Unit 4, Idaho
Unit info
- Game species
- Elk, White-tailed Deer, Mule Deer, Black Bear, Mountain Lion, Shiras Moose, Gray Wolf
- Group
- Panhandle Elk Zone
- Area
- 1,231 mi²
- Public land
- 80%
Elk — season & harvest26% draw7% success
- Tag type
- OTC general tag — A Tag (antlered, Unit 4 only) and B Tag (antlered, all Panhandle units 1–7, 4A, 9). Nonresident quota applies statewide (12,815 total elk tags). Cow/antlerless elk available by archery (Sep 15–21) or any-weapon (Oct 15–17) within one mile of private land on specific portions of Unit 4; antlerless muzzleloader Dec 2–8 within one mile of private land.
- Tag quota
- 25
- Resident applicants
- 98
- Non-res applicants
- 3
- Reported harvest
- 473
- Archery season
- Aug 30 – Sep 30, 2025 (A Tag archery, antlered); antlerless elk by archery Sep 15–21 within one mile of private land (designated portions of Unit 4 only)
- General season
- B Tag any weapon: approx. Oct 10–24, 2025 (antlered, all Panhandle units); antlerless any-weapon Oct 15–17 within one mile of private land (designated portions of Unit 4)
- Muzzleloader season
- Nov 15 – Dec 1, 2025 (Units 4, 7, and 9 A Tag muzzleloader, antlered); antlerless muzzleloader Dec 2–8 within one mile of private land (limited portions of Unit 4)
Unit 4 is a top-tier Panhandle elk unit with a road network reaching most of the Coeur d'Alene National Forest, plus roadless pockets for backpack hunters. 2025 A Tag: 48 elk harvested, 692 hunters, 7% success. B Tag Unit 4 2025: 370 elk harvested from 3,150 hunters (B Tag covers all Panhandle units; Unit 4 was highest-harvest unit in the zone). Overwinter elk calf survival confirmed at ~90% for recent winters. Cedar/hemlock forest with huckleberry openings and logged areas concentrate elk. Wolf pack activity was actively managed in February 2026 with IDFG removal actions.
Gray Wolf — season & harvest
- Tag type
- OTC tag; Idaho has an open wolf season with liberal seasons and no statewide quota on harvest
- General season
- Jul 1 – Jun 30 (year-round season); managed under Idaho Gray Wolf Management Plan
Wolves are documented in Unit 4. IDFG conducted targeted wolf removal on Feb 21–22, 2026 (three wolves removed from one pack), the first such Panhandle predator management action, supplementing local trapper harvest that further reduced the same pack. Wolf seasons are expansive and OTC.
Draw odds for Gray Wolfaren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
Mule Deer — season & harvest
- Tag type
- OTC general tag; same tag covers both mule deer and white-tailed deer in this unit
- Reported harvest
- 163
- Archery season
- Aug 30 – Sep 30, 2025
- General season
- Oct 10 – Dec 1, 2025
Mule deer are present but occur in smaller numbers than white-tailed deer in this heavily forested Panhandle unit. They tend to occupy higher, drier ridgelines and south-facing slopes. IDFG harvest data does not isolate mule deer separately; they represent approximately 21% of the combined deer harvest based on the 79% whitetail figure.
Draw odds for Mule Deeraren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
Black Bear — season & harvest
- Tag type
- OTC tag; Idaho Fish and Game expanded bear seasons in Unit 4 to support elk recovery. Spring and fall seasons available.
- Archery season
- Fall season approx. Aug 30 – Oct 31, 2025 (any weapon including archery); spring season approx. Apr 15 – Jun 15
- General season
- Fall season approx. Aug 30 – Oct 31, 2025; spring season approx. Apr 15 – Jun 15
Black bears are present throughout the unit's forested terrain. Idaho expanded predator seasons in Unit 4 specifically to reduce elk calf predation pressure. Huckleberry patches and riparian corridors are key habitat.
Draw odds for Black Beararen't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
Shiras Moose — season & harvest6% draw
- Tag type
- Controlled (draw) hunt — moose tags are allocated by lottery statewide. Extremely limited tags.
- Tag quota
- 20
- Resident applicants
- 315
- Non-res applicants
- 2
- Archery season
- Sep 15 – Dec 1 (approximate controlled hunt window; unit-specific dates vary by controlled hunt number)
- General season
- Nov 1 – Nov 14 (approximate; varies by controlled hunt number)
Shiras moose inhabit willow-lined riparian drainages and forest edges. Tags are draw-only through IDFG controlled hunt system with very limited allocations. Consult the Idaho Moose, Bighorn Sheep & Mountain Goat Seasons & Rules booklet for specific controlled hunt numbers applicable to Unit 4.
Mountain Lion — season & harvest
- Tag type
- OTC tag (controlled by quota, season extends most of the year)
- General season
- Jul 1 – Jun 30 (year-round season with quota); Idaho expanded lion seasons in Unit 4 as part of 2026 predator management actions supporting elk recovery
Mountain lions are present throughout the unit and follow deer/elk prey. Idaho expanded mountain lion seasons in Unit 4 as part of the predator management program confirmed by February 2026 IDFG actions.
Draw odds for Mountain Lionaren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest20% success
- Tag type
- OTC general tag (antlered only, one antler >3 inches); nonresident quota applies statewide (15,500 total deer tags). Unlimited resident tags.
- Reported harvest
- 516
- Archery season
- Aug 30 – Sep 30, 2025 (archery only); late archery Dec 10–24, 2025 (separate tag, 10 harvested, 2% success in 2025)
- General season
- Oct 10 – Dec 1, 2025 (any weapon, general tag; covers whitetail and mule deer)
- Muzzleloader season
- Included in general any-weapon season (no separate muzzleloader-only window documented for Unit 4 deer)
White-tailed deer dominate deer harvest in Unit 4 (approximately 79% of take in 2025). 576 deer harvested from 2,826 hunters, 20% success rate (2025 IDFG Hunt Planner data). Deer concentrate in riparian corridors, cedar/hemlock draws, and forest openings created by logging and fire. The road network gives good access across the National Forest.
Draw odds for White-tailed Deeraren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
About this unit
AI-compiled · sourcedIdaho Game Management Unit 4 lies in the Panhandle Region (Region 1) within the Coeur d'Alene Mountains — the northernmost spur of the Bitterroot Range — spanning approximately 787,906 acres across portions of Bonner, Kootenai, and Shoshone counties, with Kellogg and Coeur d'Alene as the nearest service towns. The unit is anchored by the Coeur d'Alene National Forest (part of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests) and borders Montana to the east, containing the headwaters of the Coeur d'Alene River.
Deeply dissected, heavily forested mountains of the Coeur d'Alene Mountains (northern Bitterroot Range), with relief of 3,000–4,000 feet across drainages. Elevations range from approximately 2,000 feet in the valley bottoms along Interstate 90 to roughly 4,500–5,900 feet at ridgelines and peaks. The South Fork Coeur d'Alene River corridor through Kellogg and Wallace is the primary east–west travel route. Higher terrain features rugged peaks, cirque basins, scree fields, and scattered alpine lakes. The unit's northern tip lies approximately 7 miles south of Lake Pend Oreille; its southern tip approximately 3 miles from Coeur d'Alene Lake.
The unit is accessed primarily via Interstate 90, which crosses along the South Fork Coeur d'Alene River corridor through Kellogg and Wallace. The primary public land manager is the Coeur d'Alene National Forest (Idaho Panhandle National Forests). Surface management: USFS 69%, private 20%, BLM 6.5%, State of Idaho 3.8%, BIA/other ~0.7%. A large network of Forest Service roads, ATV trails, and motorcycle trails provides access throughout; four-wheel-drive is recommended. Several roadless areas are present, suitable for backpack or horseback hunting. No federally designated wilderness areas exist within Unit 4 boundaries. Forest Service campgrounds are available but typically close in September. Idaho Fish and Game has no Access Yes! properties currently listed for this unit. Grizzly bear and food-storage regulations apply on National Forest lands.
Approximately 93% of the unit is forested (IDFG land-cover data: 93.19%). Dominant tree species include western red cedar, western hemlock, western larch, lodgepole pine, western white pine, ponderosa pine, and Douglas-fir, reflecting the humid inland rainforest character of the northern Idaho Panhandle. Lower riparian zones support willow, alder, and other streamside vegetation. Clear-cuts, burns, and regenerating logged areas produce shrub and forb openings — huckleberry, elderberry, and grasses — that serve as important elk and deer forage. Meadows and basins at middle elevations support bunchgrasses and forbs. Rangeland accounts for approximately 2.5% of the unit.
Elk are the primary big-game species and a management priority; Unit 4 is designated a top-tier Panhandle elk unit. Overwinter elk calf survival has been strong at approximately 90% over recent winters (confirmed IDFG 2025 outlook). The unit's elk herd has faced pressure from predation; Idaho Fish and Game conducted targeted wolf removal actions on February 21–22, 2026 — the first such actions in the Panhandle — removing three wolves from a single pack, supplementing harvest by local trappers that further reduced that pack. IDFG also expanded predator harvest seasons for black bears, mountain lions, and wolves to support elk recovery. White-tailed deer are present throughout and constitute the dominant deer species (approximately 79% of deer harvest in 2025). Mule deer occur in smaller numbers on higher, drier ridgelines and south-facing slopes. Shiras moose inhabit riparian and forest zones. Black bears are present and huntable. Mountain lions occur throughout. Gray wolves are documented and huntable. Grizzly bears have been infrequently documented in Unit 4 but are not a huntable species in Idaho. Wild turkey, ruffed grouse, and blue grouse are present as upland game. Waterfowl utilize drainages and riparian areas.
- Unit 4 – Hunt Planner – Idaho Fish and Game
- Unit 4 Elk A Tag – Panhandle Zone | Idaho Hunt Planner
- Units 4, 7 and 9 Elk A Tag – Panhandle Zone | Idaho Hunt Planner
- Unit 4 Regular Deer Tag – Late Archery | Idaho Hunt Planner
- Unit 4 White-tailed Deer Tag | Idaho Hunt Planner
- Panhandle B Tag Elk – Panhandle Zone | Idaho Hunt Planner
- 2025 Deer/Elk Hunting Outlook | Idaho Fish and Game
- Fish and Game completes targeted wolf management actions in Unit 4 to support elk recovery | Idaho Fish and Game
- Everything you need to know to hunt cow elk in the Panhandle during the general seasons | Idaho Fish and Game
- Hunter Harvest Report: Elk and mule deer keep on climbing in 2025 | Idaho Fish and Game
- Idaho Panhandle National Forests | Forest Service
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Boundaries: IDFG official Game Management Units. Community info last updated 36d ago.