New for 2019

State Information

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Image date: 5/14/2019 Source: United States Drought Monitor

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The Idaho Draw System

Idaho's 2019 mule Deer Breakdown

Idaho's 2019 whitetail Deer Breakdown

Source: Idaho Fish and Game

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Idaho's 2019 deer Application Overview

Idaho is a state that often gets left out of conversations when it comes to big bucks. The truth is that many states do produce bigger deer and provide higher success rates, but these hunts can come at the cost of expensive application fees and years of waiting on a tag. Idaho has some phenomenal over-the-counter (OTC) hunting opportunities as well as tons of public land to explore. Controlled tags are distributed through a random lottery drawing that is not augmented with bonus or preference points. When applying for Idaho it is important to note that you may only apply for one trophy species per year. This includes deer, elk, antelope, Shiras moose, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, California bighorn sheep and mountain goat. While this fact may seem like a major detriment at first it’s important to see that this drastically drives down applicant numbers and increases draw odds!

Note: The application deadline for Idaho deer, elk and antelope is June 5, 2019, by midnight MST and can be completed online.

Why Idaho for Deer in 2019

Hunt Options

On top of an already huge pile of OTC hunts, Idaho also offers hunters a bunch of options when it comes to limited entry opportunities.

Generous Seasons

Many tags in the state allow hunters to hunt a variety of seasons and with different weapon types, including archery, rifles, and muzzleloaders.

Contingencies

Because Idaho’s application deadline is so late after many of the other western states it can be a great contingency plan if previous draws did not work out in your favor.

Low Tag Costs

Compared to other western states, Idaho has very affordable tags and, in some cases, hunters are even allowed to buy two each of both deer and elk tags!

High Costs of Applying in Idaho

For those of you that are thinking this is too good to be true, here is a bit of a reality check: one of the reasons that the number of applicants in Idaho is so low is because of the cost to apply. Without a point system in place you are still required to purchase a hunting license each year as well as an access fee, which makes this one of the most expensive prerequisites out of all the states each year and, if unsuccessful in the draw, you have nothing to show for the money you have spent. This is why it is best to plan for an OTC hunt first and then take a swing for a controlled hunt during the application period. If you apply like this then you are going to be purchasing the hunting license regardless and now the cost to apply is so low it would be a shame not to have your name in the hat.

Cost to Apply

Note: The cost of a nonresident youth and disabled vet license (DAV) is $31.75 and the cost of the deer, elk and antelope permits are the same as the resident fees. Read more about the requirements needed in order to qualify for the DAV permits here.

Along with the above fees, applicants must also pay 3% of the total transaction in addition to a $3.50 fee for online processing. In a nutshell, if you choose to apply online, be prepared to spend a little extra money at the time you check out. This can become as much as $60+ when applying for bighorn sheep, moose or mountain goat as you are required to pay all of the money for the license and permit up front, but is considerably less for deer, elk and antelope as you do not have to front the money at the time of the application.

Mailed in applications will no longer be accepted starting in 2019.

Mule Deer

Whitetail Deer

Antlerless Mule Deer Draw Odds

Find your resident antlerless mule deer draw odds here

Find your nonresident antlerless mule deer draw odds here

Antlerless Whitetail Deer Draw Odds

Find your resident antlerless whitetail deer draw odds here

Find your nonresident antlerless whitetail deer draw odds here

View important information and an overview of the Idaho rules/regulations, the draw system, tag and license fees and an interactive boundary line map on our State Profile. You can also view the Idaho mule deer and whitetail deer profiles to access historical and statistical data to help you find trophy areas.

Important Dates and Information

Moisture Levels in 2019

Image date: 5/16/2019 Source: NRCS National Water and Climate Center

The 2018/2019 winter in Idaho was fairly normal although a few late storms did hit a few areas of the state. The spring has been warm and constant throughout much of the state, leading to a quick, but safe, snowmelt, resulting in great springtime conditions for ungulates. Antler growth should be great for this year and herd health should be excellent.

Image date: 5/14/2019 Source: United States Drought Monitor

It is important to understand the draw system before you begin. You can find a complete explanation of the drawing process along with important dates and fees in our Idaho State Profile. Idaho is one of the few unique states that does not use a formal system of preference or bonus points for distribution of controlled hunt permits. A simple lottery system is used, which puts every applicant—regardless of time spent applying—on an equal playing field. In Idaho, nonresidents are granted up to 10% of a unit’s allotted quota (super hunt tags do not affect this 10% allotment) although this number is not guaranteed if the quota is met by residents. This quota percentage for nonresidents is fairly common in the West, but, with a combination of high application fees and the lottery system, the draw odds are generally much higher.

Idaho Super Hunts!

Like the bighorn sheep raffle, Idaho also offers hunters the chance to draw one of 34 super hunt tags. With this tag, hunters can hunt in any open unit found in the state and may purchase as many chances at the super hunt as they wish. The cost to apply is $6 per each individual species or $20 for all four.

Unlocking Idaho’s System

Idaho does not utilize a bonus or preference point system so everyone has equal draw odds regardless of the number of years a person has been applying. The key to unlocking Idaho’s system lies in our Draw Odds calculator and looking at the harvest success information. More information on Idaho's draw system can be found on our Idaho State Profile.

Note: Idaho residents or nonresidents can buy one unsold nonresident general season deer and/or elk tag at the nonresident price starting Aug. 1, 2019, that can be used as a second tag.

As a Nonresident, How Can My Draw Odds Be the Same as Residents?

Idaho’s draw odds can be a little complicated with the way that they cap the nonresidents at up to 10% of the tags. However, the way that they run the drawing process can be a benefit to nonresidents. Any time that the ratio between resident to nonresident applicants is higher than 9:1, meaning nine residents to one nonresident, the nonresident applicant has basically the same odds as a resident. With this ratio, there are not enough nonresident applicants to fill the 10% of the total permits offered for that unit, so the cap or quota doesn’t come into play.

When most people dream of giant mule deer Idaho very rarely makes the cut and for understandable reasons, but the last few years have been great in the Gem State. Some areas are still recovering from the big winter of 2016/2017, but Idaho has been producing some incredible deer over the past few seasons. Most of the OTC hunts available fall during the dates leading up to the rut while the best hunting dates are generally reserved for controlled hunts. While this can make the hunting tougher on the general tag, the state has benefited greatly with an overall increase in age class.

Current Mule Deer Herd Condition

As stated earlier, Idaho mule deer have been doing quite well for the past few years and fawn recruitment and antler growth are looking to be excellent for 2019. A few areas in both east central and west central Idaho will likely see a decline in age class among bucks in the next year or two following the massive fawn die-off from the 2016/2017 winter. Some areas on the eastern side of the state are experiencing a high fawn mortality rate due to slow melting snow, but it is not expected to be nearly as bad as the 2016/17 winter. Still, with good and hard hunting, hunters should be able to find good bucks this season.

The Controlled Hunts

While Idaho offers some great OTC hunting, the primary objective of this article is to take a solid look at the limited entry opportunities available for hunters. As we mentioned, the best hunting dates and areas are generally reserved for controlled hunts. Coincidentally, these hunts generally see the highest success rates and highest rates of mature deer harvest. Idaho offers a large number of controlled hunts—most of which are season specific—and it will be important for hunters to pay close attention to their hunt codes when applying. In the below section, we will take an in-depth look at the best-controlled hunts for Idaho mule deer.

Archery

As with many other states, archery hunts for deer generally carry the best draw odds and can be a great way for hunters to beat the curve. Obviously, success rates are generally lower than their firearm counterparts, but some incredible age classes can be found on these hunts.

*Holders of this tag can also hunt during any legal weapons season (Hunt Code 1054).

Muzzleloader

Along with archery opportunities, hunters will also find some excellent options open to muzzleloader hunting. In Idaho, muzzleloader laws are very strict and hunters are granted very few modern advantages. Because of this, some hunters may shy away from these tags although several hunts allow hunting during the rut or during late season migration periods. The bottom line is to consider a tougher weapon choice because it can often lead to easier to draw tags.

Rifle

The highest number of applicants, and consequently lowest draw odds, will generally be found within the rifle hunts. Success rates on most rifle hunts are extremely high and there have been some tremendous bucks taken off these hunts in the past few years. For those seeking a high country experience, Units 39 and 55 offer rifle hunts that open Aug. 15 and can provide opportunities for bucks in velvet!

*Early rut hunt (Hunt Code #1002)

**Early rut hunt (Hunt Code #1034)

***Early rut hunt (Hunt Code #1040)

****Early rut hunt (Hunt Code #1069)

*****Early rut hunt (Hunt Code #1054)

How to Uncover Hidden Gem Deer Units

When planning your Idaho hunt it will be important to first utilize our Filtering 2.0 platform to better narrow down your choices. Adjusting the various sliders will help you to finetune the filtering software to find only the hunts that meet your criteria. Historical graphs found within the detailed unit profiles can be strong indicators of hunting pressure changes, harvest success rates and past draw odds.

For controlled hunts, the best odds will generally be found in the archery and muzzleloader seasons while some of the best hunting dates will be found with the rifle hunts. Beyond the controlled hunts, Idaho also offers some incredible OTC hunts for nearly every species in the state.

*Harvest success rates are a cumulative percentage of all OTC hunts offered in the unit.

Along with some of the great filters found on our Filtering map, another good stat to keep an eye on is the buck:doe ratios. These ratios show a relationship of how many bucks reside in a unit per 100 does that reside in the same unit. While a high buck to doe ratio doesn’t necessarily guarantee older deer it does allude to the fact that the average age class of bucks within that given area is likely older.

B&c Entry Trends for Idaho Mule Deer

Along with our Filtering 2.0 platform and historical data, another great piece of information to refer to is B&C record book entries. These entries, sorted by county, can be a big piece of the puzzle when piecing together your Idaho hunting and application strategy. These entry trends can clue hunters in on trending areas and areas that have historically held bigger and more mature animals.

*11 more counties with 1 entry each.

*11 more counties with 1 entry each.

Managing Expectations for Controlled Hunts

With the lack of any formal bonus or preference point system, applicants in Idaho will never be rewarded for their length of application for any given unit and the playing field is level for everyone. Under this system, your name could be drawn for the tag of a lifetime during any application. Establishing your goals and aspirations for Idaho early in your strategy will be key to ensuring that you draw your most desired tag. With the sheer amount of controlled tags available most hunters can likely find a hunt with decent odds to suit their needs. Additionally, the OTC hunts in Idaho can be great options to look at!

Find your resident mule deer controlled draw odds here

Find your nonresident mule deer controlled draw odds here

While often overlooked, whitetail hunting in Idaho can be great! Hunts during the rut can be found on many controlled and OTC seasons. When purchasing a license, hunters will be presented with two options for whitetails: the general deer tag and the whitetail deer tag. The general deer tag allows holders to hunt for both whitetail and mule deer; however, these seasons are only valid during the pre-rut stages for most of these hunts. The whitetail deer tag is only valid for whitetail deer but extends the legal season through the rut and into the post-rut in most units.

Current Whitetail Deer Herd Condition

Overall, the whitetail populations in Idaho are doing exceptionally well and hunters will find great hunting. The highest densities of whitetail are found in the northern panhandle of the state and some great hunting can also be found throughout the central areas. Fawn recruitment and antler growth are looking excellent in the primary whitetail habitat zones for 2019.

How to Uncover Hidden Gem Units

Most of the prime whitetail country in the northern half of the state has historically done well on producing big and mature bucks. Deciding on locations and where to hunt can be difficult given the sheer amount of options available. The areas typically inhabited by whitetail can be very thick with vegetation and difficult to hunt because of this. Hunters rely largely on private agricultural areas and timber cuts. Patience is key when hunting whitetails, but the payoff can be huge!

It is definitely a good idea to at least start your research in areas that show a high or medium density of whitetails. From there, check out success rates and buck:doe ratios to help narrow down a good fit for the type of hunt you are after.

Source: Idaho Fish and Game

Focus on units listed in the Idaho regulations as “high density” and “medium density” and try to gain permission to private agricultural lands or lands adjacent to agriculture. Agriculture is not a necessity for harvesting whitetails in Idaho but the largest bucks are consistently harvested near agriculture crops. Idaho is also known for having good mountain whitetail hunting on public land.

B&c Entry Trends for Idaho whitetail Deer

Along with our Filtering 2.0 platform and historical data, another great piece of information to refer to is B&C record book entries. These entries, sorted by county, can be a big piece of the puzzle when piecing together your Idaho hunting and application strategy. These entry trends can clue hunters in on trending areas and areas that have historically held bigger and more mature animals.

Units listed below may not have a current hunt for this species. Units in this table are included if any part of the unit is found within the county. Data provided below courtesy of Boone and Crockett Club.

Managing Expectations for Controlled Hunts

Since there are only a couple of whitetail-specific controlled hunts, it may benefit hunters (especially nonresidents) to apply for controlled tags where there are both whitetails and mule deer. If you are not specifically interested in one or the other, then take advantage of the opportunity at either species. There are obviously units that will have much better odds of one over the other but weigh your preference and apply accordingly.

Find your resident whitetail deer controlled draw odds here

Find your nonresident whitetail deer controlled draw odds here

OTC Opportunities

When it comes to whitetails, the OTC tags found Idaho hold tremendous value, particularly those within the whitetail only tag. While controlled hunts generally offer the best harvest odds and trophy potential OTC tags are available every year.