Idaho › Hunting seasons › Units › Unit 4A
Panhandle Zone · 2 counties
Unit 4A hunt planner notes, 2026-27
Elk here go on the Panhandle Zone A or B tag; 4 drawn hunts and 33 general lines reach Unit 4A in Bonner and Kootenai.
Photo: daveynin (CC BY 2.0)
Mapping Unit 4A
At 186,661 acres on the Hunt Planner, Unit 4A is filed with the IDFG Panhandle Region; Bonner County holds the biggest share, 97%. A hunter in Unit 4A can be standing in any of 2 counties, with Bonner the largest piece at 97%.
| Where | Unit share | County share | Named |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonner County | 97% | 9% | Yes |
| Kootenai County | 3% | 0.4% | Yes |
For Unit 4A the IDFG contact is Coeur d'Alene: the Panhandle Region Office, 2885 W. Kathleen Ave..
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 4A unit-level rules
- The A/B choice for Unit 4A is made at the Panhandle Zone level, shared with Units 1, 2, 3 and 4 and more.
- Wolf: Unit 4A falls in the Panhandle wolf zone, one of 13 IDFG data analysis units; wolf seasons themselves are set by unit and land type.
- Chronic wasting disease: Unit 4A is outside the management zone and the testing units.
Zone details: 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.
Unit 4A draw list
Drawn hunting in Unit 4A: 4 hunt numbers and 91 tags for 2026, counting hunts that also reach other units. The largest quota touching the unit is 60 tags, on hunt 1001.
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.
A young mule deer buck stepping out of green brush
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, 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, 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 |
Moose, antlered (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3019 | 4A | Any Weapon | Sep 15 to Dec 1, 2026 | Antlered | 5 | 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 4A general hunt calendar
Unit 4A carries 33 general season lines for deer, elk, black bear, mountain lion, gray wolf and wild turkey; residents buy these tags over the counter. The regular tag any-weapon line opens October 1, 2026 in this unit.
Deer (12)
| Tag or type | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Area | Notes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular tag | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlerless | This unit | — | |
| Regular tag | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlered | This unit | — | |
| Regular tag | Any Weapon | Oct 1 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 | Antlerless | This unit | — | |
| Regular tag | Archery | Dec 10 to Dec 24, 2026 | 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 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 Nov 30, 2026 | One black bear per tag; females with young protected | 4, 4A | Dogs prohibited: Apr 15 – Apr 30; Aug 30 – Sep 14; Oct 10 – Oct 31 | |
| Spring 2027 | Any weapon | Apr 15 to Jun 30, 2027 | One black bear per tag; females with young protected | 4, 4A | Dogs prohibited: Apr 15 – Apr 30; 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 | 4, 4A, 6 | Dogs prohibited: July 1 – Sep 14; Oct 10 – Oct 31 |
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 (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. |
Pick the Panhandle A or B tag by weapon and dates: 5 and 3 lines reach Unit 4A. Wolf trapping lines that close June 30, 2026 (2) sit outside this season and are left out.
Panhandle Zone A and B tag lines (9)
| Tag | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Zone tags | In Unit 4A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 4A harvest, 2021 to 2025
The Hunt Planner credits Unit 4A with 199 general season deer in 2025 from 562 hunters.
For elk the 2025 line reads 54 taken by 758 general hunters.
Other 2025 unit figures: 26 black bear, 2 mountain lion and 20 spring turkey.
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 | 193 | 506 | 38% | 2,844 | 139 | 54 |
| Deer, Archery | 6 | 54 | 11% | 507 | 5 | 1 |
| Deer, Muzzleloader | 0 | 3 | 0% | 16 | — | — |
| Deer, All Weapons Combined | 199 | 562 | 35% | 3,367 | 144 | 55 |
| Elk, Any Weapon | 34 | 487 | 7% | 2,659 | 34 | — |
| Elk, Archery | 15 | 214 | 7% | 1,736 | 15 | — |
| Elk, Muzzleloader | 5 | 57 | 9% | 150 | — | 5 |
| Elk, All Weapons Combined | 54 | 758 | 7% | 4,545 | 49 | 5 |
Five seasons, 2021 to 2025
| Year | Deer (all weapons) | Elk (all weapons) | Black bear | Mountain lion | Gray wolf | Spring turkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 241 | 51 | 40 | 9 | 2 | 44 |
| 2022 | 135 | 43 | 38 | 5 | 1 | 26 |
| 2023 | 138 | 54 | 22 | 3 | 4 | 9 |
| 2024 | 147 | 68 | 27 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| 2025 | 199 | 54 | 26 | 2 | — | 20 |
Drawn hunts, harvest by year (4)
| Hunt | Species | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Hunters 2025 | Success 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1001 | Deer | 29 | 16 | 31 | 29 | 28 | 55 | 51% |
| 1148 | Deer | 16 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| 2109 | Elk | 15 | 27 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 23 | 70% |
| 3019 | Moose | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 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 4A public ground
9 land records cross into Unit 4A, 9 with a page of their own.
Within Bonner and Kootenai some places carry no state hunting: Coeur d'Alene Parkway State Park, Enid Nesbitt Memorial State Park, Heyburn State Park, Old Mission State Park, Priest Lake State Park and Round Lake State Park; check whether they fall in Unit 4A.
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 4A
None of our towns lies inside Unit 4A, but Sandpoint, Athol and Clark Fork are within 10 miles of it.
- SandpointWithin 10 mi · Bonner County
- AtholWithin 10 mi · Kootenai County
- Clark ForkWithin 10 mi · Bonner County
Calm blue water of Lake Pend Oreille below a forested mountain
Units in the counties Unit 4A reaches, with their elk zones and 2025 deer:
| Unit | Shared counties | Elk zone | Deer 2025 | Hunts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Bonner | Panhandle | 2,838 | 21 |
| Unit 2 | Bonner, Kootenai | Panhandle | 1,351 | 8 |
| Unit 3 | Kootenai | Panhandle | 1,258 | 10 |
| Unit 5 | Kootenai | Panhandle | 1,055 | 9 |
| Unit 4 | Bonner, Kootenai | Panhandle | 743 | 7 |
| Unit 6 | Kootenai | Panhandle | 1,559 | 7 |
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.
Unit 4A shooting light by date
Clocks fall back on November 1, 2026 and spring forward on March 14, 2027, so the Unit 4A times jump an hour across those dates.
| Day | Why it matters | Sun up | Sun down | Shooting hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 6:00 a.m. PT | 7:35 p.m. PT | 5:30 a.m. PT to 8:05 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 | 6:28 p.m. PT | 6:14 a.m. PT to 6:58 p.m. PT |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Duck opener and general elk opener | 6:57 a.m. PT | 6:10 p.m. PT | 6:27 a.m. PT to 6:40 p.m. PT |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:35 a.m. PT | 3:54 p.m. PT | 7:05 a.m. PT to 4:24 p.m. PT |
| Apr 15, 2027 | Spring turkey | 5:58 a.m. PT | 7:35 p.m. PT | 5:28 a.m. PT to 8:05 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.
Questions on Unit 4A
Is wolf hunting open in Unit 4A?
7 wolf lines reach it, split by public and private land.
Is there spring bear hunting in Unit 4A?
Yes, April 15, 2027 to June 30, 2027.
Is any national forest in Unit 4A?
Yes, 4 Forest Service records.
May a whole deer carcass leave Unit 4A?
The zone transport rule does not reach this unit.
Where is the nearest IDFG office to Unit 4A?
Coeur d'Alene, 2885 W. Kathleen Ave..
What town works as a base camp for Unit 4A?
Sandpoint, Athol and Clark Fork.
Which units share the Panhandle Zone with Unit 4A?
Units 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 and more.
Which IDFG region files Unit 4A?
IDFG Panhandle Region; its staff work out of Coeur d'Alene.
Is there a general deer season in Unit 4A?
Yes, 12 lines on the regular tag and white-tailed tag.
How many 2026 tags do hunts in Unit 4A carry?
91 across 4 hunts, some shared with other units.
How did hunters do in Unit 4A last season?
35% deer success on general tags.
Answers drawn from the IDFG sources cited on this page; checked November 12, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Tony Hisgett (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); daveynin (CC BY 2.0).