Big game hunters who were successful in drawing controlled hunt tags for deer, elk, pronghorn, and black bear have until midnight Mountain Daylight Time, Monday, August 1 to buy their tags.
It is the individual applicant's responsibility to check online at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/CH, or watch for a post card to see if they were drawn for a tag. Unsuccessful applicants will not be notified.
Tags may be purchased at any Fish and Game office, any license vendor, by telephone at (800-554-8685), or online from Fish and Game’s website.
“Every year we have people contact us after the deadline,” said Michael Pearson, Fish and Game administration bureau chief. “Please call your hunting partners, family and friends to remind them to buy their controlled hunt tags so they can enjoy the benefits of drawing those tags.”
Last year, Idaho elk hunters with controlled-hunt tags were more than twice as likely to harvest as general-season elk hunters (45.6 percent vs. 21.7 percent). Deer hunters weren’t far off with 60 percent of those who drew a controlled hunt harvesting a deer vs. 43 percent success for general-season hunters.
Any controlled hunt tag not purchased by midnight (MDT) Monday, August 1, except unlimited tags, will be forfeited and made available in a second drawing.
A change this year combines all unsold tags, including controlled hunts that start in early August, into a single, second drawing. In the past, Fish and Game made the tags for early season controlled hunts available first-come, first-served in early August. Some August controlled hunts will already be in progress when the second drawing occurs, but there will be plenty of hunting time available for most of those hunts.
Between August 2 and August 4, Fish and Game will compile a list of all unsold and forfeited tags that will be available in the second drawing. The application period for this second drawing runs from August 5 to 15, with the drawing to be held around August 23. Any tags not drawn will go on sale first-come, first-served August 25 at 10 a.m. Mountain Time.