Unit 26 Deer

dreamer · Mar 31, 2011

I'm considering a late season mule deer hunt in Unit 26 in Idaho this year. Does anyone have any information they can share about the deer hunting in that unit...quality of hunting, hunting pressure, chances for a 200 class deer, anything of interest etc?? Thanks.

mntnguide · Mar 31, 2011

Are you going with an outfitter? or planning on flying into one of the couple airstrips? I guided in 26 for 3 years so could help out some. If your one of the many who are DIY by flying into one of the couple airstrips, you will not be alone. By the beginning of November those airstrips look like small tent cities. When guiding there we got away from the crowds with high camps and horses. Its huge country and doesnt matter how good of shape you are in, its hard to cover much of it on foot.

tagsoup · Apr 1, 2011

200 inch deer. Come on man.

And before you say it yeah I know there have been some killed in there that size. But a more realistic goal would be 165-170.

beavis14 · Apr 2, 2011

+1 200" maybe bennet mountain in 45 or south mountain in 40. MAYBE

mntnguide · Apr 2, 2011

Chances are you would eat your tag before you saw a 200" in there. In guiding there 3 years i spent everyday in that country from middle of August until end of November when we rode out. So about 300 days in there and I know of 2 bucks i saw that im positive would have gone 200". one a NT the other an amazing typical. Neither died, let along even got shot at. The NT we almost got, but the Typical was found through a spotting scope in an area where i wouldnt risk riding horses to get to due to the severity of where it was. Neither was close to where you would be if you fly in. If you take a buck around 170" out of there it is a dang good buck. Biggest buck i guided back there was a 187", which was also the biggest we took in three years.

Bill1976 · May 26, 2022

mntnguide said:
Are you going with an outfitter? or planning on flying into one of the couple airstrips? I guided in 26 for 3 years so could help out some. If your one of the many who are DIY by flying into one of the couple airstrips, you will not be alone. By the beginning of November those airstrips look like small tent cities. When guiding there we got away from the crowds with high camps and horses. Its huge country and doesnt matter how good of shape you are in, its hard to cover much of it on foot.

What air strip did you fly into

JPblind · May 26, 2022

Pretty awesome hunting!!! The bucks are thick as a midgets leg. You'll have a ton of shots at 200+ bucks back in there. Also if you get in past the 10mile mark (which is posted on most main trailheads) you'll come to a dairy queen get yourself a burger and fries plus a vanilla cone for only $5!!!!!