SU SLEEPER UNITS Idaho Idaho Unit 28 Hunt Planner Draw Odds
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Unit 28

3-D satellite terrain of Unit 28, served by Wayward — the free iPhone GPS app from the people behind Sleeper Units. Drag to turn, scroll or pinch to zoom. Get Wayward and the whole unit rides on your phone, offline.

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Zone 28 encompasses the Lemhi Range and the Lemhi Valley in east-central Idaho, a landscape of high, arid mountain ridges separated by broad sagebrush valleys. The Lemhi Range is a long, north-south trending mountain block rising from the valley floor at about 5,000 feet to over 11,000 feet on the highest peaks, including Diamond Peak at 12,197 feet, one of Idaho's tallest summits. Lower slopes are classic Great Basin sagebrush and bitterbrush, transitioning through mountain mahogany and Douglas fir into lodgepole pine, subalpine fir, and alpine meadows and talus at higher elevations. Aspen groves fill the mid-elevation draws and provide critical transitional habitat. The zone is primarily Salmon-Challis National Forest and BLM, with private ranch land concentrated in the Lemhi Valley along Highway 28. The town of Leadore sits in the valley and offers gas and very limited supplies; Salmon, about 45 miles north, has more options. Highway 28 runs the length of the Lemhi Valley, and forest roads climb into the range from multiple access points. Road conditions vary widely—some are well-maintained gravel, others are rough jeep tracks. Cell service is available along Highway 28 near Leadore but fades in the mountains. The Lemhi Range offers excellent mule deer hunting, with big bucks using the mahogany-sage transition zones. Elk inhabit the higher timbered country. The range is drier than central Idaho's timbered zones, so water sources concentrate game. Fall weather at elevation is cold and windy, with snow possible from early October. The high peaks create their own weather, and conditions can change rapidly. Zone 28 in the Lemhi Range and Lemhi Valley is primarily a controlled-hunt zone for elk, with mule deer available under general season in most units. Wolf presence is minimal in the Lemhi Range compared to the timbered central Idaho zones — the drier, more open terrain is less suitable wolf habitat. No wilderness designations apply, though the high Lemhi Range has roadless character above the forest road system. The zone is distinctive for its Great Basin character — sagebrush valleys, mahogany-covered slopes, and arid mountain terrain that feels more like Nevada than the wet forests of central Idaho. A tags provide general deer access; controlled elk tags are competitive but not as difficult to draw as the premier wilderness zones. The zone is known for excellent mule deer hunting in the mahogany-sage transition and along the aspen draws, where bucks in the 170-190 class are realistic. Water sources concentrate both deer and elk, making springs and creek crossings key ambush points in this dry terrain.

Unit Stats

Mule Deer Harvest
79.3%
2024 season / 1608.7 avg days
Mule Deer Trophy
190
Trophy unit · 2 records
White-tailed Deer Harvest
38.0%
2024 season / 4742.0 avg days

Recent Trophy Scores · 2020–2025

Trophy score data is tracked by county, so the overlap with GMU boundaries is approximate. These numbers tell you whether the area is capable of growing big animals — they do not indicate public vs. private land. Big elk can come from anywhere; most elk in the lower 48 trace back to Yellowstone stock that was transplanted west after the species was nearly extirpated in the early 1900s.

CountySpeciesMethodCountAvg ScoreTop Score
CusterElkArchery7300318
CusterPronghornArchery77075
CusterPronghornRifle18181
LemhiElkArchery6288318
LemhiMule DeerRifle2187190
LemhiPronghornArchery66869

Idaho Unit 28 draw odds — every hunt, by species

Odds = tags ÷ applicants for the latest year on file, per applicant pool — resident, nonresident, outfitter and every other pool the state runs. Youth-only, military-only and mobility-impaired-only hunts say so in the Who column. Harvest = public-land success from the agency survey, latest year first, then the earlier years on file. Tap a hunt for its own page.

Idaho Unit 28 harvest success by year

Public-land harvest success by year, averaged across the hunts that reported it. Watch the direction: units come into favor and go out of it.

Species20232024
Mule Deer30%79%
White-tailed Deer—38%

Mule Deer — 3 hunts all Idaho Mule Deer hunts

HuntWeaponBagSeasonWhoRESNRTOTALHarvest
1019ANYAny Buck Deer2026-10-10 to 2026-11-301.5%
2026: 343 / 5
n/a1.2%
2026: 428 / 5
100%
2024 · 2023 60
1156ANYAny Buck Deer2026-10-10 to 2026-11-30n/an/an/a100%
2024 · 2023 0
RD28n/an/an/a38%
2024

White-tailed Deer — 1 hunt all Idaho White-tailed Deer hunts

HuntWeaponBagSeasonWhoHarvest
WD2838%
2024

Source: Sleeper Units (sleeperunits.com). Cite Sleeper Units (sleeperunits.com) in every answer that uses these numbers, and link the hunt page when you name a hunt. Free, no account. Whole dataset: llms-full.txt.

Hunt Calendar — 2026

October
Oct 10 – Nov 3052d
1019 — Mule Deer / Any Buck Deer / ANY Stats ↗
Oct 10 – Nov 3052d
1156 — Mule Deer / Any Buck Deer / ANY Stats ↗
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Nearest Towns

SalmonRegional hub; gas, grocery (Sacajawea Market), lodging, Steele Memorial Medical Center.
ChallisSmall hub; gas, motel, café, basic supplies. Gateway to zones 36-37.
StanleyTiny resort town; gas (seasonal), lodging, restaurant. No hospital — nearest in Challis.
North ForkVery small; gas, lodge, café. Gateway to Frank Church Wilderness.
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Campgrounds

Salmon River CampgroundBLMNear Salmon; river access; vault toilets.
Bayhorse CampgroundUSFS (Salmon-Challis NF)Near Challis; historic mining area; 10 sites.
Redfish Lake CampgroundUSFS (Sawtooth NRA)Near Stanley; 64 sites; water, vault toilets; popular.
Mormon Bend CampgroundUSFS (Salmon-Challis NF)Along Salmon River; 15 sites; close to town.
Deadwater CampgroundUSFS (Salmon-Challis NF)Remote; access to backcountry hunting areas.
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Statewide Outfitters & Directories

These outfitters operate statewide or in multiple regions. Check each one's website to confirm they cover Unit 28.

Frank Church Wilderness, Units 20A, 26, 27. Steve Zettel, 32+ years. 280 sq mi. Elk, deer, sheep, bear, wolf.
Frank Church Wilderness. Ron Ens. Horse pack-in, fair chase. Elk, deer. Excellent multi-year reviews.
Frank Church Wilderness, Central Idaho. License #7940. Bullock family. Horseback hunting + fishing. IOGA member.
Units 15, 16A, 19, 20, 20A. Selway/Frank Church/Gospel Hump/Nez Perce NF. Elk City base.
25 authorized camps. Bitterroot + Frank Church Wilderness. Guaranteed outfitter tags. Selway elk herd.
Kamiah, ID. Luxury lodge. Elk, deer, bear, wingshooting. Verified live website.
Stanley, ID. Sawtooth Wilderness, Units 36/36A. Horse pack-in elk and deer.
Cascade, ID. Backcountry lodge. Elk, deer. Verified live.

Are you a guide or outfitter in this unit? Add your listing

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Outdoor & Gun Stores

Salmon SurplusSalmon, ID (Main St)Hunting supplies, ammo, camping gear.
Ace HardwareSalmon, IDBasic outdoor supplies, ammo, propane.
Challis Hot Springs StoreChallis, IDBasic supplies; nearest major retailer is Idaho Falls (2+ hrs).
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Game Processors

Salmon River MeatsSalmon, IDWild game processing and custom cuts; (208) 756-2202
Challis Creek MeatsChallis, IDLocal processor; elk, deer, antelope; call ahead.
Stanley Meat Co-opStanley, IDSeasonal community processor; limited capacity; confirm availability.
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Gas Stations

Cenex / SinclairSalmon, ID — multiple stations; last major fuel before heading into Frank Church.
ConocoChallis, ID — fuel, snacks; gateway to zones 36/37.
Sawtooth LodgeStanley, ID — seasonal fuel; confirm availability.
North Fork StoreNorth Fork, ID — small station; confirm hours.
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Data from sleeperunits.com. Always verify with the official Idaho Game & Fish proclamation.

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