Idaho Bighorn Sheep · Unit 21
Idaho Unit 21 covers 285,079 acres and lies 28 miles north-west of Salmon. 98% of it is public land, mostly national forest (98%). In 2025, 3 people hunted rocky mountain bighorn here and took 2 (sum of published weapon rows). Its most applied-for hunt, 5006, put up 3 tags (all residencies) in the 2026 draw for 132 nonresident first-choice applicants.
No points in this draw. Every applicant has the same chance each year.
1 license · NR capped at 10%
first choice, NR
not published
99% Forest Service
285,079 acres
Boundaries are drawn for orientation only. The written boundary description in the regulations governs.
Every License in Unit 21
| What | Season | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 5006 | Rams Only Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, any weapon, Hunt Area 21 | 0% (small sample) |
First-choice nonresident odds, 2026 draw. No points in this draw: every applicant has the same chance.
Draw results: IDFG 2026 Hunt Planner drawing odds, retrieved Aug 31, 2026.
If you draw (2026 nonresident fees): $2,857.50 ($2,857.50 to apply). Open Apr 1 – Apr 30, 2027 (expected). Full fee breakdown.
Harvest
| Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (summed) | 3 | 2 | 67% |
| 2024 (summed) | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| 2023 (summed) | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| 2022 (summed) | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| 2021 (summed) | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| 2020 (summed) | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| 2019 (summed) | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| 2018 (summed) | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| 2017 (summed) | 3 | 2 | 67% |
| 2016 (summed) | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| 2015 (summed) | 3 | 1 | 33% |
| 2014 (summed) | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| 2013 (summed) | 6 | 3 | 50% |
| 2012 (summed) | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2011 (summed) | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| 2010 (summed) | 3 | 1 | 33% |
| 2009 (summed) | 3 | 2 | 67% |
| 2008 (summed) | 3 | 2 | 67% |
| 2007 (summed) | 3 | 2 | 67% |
| 2006 (summed) | 3 | 2 | 67% |
| 2005 (summed) | 3 | 2 | 67% |
| 2025 by License | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky mountain bighorn | 3 | 2 | 67% |
2025 split: firearm 2 (100%)
What Idaho Department of Fish and Game publishes after each season, for everyone who hunted the area: harvest statistics, not draw odds. Idaho Department of Fish and Game publishes no whole-unit line for 2025; a year's total is the sum of published weapon rows, added only where the lines do not overlap. Idaho's figures are counts from mandatory hunter reports and check stations rather than survey estimates, so they behave differently from the survey states. Source: IDFG 2025 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics; IDFG 2024 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics; IDFG 2023 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics.
The Ground
| National Forest | 280,553 ac | 98% |
| Private | 4,020 ac | 1% |
| Other public | 228 ac | <1% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Idaho State Office 2026 BLM Surface Management Agency.
What the Agency Says About the Area
That portion of Unit 21 south and east of the Lower Salmon River Trail (Forest Service Trail 162) to its junction with the Square Top-West Horse Trail (Forest Service Trail 158), east of the Square Top-West Horse Trail to the junction with the Horse Creek Trail (Forest Service Trail 159), east of the Horse Creek Trail to the junction with Reynolds Creek Trail (Forest Service Trail 167), east of the Reynolds Creek Trail to the junction with Square Top-West Horse Trail, then north and east of the Square Top-West Horse Trail to the unit boundary.
▸ Sources 25
- IDFG 2026 Hunt Planner drawing odds draw results, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
- IDFG 2026 License, Tag, and Permit Costs fees, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
- IDFG 2025 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, area description, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2024 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2023 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2022 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2021 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2020 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2019 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2018 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2017 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2016 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2015 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2014 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2013 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2012 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2011 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2010 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2009 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2008 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2007 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2006 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2005 Hunt Planner Harvest Statistics harvest, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- IDFG 2025 Controlled hunt area boundaries boundary, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
- U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Idaho State Office 2026 BLM Surface Management Agency land ownership, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
About These Numbers
Odds are from the 2026 draw, the latest on file, computed from Idaho Department of Fish and Game's published results. They are what happened in that draw, not a forecast. Under five tags a percentage carries a *, because one applicant either way swings it. A dash means the agency did not publish the number, and a date marked expected is last cycle's schedule rolled forward. How we compute these.
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We don't take applications: check Idaho Department of Fish and Game's site and apply there.
Prior-draw odds from Idaho Department of Fish and Game's results, not a forecast · Methodology · All Idaho bighorn sheep hunts