IDAHO LAWS & REGULATIONS
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What are the Laws and Regulations for Hunting in Idaho?
Idaho Fish and Game’s mission is to protect, preserve, perpetuate and manage Idaho’s wildlife resources. When hunting seasons begin in Idaho, all hunters must have a valid hunting license along with other required permits depending on the hunted specie and to take a hunter education class if born after January 1, 1975. As a hunter, you must have permission to lawfully hunt on private land. All deer, elk, and pronghorn hunters are to complete a mandatory hunt report 10 days after harvest. It is unlawful to party hunt or fulfill someone else’s tag as well as hunt without a valid hunting license. It is also illegal to shoot across road ways, shoot from a powered on vehicle, and use any aircraft to locate game.
*Visit Idaho Fish & Game Laws and Regulations Guidebook for More Information*
FEATURED ANIMALS
Moose
All successful moose hunters must report their harvest within 10 days of the date of the kill and have a big game mortality report completed. Any hunter killing an antlered moose must present the antlers to a conservation officer or at an Idaho Fish and Game regional office and have a big game mortality report completed within 10 days of the date of the kill. A Moose Tag must be issues in order to legally hunt Moose. Moose tags unfilled after the first drawing are available to any Idaho hunter during a second drawing. Hunters who have previously harvested a bull and/or a cow moose and are not eligible for the first drawing may apply for and receive one of these tags in the second drawing or as a leftover tag if tags are still available.
No person may harvest more than one antlered and one antlerless moose in Idaho during their lifetime, except Super Hunt tag winners and leftover tag holders may harvest moose regardless of any previous harvest of moose in Idaho.
Drawing Odds: To review drawing odds and more detailed information about number of applicants please visit their website at idfg.idaho.gov/CHodds.
- General Seson: Sept. 15 – Dec. 1, 2020
- Archery Season: Oct 15 – Nov 23, 2020
*Seasons differ based on sex and antlers in different zones – Visit Idaho’s Moose Season Guide for specific zones*
Elk
An incredible mixture of elk hunting opportunity is available to the hunter, thanks to Idaho’s diverse habitats and a population of more than 120,000 elk. The Idaho elk hunter can pursue bulls that vanish like ghosts in the sagebrush deserts, chase herds in the lung-busting climbs of the central Idaho mountains, or stalk the thick-timbered ridges of northern Idaho.
The current Idaho strategy is to offer over-the-counter tags that provide annual opportunity for family and friends to hunt together, in combination with mature bull opportunity in controlled hunt areas.
Elk hunting is managed in 28 elk zones with a 2-tag system in most zones – A tag & B tag. In general, ‘A tags’ provide more opportunity for muzzleloader and archery hunters and B tags provide more opportunity for center fire rifle hunters. Hunters may select one zone and choose either an A tag or a B tag.
- General Seson: Sept. 15 – Dec. 1, 2020
- Archery Season: Aug. 1 – Sept. 30
*Seasons differ depending on the different zones – Visit Idaho’s Big Game Season Guide for specific zones*
Big Horn Sheep
Any hunter killing a bighorn sheep ram must present the horns and have a big game mortality report completed at an Idaho Fish and Game regional office within 10 days of the date of the kill. No person may harvest more than one Rocky Mountain and one California bighorn sheep in Idaho during their lifetime. Lottery and Auction tag winners are exempt from the once in a lifetime provision.
Drawing Odds: To review drawing odds and more detailed information about number of applicants please visit our website at idfg.idaho.gov/CHodds.
- General Season: Aug. 30 – Oct. 31, 2020
*Seasons differ depending on the different zones – Visit Idaho’s Big Game Season Guide for specific zones*