Idaho elk: the NR draw

[The10%]

I've hunted every western state, many multiple times and I have never seen hunting pressure like I saw in that unit when I hunted it with my son. Only reason I did was I had moved to W WY and was not a WY res yet. Never again! I think many guys get caught up in the number of elk that are in a zone and don't realize that some of the best hunting in the West can be in units with not that many elk, but also not that many hunters

Yeah the fun of elk hunting is kinda taken out of it, when they're so pressured they don't talk. Wish I was a WY resident, I wouldn't hunt ID ever again! Maybe some day

 

[PredatoronthePrairie]

Anyone else not seeing the apply for draw option?

Edit. Found it under, submit app, controlled hunt app

 

[oldhornhunter]

As an Idaho resident for over 40 years I would NOT waste my $$ if I was a NR in Idaho.. Idaho Fish & NO Game have ruined this state, they have not changed quotas or reduced seasons in any of their SO called Trophy units in 25 + years !! With the winter die offs .. the massive predator issue statewide & over harvesting animals in 95% of the units. Idaho only wants your $$ !! In the areas I hunt or have spent many days & miles in trapping looking for sheds or scouting over the past 30 years .The common factor is lack of game, in the same areas that 10 years ago we would see 200+ deer a day 2 to 300 head of elk daily. Now we are lucky to see animals at all, I talked to 8 out of state hunters this year & Not one of those guys had seen any of the target animals they were after !! Two of these guys were in a unit they had drawn 7 years ago for elk & both had taken a bull. This was during archery season in a highly sought after Rifle draw unit. The only animals they had seen were on private with Zero chance to get permission.. Talked to 2 guys that had drawn this same units late bull tags they were there for the entire season, I ran into them the 2nd to last day of their hunt. They had covered probably 65% of the unit & had Not seen a single elk. These guys all said the same thing F--K Idaho they were Not coming back

 

[ReaptheHeat]

It’s under “apply for draw”. You may have to purchase your license first? I’m not sure


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Where is that? I already purchased a license so I'm a little confused. I've poked around for over 30 minutes so figured it would be obvious. There might be something wrong with my portal.

 

[Ross]

All of these elk sheds are from the diamond creek zone. It is literally running with 300 6 ptssilly to not apply as option 1

 

[deserthunter2016]

Where is that? I already purchased a license so I'm a little confused. I've poked around for over 30 minutes so figured it would be obvious. There might be something wrong with my portal.

View attachment 979244

I found it under “submit an application” on the Home Screen once you log in. Then it pops up a prompt for you to enter the hunt codes.


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[DoubleA]

Also having trouble finding where to apply. Clicking Submit an Application brings up a Controlled Hunt app pop-up with only first and second options...

 

[ReaptheHeat]

I found it under “submit an application” on the Home Screen once you log in. Then it pops up a prompt for you to enter the hunt codes.


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I give up. Thanks for the help I'll just call them in a bit.

 

[IdahoBeav]

Where is that? I already purchased a license so I'm a little confused. I've poked around for over 30 minutes so figured it would be obvious. There might be something wrong with my portal.

View attachment 979244

Did you buy a 2026 license?

 

[deserthunter2016]

View attachment 979249

I give up. Thanks for the help I'll just call them in a bit.

When I did it only had 1st and 2nd choice, after I put in my second choice more boxes popped up. I also didn’t it fairly early this morning.

But with their history the system probably crashed.


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[IdahoBeav]

All of these elk sheds are from the diamond creek zone. It is literally running with 300 6 ptssilly to not apply as option 1

Nah, you'll be able to get that on a 2nd choice, Do Sawtooth #1.

 

[ReaptheHeat]

Did you buy a 2026 license?

Yes

Edit: figured it out.

 

[IdahoBeav]

When I did it only had 1st and 2nd choice, after I put in my second choice more boxes popped up. I also didn’t it fairly early this morning.

But with their history the system probably crashed.


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That controlled hunt button and the two boxes are on the website year round. It works as an application period is open. It's a dummy button when no periods are open or available to the hunter. I'm kinda thinking that if you have a 2025 license, it won't accept the new NR codes and won't open boxes for choices 3-5.

 

[HunterGatherer]

As an Idaho resident for over 40 years I would NOT waste my $$ if I was a NR in Idaho.. Idaho Fish & NO Game have ruined this state, they have not changed quotas or reduced seasons in any of their SO called Trophy units in 25 + years !! With the winter die offs .. the massive predator issue statewide & over harvesting animals in 95% of the units. Idaho only wants your $$ !! In the areas I hunt or have spent many days & miles in trapping looking for sheds or scouting over the past 30 years .The common factor is lack of game, in the same areas that 10 years ago we would see 200+ deer a day 2 to 300 head of elk daily. Now we are lucky to see animals at all, I talked to 8 out of state hunters this year & Not one of those guys had seen any of the target animals they were after !! Two of these guys were in a unit they had drawn 7 years ago for elk & both had taken a bull. This was during archery season in a highly sought after Rifle draw unit. The only animals they had seen were on private with Zero chance to get permission.. Talked to 2 guys that had drawn this same units late bull tags they were there for the entire season, I ran into them the 2nd to last day of their hunt. They had covered probably 65% of the unit & had Not seen a single elk. These guys all said the same thing F--K Idaho they were Not coming back

Yep, there’s no elk in Idaho

 

[WRO]

Hunt partner talked me into applying this coming year for a species other than Elk. Told him it's a 1 off, no way in heck I'm paying $200 non refundable for crap odds and no points more than once. As you mentioned, points will be coming for NR once the masses figure out $200/year gets them nothing.

Nevada has entered the chat..

Not to mention the yearly 5k loan to New Mexico..


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[MuleyFever]

At least ID isn't charging app fees on top of the license.

 

[HunterGatherer]

FTR, Nearly all western states require a license purchase to apply for tags. Points are nearly worthless now in the states that have a points systems so I don’t see any substantial difference between Idaho and everyone else.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Nevada has entered the chat..

Not to mention the yearly 5k loan to New Mexico..


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NV you can apply dirt cheap, you just can't apply and build points dirt cheap. NM is one of the cheapest states to apply.

 

[Fullfan]

At least ID isn't charging app fees on top of the license.

LOL, that topic was brought up during the nonresident tag committee meetings. It has been waived for the first year. Next year look for a 50.00 application fee to be included.

 

[WRO]

NV you can apply dirt cheap, you just can't apply and build points dirt cheap. NM is one of the cheapest states to apply.

I disagree, you’re a. 155.00 for a license to start plus all of the other fees, its not much different and having a pile of NV points and no hope to draw any time soon.

NM is the carrying costs of putting up 10K plus a year. I dropped WY because i refuse to loan the government money for that long.