Hunters are starting to get giddy; there are smiles on their faces and a spring in their step. Controlled hunt application season must be approaching fast. The application period for fall controlled hunts begins May 1st and ends on June 5th. Hunters apply during this time for deer, elk, pronghorn, fall black bear, and fall turkey hunts. During this past winter, the department reevaluated the hunting seasons and tags for big game. The IDFG Commission recently approved the changes for this regulation cycle, as well as, deciding to no longer allow mail in controlled hunt applications. Please take some time to review the hunts in your area, as they may have changed. Hunters can access the new big game regulations online here, and the printed copies should be available from local vendors in the next few weeks.
Be ahead of the game! If you wish to avoid the lines and apply online, please read the following. For hunters wishing to apply online, please use the login link below. For those hunters who have logged into our system since March 1st of 2018, you will need your login and password credentials handy. If you have forgotten or misplaced your password, please use the "Forgot Password" button below the green "Login" button. You will be required to input your username. A password reset email will be sent to the email address on record for your profile. If you forgot your username, contact a regional office and we can help. Be prepared to provide some sort of personal identification information just to make sure we are giving you the correct information in return. IDFG personnel can verify usernames and email addresses, but they cannot verify passwords. Getting your login information together early will expedite your application process, and make things run more smoothly at application time. Regional offices get rather busy this time of the year, and may not get back to you immediately.
Important! If you have not yet logged onto our new vendor website since March 1st of last year, click here for instructions on how to create an online login for yourself. Please carefully read these instructions or you might accidently create a duplicate profile for yourself. This will slow your application process down, as you will have to contact a regional office to have this corrected. As a reminder, due to security issues, each hunter is required to have their own profile, including youth family members. If you have any questions during this process, please feel free to contact a regional office. Staff are available Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm, excluding holidays.
Hunters can submit their applications for all fall controlled hunts at any IDFG vendor; calling toll-free 1-800-554-8685; online at https://idfg.huntfishidaho.net/login; or at any IDFG regional office or headquarters. However, the commission decided earlier this year that mailing in controlled hunt applications is no longer an option for applying.
Good luck in the controlled hunt drawing and in the field!