildlife Management Area35 miles, IDFG WMA
- Boise River Wildlife Management Area37 miles, IDFG WMA
Acres are GIS measures of polygons with water over 2 square km removed, not official acreage: IDFG WMA layer, PAD-US 4.1 (forest, grassland, BLM, refuge, park, endowment, Reclamation, military, DOE and tribal land), IDFG Access Yes! 2026 layer, IDFG Large Tracts layer; refuges counted only when listed in 50 CFR 32.31; tribal rule from 18 U.S.C. 1165; closures from the 2026 brochure; Craters of the Moon from the NPS laws and policies page. Checked November 12, 2026.
Gem County offices and outfitters
Gem County is served by the IDFG Southwest Region; bear, lion and wolf skulls and hides go to a regional office, a check point or an officer within 10 days.
Gem County town guides
- Emmett8,803 people · Unit 32 · 7 places within 10 mi
The Census gazetteer counts 2 places in Gem County (1 incorporated); Emmett has a hunting page here. 3 sporting goods shops, 2 taxidermists and 0 meat processors list an address in the county. Guided hunts: 2 outfitters on the IDFG licence layer name areas covering this county.
- Idaho Guest RanchOutfitter
- Korell Outfitters Unlimited LlcOutfitter
Offices from the IDFG office locations page; skull and hide rule from the 2026 brochure; towns from the 2024 Census gazetteer; shops from Yellow Pages listings and chain store locators; outfitters from the IDFG outfitter layer of OGLB licences. Listings not individually verified; call ahead. Checked November 12, 2026.
Gem County banquets and classes
Kinds ahead here: DU sportsman’s bingo. Count: 2 dates ahead.
| First day | Title | Location | Tickets or seats | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 21, 2026 | Emmett Valley Bingo for Boomsticks format: DU sportsman’s bingo | The Roadhouse at the Mill | Tickets | Source |
| Apr 10, 2027 | Emmett Valley Bingo for Boomsticks format: DU sportsman’s bingo | The Roadhouse at the Mill | Tickets | Source |
Gem County: club benches and clay fields
Gem County has 2 ranges on file.
Among the IDFG ranges, Boise River WMA Archery Range sits closest to the Gem County centre at about 33 miles (measured to Boise; IDFG publishes no map point).
Ranges from IDFG range pages, the BLM qualified range list, club sites and directory listings, checked November 12, 2026.
Gem County shooting light by date
Every time in the Gem County table carries its zone, because north Idaho runs on Pacific Time and the rest of the state on Mountain Time.
| Day | Note | Sunup | Sundown | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2026 | General elk opener | 6:33 a.m. MT | 9:12 p.m. MT | 6:03 a.m. MT to 9:42 p.m. MT |
| Aug 30, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 7:05 a.m. MT | 8:28 p.m. MT | 6:35 a.m. MT to 8:58 p.m. MT |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Chukar opener | 7:23 a.m. MT | 7:59 p.m. MT | 6:53 a.m. MT to 8:29 p.m. MT |
| Oct 10, 2026 | General deer opener | 7:52 a.m. MT | 7:12 p.m. MT | 7:22 a.m. MT to 7:42 p.m. MT |
| Oct 19, 2026 | Duck opener | 8:04 a.m. MT | 6:57 p.m. MT | 7:34 a.m. MT to 7:27 p.m. MT |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 8:17 a.m. MT | 5:10 p.m. MT | 7:47 a.m. MT to 5:40 p.m. MT |
| Apr 15, 2027 | Spring turkey | 7:04 a.m. MT | 8:28 p.m. MT | 6:34 a.m. MT to 8:58 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.
Gem County gear picks
Chosen to suit the game listed on this page.
Amazon links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.

Eastern cottontail rabbit sitting in grassPhoto: Jim, the Photographer (CC BY 2.0)

White-tailed deer buck in the treesPhoto: USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0)

Eastern cottontail rabbit at the edge of a fieldPhoto: mbarrison (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Gem County FAQ
How are controlled hunt winners picked for Gem County?
By random draw. 21 hunt numbers with 1,390 tags reach Gem County this year.
What elk zones overlap Gem County?
Which Gem County units carry CWD rules?
None. The 2026 CWD units all lie in other counties.
What does the merged public land count show for Gem County?
129,867 acres with overlaps counted once.
Where does a Gem County bear skull get checked?
Bear, lion and wolf skull and hide go to a regional office, a check point or a conservation officer within 10 days; the regional office is in Nampa.
What are the big game shooting hours in Gem County?
From half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; migratory birds follow the separate IDFG table.
Must big game hunters in Gem County wear orange?
Not by law for big game. IDFG recommends at least 36 square inches above the waist and requires it only for permit pheasant areas and sponsored hunts.
Where did Gem County hunters fill the most tags in 2025?
In Unit 32A: 419 (general season elk) in 2025, counted across the whole unit.
Which hunting unit holds most of Gem County?
Unit 32, with 64% of the county; the others are Unit 32A, Unit 38.
When must I report a deer or elk from Gem County?
Within 10 days after harvest for deer, elk and pronghorn, or within 10 days after the season closes if you did not hunt or came home empty.
From the Idaho Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules, IDFG hunter orange policy, harvest reporting, CWD rules, 49 CFR 71.9, 18 U.S.C. 1165 and the county data above. Checked November 12, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Jim, the Photographer (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); mbarrison (CC BY-SA 2.0).