New for 2019

State Information

The Idaho Draw System

Idaho's 2019 Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Breakdown

Idaho's 2019 California Bighorn Sheep Breakdown

Idaho's 2019 Shiras Moose Breakdown

Idaho's 2019 Mountain Goat Breakdown

Idaho's Bighorn Sheep, Moose and Mountain Goat Application Overview

Idaho has always been a sleeper state of sorts and has somehow slipped beneath the radar of many hunters. Excellent hunting can be found here along with good trophy potential, lots of opportunities and plenty of public land. 2019 will be an interesting year for moose and mountain goat applicants as the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) commission recently adopted a hefty proposal that will drastically reduce tag allocations for these species. Bighorn sheep as a whole saw some changes, but will be receiving a higher tag allocation for 2019. The tag fees are high in Idaho; however, the tradeoff is generally better draw odds and a big reduction in wait time for the tag of the lifetime.

Note: The deadline to apply for Idaho moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat is April 30, 2019 by midnight MST. Applications can be filled out online here.

Why Idaho for Bighorn Sheep, Moose and Mountain Goat in 2019

Draw Odds for Bighorn Sheep

Because Idaho forces applicants to apply for only one species a year the draw odds are noticeably higher. Several tags will be added for Idaho bighorn sheep in 2019 and the draw odds should see a small increase in some units.

Public Land

Idaho houses millions of acres of public land and hunters will run into very few units that have access problems.

No Bonus or Preference Points

Idaho does not use any type of bonus or preference points and, instead, relies solely on a random draw lottery. This provides equal chances for any applicant of any age no matter the amount of the time they have been applying.

Group Applications

Idaho accepts group applications for bighorn sheep, moose and mountain goat. Group sizes are limited to two party members.

The IDFG commission recently adopted a long list of changes for bighorn sheep, moose and mountain goat for the 2019 season. California bighorn sheep, moose and mountain goat will all see a reduction on tags—particularly in moose—while Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep will see a slight uptick in tags. These changes are going to drastically change the draw odds for applicants and special care will need to be taken when formalizing your 2019 application plan.

Bighorn Sheep

Moose

Rocky Mountain Goat

View important information and an overview of Idaho’s 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 species profiles to access historical and statistical data to help you locate trophy areas.

Important Dates and Information

Cow Moose Draw Odds

Remember, GOHUNT has Draw Odds for all female species.

Find your resident cow moose draw odds here

Find your nonresident cow moose draw odds here

Understanding the Draw

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 a level playing field. In Idaho, nonresidents are granted up to 10% of a unit’s allotted quota (bighorn sheep raffle and super hunt tags do not affect this 10% allotment) though 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 is a once-in-a-lifetime state, meaning that if a tag holder fills his or her tag, the hunter may not apply again for that species in Idaho. The only special exclusion to this rule is that hunters are allowed to take both a cow and bull moose with separate permits during separate years. Tag holders who are not successful in filling their tag may apply for the same species again, but must wait for two years before applying again. In lieu of the two-year waiting period, hunters can also attempt to draw a tag during the second controlled application period, although the potential of any tags making it to this point is nearly impossible at best. While not recognized as separate species by Boone & Crockett (B&C), California bighorn sheep and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep permits are issued separately in Idaho and both subspecies can be taken by the same hunter.

Bighorn Sheep Raffle

In collaboration with the Idaho Wild Sheep Foundation, the state of Idaho also offers hunters a unique opportunity in the bighorn sheep raffle. Through the raffle, hunters can purchase an unlimited amount of lottery tickets in the hope of drawing a bighorn sheep tag that can be used in any open unit in the state with the exception of Unit 11 for 2019.

Idaho's Super Hunts

Like the bighorn sheep raffle, Idaho also offers hunters the chance to draw one of 34 super hunt tags. With the super 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.

When it comes to Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep Idaho is often an overlooked state as many hunters dream of the giant rams found in Montana, British Columbia and, more recently, in South Dakota. Idaho very rarely produces rams over the 190” mark, but it can provide opportunities at great representatives of the species in the 160” to 170” range. There’s an incredible amount of bighorn sheep country available in Idaho, ranging from the deep canyons of the Hells Canyon to the formidable and lonely Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness.

The graph view of this table below is a better way to look at the incredible trend.

Current Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Herd Condition

Idaho’s Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep population has been doing very well during the last few years, which is evident by the small increase in tags for 2019. Pneumonia has continued to become an increasing problem across much of the West although Idaho has largely dodged the bullet so far.

How to Uncover Hidden Gem Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Areas

While finding hidden gem units for bighorn sheep anywhere in the West is a mostly fruitless endeavor, hunters will find some chewable data in Idaho thanks to their generally higher draw odds. Below, we will break down which units provided the best draw odds for 2018 as well as units to be on the lookout for in 2019.

It is important to note in the above table that most of these units are located in the very remote and rough country located in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. These areas can test even the hardiest of hunters; however, the generous odds can lure in many hunters. If applying for these areas, physical preparation should be at the top of your list followed closely by mental preparation.

Hitlist Units for Trophy Idaho Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep in 2019

*There are two hunt codes for Unit 37, which had four tags each for the 2018 hunt. In 2019, there are five tags available for each of these hunt codes.

B&c Entry Trends for Idaho Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

Like previously mentioned, Idaho is not well known for producing giant rams, but it does provide great opportunities for hunters to fulfill a lifelong dream. Still, studying B&C entry trends in a state can sometimes elude hunters to units that may be getting hot or even tapering off.

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

*California bighorn sheep

Analyzing Ram:ewe Ratios

While researching for your application you will notice that we provide data on ram to ewe ratios for each hunt area in Idaho. Male to female ratios are a critical measuring data tool for wildlife managers and indicate the current status of the herd. A higher ram to ewe ratio may indicate that an area could have a higher availability of mature rams compared to an area with a lower ram to ewe ratio. This doesn’t always mean that the rams will be the highest scoring rams, but more available rams generally leads to a higher population of mature animals and, thus, a higher opportunity of locating trophy quality rams. When selecting an area—or comparing several areas—take this into consideration to help your decision.

Managing Expectations

Really, when it comes to applying for bighorn sheep across the West there aren’t any secrets to speak of and hunters should generally expect a long wait for a coveted tag. Still, Idaho boasts some of the best odds for drawing a bighorn sheep tag in the West and this is a state that should be on almost everyone's radar.

The best odds will lie in the units landing in and around the gorgeous Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness (20, 20A, 21, 26, 26L, 27-1, 27-2, 27-3, 27-4, 27L and 28-1), but these hunts can be extremely tough both physically and mentally. Often, hunts in the Frank Church have been compared to those offered in the Montana Unlimited districts. Beyond these, there are several other options that land in the 2% to 5% draw odd range and still offer better odds than most states.

With Idaho, you really can’t go wrong with choosing a bighorn sheep unit to apply for considering the lowest odds found here can still compete with offerings found in surrounding states. But, as I mentioned above, there are several units that offer some incredible odds and the true hunt of a lifetime if your willing to sweat for it.

Find your resident rocky bighorn sheep draw odds here

Find your nonresident rocky bighorn sheep draw odds here

Along with opportunities for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, Idaho also offers hunts for California bighorn sheep, too. One cool quirk to Idaho is that the California and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep are treated as separate species and hunters are allowed to take one of each in a lifetime.

Herd conditions have continued to struggle and the three tags offered in Unit 54 were removed for 2019 following an announcement that the herd found within the unit had a non-viable population. The boundaries for Unit 55 were changed to also include Unit 54 for its two tag quota. Additionally, one tag was removed from Unit 46-1. Overall, applicants should expect very little change in opportunity and a decrease in draw odds for 2019.

Another view of the data to see the trends a little better.

Current Bighorn Sheep Herd Condition

As mentioned above, the California bighorn sheep herd in Idaho has been struggling, particularly in Units 54 and 55. For 2019, the three tags previously available in Unit 54 were removed and the two tags in Unit 55 will now also be valid in Unit 54 although it is unknown at this time if any mature rams still exist within the herd.

How to Uncover Hidden Gem California Bighorn Sheep Units

Unfortunately, with a small handful of tags and a struggling herd, there are not any groundbreaking secrets for drawing a California bighorn sheep tag in Idaho. Still, this is a unique opportunity to chase this subspecies and an excellent option for those who have already been lucky enough to take a Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in Idaho.

While looking at the table above it is worth noting that a total of 33 hunters applied for the two seasons that were offered in Unit 54. While it’s impossible to predict where these applicants may apply for this year it’s reasonable to expect a large portion of them could easily apply for neighboring Unit 55. Unit 55 saw a total of 52 applicants for two tags in 2018 and the potential of 30+ more applicants in 2019 could certainly make things interesting.

Hitlist Units for Trophy Idaho California Bighorn Sheep in 2019

Analyzing Ram:ewe Ratios

While researching for your application you will notice that we provide data on ram to ewe ratios for each hunt area in Idaho. Male to female ratios are a critical measuring data tool for wildlife managers and indicate the current status of the herd. A higher ram to ewe ratio may indicate that an area could have a higher availability of mature rams compared to an area with a lower ram to ewe ratio. This doesn’t always mean that the rams will be the highest scoring rams, but more available rams generally leads to a higher population of mature animals and, thus, a higher opportunity of locating trophy quality rams. When selecting an area, or comparing several areas, take this into consideration to help your decision. For a complete understanding of male to female ratios, please refer to this article.

B&c Entry Trends for Idaho California Bighorn Sheep

Because B&C does not officially recognize the California bighorn sheep as a separate subspecies as that of the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep it takes an exceptional ram to make the books. There has only been one ram entered into the books from Idaho, which was taken in 2010 and scored 185 4/8” B&C.

Managing Expectations

With the continued struggles in herd health and the closure of several hunts over the last few years, it’s hard to have much of a positive outlook when considering California bighorn sheep in Idaho. Hunters who have been lucky enough to already harvest a Rocky Mountain ram in Idaho may consider taking advantage of this rare opportunity to kill a second bighorn sheep in their lifetime. For those simply looking to get into the bighorn sheep game, it would be much more advisable to look at the hunts offered for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep.

Find your resident California bighorn sheep draw odds here

Find your nonresident California bighorn sheep draw odds here

Historically, Idaho has also been a great producer of great moose. In the past few years, the moose populations—particularly those in the central and northern portions of the state—have been struggling immensely with most of the blame landing on wolves and ticks. For 2019, there was a decrease of 171 tags when compared to the 2018 season. While it’s unpredictable what will happen to the draw odds for 2019, it’s fairly obvious that there likely won’t be any hunts getting easier to draw.

Current Shiras Moose Herd Condition

As mentioned above, the current trend of moose, especially those found in the central and northern portions of the state, are struggling. Theories are flying constantly with the two most commonly accepted thoughts being predation and ticks—an unfortunate trend that has become common among moose populations throughout the US.

IDFG is typically more proactive when it comes to addressing wildlife issues in a quick manner than other surrounding states so it will be interesting to see how the next few years play out. All negatives aside, hunters lucky enough to draw an Idaho moose tag for 2019 will still be in for a great hunt.

How to Uncover Hidden Gem Shiras Moose Areas

Even with the big reduction in tags, Idaho still offers a ton of opportunity for moose and hunters will need to do research before selecting a unit to apply for. Keep in mind that most of the best draw odds will be found in units where terrain and vegetation can be extreme and animal densities can be low. These areas can produce some incredible bulls; however, hunting can be very difficult, too. Below, we will break down some of the top moose units in the state based on antler width in 2018.

B&c Entry Trends for Idaho Shiras Moose

Another interesting piece of data to cross-reference with our above hitlist table is historic B&C entry trends for moose in Idaho. Studying these tables can be a great way to find areas that may have historical tendencies to produce mature bulls or even areas that may be trending up in recent years.

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

Idaho has been a long time producer of big bulls and, in 2018 alone, produced four bulls in the record books—two of which went over 170”! You can really see Idaho flexing its muscles when looking at record book entries from all locations.

Managing Expectations

Again, the big talk for 2019 is centered around what's going to happen to the draw odds with the big reduction in tags. The drop in odds will likely hit harder in the northern half of the state in the most affected areas. Obviously, a loss of opportunity will drive demand, but it is also reasonable to expect that a large majority of the applicants in any given unit is largely comprised of those simply putting in for their “backyard” unit.

The small cluster of units found north of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness generally carry the best odds from year to year and may see a small dip this year. The rough country and low harvest success found in these units may make most applicants shy away; however, will still likely be the best bet for nonresidents when it comes to simply pulling a tag.

Find your resident bull moose draw odds here

Find your nonresident bull moose draw odds here

Along with moose and bighorn sheep, hunters also have the opportunity to apply for Rocky Mountain goats in Idaho. 2019 will be a big year of change after just over 40% of the tags were dropped from what was previously offered in 2018. This will undoubtedly drive draw odds down—the severity of which will not be known until after the 2019 draw. Even with such a dark cloud over the fate of Idaho’s mountain goats, there will be at least some tags available and some lucky hunters will be in the mountains this fall.

Current Mountain Goat Herd Condition

As mentioned, the health of the mountain goat as a whole in Idaho is struggling. This same trend can be seen in a few other western states and there has not yet been any rationale as to why. The most generally accepted theories lie within a loss of minerals and nutrient-rich foods found in prime mountain goat habitat coupled with the naturally slow reproduction times for mountain goats. With such a massive reduction in tags for 2019, it will be interesting to monitor the next few years to see if this aggressive move from IDFG plays out.

How to Uncover Hidden Gem Units

With an uncertain draw approaching it’s hard to guess exactly what will happen to the overall draw odds for mountain goats. Most of the mountain goat units found in south-central Idaho are comprised of very rugged terrain and, as such, typically experience the highest draw odds. his will still likely be the case after the 2019 draw.

Another interesting avenue of research can be found within the published data for horn length that is recorded after every season. Scrolling through a breakdown of historical data for horn lengths for any given unit can generally tell hunters one of three things: this unit is getting hot, this unit is regressing or this unit is consistent. Below, we will break down the average horn length by year and unit from 2011-2018.

* Indicates years where no mountain goats were harvested** Horn length data not collected this year*** Hunt did not exist during these years

B&c Entry Trends for Idaho Rocky Mountain Mountain Goat

Idaho is not known for producing goats that meet the B&C minimums for entry though it does offer great opportunities at billies and nannies with horns in the 9” range in nearly every unit. Since 2010, there have been four mountain goats entered into the B&C books from Idaho.

Managing Expectations

As with moose, the biggest question heading into the 2019 draw will be “What’s going to happen to the odds?” With a reduction of just over 40%, this could be a big year in terms of change for applicants in Idaho. As in previous years, the best bet for 2019 is going to be simply picking a unit and going for it. Until 2020, it’s going to be extremely hard to predict where all of the displaced applicants will now put their money.

Find your resident mountain goat draw odds here

Find your nonresident mountain goat draw odds here