New year, time for a new fishing/hunting license, and you have lots of options

The new year is here, so it’s time to get a 2024 hunting and/or fishing license. Not only do you get a full year of hunting and fishing, you also help fund protecting, preserving and perpetuating all of Idaho’s fish and wildlife. 

Licenses, permits and tags can be purchased online at GoOutdoorsIdaho.com, through the Idaho Fish and Game mobile apps for IOS and Android, or by phone at (800) 554-8685. They can also be bought in person at license vendor locations, or Fish and Game regional offices during normal business hours. 

Throughout the year, Fish and Game staff stocks millions of fish in hundreds of waters, provides public access to millions of acres of hunting lands and provides additional public access at hundreds of boating and fishing access areas. Fish and Game also owns or manages hundreds of thousands of acres of prime wildlife habitat, most of which is open to the public. 

Much of the money for all those things comes from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, tags and permits. 

Buying a hunting, fishing or combo license is old news and probably a pretty a routine annual occurrence for most Idahoans, but here are some cool options you may not be aware of. 

Download the mobile app

You can download the Go Outdoors Idaho mobile app and buy licenses, tags and permits through your phone, and you can have digital licenses and permits stored there. For example, you can store your fishing license and two-pole permit on your phone. You can also access sunrise/sunset times, submit your Mandatory Hunter Report, access rules and regulations, and more.

Buy a ‘hard card’

If you like a physical license, you can also get a durable and attractive “hard card” for $6 that’s the same size and shape as a credit card, and it has all your license and permit information on it. 

Buy a three-year license and get “Price Locked” 

Price Lock started in a 2017 as a way to reward regular hunting and fishing license buyers who continue to buy every year. As long as they buy a license each year, they get a discount, or more accurately, do not pay higher prices when there’s a fee increase. 

People who buy a resident three-year hunting, fishing or combo licenses also get “Price Locked,” and they will continue to pay the 2017 prices, and won't pay higher prices if there is a fee increase. 

Sign up for autorenew

This is a simple way to ensure you always have a valid hunting/fishing or combo license. If you sign-up for Auto-Renew, your licenses will be automatically renewed for the next year each December. You will be notified via email that your credit card on file is about to be charged, and you can cancel at that time if you don’t wish to continue, or at any other time. 

Get it all (almost) with a Sportsman's Package

If you’re someone who likes to have their hunting/fishing bases covered, then the resident Sportsman’s Package option is the way to go. At only $124.25 for Price Locked customers — or $144.60 if you’re not — you get nearly all the hunting and fishing opportunities Idaho has to offer, which includes a resident adult hunting and fishing license along with tags for deer, elk, bear, mountain lion, wolf, turkey, salmon and steelhead. Archery and muzzleloader validations are also included (but you still need archery education certification).  

While you’re at it, consider buying Super Hunt entries

Idaho’s Super Hunt tags allow 34 lucky hunters each year to win this special opportunity to hunt deer, elk, pronghorn and moose in any hunt – general or controlled – for that species, as well as a Super Hunt Combo that includes all four species.

Super Hunt entries are available all year with tag drawings taking place on May 31 and Aug. 10. You can buy as many entries as you want, and residents and nonresidents pay the same prices.