Idaho › Species › Pygmy Rabbit
No season
Pygmy Rabbit, with no Idaho season in 2026-27
No tag and no bag for pygmy rabbits in Idaho, with the brochure entry and the Idaho Code penalty schedule.
Photo: Ken Lund (CC BY-SA 2.0)
The Idaho status of pygmy rabbits
IDFG lists pygmy rabbits among the species with no open season; this is the entry that puts them there.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Status | No season |
| IDFG entry | Season closed. |
| Printed in | Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer brochure p. 16 |
From Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer brochure p. 16 (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Lawful quarry near pygmy rabbits: cottontails
Legal cottontail rows, shown because they overlap the places and methods where pygmy rabbits could be mistaken.
| Season | Area | Tag | Dates | Bag | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Penalties covering pygmy rabbits
Criminal and civil exposure around pygmy rabbits, plus the loss of hunting privileges.
| Topic | Statute | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Taking wildlife | Idaho Code 36-1101 | Taking game animals, birds or furbearers is unlawful except as provided by law, rule or proclamation. |
| Infraction | Idaho Code 36-1402(a)-(b) | Fine of $72 (some listed infractions $250). |
| Misdemeanor | Idaho Code 36-1402(c) | $25-$1,000 and/or up to 6 months jail; minimum fines per animal: bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose $500; elk $300; other big game $200; wild turkey and swan $200. |
| Felony | Idaho Code 36-1402(d) | Punished under Idaho Code 18-112; lifetime revocation for 3+ felony violations within 5 years. |
| License revocation | Idaho Code 36-1402(e) | Up to 3 years for violations (longer for felonies and flagrant violations). |
| Reimbursable damages | Idaho Code 36-1404(a) | Elk $750; caribou, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, grizzly bear and moose $1,500; other big game $400; wild turkey and swan $250; other game birds and furbearers $50; doubles for each additional animal in 12 months. |
| Trophy damages | Idaho Code 36-1404(a) | Trophy mule deer, white-tailed deer and pronghorn $2,000; trophy elk $5,000; trophy bighorn sheep, moose, mountain goat, caribou and grizzly $10,000. |
From Idaho Code 36-1402, Idaho Code 36-1404 and Idaho Code 36-1101 (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
The Idaho closed list, with pygmy rabbits
The full no-season list, with pygmy rabbits in bold.
| Species | IDFG line | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Gambel's and Mountain Quail | No season. | Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer brochure p. 7 |
| Pygmy Rabbit | Season closed. | Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer brochure p. 16 |
| Hen Pheasant | No season on hen (female) pheasants. | Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer brochure p. 11 |
| Canada Lynx | Threatened species; be sure of target when hunting bobcat. | Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer brochure p. 39 |
| Female Black Bears with Young | May not be taken. | Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 69 |
| Hawks, Owls and Eagles | Protected (general rules). | Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer brochure p. 45 |
| Grizzly Bear | Caution areas in bear tables; bear identification test required; grizzly is listed with reimbursable damages in Idaho Code 36-1404. | Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 71 |
How pygmy rabbits differ from game species
Every Idaho game animal falls in a legal group, and only those groups have seasons; pygmy rabbits are not in any of them.
| Group | Members |
|---|---|
| Big game |
|
| Upland game birds |
|
| Upland game animals |
|
| Furbearers |
|
| Migratory game birds |
|
From Big game, Upland game birds, Upland game animals, Furbearers and Migratory game birds (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Places to know pygmy rabbits on sight
The cards list ground open for cottontails; pygmy rabbits stay protected there as everywhere in Idaho.
Small game listed at Willow-Oxarango (Access Yes!) (Access Yes! flags).
Rockland (Access Yes!): small game opportunity (Access Yes! flags).
The Access Yes! flags mark Arbon – East Bench (Access Yes!) for small game.
Small game listed at Maclaic Corporation (Access Yes!) (Access Yes! flags).
Kroetch Land & Timber Company: Evans Cr, Willow Cr, and Rosewood Drive (Access Yes!): small game opportunity (Access Yes! flags).
The Access Yes! flags mark Windy Wheat, LLC (Access Yes!) for small game.
From Willow-Oxarango (Access Yes!) (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Rabbitbrush and sagebrush along a two-track in the Pahsimeroi ValleyPhoto: Matt Lavin (CC BY-SA 2.0)
A white horse in green pasture near Preston with mountains behindPhoto: Ken Lund (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Aerial view of Weiser, the Snake River and patchwork farmlandPhoto: Sam Beebe (CC BY 2.0)
Answers about Idaho pygmy rabbits
Which open season could put me near pygmy rabbits?
Cottontail Rabbit: 1 row, August 30, 2026 to March 31, 2027. Check every animal: pygmy rabbits and cottontails can share ground.
What limit applies to the open cottontail season?
Cottontail Rabbit bag: 8 daily, 24 possession. No line adds pygmy rabbits to the bag.
What is the penalty for taking a pygmy rabbit in Idaho?
For pygmy rabbits, Idaho Code 36-1101 applies: taking game animals, birds or furbearers is unlawful except as provided by law, rule or proclamation. Misdemeanor penalties that cover pygmy rabbits: $25-$1,000 and/or up to 6 months jail; minimum fines per animal: bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose $500; elk $300; other big game $200; wild turkey and swan $200.
Does a conviction over pygmy rabbits affect my license?
For pygmy rabbits: up to 3 years for violations (longer for felonies and flagrant violations); punished under Idaho Code 18-112; lifetime revocation for 3+ felony violations within 5 years.
Where do pygmy rabbits fit in Idaho law?
Big game: mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, pronghorn and moose; Upland game birds: dusky grouse, ruffed grouse, spruce grouse, California quail and bobwhite quail; Upland game animals: cottontail, snowshoe hare and red squirrel; Furbearers: badger, beaver, bobcat, red fox and marten; Migratory game birds: ducks, geese, swan, snipe and coot.
Can a new hunter go out where pygmy rabbits live?
No special course exists for pygmy rabbits, so the rule is: 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.
Which private land rule applies where pygmy rabbits occur?
Where pygmy rabbits occur: entering private land to hunt, retrieve wildlife, fish or trap requires permission (Idaho Code 36-1603 and 18-7008); written or other lawful permission required to enter private land (Ask First).
Why are pygmy rabbits closed to hunting?
Pygmy rabbits have no Idaho season, and the IDFG entry reads: season closed.