Idaho › Hunting seasons › Units › Unit 3
Wolf zone Panhandle · Panhandle
Unit 3 tags, seasons and 2025 harvest
Kootenai and Shoshone: 10 drawn hunts, 6 species on general tags and 11 land records touching Unit 3.
Photo: daveynin (CC BY 2.0)
Counties inside Unit 3
Unit 3 spans 354,354 acres of the IDFG Panhandle Region, with Kootenai County holding 96% of the unit on the county overlay. Unit 3 is shared by Kootenai and Shoshone; the second column is the share of the unit, the third the share of each county.
| In county | % of unit | % of county | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kootenai County | 96% | 42% | Yes |
| Shoshone County | 4% | 0.8% | Yes |
Call the Panhandle Region Office ((208) 769-1414) for road, fire or access news in Unit 3.
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 3 elk zone, wolf zone and CWD
- Panhandle Zone tags cover Unit 3 and 8 neighbouring units; the A tag and the B tag carry different weapons and dates.
- For wolf data IDFG files Unit 3 under Panhandle; the season table below lists each land type separately.
- The 2026 CWD lists leave out Unit 3.
Zone page: Panhandle 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 3
Apply for any of these 10 hunts to carry a controlled tag in Unit 3; tag counts total 302, though multi-unit hunts spread them wider. Hunt 1125 carries the most tags here, 75.
Moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat applications close April 30, spring bear runs January 15 to February 15. Moose, sheep and goat: 2026 hunts, 2025 & 2026 brochure dates.
White-tailed deer moving through autumn woods
Deer, antlered (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1001 | 1-1 | Any Weapon | Aug 30 to Dec 1, 2026 | Antlered | 60 | 9 units | p. 22 | In a portion of Unit 1, Chronic Wasting Disease Transport Rules Apply and Testing is Required, See idfg.idaho.gov/cwd for more informaiton. |
Deer, extra antlerless (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1125 | 3-1X | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlerless | 75 | Only here | p. 27 | Archery only, White-tailed deer only |
Deer, outfitter allocated (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1148 | 1-1 | Any Weapon | Aug 30 to Dec 1, 2026 | Antlered | 1 | 9 units | p. 30 | In a portion of Unit 1, Chronic Wasting Disease Transport Rules Apply and Testing is Required, See idfg.idaho.gov/cwd for more informaiton. |
Elk, antlerless (2)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2047 | 3-1 | Any Weapon | Aug 1 to Dec 31, 2026 | Antlerless | 50 | Only here | p. 52 | On or within 1 mile of private agricultural lands |
| 2048 | 3-2 | Any Weapon | Aug 1 to Dec 31, 2026 | Antlerless | 50 | Only here | p. 52 | On or within 1 mile of private agricultural lands |
Elk, either sex (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2109 | 1-2 | Any Weapon | Aug 30 to Dec 1, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | 25 | 9 units | p. 54 | Chronic Wasting Disease Transport Rules Apply in a portion of Unit 1 (portion of Boundary County east of the Selkirk Mountain crest), see idfg.idaho.gov/cwd. Season overlaps some archery and muzzleloader hunts |
Elk, youth only (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2148 | 3 | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlerless | 25 | Only here | p. 56 | Archery only |
Moose, antlered (3)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3013 | 3 | Any Weapon | Sep 15 to Dec 1, 2026 | Antlered | 10 | Only here | p. 9 | — |
| 3014 | 3 | Any Weapon | Oct 1 to Oct 14, 2026 | Antlered | 3 | Only here | p. 9 | — |
| 3015 | 3 | Any Weapon | Nov 1 to Nov 14, 2026 | Antlered | 3 | Only here | p. 9 | — |
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 3 hunts without a draw
Besides drawn tags, Unit 3 has 30 general lines covering deer, elk, black bear, mountain lion, gray wolf and wild turkey. Any-weapon deer in Unit 3: 5 lines, the earliest opening October 10, 2026.
Deer (11)
| Tag or type | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Area | Notes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular tag | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlered | This unit | — | |
| Regular tag | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlerless | This unit | — | |
| Regular tag | Any Weapon | Oct 10 to Oct 31, 2026 | Antlered | This unit | — | |
| Regular tag | Any Weapon | Oct 10 to Dec 1, 2026 | Antlerless | This unit | — | |
| Regular tag | Any Weapon | Nov 1 to Nov 14, 2026 | Antlered | This unit | — | |
| Regular tag | Any Weapon | Nov 15 to Dec 1, 2026 | Antlered | This unit | — | |
| Regular tag | Archery | Dec 10 to Dec 24, 2026 | Antlered | This unit | — | |
| Regular tag | Archery | Dec 10 to Dec 24, 2026 | Antlerless | 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 Dec 1, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | This unit | — | |
| White-tailed tag | Archery | Dec 10 to Dec 24, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | This unit | — |
Elk (8)
| Tag or type | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Area | Notes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A tag | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlered | 9 units | Chronic Wasting Disease Transport Rules apply in that portion of Unit 1 (portion of Boundary County east of the Silkirt Mountains crest), see idfg.idaho.gov/cwd for more information. | |
| A tag | Archery | Sep 15 to Sep 21, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | 1, 2, 3, 4A, 5, 6 | Open only within 1 mile of private land in the following Units: 1, 2, 3, 4A, 5 & 6. "Any weapon"hunts will be open during the archery or muzzleloader season. Chronic Wasting Disease Transport Rules apply in that portion of Unit 1 (portion of Boundary County east of the Silkirt Mountains crest), see idfg.idaho.gov/cwd for more information. | |
| A tag | Any Weapon | Oct 25 to Oct 29, 2026 | Antlered | 9 units | Chronic Wasting Disease Transport Rules apply in that portion of Unit 1 (portion of Boundary County east of the Silkirt Mountains crest), see idfg.idaho.gov/cwd for more information. | |
| A tag | Muzzleloader | Dec 2 to Dec 8, 2026 | Antlerless | 1, 2, 3, 4A, 5 | Only open within 1 mile of private land. Chronic Wasting Disease Transport Rules apply in that portion of Unit 1 (portion of Boundary County east of the Silkirt Mountains crest), see idfg.idaho.gov/cwd for more information. | |
| A tag | Archery | Dec 10 to Dec 16, 2026 | Antlered | 9 units | Chronic Wasting Disease Transport Rules apply in that portion of Unit 1 (portion of Boundary County east of the Silkirt Mountains crest), see idfg.idaho.gov/cwd for more information. | |
| B tag | Archery | Sep 6 to Sep 12, 2026 | Antlered | 9 units | Chronic Wasting Disease Transport Rules apply in that portion of Unit 1 (portion of Boundary County east of the Silkirt Mountains crest), see idfg.idaho.gov/cwd for more information. | |
| B tag | Any Weapon | Oct 10 to Oct 24, 2026 | Antlered | 9 units | Chronic Wasting Disease Transport Rules apply in that portion of Unit 1 (portion of Boundary County east of the Silkirt Mountains crest), see idfg.idaho.gov/cwd for more information. | |
| B tag | Muzzleloader | Dec 2 to Dec 8, 2026 | Antlerless | 1, 2, 3, 4A, 5 | Open only within 1 mile of private land. Chronic Wasting Disease Transport Rules apply in that portion of Unit 1 (portion of Boundary County east of the Silkirt Mountains crest), see idfg.idaho.gov/cwd for more information. |
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 | 2, 3, 5 | Dogs prohibited: Aug 30 – Sep 14; Oct 10 – Oct 31 | |
| Spring 2027 | Any weapon | Apr 15 to Jun 15, 2027 | One black bear per tag; females with young protected | 2, 3, 5 | Dogs prohibited: Aug 30 – Sep 14; Oct 10 – 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 | 2, 3, 5 | Dogs prohibited: July 1 – Sep 14; Oct 10 – Dec 1 |
Gray wolf (5)
| 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 | Jul 1, 2026 to Jun 30, 2027 | Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | 38 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) | This unit | — |
Wild turkey (3)
| Tag or type | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Area | Notes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | — | Aug 30, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027 | Either sex | 9 units | Turkey tags expire Dec. 31; a 2027 license and tag are needed after Jan. 1. | |
| Spring | — | Apr 15 to May 25, 2027 | Male or bearded turkey | 45 units | — | |
| Spring youth | — | Apr 8 to Apr 14, 2027 | Male or bearded turkey | 45 units | Unit 2 except Farragut State Park and WMA; Unit 32 except the Payette County portion. 2026 & 2027 brochure: same dates in 2027. |
A tag lines here: 5. B tag lines: 3. 2 wolf trapping lines ending before July 2026 are not shown.
All Panhandle Zone lines (9)
| Tag | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Zone tags | In Unit 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A tag | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlered | — | Yes |
| A tag | Archery | Sep 15 to Sep 21, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | — | Yes |
| A tag | Any Weapon | Oct 25 to Oct 29, 2026 | Antlered | — | Yes |
| A tag | Muzzleloader | Nov 15 to Dec 1, 2026 | Antlered | — | No |
| A tag | Muzzleloader | Dec 2 to Dec 8, 2026 | Antlerless | — | Yes |
| A tag | Archery | Dec 10 to Dec 16, 2026 | Antlered | — | Yes |
| B tag | Archery | Sep 6 to Sep 12, 2026 | Antlered | — | Yes |
| B tag | Any Weapon | Oct 10 to Oct 24, 2026 | Antlered | — | Yes |
| B tag | Muzzleloader | Dec 2 to Dec 8, 2026 | Antlerless | — | 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 3 results by year
In 2025, 4,016 general season deer hunters took 1,258 deer in Unit 3, all weapons combined (31% success).
Elk success ran 9% in 2025 (275 of 2,982 hunters).
For the predators and turkey, 2025 reads 38 black bear, 14 mountain lion, 1 gray wolf and 358 spring turkey.
Figures are IDFG Hunt Planner statistics, copied as printed.
2025 general deer and elk by take method
| Kind and method | Taken | Hunters | Success | Days | Antlered | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer, Any Weapon | 1,184 | 3,466 | 34% | 21,214 | 844 | 339 |
| Deer, Archery | 72 | 492 | 15% | 3,093 | 48 | 24 |
| Deer, Muzzleloader | 3 | 59 | 5% | 172 | 3 | — |
| Deer, All Weapons Combined | 1,258 | 4,016 | 31% | 24,479 | 895 | 363 |
| Elk, Any Weapon | 150 | 1,772 | 8% | 8,551 | 150 | — |
| Elk, Archery | 73 | 751 | 10% | 5,006 | 63 | 10 |
| Elk, Muzzleloader | 51 | 460 | 11% | 1,323 | — | 51 |
| Elk, All Weapons Combined | 275 | 2,982 | 9% | 14,880 | 213 | 61 |
Five-year record
| Year | Deer (all weapons) | Elk (all weapons) | Black bear | Mountain lion | Gray wolf | Spring turkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,003 | 321 | 58 | 14 | 1 | 450 |
| 2022 | 909 | 353 | 42 | 29 | 3 | 437 |
| 2023 | 1,269 | 340 | 28 | 13 | 5 | 268 |
| 2024 | 1,135 | 272 | 57 | 17 | — | 261 |
| 2025 | 1,258 | 275 | 38 | 14 | 1 | 358 |
Controlled harvest by hunt (10)
| Hunt | Species | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Hunters 2025 | Success 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1001 | Deer | 29 | 16 | 31 | 29 | 28 | 55 | 51% |
| 1125 | Deer | 143 | 66 | 66 | 76 | 36 | 61 | 59% |
| 1148 | Deer | 16 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| 2047 | Elk | 16 | 18 | 31 | 24 | 28 | 41 | 68% |
| 2048 | Elk | 106 | 119 | 22 | 24 | 27 | 47 | 57% |
| 2109 | Elk | 15 | 27 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 23 | 70% |
| 2148 | Elk | 19 | 16 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 23 | 61% |
| 3013 | Moose | 8 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 90% |
| 3014 | Moose | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| 3015 | Moose | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 100% |
White-tailed buck emerging from the tree line at the edge of a field
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 3 WMAs, forests and walk-in land
Public and walk-in ground in Unit 3: 11 records, the ones that sit only in this unit listed first.
County-level closures near Unit 3: Coeur d'Alene Parkway State Park, Heyburn State Park, Old Mission State Park and Coeur d'Alene Reservation.
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 3
Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls and St. Maries sit within 10 miles of Unit 3, which has no town of its own on our list.
- Coeur d'AleneWithin 10 mi · Kootenai County
- Post FallsWithin 10 mi · Kootenai County
- St. MariesWithin 10 mi · Benewah County
- AtholWithin 10 mi · Kootenai County
- Conkling ParkWithin 10 mi · Kootenai County
Calm blue water of Lake Pend Oreille below a forested mountain
These units take in part of the same county ground as Unit 3:
| Unit | Shared counties | Elk zone | Deer 2025 | Hunts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 2 | Kootenai | Panhandle | 1,351 | 8 |
| Unit 5 | Kootenai | Panhandle | 1,055 | 9 |
| Unit 6 | Kootenai, Shoshone | Panhandle | 1,559 | 7 |
| Unit 4 | Kootenai, Shoshone | Panhandle | 743 | 7 |
| Unit 7 | Shoshone | Panhandle | 56 | 6 |
| Unit 9 | Shoshone | Panhandle | 8 | 6 |
| Unit 4A | Kootenai | Panhandle | 199 | 4 |
| Unit 10A | Shoshone | Dworshak | 2,844 | 9 |
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 3
Every time in the Unit 3 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 30, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 6:01 a.m. PT | 7:34 p.m. PT | 5:31 a.m. PT to 8:04 p.m. PT |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Chukar opener | 6:22 a.m. PT | 7:02 p.m. PT | 5:52 a.m. PT to 7:32 p.m. PT |
| Oct 1, 2026 | General deer opener | 6:44 a.m. PT | 6:29 p.m. PT | 6:14 a.m. PT to 6:59 p.m. PT |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Duck opener and general elk opener | 6:56 a.m. PT | 6:10 p.m. PT | 6:26 a.m. PT to 6:40 p.m. PT |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:32 a.m. PT | 3:57 p.m. PT | 7:02 a.m. PT to 4:27 p.m. PT |
| Apr 15, 2027 | Spring turkey | 6:00 a.m. PT | 7:34 p.m. PT | 5:30 a.m. PT to 8:04 p.m. PT |
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 (Pacific Time); migratory bird hours: IDFG migratory bird table; checked November 12, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Unit 3 questions
What was elk success in Unit 3 in 2025?
9% (275 elk).
How many general deer lines does Unit 3 have?
11.
Do I need a different wolf tag for Unit 3?
Wolf lines here use the gray wolf tag; trapping also needs the trapping license.
When is bear season in Unit 3?
Fall August 30, 2026 to October 31, 2026; spring April 15, 2027 to June 15, 2027.
Is there Access Yes! land in Unit 3?
No Access Yes! property lists it.
What is the chronic wasting disease status of Unit 3?
Outside both the 2026 zone and the testing list.
Who manages wildlife in Unit 3?
IDFG Panhandle Region staff based in Coeur d'Alene.
Where do hunters in Unit 3 buy fuel and groceries?
Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls and St. Maries.
Does the Panhandle elk tag cover Unit 3?
Yes. Unit 3 is one of 9 units in that zone.
How many acres does the Hunt Planner give Unit 3?
354,354 acres, most of them in Kootenai County.
How does the draw work for Unit 3?
Idaho draws controlled tags at random; apply in the period for the species, then buy the tag if drawn.
Answers drawn from the IDFG sources cited on this page; checked November 12, 2026.
Other photos on this page: NPS Photo (Public domain); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); daveynin (CC BY 2.0).