Idaho controlled hunt draw results, 2026
Idaho Fish and Game's 2026 first drawing had 532 controlled hunts for elk, deer, pronghorn, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat and black bear: 44,674 tags, and 226,972 hunters who listed one of them as their first choice. Idaho uses no points, so every applicant has the same chance each year. Pick a species for every hunt's numbers.
Data updated October 2026. IDFG's 2026 controlled hunt drawing results, every species.
| Species | Hunts | Tags | First-choice applicants | Residents who drew | Nonresidents who drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk | 182 | 20,072 | 88,101 | 16,414 of 75,348 (22%) | 1,203 of 12,753 (9%) |
| Deer | 147 | 17,832 | 79,747 | 15,142 of 68,307 (22%) | 1,242 of 11,440 (11%) |
| Pronghorn | 54 | 5,729 | 40,893 | 5,289 of 36,742 (14%) | 407 of 4,151 (10%) |
| Moose | 94 | 513 | 8,630 | 462 of 6,931 (7%) | 51 of 1,699 (3%) |
| Bighorn Sheep | 30 | 98 | 4,400 | 89 of 2,065 (4%) | 9 of 2,335 (0%) |
| Mountain Goat | 19 | 40 | 1,163 | 36 of 885 (4%) | 4 of 278 (1%) |
| Black Bear | 6 | 390 | 4,038 | 369 of 3,573 (10%) | 21 of 465 (5%) |
First drawing, first choices only. Bighorn sheep combines IDFG's California and Rocky Mountain bighorn drawings. Source: IDFG drawing odds.
How Idaho's controlled hunt drawing works
- No points. A random number for each application; first choices first, then second choices.
- Two choices. A first choice and an optional second choice, by four-digit hunt number. Up to four hunters may apply together for deer, elk or pronghorn, two for bear, moose, sheep or goat.
- A license first. Residents and nonresidents need a valid Idaho hunting license to apply. Fees and dates are on Idaho deadlines and fees.
- Second drawing. Tags not drawn or not bought by August 1 go into a second drawing in August (June for moose, sheep and goat).
Questions hunters ask
Does Idaho have preference points?
No. IDFG does not use any point system. Every application gets a random number; tags go to first choices in that order, then to second choices. Your chance is the same every year you apply.
When does Idaho's controlled hunt drawing happen?
In 2026, deer, elk, pronghorn and fall black bear applications ran May 1 to June 5 and results were posted June 17; moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat applications ran April 1 to 30 and results were posted May 11. A second drawing in August offers tags left over (IDFG).
How many controlled hunt tags can go to nonresidents in Idaho?
In a hunt with 19 or fewer tags, no more than one tag may go to a nonresident; in a hunt with more than 19 tags (other than unlimited hunts), no more than 10 percent (IDFG big game brochure, page 109). The limit does not apply in the second drawing.
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