Who needs to report?
Hunters who purchased an elk, deer, or pronghorn tag are required to submit a Mandatory Hunter Report – even if a hunter did not hunt or harvest an animal. The report is a quick and easy questionnaire about your hunting season.
Hunters are required to submit a report 10 days after harvest, or if the hunter did not harvest, 10 days after the closing date of their season.
For bear, wolf, lion, or moose, please report your harvest at any Idaho Fish and Game regional office, official checkpoint, or to a conservation officer within 10 days of the date of kill. Reporting unsuccessful hunts for these species is not required at this time.
How to submit a report
Download our Go Outdoors Idaho App directly on your smartphone and submit on the go
Go online at GoOutdoorsIdaho.com
Prefer to speak to a live operator? Available 7 days a week, dial 1-877-268-9365 between the hours of 7 a.m.-10:30 p.m. MST (excludes major holidays). Please have your hunting license number handy.
How reports help big game management
When hunters file their report on time, they provide critical hunt and harvest information to wildlife managers, which in return helps:
- gauge the health of the herds across the state
- assess hunting pressure
- set seasons and rules for the following hunting season
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What questions will be asked?
A. You will be asked if you hunted, the weapon(s) you hunted with, the number of days you hunted, the game management units you hunted in, and if you harvested an animal.
If you harvested an animal, you will be asked additional questions such as the date of harvest, the sex of the animal, the number of antler points on deer or elk or the length of horns on the pronghorn (in inches), and the weapon used.
Q. Do I need to submit multiple hunter reports if I purchased more than one tag?
A. Yes. Reports are needed for each deer, elk, or pronghorn tag purchased. This may result in multiple reports for a single species. For example, if you purchased a general deer and drew an extra controlled deer tag, you would need to provide hunter reports for both tags.
Q. Do I need to submit a report even if I didn't hunt?
A. Yes. Reporting even when you did not hunt or harvest provides critical information for estimating total harvest and hunting effort. Biologists look at harvest and hunter participation when they set seasons and rules. With hunters more likely to report when they are successful, and if report rates are low, harvesting could be over-estimated. Receiving reports from hunters who did not harvest keeps our data and the resulting estimates based on it, unbiased.
Q. Can I file my report at a licensed vendor?
A. No. Submissions of hunter reports should only be sent through Idaho Fish and Game’s app, online, or by dialing 1-877-268-9365 to speak to a live operator.
Q. How can I fix a mistake on a report I’ve already submitted?
A. Dial 1-877-268-9365 to speak to a live operator, before the deadline date to ensure your report information is adjusted. This service is available 7 days a week, between the hours of 7:00 am-10:30 pm MST (excludes major holidays).
Q. What if my season hunt ends on December 31?
A. Once your hunt ends on December 31, you have 10 days after the closing date to submit your report (even if you did not harvest) for it to count towards this season's data analysis.
Q. Can I submit my hunter report after the deadline?
A. Yes, but it will not count toward this season's analysis. The deadline is important to give Idaho Fish and Game time to collect and analyze the data, develop preliminary reports, and provide the information to the Fish and Game Commission when it sets seasons in March.
Q. How is the information used?
A. Hunting days, weapons used, and harvest estimates submitted by you, along with aerial counts and other information, help wildlife managers monitor big game herds by unit. This way managers can understand the quality of the herds, the hunting pressure on those herds, and whether the current harvest is sustainable. Aerial surveys give biologists a first-hand look at herd sizes and the ratios of males and females, adults and young, and they typically occur once every five to six years in each survey area. Still, they can’t fly every area each year, so hunter reports are a critical way to track what’s happening with herds between those flights.
Q. How does reporting benefit me?
A. Better Reporting = Better Data = Better Hunting
When biologists have more data, they can more accurately assess populations and hunter distribution, improving the confidence to maximize hunting opportunities. Alternatively, if there are negative changes to a population, managers are alerted more quickly and can take steps to address issues before they become bigger problems. Without timely and accurate hunting and harvest information, managers must err on the side of caution, which can mean more restrictive hunting opportunities.
Q. Why did Idaho Fish and Game call me?
A. Idaho Fish and Game conducts a telephone survey of randomly selected individuals who failed to report their hunting activity by the season deadline. It is the random nature of the survey that allows Idaho Fish and Game to accurately estimate hunter effort, harvest, and success rates compared to previous years. While reports provided by hunters before the deadline are critical, once the deadline passes, biologists use follow-up calls to verify the accuracy or spot inaccuracies, in order to keep the statistical strength of the harvest estimate. It’s similar to a self-audit to ensure the best data is used for long-term management.
For this reason, you still may be contacted for information in a subsequent hunter survey. If so, Idaho Fish and Game would appreciate you taking the time to participate in this phone survey, and we still encourage you to report on time each hunting season.