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Home › Idaho › Public land › Sawtooth National Recreation Area

Recreation area · 2026-27

Sawtooth National Recreation Area for Idaho hunters this season

National recreation area in Custer County and 3 more counties; 6 hunting units, 812,158 acres.

Get driving directionsAll Custer County spots
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Photo from this land.

Photo: Roy Luck (CC BY 2.0)

Getting to Sawtooth National Recreation Area

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Sawtooth National Recreation Area at a glance

This national recreation area, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, is run by the USDA Forest Service across Custer County, Blaine County, Elmore County, Boise County. About 812,158 acres are counted here, a figure taken from the USFS EDW Lands Area Statistics: NFS-owned acres in Idaho. For seasons and tags, the land counts as part of Unit 35, Unit 36, Unit 36A, Unit 36B, Unit 39, Unit 48. The land sits inside the Boise River Zone, Pioneer Zone, Salmon Zone, Sawtooth Zone, which governs general elk tag choice. It falls in the Salmon Region of Fish and Game.

Aerial view of the jagged Sawtooth Range peaks and valleys

Aerial view of the jagged Sawtooth Range peaks and valleysPhoto: Sam Beebe (CC BY 2.0)

From Agency map layer, Forest Service page, Agency map layer; data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.

Nearby

Places to hunt and shoot around Sawtooth National Recreation Area

Sawtooth National Forest

Public land · 14 mi from Sawtooth National Recreation Area

Directions
Boise National Forest

Public land · 39 mi from Sawtooth National Recreation Area

Directions
Salmon-Challis National Forest

Public land · 61 mi from Sawtooth National Recreation Area

Directions
Shoshone Field Office

Public land · 66 mi from Sawtooth National Recreation Area

Directions
BLM Public Lands in Idaho

Public land · 72 mi from Sawtooth National Recreation Area

Directions
Shooting Ranges Near Boise

Range · 77 mi from Sawtooth National Recreation Area

Directions

Entering Sawtooth National Recreation Area legally

National Forest System land is open to hunting under Idaho seasons and rules unless an area closure applies (36 CFR 261.10 prohibits discharging a firearm in specific places such as within 150 yards of a residence, developed recreation site or occupied area).

From Agency map layer, Forest Service page, Agency map layer; checked November 12, 2026.

What the sources say about Sawtooth National Recreation Area

Read the source link on any row to see the original wording.

KindDetailSource page
Acreage812,158 acres (USFS EDW Lands Area Statistics: NFS-owned acres in Idaho)Agency map layer
Managed bySawtooth National ForestAgency map layer
Special huntsnamed in 2 IDFG hunt area descriptionsAgency map layer
Named watersRedfish, Alturas, Pettit and Stanley lakes and the Salmon River; 300-plus high-elevation alpine lakesForest Service page
Habitat and coverContains the Sawtooth, Cecil D. Andrus-White Clouds and Hemingway-Boulders wildernesses; 40 peaks over 10,000 ftForest Service page
FacilitiesOver 700 miles of trails; Redfish Lake, Alturas Lake, Salmon River, Highway 21 and Wood River recreation complexesForest Service page
Area rulesSNRA orders: occupancy and use, vehicle parking, boating/swimming and Salmon River corridor use prohibitions, over-snow vehicle and bicycle limitsForest Service page

Data read November 11, 2026; checked November 12, 2026.

Controlled hunts around Sawtooth National Recreation Area

What drawn hunters near Sawtooth National Recreation Area are after.

A dusky grouse hen standing on a log

A dusky grouse hen standing on a logPhoto: Katja Schulz (CC BY 2.0)

By species, the 68 drawn hunts in these units split as 25 elk, 20 deer, 9 pronghorn, 9 mountain goat and 3 bighorn sheep. Adding the hunt rows gives 4,726 tags in 2026 (computed here). Hunt boundaries are on the Hunt Planner pages linked in the first column. For moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat, IDFG takes applications April 1 to 30.

HuntSpeciesHunt typeUnitsFromToTags
1070DeerArchery36, 36A, 36BAug 1, 2026Sep 30, 202610
1157DeerOutfitter Allocated36, 36A, 36BAug 1, 2026Sep 30, 20261
1030DeerAntlered39, 39Aug 15, 2026Sep 30, 2026200
1075DeerArchery48Aug 15, 2026Sep 30, 202650
1168DeerOutfitter Allocated39, 39Aug 15, 2026Sep 30, 20261
1112DeerYouth Only/Extra Antlerless36A, 36BAug 30, 2026Dec 31, 202675
1136DeerExtra Antlerless36A, 36BAug 30, 2026Oct 31, 2026200
1025DeerAntlered36Sep 1, 2026Nov 30, 20265
1165DeerOutfitter Allocated36Sep 1, 2026Nov 30, 20261
1102DeerYouth Only36BSep 15, 2026Oct 31, 202615
1026DeerAntlered36AOct 10, 2026Nov 30, 20265
1027DeerAntlered36BOct 10, 2026Nov 30, 20265
1166DeerOutfitter Allocated36AOct 10, 2026Nov 30, 20261
1167DeerOutfitter Allocated36BOct 10, 2026Nov 30, 20261
1137DeerExtra Antlerless36A, 36BNov 1, 2026Dec 31, 2026200
1038DeerAntlered48Nov 10, 2026Nov 24, 202610
1087DeerMuzzleloader35, 35, 35Nov 10, 2026Nov 30, 2026150
1164DeerOutfitter Allocated35, 35, 35Nov 10, 2026Nov 30, 20261
1072DeerArchery39, 39Nov 16, 2026Dec 16, 202660
1113DeerYouth Only/Extra Antlerless39, 39Dec 1, 2026Dec 22, 2026100
2089ElkAntlerless48Aug 1, 2026Aug 29, 202625
2122ElkArchery39, 39Aug 30, 2026Sep 30, 202650
2134ElkMuzzleloader39, 39Aug 30, 2026Sep 30, 202650
2135ElkMuzzleloader39, 39Sep 8, 2026Sep 30, 2026550
2010ElkAntlered36AOct 1, 2026Oct 31, 202660
2011ElkAntlered36AOct 1, 2026Oct 31, 2026120
2026ElkAntlered48Oct 1, 2026Oct 14, 202620
2076ElkAntlerless36Oct 1, 2026Oct 9, 2026100
2181ElkOutfitter Allocated36Oct 1, 2026Oct 9, 20266
2183ElkOutfitter Allocated36AOct 1, 2026Oct 31, 20263
2184ElkOutfitter Allocated36AOct 1, 2026Oct 31, 20267
2081ElkAntlerless39, 39Oct 5, 2026Oct 31, 2026650
2082ElkAntlerless39, 39Oct 5, 2026Oct 31, 2026500
2027ElkAntlered48Oct 15, 2026Nov 10, 2026150
2087ElkAntlerless48Oct 15, 2026Nov 14, 2026175
2088ElkAntlerless48Oct 15, 2026Nov 14, 2026150
2113ElkEither Sex39, 39Oct 27, 2026Nov 9, 202650
2077ElkAntlerless36BNov 1, 2026Dec 31, 2026100
2133ElkMuzzleloader36ANov 1, 2026Nov 30, 2026250
2182ElkOutfitter Allocated36ANov 1, 2026Nov 30, 20263
2131ElkMuzzleloader35, 35, 35Nov 10, 2026Nov 30, 202625
2132ElkMuzzleloader35, 35, 35Nov 10, 2026Nov 30, 202650
2137ElkMuzzleloader48Nov 15, 2026Nov 30, 202675
2167ElkExtra Antlerless36ADec 1, 2026Dec 31, 2026250
2280ElkExtra Antlerless36AJan 1, 2027Jan 31, 202750

Showing 45 of 68 hunts; the unit pages list every one.

Moose, sheep and goat rows: 2026 hunt, 2025 & 2026 brochure.

Hunt rows from the Idaho Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules, the Moose, Bighorn Sheep and Mountain Goat 2025 and 2026 brochure and the IDFG Hunt Planner; draw periods Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 8. Checked November 12, 2026. All Idaho hunt numbers · How the draw works.

Where Sawtooth National Recreation Area sits in the IDFG unit system

Unit pages hold the full season list; this table shows where Sawtooth National Recreation Area fits.

UnitManaged fromElk tag zoneWolf zoneCWD ruleCounties
Unit 35SouthwestSawtooth ZoneSawtooth–Boise
Unit 36SalmonSawtooth ZoneSawtooth–Custer, Blaine
Unit 36ASalmonPioneer ZoneSouthern Mountains–Custer
Unit 36BSalmonSalmon ZoneSalmon–Custer
Unit 39SouthwestBoise River ZoneSawtooth–Elmore, Boise
Unit 48Magic ValleySmoky-Bennett ZoneSouthern Mountains–Blaine
ZoneTagLinesStartEnd
Boise River ZoneA tag1Nov 10, 2026Nov 30, 2026
Boise River ZoneB tag3Aug 1, 2026Dec 31, 2026
Pioneer ZoneA tag4Aug 1, 2026Nov 9, 2026
Pioneer ZoneB tag1Nov 10, 2026Nov 30, 2026
Salmon ZoneA tag2Aug 1, 2026Dec 31, 2026
Salmon ZoneB tag1Oct 15, 2026Nov 8, 2026
Sawtooth ZoneA tag1Aug 30, 2026Sep 30, 2026
Sawtooth ZoneB tag1Oct 15, 2026Nov 8, 2026
Smoky-Bennett ZoneA tag1Aug 30, 2026Sep 30, 2026
Smoky-Bennett ZoneB tag1Nov 10, 2026Nov 24, 2026

Units from IDFG Hunt Planner unit pages and the IDFG Game Units layer; elk zones from IDFG elk zones; wolf zones from the IDFG Wolf Zones layer (data analysis units); CWD from IDFG CWD rules; bear tables brochure p. 69. Checked November 12, 2026.

Seasons you can hunt at Sawtooth National Recreation Area without a draw

General seasons with over-the-counter tags cover black bear, deer, elk, gray wolf, mountain lion and wild turkey in the units at Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The wolf rows listed are those for public land in these units.

GameSeasonTagUnits hereOpensCloses
DeerArcheryGeneral tag48Aug 30, 2026Sep 30, 2026
DeerArcheryGeneral tag36BAug 30, 2026Sep 30, 2026
DeerArcheryGeneral tag36AAug 30, 2026Sep 30, 2026
DeerArcheryGeneral tag35Aug 30, 2026Sep 30, 2026
DeerMuzzleloaderGeneral tag39Sep 8, 2026Sep 30, 2026
DeerAny WeaponGeneral tag36Oct 10, 2026Oct 24, 2026
DeerAny WeaponGeneral tag36BOct 10, 2026Oct 24, 2026
DeerAny WeaponGeneral tag36AOct 10, 2026Oct 24, 2026
DeerAny WeaponGeneral tag36AOct 10, 2026Oct 31, 2026
DeerAny WeaponGeneral tag36BOct 10, 2026Oct 31, 2026
DeerAny WeaponGeneral tag39Oct 10, 2026Oct 31, 2026
DeerAny WeaponGeneral tag39Oct 10, 2026Oct 31, 2026
DeerAny WeaponGeneral tag36Oct 10, 2026Oct 31, 2026
DeerAny WeaponGeneral tag35Oct 10, 2026Oct 31, 2026
DeerAny WeaponGeneral tag35Oct 10, 2026Oct 31, 2026
DeerAny WeaponGeneral tag48Oct 10, 2026Oct 31, 2026
DeerAny WeaponGeneral tag39Oct 10, 2026Oct 31, 2026
DeerAny WeaponGeneral tag36AOct 10, 2026Oct 31, 2026
DeerAny WeaponGeneral tag36BOct 10, 2026Oct 31, 2026
DeerAny WeaponGeneral tag36BOct 10, 2026Oct 31, 2026
DeerAny WeaponGeneral tag36AOct 10, 2026Oct 31, 2026
DeerAny WeaponGeneral tag35Oct 10, 2026Nov 8, 2026
DeerShort-Range Weapon (Short-Range Weapons)General tag36BNov 1, 2026Dec 9, 2026
DeerShort-Range Weapon (Short-Range Weapons)General tag36ANov 1, 2026Dec 9, 2026
DeerShort-Range Weapon (Short-Range Weapons)General tag36ANov 1, 2026Dec 31, 2026
DeerShort-Range Weapon (Short-Range Weapons)General tag36BNov 1, 2026Dec 31, 2026
DeerArcheryGeneral tag39Nov 10, 2026Nov 30, 2026
DeerArcheryGeneral tag39Nov 10, 2026Nov 30, 2026
ElkA Tag (Any Weapon)A tag36AAug 1, 2026Oct 31, 2026
ElkA Tag (Archery)A tag35, 36Aug 30, 2026Sep 30, 2026
ElkA Tag (Archery)A tag36AAug 30, 2026Sep 30, 2026
ElkA Tag (Archery)A tag48Aug 30, 2026Sep 30, 2026
ElkB Tag (Any Weapon)B tag36BOct 15, 2026Nov 8, 2026
ElkB Tag (Any Weapon)B tag35, 36Oct 15, 2026Nov 8, 2026
ElkB Tag (Any Weapon)B tag39Oct 27, 2026Nov 9, 2026
ElkA Tag (Muzzleloader)A tag36ANov 1, 2026Nov 9, 2026
ElkA Tag (Archery)A tag39Nov 10, 2026Nov 30, 2026
ElkB Tag (Any Weapon)B tag36ANov 10, 2026Nov 30, 2026
Black bearFall 2026General tag36BAug 30, 2026Nov 30, 2026
Black bearFall 2026General tag36AAug 30, 2026Oct 31, 2026

Showing 40 of 71 lines; see the unit pages.

From the Idaho Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules, the Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer 2026 and 2027 brochure and the Migratory Game Bird 2026-2027 brochure; general tags Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 8; migratory hours IDFG table. Checked November 12, 2026. General seasons statewide.

Off-limits ground in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area counties

Places in the same counties as Sawtooth National Recreation Area that are closed to hunting are listed so they are not mistaken for open ground.

Off limitsTypeCountiesWhy closed
Craters of the Moon…National park unitButte, BlaineNPS closure
Bayhorse State ParkState parkCusterState park closure
Land of the Yankee…State parkCusterState park closure
Lucky Peak State ParkState parkAda, BoiseState park closure
Three Island Crossing SPState parkElmoreState park closure

Closed list from Idaho Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules (state parks, national parks and monuments), NPS Craters of the Moon laws page and 18 U.S.C. 1165. Checked November 12, 2026. Tribal lands.

What hunters took near Sawtooth National Recreation Area in 2025

These are IDFG unit totals for 2025; there is no harvest figure for a single property. General deer harvest peaked in Unit 39 at 2,145 for 2025.

Unit pageDeerElkBearLionWolf
Unit 3576952213
Unit 363382291727
Unit 36A1351381012
Unit 36B3831611483
Unit 392,1455371861714
Unit 48686522912

General deer and elk: all weapons combined. Bear, lion, wolf: unit totals.

IDFG Hunt Planner harvest statistics 2025: deer, elk, black bear, mountain lion, gray wolf. Checked November 12, 2026. Harvest statistics.

Fuel, meat care and supplies near Sawtooth National Recreation Area

Supplies are closest in Ketchum, a straight-line 32 miles away.

Hailey (9,976 people in 2024) is the larger service town.

Towns whose ten-mile list includes Sawtooth National Recreation Area: Ketchum and Sun Valley.

Boise has the nearest IDFG office, 75 miles out.

CommunityCountyResidentsStraight lineDirection
KetchumBlaine3,60932 milessoutheast
Sun ValleyBlaine1,77134 milessoutheast
LowmanBoise–40 mileswest
ChallisCuster94443 milesnortheast
HaileyBlaine9,97644 milessoutheast

IDFG Headquarters (Boise)

IDFG office · Boise, Ada County · about 75 mi away

(208) 334-3700
Locate
Webpage

Sawtooth Wilderness Outfitters

guide or outfitter · Lowman, Boise County · about 21 mi away

(208) 259-3408
Locate
Webpage

Sumar Trading Post

sporting goods · Mackay, Custer County · about 42 mi away

(208) 588-2118
Locate
Webpage

Lone Pine Rifleworks

sporting goods · Challis, Custer County · about 43 mi away

(208) 879-2755
Locate

Lost River Meat & Game

meat processing · Mackay, Custer County · about 60 mi away

(208) 588-3085
Locate

Gene's Taxidermy

taxidermy · Boise, Ada County · about 76 mi away

(208) 343-4440
Locate
Webpage

Towns from places.json (Census 2024 estimates); IDFG offices from the IDFG offices page; businesses from services.json listings; straight-line miles. Checked November 12, 2026.

Nearby ground on the Sawtooth National Recreation Area map

The closest other record on this site is Sawtooth National Forest, 14 miles to the south.

The six nearest pins are 3 ranger districts, 2 national forests and 1 BLM field office.

NameKindSize (ac)CountyAwayBearing
Sawtooth National ForestNational forest2,097,976Blaine14 milessouth
Fairfield Ranger DistrictRanger district415,658Camas30 milessouth
Challis-Yankee Fork Ranger DistrictRanger district802,808Custer32 milesnorth
Lowman Ranger DistrictRanger district468,939Boise36 milesnorthwest
Challis Field OfficeBLM field office790,729Custer38 milesnortheast
Boise National ForestNational forest2,526,140Boise39 mileswest

Point: USFS EDW Ranger Districts boundary (Idaho part) (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.

Four picks for a Sawtooth National Recreation Area pack

No product listing appears until you choose one.

Amazon links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.

Bugle tube

One less thing to borrow at camp: bugle tube.

Find it on Amazon

Rangefinder

Packed for this trip and matched to the game here: rangefinder.

Find it on Amazon

Game bags

One less thing to borrow at camp: game bags.

Find it on Amazon

Pack frame

One less thing to borrow at camp: pack frame.

Find it on Amazon

Kit comparisons
Hunting gear lists

Legal light at Sawtooth National Recreation Area by date

The dates in this Sawtooth National Recreation Area table come from the season lines that reach its own units, plus the shortest day of the year.

DateOpenerRiseSetBig game hours
Aug 1, 2026General elk opener6:26 a.m. MT9:05 p.m. MT5:56 a.m. MT to 9:35 p.m. MT
Aug 30, 2026Archery deer opener6:59 a.m. MT8:21 p.m. MT6:29 a.m. MT to 8:51 p.m. MT
Sep 15, 2026Chukar opener and general deer opener7:17 a.m. MT7:52 p.m. MT6:47 a.m. MT to 8:22 p.m. MT
Oct 19, 2026Duck opener7:57 a.m. MT6:51 p.m. MT7:27 a.m. MT to 7:21 p.m. MT
Dec 21, 2026Shortest day8:11 a.m. MT5:04 p.m. MT7:41 a.m. MT to 5:34 p.m. MT

Clocks change March 14, 2027.

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.

Closest places of the same type as Sawtooth National Recreation Area

Recreation area

Hells Canyon NRA

145,088 acres, 129 mi

BLM land

BLM Public Lands in…

11,681,144 acres

National forest

Salmon-Challis National Forest

4,396,027 acres

National forest

Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest

4,068,746 acres

National forests
Access programs
Public land map
Open ponderosa pine forest with grassy floor in Custer County

Open ponderosa pine forest with grassy floor in Custer CountyPhoto: Katja Schulz (CC BY 2.0)

A blue alpine lake below the rocky White Cloud Peaks

A blue alpine lake below the rocky White Cloud PeaksPhoto: Roy Luck (CC BY 2.0)

Sawtooth National Recreation Area: questions and answers

Which license applies at Sawtooth National Recreation Area?

License first, then a tag for every big game species you hunt. Residents pay $15.75 for the adult license ($12.75 Price Lock). Licenses.

Which agency is behind Sawtooth National Recreation Area?

Records name the USDA Forest Service as the manager. The nearest IDFG administration is the Salmon Region.

Which animals and birds can be hunted at Sawtooth National Recreation Area?

No species list is published for it; the Idaho seasons for its units apply.

What unit number applies at Sawtooth National Recreation Area?

Use Unit 35, Unit 36, Unit 36A, Unit 36B, Unit 39 and Unit 48. General elk tags are bought for the Boise River Zone, Pioneer Zone, Salmon Zone, Sawtooth Zone and Smoky-Bennett Zone. Unit 35 page.

What draw hunts touch Sawtooth National Recreation Area?

Yes: 68 hunt numbers reach the units here. IDFG picks controlled hunt winners at random. Hunt list.

What is the access window for Sawtooth National Recreation Area?

When the unit seasons are open, so is the hunting.

Can I drive or camp at Sawtooth National Recreation Area?

Travel and camping follow the manager's rules.

Can I trap on Sawtooth National Recreation Area?

Check with the manager; the record is silent. Trapping seasons.

What are the hunting hours for Sawtooth National Recreation Area?

Big game hours on November 14, 2026: 7:02 a.m. MT until 5:46 p.m. MT. Ducks and geese use IDFG's own table. Legal hours.

What town is close to Sawtooth National Recreation Area?

It is 32 miles to Ketchum. Boise has the nearest IDFG office. Ketchum.

Does chronic wasting disease testing apply at Sawtooth National Recreation Area?

None of its units is in the CWD Management Zone or the mandatory testing units for 2026. CWD zone.

Must I wear orange at Sawtooth National Recreation Area?

It is a recommendation, except for pheasants where the permit applies and on sponsored youth hunts. IDFG hunter orange

How many acres are on record for Sawtooth National Recreation Area?

It covers 812,158 acres.

Checks to run before driving to Sawtooth National Recreation Area

Plan with this page, then reread the source for Sawtooth National Recreation Area in the week before you go.

Statewide land map
Land by type
Custer County
National forests
Unit 35
Official website

Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4; seasons from the Idaho Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules; harvest reporting Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 10. Data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.

Other photos on this page: Sam Beebe (CC BY 2.0); Katja Schulz (CC BY 2.0).