What the New Idaho 2026 Nonresident Tag Draw Means for Nonresidents and Disabled American Veteran (DAV) Hunters
- Justin Campbell
- Nov 29
- 4 min read
By Justin “MrJayCam” Campbell | Equalized Outdoors Newsroom
Idaho is entering a significant new era for nonresident big-game hunting. Beginning with the 2026 season, the state is replacing its long-standing first-come, first-served nonresident deer and elk tag sale with a structured drawing system. The December queue-based scramble — known for website instability, random line assignments, and hidden in-person inventory reduction — is ending.
This move brings Idaho closer to the systems used across the West, but with unique elements that significantly impact both nonresident hunters and Disabled American Veteran (DAV) hunters.
This article breaks down how the new draw works, outlines the costs, explains what DAV hunters need to know, provides information on where to find zone details, and addresses concerns some hunters are raising in response.
Why Idaho Made the Change
Randomness Built Into the Old Queue System
Under the previous structure, hunters logged in before the sale and entered a virtual waiting room. When the sale opened, everyone inside was assigned a random number. Login time did not help. Internet speed did not help. The system was essentially a lottery disguised as a first-come, first-served process.
In-Person Purchases Complicated Online Availability
Nonresidents near Idaho — or those with friends in the state — could purchase tags in person at license vendors. Those tags came from the same quota as online tags, but online inventory often failed to update in real-time. Many hunters saw tags listed as available that had already been taken.
IDFG’s Stated Goals for the New System
According to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the new draw is designed to improve:
Fairness by eliminating geography-based advantages
Transparency by removing hidden offline inventory loss
Reliability is achieved by eliminating queue randomness and system crashes
Planning by giving hunters results early in the application season
The draw replaces a chaotic system with one that is scheduled, defined, and strategically sound.
How the New Idaho 2026 Nonresident Tag Draw Will Work
Application Window: December 5–15, 2025
Nonresidents will submit applications during this defined 11-day window.
Draw Results Released in Early January
While the old system notified hunters in December whether they had secured a tag, the new draw releases results earlier than most other Western states, allowing hunters to plan the rest of their application season (Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah all release results later).
Zone and Unit Choices
Hunters select:
One Elk Zone (for elk)
One Game Management Unit (GMU) (for deer)
Alternates, where available
No Preference or Bonus Points
Idaho continues to operate without preference or bonus points. Every applicant has equal odds each year.
Secondary Draw for Leftover Tags
Any tags not claimed in the first drawing will be issued in a second draw, rather than through a first-come, first-served leftover sale.
Costs Under the New System
Both standard nonresidents and DAV nonresidents must purchase a nonrefundable hunting license, which includes a 3-day fishing privilege. (Assuming an archery permit is required.)
Standard Nonresident (Adult) Costs
Nonresident Hunting License: $185.00
Deer Tag: $351.75
Elk Tag: $651.75
Archery Permit: $81.75
Total Cost (Deer): $618.50Total Cost (Elk): $918.50
Nonresident Disabled American Veteran (DAV) Costs
DAV Hunting License + 3-day fishing: $31.75
Deer Tag – DAV: $23.75
Elk Tag – DAV: $39.75
Archery Permit – DAV: $5.75
Total Cost (Deer): $61.25Total Cost (Elk): $77.25
These totals highlight the substantial access benefit Idaho provides to DAV hunters.
Nonresident DAV Tag Avaibility
These tags are very limited but are separate from the new nonresident draw. It provides non-resident DAV hunters with an unique oppurtunity to pursue big game for a fraction of the cost.
DAV Tag Availability
500 DAV deer tags (valid statewide)
300 DAV elk tags (valid only in the selected zone)
Once these 800 DAV tags are sold, eligible hunters may still purchase general nonresident tags at full price if available.
Where to Find Zones, Maps, and Tag Information
2026 Big Game Supplemental Proclamation (Official PDF)
Includes nonresident tag quotas, zone charts, elk zone maps, deer GMUs, and DAV allocations:https://idfg.idaho.gov/sites/default/files/seasons-rules-big-game-supplemental-proclamation-2026-2.pdf
IDFG Hunt Planner & Map Center
Interactive maps showing elk zones, GMUs, land ownership, and access:https://idfg.idaho.gov/ifwis/huntplanner/mapcenter
Nonresident Quotas & Allocations Page
Current tag quotas and zone-specific availability:https://idfg.idaho.gov/licenses/tag/quotas/nonresident
These tools allow hunters to review boundaries, quotas, access issues, and historical tag demand.
Reasons for Pushback and Points of Contention
The new system has caused frustration among some hunters. The most common concerns include:
Mandatory, Nonrefundable $185 License Requirement
Nonresidents must buy this license just to apply.If they do not draw, the money is not refunded — the single biggest point of friction.
Loss of the First-Come, First-Served Attempt
Some hunters preferred being able to participate in real time, even if the chances were low.A lottery model removes that direct involvement or the essential guarantee that those who were able to purchase in person at a local vendor enjoyed.
No Preference or Bonus Points
Equal odds every year means no ability to improve draw chances over time.Hunters from preference-point states often view this as a disadvantage.
Uncertainty About Competition and Draw Odds
Because this is a brand-new system, hunters do not yet know:
Which zones will be most competitive
Whether success rates will be higher or lower than before
Whether the financial risk is justified
The combination of cost and unknown odds has created unease for some.
Why This System Is Still a Net Positive for Many Hunters
Despite criticism, the new draw solves longstanding issues:
Eliminates waiting room randomness
Removes offline in-person purchases from interfering with online supply
Provides a consistent application window
Gives hunters results earlier than most Western states
Dramatically improves DAV access and affordability
Makes planning long-distance hunts significantly easier
Idaho also remains one of the only Western states without a point system, maintaining equal odds for all hunters.
Bottom Line
Idaho’s move to a structured nonresident draw represents a major modernization of the state’s big-game tag allocation system.It increases fairness, clarifies the rules, improves access for Disabled American Veterans, and gives nonresidents earlier results during a crowded Western application season.
Change always brings questions, but this shift provides a far more consistent, transparent, and strategically useful system than Idaho has ever had before.
Equalized Outdoors will continue covering updates from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game as the Idaho 2026 nonresident tag draw approaches.