Idaho Pronghorn Elk

Unit 36B-1

Idaho Hunting Guide — Pronghorn, Elk

Idaho GMU 36B lies in the Boise National Forest and adjacent BLM country north of Garden Valley. The 36B-1 designation is a controlled-hunt pronghorn season/weapon slot inside the unit. IDFG allocates tags pure-random with a 10% nonresident quota. Rules come from the current Idaho Big Game Seasons and Rules.

View Draw Odds Idaho Hunting Guide

Pronghorn Hunting in Unit 36B-1

Where to Find Pronghorn in Unit 36B-1

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How to Hunt Unit 36B-1

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Pronghorn Success Rates

IDFG pronghorn success in west-central Idaho typically runs 55% to 80% for rifle tags. Pull the current IDFG controlled-hunt harvest summary for the 36B-1-specific number before planning.

Pronghorn Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Controlled	9	193	4.7%	0

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Idaho uses a pure-random drawing. With about 631 applicants and 30 tags over three years, resident odds sit near 4-6%. Nonresidents are capped at 10% of the pool. Check IDFG's current published odds each spring for exact figures.

Elk Hunting in Unit 36B-1

Unit 36B-1 is a controlled hunt in Idaho's Sawtooth Zone covering the country around Stanley, Redfish Lake, and the upper Salmon River headwaters. This is high-elevation alpine-to-subalpine terrain with excellent public access through the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. Elk here are scattered in small bands across the higher basins, and the hunt demands fitness plus a willingness to pack out from several miles off the road. Bull quality runs solid for Idaho, and the country is stunning.

Where to Find Elk in Unit 36B-1

Elk in 36B-1 use the high basins and timbered benches above the Salmon River valley.

Upper Salmon River Drainages

The upper Salmon and its tributaries hold bulls through mid-September. Focus on 7,500–9,000 ft in the drainage heads.

Sawtooth Range Foothills

Timbered benches on the east side of the Sawtooth Range hide bulls through the rut. Glass from cross-valley vantages.

White Cloud Peaks Fringe

Fringe parcels along the White Cloud Peaks' west side hold migration-window bulls as snow pushes them off the higher country.

How to Hunt Elk in Unit 36B-1

This is backcountry hunting. Base camp low, spike camp high, and glass long.

High-Basin Spike Camps

Pack into an alpine basin with a 2-day spike camp and glass from the basin rim. Bulls are rarely more than a mile from where you spotted them the previous day.

Rut-Window Bugling

Early any-weapon seasons catch the tail end of the rut. Bugles from a timbered bench at first light pull bulls out of the dark timber.

Road-Glass the Migration

If you draw a late hunt, the Highway 75 corridor between Stanley and Clayton becomes a glassing highway as elk drop into winter range.

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Elk Success Rates

Unit 36B-1 rifle controlled-hunt success typically runs 25–40%. The high-country nature of the hunt rewards fit hunters willing to get away from roads. Archery success runs 10–15%. Bull quality skews toward mature 5x5 and 6-point class animals.

Elk Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Controlled	62	62	100.0%	0

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Idaho's pure random draw with 10% nonresident quota applies. 36B-1 resident rifle odds usually run 10–20%; nonresident odds hit 3–8%. No points — every year is a fresh draw.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Unit 36B mostly BLM land?

A significant share is BLM-administered with private ranch inholdings. On-board GPS boundary overlays are essential.

How competitive is the 36B-1 pronghorn tag?

Applicant-to-tag ratio runs near 21:1 historically, so resident draw odds are roughly 4-6%. Nonresidents face the 10% cap further limiting access.

Is Unit 36B-1 a backcountry hunt?

Effectively yes. While some roads skirt the unit, the best elk habitat is 2–5 miles from the nearest road and 1,500–2,500 ft above it. Plan on a spike camp.

Can I camp anywhere in the Sawtooth NRA during the hunt?

Dispersed camping is allowed, but certain zones within the NRA have restrictions. Check the current Sawtooth NRA camping regulations before you go in.

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Sources & Verification

Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-17.

IDFG Big Game Hunting — Idaho Department of Fish and Game · supports: Unit 36B boundaries, Pronghorn controlled-hunt codes · accessed 2026-04-17
2025-2026 Idaho Big Game Seasons & Rules — Idaho Department of Fish and Game · supports: Season dates, Tag quotas, Nonresident 10% quota · accessed 2026-04-17
BLM Four Rivers Field Office — Bureau of Land Management · supports: Public-land holdings, Road access, Grazing allotment overlap · accessed 2026-04-17
2025 Idaho Big Game Seasons & Rules — Idaho Department of Fish and Game · supports: Sawtooth Zone structure, Unit 36B-1 hunt number definitions · accessed 2026-04-17
IDFG Hunt Planner — Controlled Hunt Draw Odds — Idaho Department of Fish and Game · supports: Unit 36B-1 historical odds, Tag counts · accessed 2026-04-17
Sawtooth National Forest and NRA — USDA Forest Service — Sawtooth NF · supports: Sawtooth NRA boundaries, Access and camping rules · accessed 2026-04-17

Unit 36B-1

Pronghorn Hunting in Unit 36B-1

Where to Find Pronghorn in Unit 36B-1

How to Hunt Unit 36B-1

Pronghorn Success Rates

Pronghorn Draw Odds

Elk Hunting in Unit 36B-1

Where to Find Elk in Unit 36B-1

Upper Salmon River Drainages

Sawtooth Range Foothills

White Cloud Peaks Fringe

How to Hunt Elk in Unit 36B-1

High-Basin Spike Camps

Rut-Window Bugling

Road-Glass the Migration

Elk Success Rates

Elk Draw Odds

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

Water

Road Conditions

Cell Service

Nearest Town

Frequently Asked Questions

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Sources & Verification