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3 units, 1 elk zone
Minidoka County for Idaho Hunters
Minidoka County hunting, 2026-27: Units 52A, 53 and 68, the IDFG Magic Valley Region, general and controlled seasons, 226,659 mapped public acres and services near Rupert.
Photo: Ken Lund (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Minidoka County at a glance for hunters
All of Minidoka County falls in the Magic Valley Region of IDFG, alongside Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding, Jerome and Lincoln. Rupert anchors a county the Census Bureau counted at 22,691 people for 2024, 5.1% up from the 2020 base of 21,584. The Census gazetteer measures 757 square miles of land here, the 35th largest county in the state.
Adjoining Minidoka County on the map are Blaine County, Cassia County, Jerome County and Lincoln County. This is a Mountain Time county, the same zone as Boise and Idaho Falls. The Magic Valley Region Office in Jerome handles the county, and it is also the closest IDFG office, about 41 miles from the county centre.
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.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Minidoka County
Minidoka County unit shares, both ways
Percentages come from overlaying the IDFG unit polygons on county lines.
The county is divided among 3 units, led by Unit 52A with 57% of its land. Small slivers of Unit 68 cross the line too.
| Unit | County % | Unit % | Elk tag zone | Wolf zone | CWD rule | Spills into |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 52A | 57% | 25% | Big Desert Zone | Southern Idaho | — | Lincoln, Blaine, Butte |
| Unit 53 | 42% | 18% | Big Desert Zone | Southern Idaho | — | Jerome, Lincoln, Gooding +4 |
| Unit 68 | under 1% | under 1% | Big Desert Zone | Southern Idaho | — | Bingham, Power, Blaine +1 |
Expect to cross into Blaine County on foot; 3 of these units run into it.
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.
Elk zones covering Minidoka County
One general elk tag is valid in one zone, as an A tag or a B tag, never both.
General elk tags are sold by zone, and Minidoka County touches 1 elk zone; the Big Desert Zone covers the most, 100% of the county.
| Zone page | County % | Zone % | County units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Desert Zone | 100% | 13% | 52A/53/68 |
A and B tag lines for Minidoka County zones
| Zone | Tag | Weapon | First day | Last day | Bag | Area | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Desert | A Tag | Archery | Aug 1, 2026 | Aug 30, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | Unit 68 | — |
| Big Desert | A Tag | Archery | Aug 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | Unit 68A | — |
| Big Desert | A Tag | Short-Range Weapons | Aug 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | Unit 53 | — |
| Big Desert | A Tag | Archery | Aug 30, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | Units 52A and 68 | — |
| Big Desert | B Tag | Any Weapon | Nov 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | Antlerless | Units 52A and 68 | 350 |
Tag numbers are listed for Big Desert Zone, and capped zone tags go on sale July 8.
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.
Minidoka County CWD status and wolf seasons
None of the county's units appears in the 2026 CWD rules.
Wolf hunting and trapping in Minidoka County
For wolf data IDFG groups units into zones, and Minidoka County falls in 1 wolf zone: Southern Idaho. Wolf seasons themselves are set by unit and land type. Trappers need both the trapping license and the wolf trapper education course, and may watch wolf sets with transmitting cameras since July 1, 2026.
| Season | Land | Units here | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunting | Private land | 52A/53/68 | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 |
| Hunting | Public land | 68 | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 |
| Trapping | Private land | 52A | Jul 1, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 |
| Trapping | Private land | 52A/68 | Jul 1, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 |
| Trapping | Private land | 52A | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 |
| Trapping | Private land | 52A/68 | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 |
| Trapping | Public land | 52A/68 | Jul 1, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 |
| Trapping | Public land | 52A/68 | Sep 10, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 |
| Trapping | Public land | 53 | Sep 10, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 |
| Trapping | Public land | 52A/68 | Nov 15, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 |
| Trapping | Public land | 53 | Nov 15, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 |
| Trapping | Public land | 52A/68 | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 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.
Minidoka County tags and season windows
The 2027 spring turkey dates are already printed in the upland brochure, so those lines sit beside the fall 2026 hunts for Minidoka County.
| Quarry | Hunt and weapon | Paperwork | Applies to | Start | Stop | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Controlled: Archery | Controlled | 1 hunt | Aug 30, 2026 | Dec 19, 2026 | |
| Deer | Archery | General tag | Units 52A, 68 | Aug 30, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Deer | Short-Range Weapon | General tag | Unit 53 | Aug 30, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | |
| Deer | Controlled: Extra Antlerless | Controlled | 1 hunt | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | |
| Deer | Any Weapon | General tag | Unit 52A | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Any Weapon | General tag | Unit 68 | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | |
| Deer | Controlled: Muzzleloader | Controlled | 2 hunts | Nov 10, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | |
| Elk | A Tag | A tag | Unit 53 | Aug 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Elk | A Tag | A tag | Unit 68 | Aug 1, 2026 | Aug 30, 2026 | |
| Elk | A Tag | A tag | Units 52A, 68 | Aug 30, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Elk | Controlled: Antlered | Controlled | 1 hunt | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | |
| Elk | Controlled: Antlerless | Controlled | 1 hunt | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | |
| Elk | B Tag | B tag | Units 52A, 68 | Nov 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Pronghorn | Controlled: Archery | Controlled | 3 hunts | Aug 15, 2026 | Sep 24, 2026 | |
| Pronghorn | Controlled: Either Sex | Controlled | 2 hunts | Sep 25, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Fall 2026 | General tag | Units 52A, 53, 68 | Aug 30, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Spring 2027 | General tag | Unit 68 | Apr 15, 2027 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Spring 2027 | General tag | Units 52A, 53 | Apr 15, 2027 | Jun 15, 2027 | |
| Mountain lion | July 2026 – June 2027 | General tag | Units 52A, 53, 68 | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 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 3 | Nov 3, 2026 | Feb 15, 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.
Drawn hunts reaching Minidoka County
Each hunt number links its IDFG Hunt Planner page with the exact boundary.
Counting every species, 11 controlled hunts touch the county this year: 4 deer, 2 elk and 5 pronghorn. Summed across hunt numbers that is 590 tags, not all of them used inside the county.
Moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat applications are taken April 1 to 30; spring bear January 15 to February 15.
Deer hunts with units in Minidoka County (4)
| Hunt # | Type | Units | Method | Begins | Ends | Limit | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1079 | Archery | 53 | Archery | Aug 30, 2026 | Dec 19, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | — |
| 1146 | Extra Antlerless | 68 | Any Weapon | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | Antlerless | 100 |
| 1092 | Muzzleloader | 52A | Muzzleloader | Nov 10, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | 75 |
| 1095 | Muzzleloader | 68 | Muzzleloader | Nov 16, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | Antlered | 20 |
Elk tags drawn around Minidoka County (2)
| Hunt # | Type | Units | Method | Begins | Ends | Limit | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2034 | Antlered | 52A/68 | Any Weapon | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | Antlered | 100 |
| 2106 | Antlerless | 68 | Any Weapon | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | Antlerless | 125 |
Pronghorn tags drawn around Minidoka County (5)
| Hunt # | Type | Units | Method | Begins | Ends | Limit | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4037 | Archery | 52A/53 | Archery | Aug 15, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | — |
| 4041 | Archery | 68 | Archery | Aug 15, 2026 | Aug 30, 2026 | Bucks Only | 20 |
| 4042 | Archery | 68 | Archery | Sep 10, 2026 | Sep 24, 2026 | Bucks Only | 75 |
| 4017 | Either Sex | 52A/53 | Any Weapon | Sep 25, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | 50 |
| 4023 | Either Sex | 68 | Any Weapon | Sep 25, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | 25 |
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.
Harvest around Minidoka County, 2025 (unit totals)
Unit totals for 2025; IDFG publishes no county figure.
Read the table as 2025 harvest in the hunting units that reach Minidoka County, unit by unit; adding them up would not give a county figure. By general elk harvest, Unit 52A came first in 2025 (136 from 472 hunters). The top deer unit here in 2025 was Unit 52A, 207 deer and 15% success.
| Hunting unit | Deer (success) | Elk (success) |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 52A | 207 (15%) | 136 (29%) |
| Unit 53 | 115 (27%) | 34 (11%) |
| Unit 68 | 148 (19%) | 122 (27%) |
2025 harvest from the IDFG Hunt Planner statistics: general season deer 2025; general season elk 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.
Minidoka County forests, BLM and WMAs
Tribal, park and monument land is shown so you can plan around it, not on it.
Merge the WMA, national forest, grassland, BLM, refuge and preserve layers, take out tribal land, and Minidoka County shows 226,659 GIS acres of public hunting ground, 47% of its land. No owner outweighs BLM land here: 152,856 acres. On the BLM side, the Shoshone Field Office runs 113,335 acres of the county total of 152,856.
| Category | Mapped acres | % of land | Hunting status |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLM | 152,856 | 32% | Open |
| Refuges (50 CFR 32.31) | 1 | under 1% | Per refuge rule |
| Craters preserve (NPS) | 73,866 | 15% | Open |
| Public union | 226,659 | 47% | No double count |
| Endowment acres | 7,318 | 2% | Access rule |
| Reclamation land | 4,671 | under 1% | Excluded |
| State parks | 179 | under 1% | Closed (brochure) |
About 7,318 acres of state endowment land lie in Minidoka County, shown on its own line rather than in the public total. No hunting is allowed in Craters of the Moon National Preserve; the brochure closes every national park and monument.
Minidoka County places, card by card
Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge
Units 53/56/68
Twin Falls District
Units 44/45/46 +12
Shoshone Field Office
Units 44/45/48 +6
Burley Field Office
Units 46/47/52A +6
Craters of The Moon National Monument (BLM part)
Units 49/50/52A +1
Craters of the Moon National Preserve
Units 49/50/52A +1
Minidoka County neighbours with open land
- Carey Lake Wildlife Management Area35 miles, IDFG WMA
- Picabo Livestock (Access Yes!)36 miles, Access Yes! property
- Access Yes! property 608936 miles, Access Yes! property
- Windy Wheat, LLC (Access Yes!)39 miles, Access Yes! property
- Access Yes! property 593639 miles, Access Yes! property
- Dry Creek Cattle Assn. (Access Yes!)39 miles, Access Yes! property
Minidoka County ground off the hunting map
- Lake Walcott State ParkState park, closed
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.
Minidoka County IDFG contacts and shops
IDFG region: IDFG Magic Valley Region. The office cards give the address and phone for licenses, check-ins and bear, lion or wolf skull and hide checks.
Minidoka County towns and their units
- Rupert6,343 people · Unit 53 · 4 places within 10 mi
Of the 5 Census places in the county, 1 has a town guide, starting with Rupert. 1 sporting goods shop, 1 taxidermist and 1 meat processor list an address in the county. 2 OGLB-licensed hunting outfitters work in areas that reach Minidoka County, listed below as names only.
- Idaho Guide Service IncLicence on file
- War Eagle Outfitters And Guides LlcLicence on file
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.
Minidoka County shooters: ranges and shoot dates
1 range in Minidoka County; City of Rupert Outdoor Shooting Complex is an IDFG, BLM-land or city range.
IDFG's nearest public range to the Minidoka County centre: Boise River WMA Archery Range, 140 miles off (measured to Boise; IDFG publishes no map point).
Upcoming here
| When, name | Type | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 14, 2026 | Women’s night | Enter |
| Jan 11, 2027 | Women’s night | Enter |
| Feb 8, 2027 | Women’s night | Enter |
| Mar 8, 2027 | Women’s night | Posted at |
| Apr 12, 2027 | Women’s night | Posted at |
| May 10, 2027 | Women’s night | Posted at |
Ranges from IDFG range pages, the BLM qualified range list, club sites and directory listings, checked November 12, 2026.
Minidoka County hours on key season dates
IDFG allows big game, wolf and upland game animals from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; for Minidoka County that window is worked out below with the NOAA solar formula on Mountain Time.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 6:56 a.m. MT | 8:15 p.m. MT | 6:26 a.m. MT to 8:45 p.m. MT |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Chukar opener | 7:13 a.m. MT | 7:47 p.m. MT | 6:43 a.m. MT to 8:17 p.m. MT |
| Oct 10, 2026 | General deer opener | 7:40 a.m. MT | 7:02 p.m. MT | 7:10 a.m. MT to 7:32 p.m. MT |
| Oct 19, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:51 a.m. MT | 6:48 p.m. MT | 7:21 a.m. MT to 7:18 p.m. MT |
| Nov 1, 2026 | General elk opener | 7:08 a.m. MT | 5:29 p.m. MT | 6:38 a.m. MT to 5:59 p.m. MT |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 8:02 a.m. MT | 5:03 p.m. MT | 7:32 a.m. MT to 5:33 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.
Minidoka County hunting kit
Four items that cover an Idaho year, from August archery elk to January chukar.
Amazon links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Eastern cottontail rabbit in green ground coverPhoto: Ligocsicnarf89 (CC BY 4.0)
Wild turkey gobbler strutting with tail fannedPhoto: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain)
White-fronted geese and wigeonPhoto: USFWS/Southeast (Public domain)
Minidoka County: common questions
How many unit numbers cross the Minidoka County line?
3. The list, largest share first, is Unit 52A, Unit 53, Unit 68.
How do A and B elk tags work around Minidoka County?
Each zone sells an A tag and a B tag with different seasons, and you may hold one general elk tag. Zones here: Big Desert Zone.
When do I apply for a Minidoka County controlled hunt?
May 1 to June 5 for deer, elk, pronghorn and fall bear (second period August 5 to 15), April 1 to 30 for moose, sheep and goat, January 15 to February 15 for spring bear.
How many GIS acres of public hunting land does Minidoka County hold?
About 226,659 GIS acres, 47% of the county.
Is CWD sampling required around Minidoka County?
No testing or transport rule applies here in 2026.
Which clock do Minidoka County shooting times follow?
Mountain Time; every time printed on this page carries its zone label.
How far is the nearest IDFG office from Minidoka County?
About 41 miles in a straight line from mid-county to the Magic Valley Region Office in Jerome.
What do the 2025 unit tables say about Minidoka County?
Unit 52A led at 136 (general season elk); the band above lists every unit that reaches the county.
What public places in Minidoka County carry no hunting at all?
Lake Walcott State Park; check the brochure list of closed parks.
What hunter orange rule applies in Minidoka County?
IDFG recommends hunter orange. It becomes required on pheasant ground where the Upland Game Bird Permit is needed and on sponsored hunts like organized youth hunts (36 square inches minimum above the waist).
Where do I report a Minidoka County harvest?
Online, in the app or by phone at 1-877-268-9365; the report is mandatory within 10 days.
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: Ligocsicnarf89 (CC BY 4.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).