Idaho › Species › Cottontail Rabbit
Upland game animal
Cottontail Rabbit seasons, limits and tags in Idaho, 2026-27
When and where to hunt cottontails in Idaho for 2026-27: cottontail on August 30, 2026, plus limits and rules.
Photo: Matt Lavin (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Quick read on Idaho cottontails
Cottontail dates run from August 30, 2026 to March 31, 2027, starting with cottontail. Limit as printed for cottontails: 8 daily, 24 possession.
From Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer 2026 & 2027 brochure (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Idaho cottontail rules at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dates |
|
| Bag | 8 daily, 24 possession |
| Hours rule | No take from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise. |
| Shared limit | Cottontail / snowshoe hare / red squirrel: 8 daily, 24 possession |
From upland game animals and upland game animal hours (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Idaho cottontail dates, row by row
Dates as printed by IDFG for cottontails, with the area each line covers.
| Season line | Covers | Kind | Dates | Bag | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cottontail | Statewide | – |
| 8 daily, 24 possession |
From Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer 2026 & 2027 brochure (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
How many cottontails you may take in Idaho
For cottontails the brochures set the numbers below; the row count shows how often each bag appears.
| Source line | Limit |
|---|---|
| Cottontail / snowshoe hare / red squirrel | 8 daily, 24 possession |
From bag limit (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
What it costs to hunt cottontails
Resident prices are the annual price with the Price Lock price beside it; nonresident prices are labelled as of December 1, 2024, as the brochure prints them.
| License | For | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Hunting license | Resident | $15.75 ($12.75 Price Lock) |
| Hunting license | Nonresident | $185.00 (as of Dec. 1, 2024) |
| Junior hunting license | Resident | $8.25 ($7.25 Price Lock) |
| Combination hunting & fishing | Resident | $38.75 ($33.50 Price Lock) |
| Combination hunting & fishing | Nonresident | $264.00 (as of Dec. 1, 2024) |
| Sportsman's Package | Resident | $144.60 ($124.25 Price Lock) |
| Small game hunting license | Nonresident | $141.75 (as of Dec. 1, 2024) |
| 3-day small game license | Nonresident | $71.75 (as of Dec. 1, 2024) |
Paperwork for cottontails starts here: A hunting license is required to hunt (including predatory and unprotected wildlife); a trapping license to trap gray wolf; a tag for every big game species.
From license and tag fees, nonresident fees and license requirements (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Before you hunt cottontails: the rules
What IDFG expects of cottontail hunters in the field, from reporting to private land.
| Rule | Text |
|---|---|
| Hours | Cottontail hunters: no take from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise. |
| Lifetime licenses | Cottontail hunters: individuals must be an Idaho resident for at least 5 years to buy any lifetime certificate (from July 1, 2026). |
| Hunter orange | Cottontail hunters: hunter orange is recommended, required only while hunting pheasants where the Upland Game Bird Permit is required (including IDFG properties and leases) and on sponsored hunts such as organized youth hunts; minimum 36 square inches above the waist. |
From Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer brochure p. 17, Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 7 and IDFG page (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Public places for cottontails
Places whose own source names cottontails come first; the rest sit inside units where cottontail rows run, or carry the group flag in their program.
Flagged for small game: Little Fish Creek Grazing Assoc. (Access Yes!) (Access Yes! flags).
Upper Kirtley Creek (Access Yes!) is flagged for small game (Access Yes! flags).
Janss Farms (Access Yes!): small game opportunity (Access Yes! flags).
The Access Yes! flags mark Fogg Butte / Split Butte / Sand Creek Wildlife Management Area (Access Yes!) for small game.
A L Cattle – Shirts Creek (Access Yes!) is flagged for small game (Access Yes! flags).
Willow-Oxarango (Access Yes!): small game opportunity (Access Yes! flags).
From Little Fish Creek Grazing Assoc. (Access Yes!) (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Legal hours for Idaho cottontails
Every time carries PT or MT; Idaho County is split by the Salmon River and is left out of this cottontail table.
Legal light for cottontails follows this IDFG line: "No take from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise." Times are rounded to the minute.
| Date | Kootenai County centre (PT) | Blaine County centre (MT) | Custer County centre (MT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30, 2026 | 5:31 a.m. PT to 8:04 p.m. PT | 6:27 a.m. MT to 8:47 p.m. MT | 6:27 a.m. MT to 8:50 p.m. MT |
| Sep 15, 2026 | 5:52 a.m. PT to 7:32 p.m. PT | 6:44 a.m. MT to 8:18 p.m. MT | 6:45 a.m. MT to 8:20 p.m. MT |
| Dec 21, 2026 | 7:02 a.m. PT to 4:27 p.m. PT | 7:35 a.m. MT to 5:32 p.m. MT | 7:39 a.m. MT to 5:30 p.m. MT |
| Jan 15, 2027 | 7:01 a.m. PT to 4:50 p.m. PT | 7:36 a.m. MT to 5:53 p.m. MT | 7:39 a.m. MT to 5:52 p.m. MT |
Hours rule from Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer brochure p. 17; time zones from 49 CFR 71.9; times worked out with the NOAA solar formula for each county centre; checked November 12, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Packing list for Idaho cottontail
Chosen to suit the game listed on this page.
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Eastern cottontail rabbit sitting in grassPhoto: Jim, the Photographer (CC BY 2.0)
A cottontail rabbit sitting on bare groundPhoto: Alessandra Puig-Santana (NPS, posted by Joshua Tree National Park) (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Eastern cottontail rabbit in green ground coverPhoto: Ligocsicnarf89 (CC BY 4.0)
Common questions on cottontails
When does cottontail hunting open in Idaho?
The cottontail rows open August 30, 2026 and the last one ends March 31, 2027. Cottontail: August 30, 2026. Today (November 12, 2026) falls inside an open cottontail window.
Who needs hunter education to hunt cottontails?
For cottontails: no hunting license may be issued to a person born after January 1, 1975, unless they previously held a hunting license in Idaho or another state or show a hunter education certificate (Idaho Code 36-411); Hunting Passport (8+ junior or adult) lets a person hunt without hunter education when accompanied by an adult license holder within normal conversation range; mentors may not accompany more than two mentored hunters.
What does it cost to hunt cottontails in Idaho?
A hunting license covers cottontails ($15.75 resident, $12.75 with Price Lock; $185.00 nonresident as of December 1, 2024); the fee table also lists a nonresident small game license at $141.75.
What does IDFG allow for cottontails?
For cottontails, the brochure line reads: 8 daily, 24 possession.
What are the shooting hours for Idaho cottontails?
For cottontails, IDFG says: no take from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise. See the cottontail legal light table above for times on the key dates.
Can I hunt cottontails in every county?
The cottontail rows name Statewide. Tribal land needs tribal authority, not a state cottontail license.
Does the Idaho technology rule cover cottontails?
For cottontails: new restrictions on technology for hunting or scouting big game and game birds August 30-December 31 (not wolves, lions or predators).
Does Idaho require orange for cottontails?
No statewide cottontail orange rule applies: hunter orange is recommended, required only while hunting pheasants where the Upland Game Bird Permit is required (including IDFG properties and leases) and on sponsored hunts such as organized youth hunts; minimum 36 square inches above the waist.
Can I shoot cottontails from a road in Idaho?
For cottontails: no discharge of a firearm from or across a public highway; entering private land to hunt, retrieve wildlife, fish or trap requires permission (Idaho Code 36-1603 and 18-7008).