Idaho Unit 66 Moose Hunting Guide
Idaho Unit 66 sits in the southeastern part of the state and offers one of the more sought-after moose hunting opportunities in Idaho's limited-quota system. For hunters researching Idaho moose hunting, Unit 66 combines solid public land access, varied terrain, and a documented harvest record that makes it worth a close look before committing an application.
This unit spans elevations from 5,226 to 9,457 feet across 224,194 acres, with 94% of that ground classified as public land. There is no wilderness designation within the unit boundary, which means access for nonresident hunters does not carry the guide requirements that apply in Wyoming's wilderness areas — though Idaho hunters should always confirm current access rules before planning a trip. Every moose hunt in Unit 66 is limited-quota — there is no general season here. All opportunity comes through Idaho's draw system, and that includes hunts for antlered bulls as well as either-sex opportunity, which is worth noting given how few units nationally still offer any kind of either-sex moose draw.
HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 66 Worth Applying For?
Based on the data available, Unit 66 stands out among Idaho moose units for two main reasons: consistent, strong harvest success and a credible trophy history in the surrounding counties.
Over the last six seasons of recorded harvest data, Unit 66 has produced success rates ranging from 75% to 100%, with four of the last five years at or above 87%. That is an exceptional track record for any moose unit in the Mountain West. Moose tags are famously difficult to draw everywhere, but the payoff in Unit 66 is that hunters who do draw are converting that opportunity into a harvested animal at a very high rate. This isn't a unit where hunters draw a once-in-a-lifetime tag and then struggle to find animals — the data shows that hunters who put in the time are getting it done.
The counties overlapping Unit 66 also carry a strong history of trophy-class moose entries in the record books. That trophy pedigree is shared across neighboring units in those same counties, so it should not be read as unit-exclusive, but it does indicate that this part of southeastern Idaho has consistently produced mature, well-developed bulls over time. Combined with the high harvest success rate, Unit 66 looks like a unit where a patient hunter with a tag in hand has a genuinely strong chance at a quality bull.
The caveat, as with every moose unit in Idaho, is the draw itself. Idaho's moose tags are managed through a pure random lottery with no preference or bonus points — meaning every application, whether it's a hunter's first year or fifteenth, carries identical odds. There is no strategy of "building points" here. Hunters should apply every year they're serious about hunting moose, because waiting does not improve future odds in Idaho's system.
Given the harvest consistency and the trophy potential tied to the region, Unit 66 is worth including on any southeastern Idaho moose application list for hunters willing to accept the long odds inherent to Idaho's random draw.
Harvest Success Rates
The harvest numbers for Unit 66 are remarkably stable and strong across recent seasons:
- 2025: 15 hunters, 15 harvested — 100% success
- 2024: 15 hunters, 14 harvested — 93% success
- 2023: 15 hunters, 13 harvested — 87% success
- 2022: 15 hunters, 14 harvested — 93% success
- 2021: 15 hunters, 13 harvested — 87% success
- 2020: 20 hunters, 15 harvested — 75% success
What stands out immediately is the tight quota — the unit has issued very few tags in any given year, which keeps hunter density low and pressure manageable. Low hunter numbers paired with success rates consistently in the high 80s to 90s percent range signal a unit where moose are present in huntable numbers and accessible enough that tag holders are finding and closing on animals at an unusually high clip. A 75% low mark in 2020 is still a strong season by any standard moose-hunting benchmark, and the trend since then has only strengthened. Hunters pulling a tag here should feel confident that, with reasonable effort and scouting, the odds favor a successful hunt.
Trophy Quality
Trophy data tied to the counties overlapping Unit 66 reflects a strong history of record-book entries for moose. This should be interpreted as a regional indicator rather than a unit-exclusive claim — the same county-level records are shared with neighboring units, and animals attributed to those entries may have been taken anywhere within the overlapping county boundaries. Still, a strong trophy history across this part of southeastern Idaho suggests the habitat and herd genetics in the broader area are capable of producing mature, well-antlered bulls on a consistent basis.
Combined with the high harvest success rates documented above, this points toward strong trophy potential for Unit 66 — not just an opportunity to fill a tag, but a realistic chance at a quality, mature bull for hunters who draw and put in solid scouting time. Hunters should treat this as one data point among several, and use it to set realistic expectations rather than assuming a guaranteed trophy-class outcome.
Access & Terrain
Unit 66 offers excellent access by western public-land standards: 94% of the unit's 224,194 acres is public ground, meaning the vast majority of this unit is open to hunters without needing to negotiate private land permission. This is a genuinely DIY-friendly unit in terms of raw access.
Elevation in the unit ranges from 5,226 feet up to 9,457 feet, a spread of more than 4,000 vertical feet that supports a range of habitat types — from lower-elevation sagebrush and riparian corridors favored by moose for browse, up into higher timbered and subalpine terrain. This kind of elevational diversity typically means moose can be found working drainage bottoms, willow-choked creek corridors, and timbered benches depending on the time of year and local forage conditions.
There is no wilderness designation within Unit 66, which simplifies access logistics considerably — hunters are not dealing with stock-only or foot-only travel restrictions that come with formally designated wilderness areas in other Idaho or Wyoming units. Roads and trails penetrate much of the unit, which can be a double-edged sword: easier access for hunters, but also more exposure to foot and vehicle traffic that can push moose into heavier cover during the hunt. Hunters should use HuntPilot's public land and terrain overlay tools to identify drainages, water sources, and elevation bands worth glassing before heading into the field, rather than relying on secondhand route information that can go stale season to season.
How to Apply
All moose hunting in Idaho Unit 66 runs through Idaho's limited-quota draw system — there is no general season tag available for this unit, and every bull or either-sex opportunity here requires a successful draw application.
Idaho's draw structure is critical to understand for moose applicants: Idaho has no preference points and no bonus points of any kind. Every application for Unit 66 — whether it's a hunter's very first attempt or their twentieth consecutive year applying — carries identical odds in that year's drawing. There is no mechanism to "build" toward a better chance in future years. The only meaningful decision a hunter makes is which hunt and unit to list as a choice, since the draw itself is a pure random lottery each year.
Residents and nonresidents apply through the same general process but are subject to different license and tag eligibility requirements, and nonresident quotas for moose tags statewide are typically far more restrictive than resident allocations. Given how scarce moose tags are across Idaho generally, hunters serious about drawing Unit 66 should apply every single year they intend to hunt moose — skipping a year provides no benefit since points do not exist to accumulate.
Application dates, fees, and current moose tag availability change from cycle to cycle. For the most current information on how to apply, deadlines, and license requirements, see HuntPilot's Idaho state page at /states/id, or consult Idaho Fish and Game's published regulations directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is harvest success like in Idaho Unit 66? Harvest success in Unit 66 has been consistently strong over the past six recorded seasons, ranging from 75% to 100%, with most recent years landing in the high 80s to low 90s percent range. This is well above what hunters typically see in many Western moose units and suggests that tag holders who put in solid effort have a strong likelihood of connecting on a bull.
How big are the moose in Unit 66? Trophy records tied to the counties overlapping Unit 66 show a strong history of quality bulls coming from this broader region of southeastern Idaho. While those entries are shared across neighboring units rather than exclusive to Unit 66, the regional track record combined with the unit's high harvest success rate suggests hunters have a realistic chance at a mature, well-developed bull.
What is the terrain like in Unit 66? The unit covers elevations from 5,226 to 9,457 feet across roughly 224,000 acres, offering a mix of lower-elevation riparian and sagebrush habitat along with higher timbered country. With 94% of the unit in public ownership and no wilderness designation, access is generally straightforward compared to more remote backcountry units, though hunters should expect a mix of road-accessible and more isolated pockets depending on elevation and drainage.
Is Idaho Unit 66 worth applying for? Based on the available data, yes — Unit 66 shows a strong combination of high harvest success, solid public land access, and a credible regional trophy history. The major hurdle is Idaho's pure random draw system, which offers no way to improve odds through accumulated points. Hunters should apply annually and treat each year as an independent chance, since persistence rather than point-building is the only lever available.
Does Unit 66 have a general season for moose? No. Every moose hunting opportunity in Unit 66 is limited-quota, meaning hunters must draw a tag through Idaho's random lottery system before hunting. There is no over-the-counter or general season option in this unit for moose.