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How Idaho controlled hunts are applied for and drawn
Idaho Controlled Hunt Draws
Idaho hands out its limited big game tags through random drawings: deer, elk, pronghorn and fall bear in the first period from May 1 to June 5 and a second period in August, moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat in April, spring bear from January 15 to February 15 and swans with the deer and elk round. Every draw is random. From 2026 nonresident general deer and elk tags are drawn too. Counts below cover all 614 hunt numbers and their 33,111 numbered tags for 2026; hunts with unlimited tags are counted apart.
Photo: Bureau of Land Management Idaho (CC BY 2.0)
Application windows for Idaho tags
Controlled tags drawn in the first period have to be bought by August 1. Whatever is left after the second period goes on sale as leftover tags on August 25 at ten in the morning, Mountain Time.
| Draw | Application period | Results or note |
|---|---|---|
| Deer, elk, pronghorn, fall bear (first) | May 1-June 5 | Early July |
| Same species, second period | August 5-15 | By August 25 |
| Leftover controlled tags | August 25, 10 in the morning, Mountain Time | Leftover sale |
| Moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat | April 1-30 | |
| Spring controlled bear | January 15-February 15 | |
| Swan | May 1-June 5 | Nonresidents 10% cap |
| Nonresident general deer and elk tags | Random draw from 2026 | Quota 15,500 deer, 12,815 elk |
- Big game periodsDeer, elk, pronghorn and fall bear controlled hunts: first application period May 1-June 5, results early July; second period August 5-15 (results by August 25), leftover tags August 25 at 10 in the morning, Mountain Time; controlled tags must be bought by August 1.
- Moose, sheep and goatApplication period April 1-30 (2025 & 2026 brochure).
- Spring bearSpring controlled bear applications January 15-February 15.
- SwanSwan controlled hunt applications May 1-June 5; no more than 10% of tags to nonresidents.
- Nonresident general tagsFrom 2026, nonresident general season deer and elk tags are issued by random draw; quota 15,500 deer and 12,815 elk tags.
Sources: Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 8; Moose, Sheep and Goat 2025 & 2026 brochure p. 1; Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 69; Migratory Game Bird 2026-2027 brochure p. 12; IDFG Hunt Planner hunt page. Data read November 11, 2026; checked: read against the IDFG text November 12, 2026.
Idaho random drawing, set out plainly
A controlled hunt application in Idaho is a straight lottery for each hunt number. The brochure pages on the drawing describe the random process and nothing that rewards a long run of unsuccessful years.
Drawn at random
IDFG draws Idaho controlled hunts at random. The brochures read for this site describe no point system, so no advantage builds up from one year to the next.
Nothing carries over
No point system appears in the brochures, so an unsuccessful application earns nothing toward the next year.
One tag per hunt number
Each hunt number has its own area, dates, weapon and bag, and its own count of 2026 tags; the tag is good only inside that hunt.
Pay to apply
Applications cost $6.25 for deer, elk, pronghorn, bear and turkey and $16.75 for moose, sheep and goat, for residents.
Super Hunt
Super Hunt drawings for a hunt in any open general or controlled hunt; no license needed to enter.
Landowner Permission Hunts
Landowner Permission Hunts for deer, elk and pronghorn (separate 2026 brochure).
Sources: Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 109; Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 122; Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 8; Landowner Permission Hunts 2026. Data read November 11, 2026; checked: read against the IDFG text November 12, 2026.
614 Idaho hunt numbers by species
18 hunt numbers print unlimited tags and are left out of the tag sums. Elk has the most hunt numbers, 228, and deer the most variety, from antlered and extra antlerless hunts to outfitter-allocated and youth-only hunts. 53 hunt numbers carry a single tag.
| Species | Hunt numbers | Tags 2026 | Hunt types |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk | 228 | 18,945 | 8 |
| Deer | 208 | 14,058 | 10 |
| Moose | 94 | 513 | 2 |
| Pronghorn | 59 | 2,185 | 6 |
| Bighorn sheep | 30 | 98 | 1 |
| Mountain goat | 19 | 40 | 1 |
| Black bear | 6 | 390 | 3 |
Hunt types, species by species
| Species | Hunt type | Hunts | Tags 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk | Antlerless | 63 | 9,420 |
| Elk | Antlered | 45 | 3,465 |
| Elk | Outfitter Allocated | 39 | 155 |
| Elk | Youth Only | 24 | 1,275 |
| Elk | Extra Antlerless | 19 | 1,600 |
| Elk | Muzzleloader | 19 | 1,980 |
| Elk | Either Sex | 12 | 860 |
| Elk | Archery | 7 | 190 |
| Deer | Antlered | 61 | 3,660 |
| Deer | Extra Antlerless | 47 | 6,550 |
| Deer | Outfitter Allocated | 42 | 310 |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | 17 | 728 |
| Deer | Archery | 14 | 365 |
| Deer | Youth Only | 11 | 670 |
| Deer | Extra Antlered | 5 | 400 |
| Deer | Youth Only, Extra Antlerless | 4 | 350 |
| Deer | Either Sex | 4 | 500 |
| Deer | Antlerless | 3 | 525 |
| Moose | Antlered | 93 | 510 |
| Moose | Antlerless | 1 | 3 |
| Pronghorn | Either Sex | 25 | 1,115 |
| Pronghorn | Archery | 16 | 370 |
| Pronghorn | Muzzleloader | 6 | 260 |
| Pronghorn | Landowner Permission Required Extra Doe or Fawn | 5 | 145 |
| Pronghorn | Youth Only | 5 | 95 |
| Pronghorn | Doe or Fawn | 2 | 200 |
| Bighorn sheep | Ram | 30 | 98 |
| Mountain goat | Either Sex | 19 | 40 |
| Black bear | Fall controlled | 3 | 215 |
| Black bear | Spring controlled | 2 | 150 |
| Black bear | Fall controlled, youth only | 1 | 25 |
Moose, sheep and goat counts are 2026 hunts from the 2025 & 2026 brochure. Tags are summed here from each hunt number. Sources: Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules; Moose, Sheep and Goat 2025 & 2026 brochure; Landowner Permission Hunts 2026; IDFG Hunt Planner. Data read November 11, 2026; checked: read against the IDFG text November 12, 2026.
Ten Idaho hunts with the most tags
Hunt 2097 is the largest with 1,000 tags. Antlerless elk hunts fill most of the top ten; moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat hunts run to a handful of tags each.
| Hunt | Species | Type | Units | Tags | Opens |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2097 | Elk | Antlerless | +1 | 1,000 | Oct 25, 2026 |
| 2081 | Elk | Antlerless | 650 | Oct 5, 2026 | |
| 2107 | Elk | Antlerless | 600 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| 2135 | Elk | Muzzleloader | 550 | Sep 8, 2026 | |
| 2082 | Elk | Antlerless | 500 | Oct 5, 2026 | |
| 1122 | Deer | Extra Antlerless | 400 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| 2096 | Elk | Antlerless | +1 | 400 | Oct 10, 2026 |
| 2102 | Elk | Antlerless | 400 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| 2103 | Elk | Antlerless | 400 | Nov 16, 2026 | |
| 2042 | Elk | Antlered | 350 | Oct 15, 2026 |
Sources: Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules; IDFG Hunt Planner. Data read November 11, 2026; checked: read against the IDFG text November 12, 2026.
Idaho controlled hunt success in 2025
Moose and goat hunters fill their tags far more often than controlled deer or elk hunters. Hunters who are not drawn still have general seasons: residents buy deer, elk, bear, lion, wolf and turkey tags over the counter.
| 2025 table | Hunts | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled deer | 183 | 14,270 | 7,051 | 49% |
| Controlled elk | 216 | 17,226 | 6,342 | 37% |
| Pronghorn | 54 | 4,156 | 1,458 | 35% |
| Moose | 94 | 513 | 435 | 85% |
| Mountain goat | 19 | 40 | 40 | 100% |
| Controlled bear | 7 | 0 | 70 | – |
- General tagsGeneral season deer, elk (A/B zone tags, some capped), black bear, mountain lion, gray wolf and turkey tags are sold over the counter to residents; capped elk zone tags go on sale July 8 (Sawtooth July 10).
- Bighorn sheepNo working statistics page; no sheep harvest is shown.
Hunters, harvest and success are summed and worked out here from the hunt rows of each 2025 table. Sources: IDFG Hunt Planner harvest statistics; IDFG Hunt Planner harvest statistics; IDFG Hunt Planner harvest statistics; IDFG Hunt Planner harvest statistics; IDFG Hunt Planner harvest statistics; IDFG Hunt Planner harvest statistics; Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 8. Data read November 11, 2026; checked: read against the IDFG text November 12, 2026.
Idaho controlled hunt questions
When are Idaho spring bear applications due?
Spring controlled bear applications January 15-February 15.
When can I apply for an Idaho moose, sheep or goat tag?
Application period April 1-30 (2025 & 2026 brochure).
Are Idaho nonresident general deer and elk tags still sold over the counter?
From 2026, nonresident general season deer and elk tags are issued by random draw; quota 15,500 deer and 12,815 elk tags.
How do Idaho leftover controlled tags go on sale?
Leftover tags go on sale on August 25 at ten in the morning, Mountain Time, after the second drawing.
Can nonresidents apply for Idaho swan tags?
Swan controlled hunt applications May 1-June 5; no more than 10% of tags to nonresidents.
How does an Idaho Super Hunt entry work?
Super Hunt drawings for a hunt in any open general or controlled hunt; no license needed to enter.
When is the Idaho controlled hunt application period for deer and elk?
May 1 to June 5 for the first period, with results in early July, and August 5 to 15 for the second period.
What does an Idaho controlled hunt application cost?
$6.25 for deer, elk, pronghorn, bear and turkey, and $16.75 for moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat.
Does Idaho use points in its draw?
No. Idaho controlled hunts are drawn at random, and the brochures describe no point system.
Before the drive out
Unit lines follow rivers, roads and ridgelines; carry the IDFG unit map or the Hunt Planner on a phone whenever a hunt sits close to a boundary.
Other photos on this page: ShenandoahNPS (Public domain); Bureau of Land Management – Utah (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); daveynin (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain).