Idaho › Hunting seasons › Units › Unit 52A
Upper Snake Region · 4 controlled hunts
What opens in Unit 52A, Idaho
Hunt numbers, tag counts, general dates, five years of Hunt Planner harvest and the public ground of Unit 52A (Lincoln, Blaine and Minidoka and more).
Photo: cifraser1 (CC BY 2.0)
Where Unit 52A lies
On the county overlay Unit 52A is 30% Lincoln ground, and IDFG runs it from the Upper Snake Region. Pieces of Lincoln County, Blaine County, Minidoka County and Butte County make up Unit 52A; seen from the county side, the unit covers 44% of Lincoln.
| County | Share of unit | Share of county | In boundary text |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County | 30% | 44% | Yes |
| Blaine County | 30% | 19% | Yes |
| Minidoka County | 25% | 57% | Yes |
| Butte County | 15% | 12% | Yes |
Unit 52A reports to the Upper Snake Region, whose Idaho Falls office answers questions about this ground.
Region, elk zone and boundary counties from the IDFG Hunt Planner unit 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 52A zones at a glance
- Elk: Unit 52A is part of the Big Desert Zone, so a general elk tag here is the Big Desert A tag or B tag, good across Units 53, 68 and 68A as well.
- On the IDFG wolf layer Unit 52A sits in the Southern Idaho zone with 30 other units, but seasons follow units and land type, not zones.
- No CWD sampling is required for deer from Unit 52A under the 2026 rules.
Zone tags: Big Desert 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 52A controlled hunts
All 4 controlled hunts valid somewhere in Unit 52A are listed below with dates, bag, 2026 tags and the brochure page. Single-unit hunts: 1. Multi-unit hunts: 3.
Results for the first deer, elk and pronghorn period come out in early July; second-period results by August 25.
White-tailed deer buck in the trees
Deer, muzzleloader (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1092 | 52A | Muzzleloader | Nov 10 to Nov 24, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | 75 | Only here | p. 25 | Either sex, Motorized Hunting Rule Applies, See idfg.idaho.gov/hunt/access/motorized-vehicles |
Elk, antlered (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2034 | 52A-1 | Any Weapon | Oct 1 to Nov 30, 2026 | Antlered | 100 | 52A, 68 | p. 52 | Motorized Hunting Rule Applies in Unit 52A, See Pages 104 – 106 |
Pronghorn, archery (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4037 | 52A-1 | Archery | Aug 15 to Sep 15, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | Unlimited | 52A, 53 | p. 66 | Either sex, Motorized Hunting Rule Applies, See Pages 104 – 106 |
Pronghorn, either sex (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4017 | 52A-1 | Any Weapon | Sep 25 to Oct 24, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | 50 | 52A, 53 | p. 65 | Motorized Hunting Rule Applies in Unit 53, See Pages 104 – 106 |
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 52A general seasons
Without a draw, a hunter in Unit 52A can work 18 general lines: deer, elk, black bear, mountain lion and gray wolf. The first general any-weapon deer day here is October 10, 2026, on the regular tag.
Deer (3)
| Tag or type | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Area | Notes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular tag | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | This unit | — | |
| Regular tag | Any Weapon | Oct 10 to Oct 31, 2026 | Antlered | This unit | — | |
| Regular tag | Any Weapon | Oct 10 to Oct 31, 2026 | Antlerless | This unit | — |
Elk (2)
| Tag or type | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Area | Notes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A tag | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | 52A, 68 | Motorized Hunting Rule Applies in Unit 52A. | |
| B tag | Any Weapon | Nov 1 to Dec 31, 2026 | Antlerless | 52A, 68 | Motorized Hunting Rule Applies in Unit 52A. |
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 | 45, 52, 52A, 53 | Dogs prohibited: Oct 1 – Oct 31 | |
| Spring 2027 | Any weapon | Apr 15 to Jun 15, 2027 | One black bear per tag; females with young protected | 45, 52, 52A, 53 | Dogs prohibited: Oct 1 – 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 | 17 units | Dogs prohibited: July 1 – Aug 29; Oct 1 – Nov 30; Apr 1 – June 30 |
Gray wolf (10)
| 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 | — | |
| Trapping, private land | Trapping | Jul 1 to Nov 30, 2026 | 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) | 52A, 63, 66A, 68, 68A | — | |
| Trapping, private land | Trapping | Dec 1, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027 | 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) | 52A, 63, 66A, 68, 68A | — | |
| Trapping, public land | Trapping | Jul 1 to Nov 30, 2026 | Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | 15 units | — | |
| Trapping, public land | Trapping | Sep 10 to Nov 14, 2026 | Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | 15 units | — | |
| Trapping, public land | Trapping | Nov 15, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027 | Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | 15 units | — | |
| Trapping, public land | Trapping | Dec 1, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027 | Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | 15 units | — | |
| Trapping, public land | Trapping | Dec 1, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027 | Per wolf tag (see brochure for tag limits) | 15 units | — |
Elk lines in Unit 52A: 1 A tag line and 1 B tag line, all on Big Desert Zone tags. 3 earlier wolf trapping lines (to June 30, 2026) are not listed.
Every Big Desert zone tag line (5)
| Tag | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Zone tags | In Unit 52A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A tag | Archery | Aug 1 to Aug 30, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | — | No |
| A tag | Archery | Aug 1 to Dec 31, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | — | No |
| A tag | Short-Range Weapons | Aug 1 to Dec 31, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | — | No |
| A tag | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | — | Yes |
| B tag | Any Weapon | Nov 1 to Dec 31, 2026 | Antlerless | 350 | 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.
How hunters did in Unit 52A
Unit 52A gave up 207 deer to general tag holders in 2025, 37 fewer than in 2024.
Elk, all weapons combined: 136 in 2025, success 29%.
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 | 202 | 1,283 | 16% | 6,221 | 170 | 32 |
| Deer, Archery | 5 | 61 | 8% | 348 | 5 | — |
| Deer, Muzzleloader | 0 | 9 | 0% | 32 | — | — |
| Deer, All Weapons Combined | 207 | 1,353 | 15% | 6,601 | 174 | 32 |
| Elk, Any Weapon | 84 | 269 | 31% | 2,154 | — | 84 |
| Elk, Archery | 49 | 199 | 25% | 1,817 | 45 | 4 |
| Elk, Muzzleloader | 3 | 4 | 75% | 20 | — | 3 |
| Elk, All Weapons Combined | 136 | 472 | 29% | 3,992 | 45 | 91 |
Harvest by year
| Year | Deer (all weapons) | Elk (all weapons) | Black bear | Mountain lion | Gray wolf | Spring turkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 234 | 57 | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | 200 | 102 | — | 1 | — | — |
| 2023 | 169 | 82 | — | 1 | — | — |
| 2024 | 244 | 87 | — | — | — | — |
| 2025 | 207 | 136 | — | — | — | — |
Controlled hunt results (4)
| Hunt | Species | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Hunters 2025 | Success 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1092 | Deer | 60 | 70 | 11 | 15 | 23 | 69 | 33% |
| 2034 | Elk | 60 | 86 | 16 | 12 | 55 | 93 | 59% |
| 4037 | Pronghorn | 23 | 37 | 19 | 30 | 27 | 130 | 21% |
| 4017 | Pronghorn | 22 | 22 | 30 | 44 | 35 | 47 | 74% |
A young mule deer buck stepping out of green brush
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 pronghorn; data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Public land across Unit 52A
9 land records list Unit 52A among their units: 1 IDFG WMA, 0 Access Yes! properties, 0 Forest Service records and 7 BLM records.
The closed list for these counties includes Craters of the Moon National Monument and Lake Walcott 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 52A
Inside Unit 52A the biggest place on our town list is Carey; 2 other towns sit within 10 miles.
Coyote standing in green grass and sagebrush on the Snake River Plain
Other units inside Lincoln and Blaine and the rest of its counties, nearest to Unit 52A first:
| Unit | Shared counties | Elk zone | Deer 2025 | Hunts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 48 | Blaine | Smoky-Bennett | 686 | 14 |
| Unit 49 | Blaine | Pioneer | 722 | 10 |
| Unit 52 | Blaine, Lincoln | Smoky-Bennett | 5 | 13 |
| Unit 68 | Blaine, Butte, Minidoka | Big Desert | 148 | 7 |
| Unit 53 | Blaine, Lincoln, Minidoka | Big Desert | 115 | 3 |
| Unit 44 | Blaine | Smoky-Bennett | 0 | 18 |
| Unit 51 | Butte | Lemhi | 251 | 16 |
| Unit 50 | Blaine, Butte | Pioneer | 383 | 18 |
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 52A
Deer, elk, bear, lion and wolf hunters around Unit 52A share the same half-hour rule at both ends of the day.
| Date | Opener | Rise | Set | Big game hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 6:56 a.m. MT | 8:17 p.m. MT | 6:26 a.m. MT to 8:47 p.m. MT |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Chukar opener | 7:14 a.m. MT | 7:48 p.m. MT | 6:44 a.m. MT to 8:18 p.m. MT |
| Oct 10, 2026 | General deer opener | 7:42 a.m. MT | 7:03 p.m. MT | 7:12 a.m. MT to 7:33 p.m. MT |
| Oct 19, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:53 a.m. MT | 6:48 p.m. MT | 7:23 a.m. MT to 7:18 p.m. MT |
| Nov 1, 2026 | General elk opener | 7:09 a.m. MT | 5:29 p.m. MT | 6:39 a.m. MT to 5:59 p.m. MT |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 8:04 a.m. MT | 5:03 p.m. MT | 7:34 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.
Asked about Unit 52A
Does Unit 52A cross a county boundary?
Yes: Lincoln County, Blaine County, Minidoka County and Butte County, with the largest piece in Lincoln County.
Which elk tag do I need for Unit 52A?
The Big Desert A tag or B tag for general elk; controlled elk hunts need a drawn tag.
What can I draw for Unit 52A?
2 pronghorn, 1 deer and 1 elk hunts.
When does general rifle deer open in Unit 52A?
October 10, 2026.
Does IDFG publish harvest for Unit 52A?
Yes, by unit and by hunt on the Hunt Planner, 2021 to 2025 here.
Can I use a general bear tag in Unit 52A?
Yes, in the dates in the table.
Can I trap wolves in Unit 52A?
Yes, with a trapping license and wolf trapper education, in the dates shown.
Is Unit 52A on the 2026 CWD sampling list?
No.
Are there WMAs in Unit 52A?
Yes, 1 IDFG WMA.
Is there a town inside the lines of Unit 52A?
Yes: Carey.
Who manages wildlife in Unit 52A?
IDFG Upper Snake Region staff based in Idaho Falls.
Answers drawn from the IDFG sources cited on this page; checked November 12, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); Tony Hisgett (CC BY 2.0); Matt Lavin (CC BY-SA 2.0).