Idaho Big Game Draw Odds
Idaho draw odds, unit by unit, year by year.
Random draw — NO preference points. Capped tag pools. IDFG exposes the controlled-hunt odds via the Hunt Planner web UI and a public JSON API that returns per-hunt apps/permits by residency.
Posts
July
Species drawn
8
Latest year
2026
Rows tracked
12,066
By species
8 species drawn in Idaho.
Only species Idaho actually issues limited-entry draw tags for. Species with no draw (general-season, OTC, or not present) aren't listed.
limited-entry
Elk
The single most-applied-for big-game species in the West. Limited-entry rifle units run hard on points; archery and general seasons often draw easier.
limited-entry
Mule deer
Trophy mule deer units are some of the hardest tags to draw in North America. Quality units routinely require double-digit points.
limited-entry
Whitetail deer
Limited Western opportunity — strongest in eastern MT, eastern WY, ID, and parts of WA/OR. Most units are general-season; controlled hunts exist in select districts.
limited-entry
Pronghorn antelope
Wyoming and Montana drive the West antelope draw. Doe/fawn tags often draw with zero points; trophy buck units climb.
once-in-a-lifetime
Bighorn sheep
Once-in-a-lifetime tag in nearly every Western state. Point creep is severe — many units now require 15+ points or are effectively random-draw lotteries.
once-in-a-lifetime
Mountain goat
Once-in-a-lifetime tag in most states. Tag pools tiny — typically single-digit allocations per unit. Hardest big-game tag to draw in much of the West.
once-in-a-lifetime
Moose
Limited to a handful of Western states (WY, ID, MT, UT, CO, WA, AK). Often once-in-a-lifetime. Point creep extreme in lower-48 states.
limited-entry
Black bear
Many states sell over-the-counter; the draw odds story applies to limited-entry spring hunts and quota units. Generally easier draws than ungulates.
Apply smarter. Hunt smarter.
Bield: Hunt logs every sit, ranks your stands by tonight's conditions, and learns your land season over season. Same standard of honesty as this table.