Idaho › Hunting seasons › Units › Unit 28
Salmon Region · 16 controlled hunts
What opens in Unit 28, Idaho
Hunt numbers, tag counts, general dates, five years of Hunt Planner harvest and the public ground of Unit 28 (Lemhi and Custer).
Photo: Argyleist (CC BY 2.0)
Where Unit 28 lies
IDFG gives the unit a number and no name. Unit 28 covers 837,093 acres, mostly in Lemhi County (99%). Pieces of Lemhi County and Custer County make up Unit 28; seen from the county side, the unit covers 28% of Lemhi.
| County | Share of unit | Share of county | In boundary text |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lemhi County | 99% | 28% | Yes |
| Custer County | 0.9% | 0.2% | GIS only |
Custer appears on the map overlay only, so read the brochure boundary before relying on that edge.
Unit 28 reports to the Salmon Region, whose Salmon office answers questions about this ground.
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 28 unit-level rules
- Elk: Unit 28 is part of the Salmon Zone, so a general elk tag here is the Salmon A tag or B tag, good across Units 21, 21A and 36B as well.
- On the IDFG wolf layer Unit 28 sits in the Salmon zone with 3 other units, but seasons follow units and land type, not zones.
- No CWD sampling is required for deer from Unit 28 under the 2026 rules.
Zone tags: Salmon 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.
Unit 28 drawn tags by species
All 16 controlled hunts valid somewhere in Unit 28 are listed below with dates, bag, 2026 tags and the brochure page. Single-unit hunts: 6. Multi-unit hunts: 10.
Results for the first deer, elk and pronghorn period come out in early July; second-period results by August 25. For moose, sheep and goat the two-year brochure prints month and day once; these rows apply 2026.
A bighorn sheep ram on a rocky slope with ewes behind
Deer, antlered (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1019 | 28 | Any Weapon | Oct 10 to Nov 30, 2026 | Antlered | 5 | Only here | p. 22 | — |
Deer, archery (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1070 | 21-1 | Archery | Aug 1 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlered | 10 | 11 units | p. 24 | Antlered only, Motorized Hunting Rule Applies in Units 29 and 37A, See idfg.idaho.gov/hunt/access/motorized-vehicles |
Deer, extra antlerless (2)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1134 | 21-1X | Any Weapon | Aug 30 to Oct 31, 2026 | Antlerless | 200 | 6 units | p. 28 | White-tailed deer only, Motorized Hunting Rule Applies in Unit 29, See idfg.idaho.gov/hunt/access/motorized-vehicles |
| 1135 | 21-1X | Any Weapon | Nov 1 to Dec 31, 2026 | Antlerless | 200 | 6 units | p. 28 | White-tailed deer only, Motorized Hunting Rule Applies in Unit 29, See idfg.idaho.gov/hunt/access/motorized-vehicles |
Deer, outfitter allocated (2)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1157 | 21-1 | Archery | Aug 1 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlered | 1 | 11 units | p. 30 | Archery only, Motorized Hunting Rule Applies in Units 29 and 37A, See idfg.idaho.gov/hunt/access/motorized-vehicles |
| 1162 | 28 | Any Weapon | Oct 10 to Nov 30, 2026 | Antlered | 1 | Only here | p. 30 | — |
Deer, youth only (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1101 | 28-1 | Any Weapon | Sep 15 to Oct 31, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | 15 | Only here | p. 26 | Either sex, Portion of Unit only, See Hunt Planner or contact Salmon Regional Office for map of hunt area |
Deer, youth only – extra antlerless (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1111 | 21-1X | Any Weapon | Aug 30 to Dec 31, 2026 | Antlerless | 75 | 6 units | p. 26 | White-tailed deer only, Motorized Hunting Rule Applies in Unit 29, See idfg.idaho.gov/hunt/access/motorized-vehicles |
Pronghorn, archery (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4027 | 28-1 | Archery | Aug 15 to Sep 15, 2026 | Bucks Only | Unlimited | 28, 36B, 37, 37A | p. 66 | Buck only, Motorized Hunting Rule Applies in Unit 37A, See Pages 104 – 106 |
Pronghorn, either sex (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4004 | 36B-1 | Any Weapon | Sep 25 to Oct 24, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | 10 | 28, 36B | p. 64 | — |
Bighorn sheep, ram (5)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5010 | 27-3 | Any Weapon | Aug 30 to Oct 13, 2026 | Rams Only | 5 | 27, 28 | p. 19 | — |
| 5012 | 28-1 | Any Weapon | Aug 30 to Oct 13, 2026 | Rams Only | 3 | Only here | p. 19 | — |
| 5013 | 28-2 | Any Weapon | Aug 30 to Oct 13, 2026 | Rams Only | 2 | Only here | p. 19 | — |
| 5016 | 36B | Any Weapon | Aug 30 to Oct 13, 2026 | Rams Only | 4 | 27, 28, 36B | p. 19 | — |
| 5026 | 28-1L | Any Weapon | Oct 14 to Oct 31, 2026 | Rams Only | 2 | Only here | p. 19 | — |
Mountain goat, either sex (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6006 | 27-4 | Any Weapon | Aug 30 to Nov 12, 2026 | Either-sex | 1 | 27, 28 | p. 26 | — |
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 28 general seasons
Without a draw, a hunter in Unit 28 can work 22 general lines: deer, elk, black bear, mountain lion, gray wolf and wild turkey. The first general any-weapon deer day here is October 10, 2026, on the regular tag.
Deer (8)
| Tag or type | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Area | Notes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular tag | Any Weapon | Oct 10 to Oct 24, 2026 | Antlered | This unit | — | |
| Regular tag | Any Weapon | Oct 10 to Oct 31, 2026 | Antlerless | This unit | Youth hunt ONLY on Private Land ONLY | |
| Regular tag | Archery | Dec 1 to Dec 31, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | This unit | — | |
| White-tailed tag | Any Weapon | Oct 10 to Oct 31, 2026 | Antlered | This unit | Very limited access. | |
| White-tailed tag | Any Weapon | Oct 10 to Oct 31, 2026 | Antlerless | This unit | Youth Hunt ONLY. Very limited access. | |
| White-tailed tag | Short-Range Weapons | Nov 1 to Dec 9, 2026 | Antlered | This unit | Very limited access. | |
| White-tailed tag | Short-Range Weapons | Nov 1 to Dec 31, 2026 | Antlerless | This unit | Very limited access. | |
| White-tailed tag | Archery | Dec 1 to Dec 31, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | This unit | Very limited access. |
Elk (2)
| Tag or type | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Area | Notes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A tag | Archery | Dec 1 to Dec 31, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | This unit | Unit 28 ONLY | |
| B tag | Any Weapon | Oct 15 to Nov 8, 2026 | Antlered | 21, 21A, 28, 36B | — |
Black bear (2)
| Tag or type | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Area | Notes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | Any weapon | Aug 30 to Nov 30, 2026 | One black bear per tag; females with young protected | 21, 28 | Dogs prohibited: Oct 10 – Nov 8 | |
| Spring 2027 | Any weapon | Apr 1 to Jun 30, 2027 | One black bear per tag; females with young protected | 21, 28 | Dogs prohibited: Oct 10 – Nov 8 |
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 | 21, 28 | Dogs prohibited: July 1 – Aug 29; Oct 10 – Nov 8 |
Gray wolf (7)
| 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 | — | |
| Trapping, private land | Trapping | Jul 1 to Nov 30, 2026 | Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | 38 units | — | |
| Trapping, private land | Trapping | Dec 1, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027 | Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | 38 units | — | |
| Trapping, public land | Trapping | Jul 1 to Nov 30, 2026 | Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | 38 units | — | |
| Trapping, public land | Trapping | Dec 1, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027 | Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | 38 units | — |
Wild turkey (2)
| Tag or type | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Area | Notes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | — | Aug 30 to Dec 31, 2026 | Either sex | 25 units | Unit 28 only downstream from the Hat Creek drainage. | |
| Spring youth | — | Apr 8 to May 25, 2027 | Male or bearded turkey | 9 units | — |
Elk lines in Unit 28: 1 A tag line and 1 B tag line, all on Salmon Zone tags. 2 earlier wolf trapping lines (to June 30, 2026) are not listed.
Every Salmon zone tag line (3)
| Tag | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Zone tags | In Unit 28 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A tag | Any Weapon | Aug 1 to Oct 31, 2026 | Antlerless | — | No |
| A tag | Archery | Dec 1 to Dec 31, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | — | Yes |
| B tag | Any Weapon | Oct 15 to Nov 8, 2026 | Antlered | 2,507 | 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 28 success rates and harvest
Unit 28 gave up 568 deer to general tag holders in 2025, 123 more than in 2024.
Elk, all weapons combined: 312 in 2025, success 31%.
The same year IDFG recorded 65 black bear, 4 mountain lion, 4 gray wolf and 0 spring turkey for Unit 28.
Success is the share of hunters who took an animal, as IDFG prints it.
2025 by weapon type
| Kind and method | Taken | Hunters | Success | Days | Antlered | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer, Any Weapon | 512 | 1,386 | 37% | 7,264 | 506 | 6 |
| Deer, Archery | 56 | 260 | 22% | 1,067 | 33 | 23 |
| Deer, Muzzleloader | 0 | 3 | 0% | 11 | — | — |
| Deer, All Weapons Combined | 568 | 1,649 | 34% | 8,341 | 539 | 28 |
| Elk, Any Weapon | 309 | 957 | 32% | 6,267 | 309 | — |
| Elk, Archery | 4 | 58 | 7% | 357 | — | 4 |
| Elk, All Weapons Combined | 312 | 1,015 | 31% | 6,625 | 309 | 4 |
Harvest by year
| Year | Deer (all weapons) | Elk (all weapons) | Black bear | Mountain lion | Gray wolf | Spring turkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 509 | 278 | 63 | 7 | 20 | — |
| 2022 | 388 | 279 | 68 | 7 | 26 | — |
| 2023 | 269 | 198 | 54 | 12 | 22 | — |
| 2024 | 445 | 259 | 72 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 2025 | 568 | 312 | 65 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
Controlled hunt results (11)
| Hunt | Species | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Hunters 2025 | Success 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1019 | Deer | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 80% |
| 1070 | Deer | 16 | 14 | 22 | — | 6 | 10 | 60% |
| 1134 | Deer | 21 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 77 | 155 | 50% |
| 1135 | Deer | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 64 | 135 | 47% |
| 1157 | Deer | 34 | 46 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| 1162 | Deer | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| 1101 | Deer | 12 | 8 | 16 | 18 | 5 | 15 | 33% |
| 1111 | Deer | 149 | 106 | 68 | 107 | 27 | 46 | 59% |
| 4027 | Pronghorn | 14 | 13 | 1 | — | 45 | 216 | 21% |
| 4004 | Pronghorn | 53 | 50 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 89% |
| 6006 | Mountain goat | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 100% |
White-tailed deer buck in the trees
IDFG Hunt Planner harvest statistics 2021-2025 (2025 pages linked): general deer, general elk, black bear, mountain lion, gray wolf, turkey, controlled deer, controlled pronghorn, controlled mountain goat; data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Public land across Unit 28
8 land records list Unit 28 among their units: 0 IDFG WMAs, 0 Access Yes! properties, 4 Forest Service records and 4 BLM records.
The closed list for these counties includes Bayhorse State Park and Land of the Yankee Fork State Park. Tribal land is closed to non-member hunting except under tribal authority.
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.
Around Unit 28
Unit 28 holds no town on our list; the closest bases are Salmon.
- SalmonWithin 10 mi · Lemhi County
A calm side channel of the Salmon River below a snow-dusted peak at Eightmile
Other units inside Lemhi and Custer, nearest to Unit 28 first:
| Unit | Shared counties | Elk zone | Deer 2025 | Hunts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 21 | Lemhi | Salmon | 405 | 10 |
| Unit 21A | Lemhi | Salmon | 202 | 10 |
| Unit 30 | Lemhi | Beaverhead | 288 | 13 |
| Unit 30A | Lemhi | Beaverhead | 30 | 13 |
| Unit 37A | Custer, Lemhi | Lemhi | 58 | 16 |
| Unit 29 | Lemhi | Lemhi | 253 | 16 |
| Unit 36B | Custer | Salmon | 383 | 13 |
| Unit 27 | Custer, Lemhi | Middle Fork | 307 | 12 |
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.
Sun and shooting hours for Unit 28
Deer, elk, bear, lion and wolf hunters around Unit 28 share the same half-hour rule at both ends of the day.
| Date | Opener | Rise | Set | Big game hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2026 | General elk opener | 6:20 a.m. MT | 9:04 p.m. MT | 5:50 a.m. MT to 9:34 p.m. MT |
| Aug 30, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 6:54 a.m. MT | 8:19 p.m. MT | 6:24 a.m. MT to 8:49 p.m. MT |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Chukar opener and general deer opener | 7:13 a.m. MT | 7:49 p.m. MT | 6:43 a.m. MT to 8:19 p.m. MT |
| Oct 19, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:55 a.m. MT | 6:46 p.m. MT | 7:25 a.m. MT to 7:16 p.m. MT |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 8:10 a.m. MT | 4:57 p.m. MT | 7:40 a.m. MT to 5:27 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.
Asked about Unit 28
When does general rifle deer open in Unit 28?
October 10, 2026.
Does IDFG publish harvest for Unit 28?
Yes, by unit and by hunt on the Hunt Planner, 2021 to 2025 here.
Can I use a general bear tag in Unit 28?
Yes, in the dates in the table.
Can I trap wolves in Unit 28?
Yes, with a trapping license and wolf trapper education, in the dates shown.
Is Unit 28 on the 2026 CWD sampling list?
No.
How many land records touch Unit 28?
8.
Where are rooms and meals closest to Unit 28?
Salmon.
Which region handles Unit 28?
IDFG Salmon Region.
Does Unit 28 cross a county boundary?
Yes: Lemhi County and Custer County, with the largest piece in Lemhi County.
Which elk tag do I need for Unit 28?
The Salmon A tag or B tag for general elk; controlled elk hunts need a drawn tag.
How many 2026 tags do hunts in Unit 28 carry?
534 across 16 hunts, some shared with other units.
Answers drawn from the IDFG sources cited on this page; checked November 12, 2026.
Other photos on this page: daveynin (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); Bureau of Land Management Idaho (CC BY 2.0).