Idaho used to sell nonresident general elk tags first come, first served, starting in December, and tags for popular capped zones went fast. Starting with the 2026 season, nonresident general season deer and elk tags are issued through a drawing instead. Controlled hunts still have their own drawing in the spring. Neither one uses points. Here’s how both work.
Key dates
Nonresident general tag drawing for the 2027 season (IDFG has posted these dates):
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| First application period | December 5–15, 2026 |
| Hunter education paperwork deadline (if not already on file) | December 12, 2 p.m. |
| First results | Early January 2027 |
| Deadline to buy drawn tags | January 20, 2027 |
| Second application period | February 5–15, 2027 |
| Second results | Early March 2027 |
| Deadline to buy second-round tags | March 20, 2027 |
Controlled hunts (2026 dates; 2027 dates not yet posted):
| Step | 2026 date |
|---|---|
| Deer, elk, and pronghorn applications | May 1 – June 5 |
| Results | Posted June 17 in 2026 (IDFG’s schedule says early July) |
| Deadline to buy drawn tags | August 1 |
| Second drawing applications | August 5–15 |
| Second drawing results | August 20 |
Part 1: The nonresident general tag drawing
Step 1: Buy a nonresident hunting license
You must hold a nonresident hunting license ($185, plus a $10 access/depredation fee charged once a year) for the season you’re applying for before you can apply. The license is not refundable, even if you don’t draw. It includes a three-day fishing license. Hunters born after 1974 must have hunter education on file with IDFG.
Step 2: Choose your zone and tag
Each application can list up to five choices. For elk, each choice is a specific elk zone and tag type (A or B). Decide which zone you want to hunt before the application period opens.
Learn how elk zones and A/B tags work
Step 3: Apply alone or in a group
Up to four hunters can apply together on one application, and everyone must have a valid hunting license. You can submit one elk application and one deer application. IDFG’s nonresident tag page lists an $18 application fee per species for the 2027-season drawing (the fee was waived for the first drawing in 2025).
Step 4: Buy your tag if you draw
If you draw, you must buy your elk tag ($651.75) by the deadline (January 20 for the first round). If you don’t, the tag goes back into the second application period. If you draw in the first round, you can’t apply in the second round for the same species.
How the numbers work
The nonresident general elk tag quota is 12,815 tags statewide. Zones with tag caps have their own limits for A and B tags, and some tags are set aside for licensed outfitters to sell to their clients.
Part 2: Controlled hunts
Controlled hunts are limited-entry elk hunts in specific units with set dates. Many offer better bull quality, rut seasons with a rifle, or late cow hunts.
- Apply May 1 – June 5 (2026 dates). You need a hunting license.
- Application fee: $18 for nonresidents, $6.25 for residents. Not refundable.
- Choices: A first choice and an optional second choice, using the four-digit hunt number.
- Groups: Up to four hunters for deer, elk, and pronghorn.
- No points. Every applicant has the same odds each year.
- If you draw, buy your tag by August 1. Unclaimed tags go to the second drawing in August.
Nonresidents compete for a limited share of controlled hunt tags. Check the current Big Game Seasons and Rules for the nonresident limit and for rules on holding a general and a controlled tag for the same species.
Leftover and returned tags
- Tags not bought after the second round go into IDFG’s first Returned Tag Sale of the year, over the counter.
- IDFG holds other returned tag sales during the year. In 2026, a returned big game tag sale started August 6 at 10 a.m. MDT, mostly with returned nonresident general season tags.
- Some nonresident general tags may be sold as second tags in early August, if the nonresident quota hasn’t sold out.
What it costs to apply (nonresident)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Nonresident hunting license (nonrefundable) | $185 |
| Access/depredation fee (once a year) | $10 |
| General tag application fee, elk | $18 |
| Elk tag, if drawn | $651.75 |
| Controlled hunt application (optional) | $18 |
Draw rules at a glance
- System: No points of any kind. Controlled hunts and the nonresident general tag drawing are pure random draws, so everyone in a pool has the same odds every year.
- Nonresident share: Controlled hunts have generally been capped at 10% nonresident per hunt (at most 1 tag in hunts with 10 or fewer). Some hunts list their own limit, so check the current rules.
- One-year wait: After you draw an antlered-only controlled elk hunt, you can’t apply for any elk controlled hunt the next year. The second application period, unlimited hunts and Landowner Appreciation Program hunts are exceptions.
- Groups: Controlled hunts: 2 to 4 hunters listing the same hunts. A group that mixes residents and nonresidents is treated as nonresident.
Full breakdown: how the draw works, with examples · check last year’s odds for every hunt
Let an outfitter help
Outfitters know which zones and tags fit their hunts, and some sell outfitter-allocated tags to booked clients. If you’re planning a guided hunt for 2027, talk to outfitters before the December 5–15 application period.
Find an Idaho elk outfitter
Browse Idaho elk guides
Compare outfitters by zone, season, and reviews before the December drawing.
Related: How Idaho draw points work · Draw odds by unit · Idaho Elk Hunting Guide · General elk tags and zones · Season dates · Cost of an Idaho elk hunt
Fees and dates are from Idaho Fish and Game. The general tag drawing process is new as of the 2026 season, so confirm the details in the current IDFG nonresident tag information and Big Game Seasons and Rules before you apply.