Idaho › Hunting seasons › Units › Unit 59A
Upper Snake Region · 9 controlled hunts
Hunting Unit 59A in Idaho
Everything IDFG prints for Unit 59A: 9 hunt numbers, 16 general rows and 2021 to 2025 results across Clark, Lemhi and Jefferson.
Photo: Matt Lavin (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Unit 59A size, region and office
Read on the Hunt Planner, Unit 59A runs to 257,884 acres; the GIS overlay puts 97% of that ground in Clark County. Unit lines follow ridges, rivers and roads, so Unit 59A reaches 3 counties; the table gives each share of the unit and of the county.
| County piece | Unit % | County % | Boundary text |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clark County | 97% | 22% | Yes |
| Lemhi County | 3% | 0.2% | Yes |
| Jefferson County | 0.5% | 0.2% | Yes |
The IDFG Upper Snake Region runs Unit 59A; its nearest desk for the unit is the Upper Snake Region Office in Idaho Falls.
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.
Zones and rules in Unit 59A
- Buy the Beaverhead A or B tag for general elk in Unit 59A; the zone also holds 4 other units.
- Unit 59A counts toward the Beaverhead wolf zone (5 units). Hunting and trapping dates differ for public and private land.
- No CWD zone or mandatory testing rule names Unit 59A for 2026.
See the zone: Beaverhead 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 59A controlled hunts
IDFG's 2026 hunt areas put 9 drawn hunts inside Unit 59A: 5 elk, 2 pronghorn, 1 deer and 1 moose. Their tags add up to 472, some shared with other units. Every one of them also reaches at least one other unit.
Applications for deer, elk, pronghorn and fall bear run May 1 to June 5; a second period runs August 5 to 15, with results by August 25. The moose, sheep and goat lines are 2026 hunts from the 2025 & 2026 brochure.
White-tailed deer buck in the trees
Deer, antlered (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1048 | 58-1 | Any Weapon | Oct 10 to Nov 30, 2026 | Antlered | 10 | 58, 59, 59A | p. 23 | Motorized Hunting Rule Applies, See idfg.idaho.gov/hunt/access/motorized-vehicles |
Elk, antlered (2)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 30-1 | Any Weapon | Oct 1 to Oct 14, 2026 | Antlered | 30 | 30, 30A, 58, 59, 59A | p. 51 | Motorized Hunting Rule Applies, See Pages 104 – 106 |
| 2037 | 58-1 | Any Weapon | Nov 1 to Nov 30, 2026 | Antlered | 75 | 58, 59, 59A | p. 52 | Motorized Hunting Rule Applies, See Pages 104 – 106 |
Elk, antlerless (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2095 | 59-1 | Any Weapon | Nov 1 to Nov 30, 2026 | Antlerless | 250 | 59, 59A | p. 54 | Motorized Hunting Rule Applies, See Pages 104 – 106 |
Elk, extra antlerless (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2284 | 63-1X | Short-Range Weapons | Jan 1 to Feb 15, 2027 | Antlerless | 50 | 59, 59A, 63 | p. 58 | Short range weapons only on Mud Lake WMA, Portions of this hunt area are located within Idaho National Laboratory (INL) lands. INL lands that are open to hunting require an INL permit which can be obtained at the Upper Snake Regional Office. |
Elk, outfitter allocated (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2202 | 58-1 | Any Weapon | Nov 1 to Nov 30, 2026 | Antlered | 2 | 58, 59, 59A | p. 59 | Antlered only, Motorized Hunting Rule Applies, See Pages 104 – 106 |
Pronghorn, archery (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4040 | 59A-1 | Archery | Aug 15 to Sep 15, 2026 | Bucks Only | Unlimited | 58, 59, 59A | p. 66 | Buck only, Motorized Hunting Rule Applies, See Pages 104 – 106 |
Pronghorn, either sex (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4021 | 59-1 | Any Weapon | Sep 25 to Oct 24, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | 50 | 59, 59A | p. 65 | Motorized Hunting Rule Applies, See Pages 104 – 106 |
Moose, antlered (1)
| Hunt | Area | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | Units | Brochure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3060 | 59 | Any Weapon | Aug 30 to Nov 23, 2026 | Antlered | 5 | 59, 59A | p. 10 | — |
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.
Over-the-counter seasons in Unit 59A
Over-the-counter big game in Unit 59A means deer, elk, black bear, mountain lion and gray wolf, 16 lines in all. General any-weapon deer opens October 10, 2026 and the last such line closes December 9, 2026.
Deer (6)
| Tag or type | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Area | Notes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular tag | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlered | This unit | — | |
| Regular tag | Any Weapon | Oct 10 to Oct 24, 2026 | Antlered | This unit | — | |
| White-tailed tag | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | This unit | Motorized Hunting Rule Applies. | |
| White-tailed tag | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | This unit | Motorized Hunting Rule Applies. | |
| White-tailed tag | Any Weapon | Oct 10 to Oct 31, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | This unit | Motorized Hunting Rule Applies. | |
| White-tailed tag | Any Weapon | Nov 10 to Dec 9, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | This unit | Motorized Hunting Rule Applies. |
Elk (3)
| Tag or type | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Area | Notes | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A tag | Any Weapon | Aug 1 to Aug 29, 2026 | Antlerless | 58, 59, 59A | Units 58, 59 & 59A ONLY, on or within 1 mile of private agricultural lands outside the National Forest System Boundary. | |
| A tag | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | 30, 30A, 58, 59, 59A | — | |
| A tag | Muzzleloader | Oct 15 to Oct 31, 2026 | Antlerless | 30, 30A, 58, 59, 59A | — |
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 | 50, 51, 58, 59, 59A | Dogs prohibited: Oct 1 – Oct 31 | |
| Spring 2027 | Any weapon | Apr 15 to Jun 30, 2027 | One black bear per tag; females with young protected | 50, 51, 58, 59, 59A | 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 (4)
| 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) | 11 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 | — |
On general elk tags, Unit 59A has 3 A and 0 B lines. Left out: 1 wolf trapping lines whose printed dates end June 30, 2026.
Beaverhead A/B lines (4)
| Tag | Weapon | Dates | Bag | Zone tags | In Unit 59A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A tag | Any Weapon | Aug 1 to Aug 29, 2026 | Antlerless | — | Yes |
| A tag | Any Weapon | Aug 1 to Oct 31, 2026 | Antlerless | — | No |
| A tag | Archery | Aug 30 to Sep 30, 2026 | Antlerless or Antlered | — | Yes |
| A tag | Muzzleloader | Oct 15 to Oct 31, 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.
Five seasons in Unit 59A
Deer on general tags, 2025: 135 from Unit 59A, against 95 the year before.
The 2025 general elk total for the unit is 92, with 421 hunters afield.
2025 also brought 7 black bear from Unit 59A.
IDFG reports this harvest by unit and by hunt, never by county.
General deer and elk, 2025
| Kind and method | Taken | Hunters | Success | Days | Antlered | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer, Any Weapon | 121 | 513 | 24% | 1,989 | 119 | 3 |
| Deer, Archery | 14 | 107 | 13% | 957 | 14 | — |
| Deer, Muzzleloader | 0 | 5 | 0% | 9 | — | — |
| Deer, All Weapons Combined | 135 | 624 | 22% | 2,955 | 133 | 3 |
| Elk, Any Weapon | 9 | 25 | 36% | 116 | — | 9 |
| Elk, Archery | 65 | 284 | 23% | 2,276 | 37 | 29 |
| Elk, Muzzleloader | 17 | 111 | 15% | 419 | — | 17 |
| Elk, All Weapons Combined | 92 | 421 | 22% | 2,811 | 37 | 55 |
Year by year
| Year | Deer (all weapons) | Elk (all weapons) | Black bear | Mountain lion | Gray wolf | Spring turkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 131 | 100 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 2022 | 123 | 61 | 8 | 1 | — | — |
| 2023 | 76 | 70 | 2 | — | 1 | — |
| 2024 | 95 | 78 | 7 | 3 | — | — |
| 2025 | 135 | 92 | 7 | — | — | — |
Results for the drawn hunts (9)
| Hunt | Species | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Hunters 2025 | Success 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1048 | Deer | 35 | 42 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 88% |
| 2007 | Elk | 26 | 19 | 24 | 25 | 27 | 29 | 93% |
| 2037 | Elk | 52 | 51 | 14 | 26 | 34 | 71 | 48% |
| 2095 | Elk | 45 | 66 | 128 | 132 | 97 | 225 | 43% |
| 2284 | Elk | — | — | — | — | 11 | 28 | 39% |
| 2202 | Elk | 3 | 3 | — | — | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| 4040 | Pronghorn | 1 | 5 | 5 | 13 | 27 | 279 | 10% |
| 4021 | Pronghorn | 14 | 9 | 34 | 39 | 27 | 49 | 55% |
| 3060 | Moose | 13 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 33% |
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, controlled moose; data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Mapped ground inside Unit 59A
Unit 59A overlaps 5 mapped land records, from WMAs (0) and Access Yes! ground (0) to national forest units (2) and BLM ground (3).
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 59A
The unit itself has no listed town, so hunters stay in Dubois or farther out.
- DuboisWithin 10 mi · Clark County
A refuge pond and reeds at Camas National Wildlife Refuge
Sharing a county with Unit 59A, closest centres first:
| Unit | Shared counties | Elk zone | Deer 2025 | Hunts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 59 | Clark | Beaverhead | 340 | 9 |
| Unit 60A | Clark, Jefferson | Island Park | 489 | 21 |
| Unit 63 | Clark, Jefferson | Snake River | 53 | 13 |
| Unit 61 | Clark | Island Park | 296 | 23 |
| Unit 60 | Clark | Island Park | 218 | 20 |
| Unit 58 | Clark, Lemhi | Beaverhead | 122 | 11 |
| Unit 63A | Jefferson | Snake River | 197 | 3 |
| Unit 64 | Jefferson | Palisades | 94 | 4 |
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.
When hunting light starts in Unit 59A
IDFG allows big game, wolf and upland game animals from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; for Unit 59A that window is worked out below with the NOAA solar formula on Mountain Time.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2026 | General elk opener | 6:16 a.m. MT | 8:56 p.m. MT | 5:46 a.m. MT to 9:26 p.m. MT |
| Aug 30, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 6:49 a.m. MT | 8:12 p.m. MT | 6:19 a.m. MT to 8:42 p.m. MT |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Chukar opener | 7:07 a.m. MT | 7:43 p.m. MT | 6:37 a.m. MT to 8:13 p.m. MT |
| Oct 3, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:28 a.m. MT | 7:09 p.m. MT | 6:58 a.m. MT to 7:39 p.m. MT |
| Oct 10, 2026 | General deer opener | 7:37 a.m. MT | 6:56 p.m. MT | 7:07 a.m. MT to 7:26 p.m. MT |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 8:02 a.m. MT | 4:53 p.m. MT | 7:32 a.m. MT to 5:23 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.
Unit 59A in brief
Are there WMAs in Unit 59A?
None in our records.
What is the nearest town on this site to Unit 59A?
Dubois.
Which IDFG office covers Unit 59A?
Upper Snake Region Office.
What counties fall inside Unit 59A on the IDFG map?
Clark County, Lemhi County and Jefferson County; Clark County holds 97% of the unit by the GIS overlay.
Is Unit 59A an A tag or a B tag unit?
Both tags exist for the Beaverhead Zone; 3 A and 0 B lines reach this unit.
Which hunt in Unit 59A has the most tags?
Hunt 2095, with 250 tags.
Which deer tags work in Unit 59A?
Regular tag and white-tailed tag.
Is Unit 59A a good unit?
Judge by the numbers: 135 general deer in 2025 and 92 elk.
Can I use a general bear tag in Unit 59A?
Yes, in the dates in the table.
Are wolf seasons set by zone in Unit 59A?
No. IDFG sets them by unit and land type; zones are for analysis.
Must deer shot in Unit 59A go in for a CWD sample?
No, the 2026 sampling list leaves it out.
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); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).