Panhandle region
Idaho Unit 6 — free Idaho hunting map
Unit 6 is an Idaho Game Management Unit in the Panhandle region. Its boundary on HuntTrack comes from Idaho Fish & Game GIS unit data, the same layer already drawn on the live map, alongside USGS PAD-US land ownership, county parcel ownership, Idaho Recreation Trails routes and iNaturalist wildlife sightings.
Scouting Unit 6
North Idaho's Panhandle is whitetail country: thick cedar and hemlock timber broken by agricultural valleys along the Kootenai River and Lake Pend Oreille. It holds some of the best mature whitetail bucks in the West, doing most of their moving in heavy cover and along timber-to-field edges. Elk live in the higher, wetter ridges. This is still-hunting and stand country more than glassing country — visibility is measured in yards, not miles, so hunt transitions, saddles and creek bottoms, and expect wet, brushy ground underfoot.
Key species here: Whitetail deer, Elk, Black bear.
2026 season dates for Unit 6
Idaho runs general deer and elk seasons on over-the-counter tags in most units, alongside controlled (draw) hunts. The statewide 2026 framework below is a starting point — exact dates, weapon restrictions and antler rules vary by unit, so confirm Unit 6 in the IDFG hunt planner before you hunt.
- Archery — deer & elk (general)
- August 30 – September 30, 2026 in most units and elk zones. Archery permit required.
- Any-weapon deer (general)
- Opens October 10, 2026 in most units. Closing dates are unit-specific — commonly October 24, October 31, November 20 or December 1 depending on the unit and species.
- Any-weapon elk (general)
- Opens October 10, 2026 in most of Idaho's 28 elk zones and typically runs through October 24. Zones set their own dates and A/B tag rules — the zone, not just the unit, decides when your tag is valid.
- Controlled hunts
- 2026 controlled-hunt applications ran May 1 – June 5. Draw hunts layer additional dates and quotas on top of the general seasons above.
Season dates spot-checked against IDFG's 2026 Big Game Seasons & Rules on Oct 6, 2026. Regulations can change mid-season — confirm Unit 6 in the IDFG hunt planner before you hunt.
Tags for Unit 6
Idaho's Regular Deer Tag is valid for mule deer or white-tailed deer during general seasons, and a dedicated White-tailed Deer Tag opens additional opportunities in designated units. Nonresident general tags are quota-limited. Check current availability and the exact tag valid in Unit 6 in the IDFG hunt planner.
Always confirm unit boundaries, land status and season rules against Idaho Fish & Game before you hunt.