Idaho Elk — Unit 36A-3
Idaho Unit 36A-3 covers 652,470 acres and lies 30 miles north of Ketchum and 42 miles north of Hailey. 95% of it is public land, mostly national forest (51%) and BLM (41%). The 2026 draw put up 250 tags here for 66 first-choice applicants.
Your chance of drawing here
Every elk license type on offer in Unit 36A-3, with the prior-draw chance for a first-choice nonresident applicant. Type your points in to see your own number.
Chances are from the 2026 draw (the most recent) for a first-choice nonresident. "Points needed" = the cut in the last draw.
Simple view Odds at every point level-
38% Long shot 61% as 2nd choice
| Hunt | Your odds | As 2nd choice | Points needed | Tags / applicants | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2133 ↗ Antlerless or Antlered elk, muzzleloader, Hunt Area 36A-3 | 38% Long shot | 61% | — | 250 / 66 | Nov 1–30, 2026 |
What these columns mean
- Your odds —
- the share of applicants at your point level who drew this tag in the 2026 draw. Not a forecast: quotas and demand move every year.
- The badge —
- plain language for that number. Likely draw 75% or better · Real chance 40%+ · Long shot 15%+ · Point builder below that, so you are applying mainly to bank a point · Undersubscribed means fewer first-choice applicants than tags, so everyone who applied drew.
- As 2nd choice —
- Idaho lets you name more than one hunt on the application. Miss on your first choice and you go into the pot for whatever tags are left, alongside everyone else's second choices. Points never help a lower choice, so this number is the same whatever you have banked — it is usually worth naming a hunt that goes undersubscribed.
- Points needed —
- the lowest point total that still got a tag in the 2026 draw, and how that cut has moved since the earliest draw we hold.
- Tags / applicants —
- tags on offer and first-choice applicants for them, as the agency published them. Under five tags we print counts instead of a percentage, because one applicant either way swings it.
What it costs to apply (2026 nonresident fees)
| License | Up front | Gone if you miss | If you draw |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per application | $203 | $203 | $854.75 |
Application window: opens May 1, closes Jun 5, 2027 (expected). Full fee breakdown.
The country
Boundaries are drawn for orientation only — the written boundary description in the regulations governs.
Who owns the ground
- National Forest 331,740 ac · 51%
- BLM 269,956 ac · 41%
- Private 29,487 ac · 5%
- State land 20,808 ac · 3%
- Other public 477 ac · 0%
Source: BLM Idaho Surface Management Agency (land ownership / SMA)
Nearby areas
Boundary: Controlled Hunts - All Species, BigGame='Elk' AND Year=2025 (hunt-area boundaries)