Idaho Fish and Game is seeking information in two recent bull elk cases—one involving a 6×6 bull in Unit 31 and another involving an elk shot with a rifle and left to waste in Bingham County during archery season.
Idaho Fish and Game conservation officers are investigating two separate illegal bull elk killings that occurred only about a week apart in September. The cases happened in different parts of Idaho, but both come as the state’s 2026 elk seasons are underway and highlight the importance of knowing exactly which weapons, tags and elk are legal during each season.
The first incident occurred in southeast Idaho’s Bingham County around September 4–5. A second bull was unlawfully harvested September 12 in Unit 31 in southwest Idaho. IDFG is asking anyone with information about either incident to come forward.
Bull Elk Shot With Rifle and Left to Waste in Bingham County
The more serious of the two cases from a waste standpoint was discovered along Sellars Creek Road between Blackfoot Reservoir Road and Long Valley Road in Bingham County.
According to IDFG, the bull elk was shot multiple times from the road with a centerfire rifle, probably at night, sometime between September 4 and September 5. Whoever killed the animal removed its antlers but left the rest of the elk to waste.
IDFG says known violations include killing a big-game animal with a centerfire rifle during an archery-only season and waste of game.
The incident is a good reminder that seeing hunters pursuing elk in September does not mean rifles are legal. Idaho has numerous elk seasons that overlap geographically or occur close together on the calendar, but the legal weapon can change depending on the zone, tag and specific hunt.
Anyone with information about the Bingham County case can contact Senior Conservation Officer Mitch Newhouse at 208-576-1752 or report information through Citizens Against Poaching.
6×6 Bull Unlawfully Harvested in Unit 31
A separate investigation is underway following the unlawful harvest of a 6×6 antlered bull elk in Unit 31 on the evening of September 12.
IDFG says the elk was last seen being transported out of the Adams Creek drainage. Witnesses reported an individual driving an early-2000s white Toyota Tundra with a 1B license plate.
Unlike the Bingham County case, Fish and Game has not publicly stated exactly how the Unit 31 bull was killed or which specific hunting regulation was violated. That’s an important distinction because legal elk hunting was underway in Unit 31 at the time.
Unit 31 is part of the Brownlee Elk Zone. Its general A Tag archery season runs August 30 through September 30 and allows either-sex elk. Therefore, a hunter with the appropriate tag can legally take a bull during September—but must use legal archery equipment.
There is also a Brownlee B Tag any-weapon season from August 15 through September 30, but this hunt is limited to antlerless elk on or within one mile of qualifying private agricultural lands outside the National Forest System boundary. A centerfire rifle can therefore be legal for elk in portions of Unit 31 during September, but not for taking an antlered bull under that B Tag season.
Idaho’s Rifle Elk Opportunities Are Still Ahead
September is primarily archery season for many Idaho elk hunters, but numerous rifle and other any-weapon opportunities begin as fall progresses.
In Unit 31, for example, an either-sex controlled any-weapon hunt runs October 1–14. Additional controlled hunts for antlered and antlerless elk begin October 15, with other hunts continuing into November. The Brownlee B Tag also provides an antlerless any-weapon season throughout Unit 31 from November 15–30.
Elsewhere in Idaho, dates and legal weapons vary considerably by elk zone and controlled hunt. Depending on the hunt, Idaho hunters may encounter archery-only, muzzleloader-only, short-range weapon and any-weapon seasons. Some seasons allow either-sex elk, while others are specifically antlered or antlerless.
That makes the exact tag and hunt as important as the date. A hunter can be standing in an area where elk hunting is currently legal while still being prohibited from taking a particular elk or using a particular weapon.
Report Wildlife Violations
Both investigations remain open. Information about the Unit 31 case can be reported to the appropriate Idaho Fish and Game regional office, while information about the Bingham County case can be provided directly to Senior Conservation Officer Mitch Newhouse.
Tips for either case can also be submitted through Idaho’s Citizens Against Poaching hotline at 1-800-632-5999. Callers may remain anonymous, and information leading to enforcement action may qualify for a reward.
Know Your Idaho Elk Season With Hunterizer
Idaho’s elk regulations can change significantly by zone, tag, date, sex and weapon. September is a particularly important time to pay attention because archery seasons may be underway while rifle opportunities in the same or nearby areas have not yet opened—or may be restricted to a different class of elk.
The Hunterizer app helps Idaho hunters quickly check open seasons, hunting zones, legal weapons, season dates, sex restrictions, bag limits and other important regulations. Before heading into the field, check the exact rules for your tag and location rather than assuming that an open elk season means every elk or weapon is legal.
