Idaho is one of the few western states with no points of any kind. There are no preference points, no bonus points, and nothing to buy to “build” toward a hunt. Every application gets one random draw number, and a first-year applicant has exactly the same chance as someone who has applied for 20 years. That is good news if you want a shot at a quality hunt without a decade-long wait. The tradeoff is that you can’t plan around a point total. Your odds in a tough hunt stay low every year, and patience earns you nothing.
Idaho actually runs two separate drawings for deer and elk:
- Controlled hunts (May–June). Limited-entry hunts with set tag numbers, open to residents and nonresidents.
- The nonresident general tag drawing (December). New since the 2026 season. Nonresidents now draw for general season deer and elk tags instead of buying them first come, first served.
How you “get points” in Idaho
You don’t. Idaho has no point system and no point-only purchase. Not drawing this year gives you no advantage next year, and skipping a year costs you nothing.
What you do need before you apply for either drawing is a current Idaho hunting license. A nonresident adult license is $185 (it includes a three-day fishing license), plus a $10 access/depredation fee charged once a year. Residents pay $15.75 plus a $5 fee. The license is not refunded if you don’t draw. Hunters born after 1974 must have hunter education on file with Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG).
How the controlled hunt draw works
Controlled hunts are applied for May 1 – June 5 (2026 dates). Each application lists a first choice and an optional second choice by four-digit hunt number. Applications that miss on their first choice go into the second-choice drawing, but only if that second-choice hunt still has tags. In practice, popular hunts fill on first choices, so use your second choice on a hunt with better odds.
- Groups: two to four hunters can apply together for deer, elk, or pronghorn. Everyone must list the same hunts. If a group is larger than the tags left in a hunt, it isn’t drawn for that hunt.
- Fees: the application fee is $18 for nonresidents and $6.25 for residents, nonrefundable. If you draw, you buy the tag by August 1.
- Second drawing: tags not applied for, and tags not bought by August 1, go into a second drawing (August 5–15 in 2026). Anything left after that is sold first come, first served.
The 10% nonresident limit
In the first controlled hunt drawing, Idaho’s long-standing rule is that nonresidents can draw no more than 10% of the tags in a hunt, and no more than 10% of the tags for the species. Some hunts list their own nonresident tag limit in the controlled hunt tables, so check the current Big Game Seasons and Rules for the hunt you want. In hunts with 10 or fewer tags, no more than one tag can go to a nonresident. This is a cap, not a guarantee. Because the draw is random, nonresidents may get fewer than 10% in some hunts.
Two exceptions: the 10% limit doesn’t apply to unlimited hunts or to tags sold or drawn after the first drawing. And if a resident applies in a group with a nonresident, IDFG treats the whole application as a nonresident application.
The one-year wait after drawing a bull or buck hunt
Idaho’s rule is the closest thing it has to a points penalty. If you draw an antlered-only controlled deer or elk hunt (or a pronghorn hunt), you can’t apply for any controlled hunt for that species the following year. The exceptions are the second application period, unlimited hunts, and Landowner Appreciation Program hunts. Antlerless and either-sex hunts don’t trigger the wait.
How the nonresident general tag drawing works
Nonresidents who want a general season tag now apply December 5–15, 2026 for the 2027 season, with a second round February 5–15, 2027. Each application can list up to five choices. For elk, a choice is a zone and an A or B tag. For deer, it’s a unit and either a regular or white-tailed deer tag.
IDFG gives every application a random number and issues tags from lowest to highest number. All first choices are processed first, then all second choices, and so on through the fifth. Groups of up to four count as one application with one number, and a group only draws if there are tags for everyone. The application fee is $18 per species. If you draw a species in round one, you can’t apply for it in round two, even if you don’t buy the tag.
The statewide nonresident general quota is 12,815 elk tags and 15,500 deer tags (regular and white-tailed combined), including tags allocated to outfitters. Residents don’t draw for general tags. They buy them over the counter, and capped elk zones have their own resident sales. Holding a general tag from this drawing does not stop you from applying for controlled hunts.
Residents vs. nonresidents
| Resident | Nonresident | |
|---|---|---|
| Points | None | None |
| Point-only purchase | None | None |
| Hunting license (required to apply) | $15.75 + $5 access/depredation fee | $185 + $10 access/depredation fee |
| Controlled hunt application fee | $6.25 | $18 |
| General tag | Bought over the counter | December drawing, $18 per species |
| Elk tag | $36.75 | $651.75 |
| Deer tag | $24.75 | $351.75 |
| Controlled hunt quota | Not capped | Max 10% of tags per hunt and per species; max one tag in hunts with 10 or fewer |
| General tag quota | Not capped (capped zones aside) | 12,815 elk, 15,500 deer statewide |
Keeping and losing points
There are no points to keep or lose. The only things to track are the one-year wait above, which is triggered by drawing (not by filling your tag), and the limit of one application per species in each drawing. Deer and elk are handled separately.
“Point creep” and what odds really mean here
Point creep can’t happen in Idaho, because nobody is stacking points. What changes from year to year is the number of applicants. Your odds in a hunt are roughly the number of tags available to your residency group divided by the number of first-choice applicants. IDFG posts the previous year’s drawing odds for each hunt in its Hunt Planner, and says controlled hunt odds range from 100% to under 5%.
Worked example, elk (hypothetical numbers): Say a premium controlled bull hunt has 50 tags. Nonresidents can draw at most 5 (10%). If 400 nonresidents apply, each has roughly a 1-in-80 chance, every year, no matter how long they’ve applied. Over 10 years of applying, that adds up to only about a 12% chance (roughly 1 in 8) of ever drawing. Compare that with the 2026 nonresident general elk drawing, where IDFG drew 32% of all elk applicants. Some zones, such as Lolo and Selway A, drew every first-choice applicant, while capped zones like Diamond Creek B and South Hills B drew about 4%.
Worked example, deer (from IDFG’s 2026 draw data): In the 2026 nonresident general deer drawing, IDFG drew 54% of applicants. Many regular deer units drew every first-choice applicant, while the toughest drew under 9%. List a hard unit first and an easy one second, and you still have a real chance at a tag.
Strategy
- Apply every year for the hunt you really want. Once you have a license, it costs only the application fee, and missing carries no penalty.
- Use your other choices. In the general drawing, list at least one zone or unit that drew 100% last year. In the controlled draw, make your second choice a hunt with good odds.
- Mind the one-year wait. Drawing a so-so antlered-only hunt locks you out of controlled hunts for that species next year.
- Consider antlerless hunts. IDFG offers many, and they don’t trigger the wait.
- Talk to outfitters. Some hold outfitter-allocated general tags for booked clients. Also see discount guided hunts and hunting leases.
- Watch the returned tag sales. IDFG sells returned and leftover tags over the counter several times a year.
Key numbers for 2026
| Item | Number |
|---|---|
| Points system | None (random draw) |
| Controlled hunt applications (deer, elk) | May 1 – June 5, 2026 |
| Controlled tag purchase deadline | August 1 |
| Second controlled drawing | August 5–15, 2026 |
| Nonresident general drawing (2027 season) | December 5–15, 2026; round two February 5–15, 2027 |
| Nonresident controlled hunt cap | 10% of tags per hunt and per species |
| Nonresident general quota | 12,815 elk; 15,500 deer |
| Wait after drawing antlered-only deer/elk | One year (for that species) |
| 2026 NR general draw success | Elk 32%; deer 54% |
FAQ
Can I buy a point in Idaho? No. Idaho has no preference or bonus points and no point-only option.
Do nonresidents still get over-the-counter general tags? Not at first. Since the 2026 season, nonresident general deer and elk tags are drawn in December. Unclaimed and returned tags are later sold over the counter.
If I draw a cow elk controlled hunt, do I have to sit out a year? No. The one-year wait applies to antlered-only deer and elk hunts (and pronghorn), not to antlerless hunts.
Does applying with a resident friend help a nonresident? No. IDFG treats a mixed group as a nonresident application in the controlled hunt draw.
Draw odds
Check your Idaho odds
Pick a state, species and hunt to see how your chances compare in a no-points draw.
Find an Idaho outfitter
Browse Idaho elk and deer guides
Ask outfitters about controlled hunts, outfitter-allocated tags, and which zones to list before the December drawing.
Related: Idaho Elk Hunting · Idaho Deer Hunting · How to apply for Idaho elk tags · How to apply for Idaho deer tags · Preference points by state
Rules and fees are from Idaho Fish and Game for the 2026 draw (2027 general tag drawing dates where noted). Confirm in the current regulations before you apply.