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Sportsman’sIllustrated
Hunts/Idaho/Black Bear

2026 / Good place to start

GENERAL BEAR

General Black Bear Tag

Sportsman’s Illustrated field note

A Idaho black bear opportunity where unit dates, bait and dog restrictions, access, and current grizzly-bear precautions need to be checked together.

Regulatory record verified 2026-09-02
Tag pathBuy while available

unrestricted black bear opportunity

Legal animalBlack bear, except females accompanied by young

Check license eligibility

2026 quotaNo tag quota

Check season limits and closure conditions

game management unitsU53, U68, U68A, U63A, U8A, U32, U63, U28, U31, U52A, U58, U59, U59A, U62, U62A, U60A, U60, U61, U37A, U43, U48, U51, U49, U50, U10A, U69, U67, U66A, U66, U65, U64, U77, U78, U76, U75, U74, U73A, U72, U73, U71, U70, U22, U21A, U21, U19A, U23, U25, U24, U29, U33, U32A, U30, U30A, U35, U34, U36A, U36, U36B, U37, U1, U5, U4A, U4, U3, U12, U15, U11A, U10, U9, U7, U8, U6, U39, U27, U26, U20A, U20, U19, U16A, U17, U16, U13, U14, U18, U11, U2, U44, U45, U52

Unit 53, Unit 68, Unit 68A, Unit 63A, Unit 8A, Unit 32, Unit 63, Unit 28, Unit 31, Unit 52A, Unit 58, Unit 59, Unit 59A, Unit 62, Unit 62A, Unit 60A, Unit 60, Unit 61, Unit 37A, Unit 43, Unit 48, Unit 51, Unit 49, Unit 50, Unit 10A, Unit 69, Unit 67, Unit 66A, Unit 66, Unit 65, Unit 64, Unit 77, Unit 78, Unit 76, Unit 75, Unit 74, Unit 73A, Unit 72, Unit 73, Unit 71, Unit 70, Unit 22, Unit 21A, Unit 21, Unit 19A, Unit 23, Unit 25, Unit 24, Unit 29, Unit 33, Unit 32A, Unit 30, Unit 30A, Unit 35, Unit 34, Unit 36A, Unit 36, Unit 36B, Unit 37, Unit 1, Unit 5, Unit 4A, Unit 4, Unit 3, Unit 12, Unit 15, Unit 11A, Unit 10, Unit 9, Unit 7, Unit 8, Unit 6, Unit 39, Unit 27, Unit 26, Unit 20A, Unit 20, Unit 19, Unit 16A, Unit 17, Unit 16, Unit 13, Unit 14, Unit 18, Unit 11, Game Management Unit 2, Game Management Unit 44, Game Management Unit 45, Game Management Unit 52

01 / Season structure

When and how.

General methodsUnits 1: Fall 2026 take season; Bait and dogs prohibited

Aug 30, 2026 to Oct 31, 2026

General methodsUnits 1: Spring 2027 take season; Bait and dogs prohibited

Apr 15, 2027 to Jun 15, 2027

General methodsUnits 2,3,5: Fall 2026 take season

Aug 30, 2026 to Oct 31, 2026

General methodsUnits 2,3,5: Spring 2027 take season

Apr 15, 2027 to Jun 15, 2027

General methodsUnits 4,4A,6: Fall 2026 take season

Aug 30, 2026 to Nov 30, 2026

General methodsUnits 4,4A,6: Spring 2027 take season

Apr 15, 2027 to Jun 30, 2027

General methodsUnits 7,9: Fall 2026 take season

Aug 30, 2026 to Nov 30, 2026

General methodsUnits 7,9: Spring 2027 take season

Apr 15, 2027 to Jul 31, 2027

General methodsUnits 8,8A,10A,11,11A,13: Fall 2026 take season

Aug 30, 2026 to Oct 31, 2026

General methodsUnits 8,8A,10A,11,11A,13: Spring 2027 take season

Apr 15, 2027 to May 31, 2027

General methodsUnits 10,12: Fall 2026 take season

Aug 30, 2026 to Nov 30, 2026

General methodsUnits 10,12: Spring 2027 take season

Apr 1, 2027 to Jun 30, 2027

General methodsUnits 14,15,16: Fall 2026 take season

Aug 30, 2026 to Oct 31, 2026

General methodsUnits 14,15,16: Spring 2027 take season

Apr 15, 2027 to Jun 30, 2027

General methodsUnits 16A,17,19,20,20A,21,21A,26,27,28,36B: Fall 2026 take season

Aug 30, 2026 to Nov 30, 2026

General methodsUnits 16A,17,19,20,20A,21,21A,26,27,28,36B: Spring 2027 take season

Apr 1, 2027 to Jun 30, 2027

General methodsUnits 18: Fall 2026 take season

Aug 30, 2026 to Oct 31, 2026

General methodsUnits 18: Spring 2027 take season

Apr 15, 2027 to May 31, 2027

General methodsUnits 19A,23,25: Fall 2026 take season

Aug 30, 2026 to Oct 31, 2026

General methodsUnits 19A,23,25: Spring 2027 take season

Apr 15, 2027 to Jun 30, 2027

General methodsUnits 22,31,32,32A: Fall 2026 take season; See unit-specific private-land and bait restrictions

Aug 30, 2026 to Oct 31, 2026

General methodsUnits 22,31,32,32A: Spring 2027 take season; See unit-specific private-land and bait restrictions

Apr 1, 2027 to May 22, 2027

General methodsUnits 24: Fall 2026 take season; Late spring dates apply only to the portion described by IDFG

Aug 30, 2026 to Oct 31, 2026

General methodsUnits 24: Spring 2027 take season; Late spring dates apply only to the portion described by IDFG

Apr 15, 2027 to Jun 30, 2027

General methodsUnits 29,30,30A,36A,37,37A: Fall 2026 take season

Aug 30, 2026 to Oct 31, 2026

General methodsUnits 29,30,30A,36A,37,37A: Spring 2027 take season

Apr 15, 2027 to Jun 15, 2027

General methodsUnits 33,34,35,36,39,50,51,58,59,59A,60,60A,61,62,62A,63,63A,64,65,66,66A,67,68,68A,69,70,71,72,73,73A,74,75,76,77,78: Fall 2026 take season

Aug 30, 2026 to Oct 31, 2026

General methodsUnits 33,34,35,36,39,50,51,58,59,59A,60,60A,61,62,62A,63,63A,64,65,66,66A,67,68,68A,69,70,71,72,73,73A,74,75,76,77,78: Spring 2027 take season

Apr 15, 2027 to Jun 30, 2027

General methodsUnits 43,44,45,48,49,52,52A,53: Fall 2026 take season

Aug 30, 2026 to Oct 31, 2026

General methodsUnits 43,44,45,48,49,52,52A,53: Spring 2027 take season

Apr 15, 2027 to Jun 15, 2027

Do not stop at the dates.

Confirm tag availability, current regulations, boundaries, legal methods, ammunition rules, closures, and access before you act. The agency source and your issued tag control.

02 / Sportsman’s Illustrated notes

What to solve before opening day.

Access

A hunt boundary does not establish legal access. Confirm ownership, entry, closures, road conditions, and property-specific rules with the current land manager.

Plan

Confirm the exact unit dates and current bait, dog, electronic-call, motorized-access, and grizzly-bear rules before hunting.

Complexity

A relatively direct tag and season structure. Access and current conditions still require real homework.

03 / Regulatory record

Read the official material.

These sources establish the hunt record above. They can be updated after our verification date.

Idaho Department of Fish and Game2026 Big Game Seasons and RulesOpen official source ↗Idaho Department of Fish and GameIdaho Hunting TagsOpen official source ↗