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Strategic hunting data, boundary maps, and 2026 season dates for Game Management Unit 16A.
Idaho Game Management Unit 16A (GMU 16A) is a premier hunting destination located in the Selway Elk Zone. Home to Black Bear, Deer, Elk, Gray Wolf, Mountain Lion, White-tailed Deer, this unit features high-elevation rugged terrain, requiring physical preparation and optics for cross-canyon spotting. Public-land breakdown for Unit 16A is not yet integrated into our database — verify acreage with Idaho Fish and Game's Hunt Planner before scouting.
Unlock our detailed application strategy guide, including draw odds analysis, point creep predictions, and underrated seasonal opportunities for Unit 16A.
Unlock Full AnalysisSeasons in Unit 16A typically begin in Sep 15.
There are 12 confirmed seasons in Unit 16A.
View Full ScheduleWe're currently digitizing 2023-2025 harvest reports and draw odds for Unit 16A. Check back shortly for deep-dive analytics.
That portion of IDAHO COUNTY within the following boundary: beginning at the mouth of Meadow Creek on the Selway River, up the Selway River to Mink Creek, then up the divide between Mink Creek and the drainages of Coyote, Wolf, Jims, and Otter Creeks, over Wolf Point and Highline Ridge to the divide between Meadow Creek and the Selway River, then southeast along the divide over Bilk Mountain and Elk Mountain to Elk Mountain Road (Forest Service 285), then southwest on Elk Mountain-Green Mountain-Montana Road to the watershed divide between the South Fork of the Clearwater River and the Selway River (near Mountain Meadows), then northeast along the divide over Soda Creek Point and around the head of Red River, then northwest along the divide over Black Hawk Mountain to Anderson Butte, then from Anderson Butte northwest on Forest Service Trail 835 to Falls Point Road (Forest Service Road 443), then northeast on Falls Point Road to the point of beginning.
Central Idaho — Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness
The Selway is wilderness elk hunting in the strictest sense — limited motorized access, dense old-growth timber, and miles between bulls. Tags are hard to draw and harvest rates are modest, but the experience is the closest thing in the Lower 48 to backcountry elk hunting at scale.
Pack-in camps, stock support, or floatplane access are the realistic options. Plan minimum 7-day trips. Permits required for wilderness use.
See all units in the Selway ZoneUnit 16A sits in the Selway Elk Zone. The landscape is predominantly rugged mountains, requiring appropriate gear and preparation.
Unit 16A has open seasons for Deer, White-tailed Deer, Elk, Black Bear, Mountain Lion. Confirm season dates and weapon legality with Idaho Fish and Game before applying or buying tags.
Yes. Cell service is often limited or non-existent in the core hunting areas of Unit 16A. Having saved offline maps is critical for safety and staying on legal ground.
Unit 16A is approximately 100% public (mostly public). That gives DIY hunters meaningful range for scouting and stalking without trespass risk.

Hunted in Unit 16A. Tap a species for full strategy.
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