Idaho elk draw odds
Idaho has no preference points, so every year is a fresh random draw. Here is how the 2026 draw went across the state, what it costs to apply, and how often hunters fill their tags.
Idaho elk draw odds at a glance
Out of every 100 first-choice applications, how many got a tag. These are statewide averages across many hunts, so your odds on a specific hunt will differ.
| Opportunity | Who | Got a tag, 2026 | How it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled hunts | Residents | 21% | Limited tags, drawn at random |
| Controlled hunts | Nonresidents | 9.2% | Capped at 10% of tags in most hunts |
| General draw | Nonresidents | 31% | New in 2026; up to five choices |
| General tags | Residents | No draw | Bought over the counter |
Controlled hunts by year
Every adult controlled elk hunt together (private-land-only hunts left out), counting first choices only. The odds count applications, not people.
| Year | Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 24%61,760 applications | 12%8,318 applications |
| 2023 | 23%64,287 applications | 11%8,620 applications |
| 2024 | 22%67,879 applications | 10%9,372 applications |
| 2025 | 23%71,962 applications | 11%10,390 applications |
| 2026 | 21%72,790 applications | 9.2%12,536 applications |
Nonresident applications went up 51% from 2022 to 2026 (8,318 to 12,536), and the share that drew fell from 12% to 9.2%. Residents went from 24% to 21%. Averages hide a lot: some hunts draw nearly everyone who applies, and others draw very few.
The nonresident general elk draw started in 2026. It offered 8,938 tags across 47 zone tags and 31% of the 27,804 first-choice applications drew. Among tags with 100 or more first-choice applications, odds ran from 1.2% to 100%.
How the Idaho draw works
Idaho has no points. Someone who has applied for ten years has the same chance as someone applying for the first time.
Controlled hunts have a limited number of tags, drawn at random and split between residents and nonresidents. Nonresidents can get no more than 10% of the tags in most controlled hunts.
In 2026, controlled hunt applications for deer, elk, pronghorn, black bear and turkey ran May 1 to Jun 5. Moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat have their own earlier window, and you can apply for only one of the three each year. Check Idaho Fish and Game for each year's dates.
Elk opportunities in Idaho
- Controlled hunts. 158 controlled elk hunts ran in 2026, giving 1,156 tags to nonresidents and 15,199 to residents in the main draw. They have limited tags, and it's a pure lottery.
- Nonresident general draw. 8,938 general elk tags in 2026, with up to five choices, so you can rank where you most want to hunt. A general tag means a general season, so expect more company than on a controlled hunt.
- Over the counter for residents. Residents can buy a general elk tag without a draw, so they can hunt every year and still apply for controlled hunts.
- Leftover tags. Nonresident tags left after the first draw go to a second application period, and controlled hunts have run a second round of leftover tags in past years.
- Other species. Idaho also runs controlled draws for pronghorn, black bear, turkey, moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat.
Over-the-counter tags
Idaho sells general tags over the counter to residents. Nonresidents get theirs through a draw now, with a leftover sale after.
- Resident cost. A resident elk tag is $36.75, plus the $15.75 hunting license and $5 access fee.
- Nonresident cost if you draw or buy a leftover. The elk tag is $651.75, plus the $185 hunting license and $10 access fee.
- Controlled hunts are different. Those are drawn for residents and nonresidents alike. They are not over the counter.
Leftover availability depends on how many tags go unclaimed, so there is no guarantee any are left. Check Idaho Fish and Game for the current sale date.
What it costs to apply
You need an Idaho hunting license (with its access fee) before you can apply. You only buy the elk tag if you draw.
2026 Idaho fees. The license and the application fee aren't refunded if you don't draw, so "to apply" is what you've spent if you're not drawn. There are no points to buy. Outfitters, travel and gear cost extra. Fee schedules: nonresident and resident.
Idaho compared with Wyoming and Colorado
The big difference is points. In Colorado and Wyoming, nonresidents build preference points over the years, and a large share of tags go to the people with the most. Idaho has none, so a first-timer faces the same random draw as someone who has applied for ten years. That's great for a newcomer and a poor deal if you want years of applying to count for something. The catch: Idaho nonresident odds have been slipping as more nonresidents apply.
| State | How the draw works | Nonresident elk tag | Also required | Application fee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | Random draw, no points | $651.75 | $185 hunting license + $10 access fee | $18 (controlled hunts) | $864.75 |
| Colorado | Preference points; hybrid points-and-random draw | $845.16 | $104.86 small game license + $12.76 habitat stamp | $11.49 | $974.27 |
| Wyoming | Nonresident draw: most tags by preference points, the rest random | $692 | $21.50 conservation stamp + $75 per preference point (optional) | $15 | $728.50 |
Nonresident prices from each state's own fee schedule. Colorado's elk license includes a fishing license, and Wyoming's regular elk license includes one and is refunded if you don't draw. Totals add the tag, the required license and fees, and the application fee. Wyoming's total leaves out the optional preference point, and smaller stamps may be missing, so use these to compare states, not as a quote.
Other western options: Utah, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico
Utah, Nevada and Arizona use point-based draws, so they reward applying year after year (Arizona also sets aside part of each hunt for the top point holders and draws the rest as a weighted lottery). New Mexico has no points and, like Idaho, is a random draw every year, so it's the closest match if you like Idaho's system.
| State | How the draw works | Nonresident elk tag | Also required | Application fee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utah | Point-based draw | $849 general, $1,950 limited entry | $144 hunting license | $21 | $1,014 |
| New Mexico | Random draw, no points | $773 | $90 game-hunting license | Included in tag price | $863 |
Utah's total is for the general-season permit; limited-entry permits cost more. See our Colorado elk guide, Wyoming elk guide, Utah elk guide, and New Mexico elk guide.
Harvest success: what to expect once you draw
Controlled hunts are harder to draw, but more of the hunters who draw one fill their tag. General seasons are easier to get into and harder to fill. These are Idaho Fish and Game's 2025 statewide numbers for residents and nonresidents together. Success varies a lot by unit, weapon and season, so treat it as a baseline, not a forecast for one hunt. Source: Idaho Fish and Game 2025 Hunter Harvest Report.
FAQs
Quick answers about Idaho elk draw odds.
Does Idaho use preference points for elk?
No. Idaho has no preference or bonus points at all. Controlled hunts and the nonresident general elk draw are pure random draws, so applying for more years doesn't improve your odds.
How are the odds on this page figured?
Each number is how many first-choice applications got a tag in the 2026 main draw, from Idaho Fish and Game's published results. They're averages across many hunts, so they show the overall picture and not your chance on one hunt. They count applications, not people, and leave out second-round leftover draws.
Can a nonresident buy an Idaho elk tag over the counter?
Not as a first step anymore. Since 2026, nonresident general deer and elk tags are handed out by random draw. Any tag left unsold or unclaimed afterward goes on sale to any nonresident, one per hunter, first come, first served. Residents can still buy general elk tags over the counter.
Why do resident and nonresident odds differ so much?
Idaho limits nonresidents to no more than 10% of the tags in controlled hunts (some hunts, like outfitter-allocated ones, are exempt), and far more residents apply. In 2026, 21% of resident first-choice elk applications drew, compared with 9.2% for nonresidents.
Sources: draw results through the 2026 draw (IDFG controlled hunt results, hunt statistics), harvest for 2025, fees for 2026. The odds count applications, not people, and leave out youth and private-land-only hunts. Hunting guides for each unit are on the Idaho elk hub.