Can Nonresidents Apply for the Idaho Super Hunt?

Yes. Nonresidents can enter Idaho's Super Hunt drawings, and they compete for the same Super Hunt opportunities as residents.

No Idaho hunting license is required simply to purchase a Super Hunt entry, and Idaho Fish and Game places no limit on the number of entries an individual can buy.

The Super Hunt is available for four big-game species:

• Deer
• Elk
• Pronghorn
• Moose

Idaho also offers a Super Hunt Combo, which gives one winner in each drawing the opportunity to hunt all four species.

Super Hunt is separate from Idaho's standard controlled-hunt system and does not involve preference or bonus points.

How the Idaho Super Hunt Works

Idaho's Super Hunt is a special drawing administered by Idaho Fish and Game.

Unlike a normal controlled-hunt application, you do not select a specific hunt code, unit, weapon or season when purchasing a Super Hunt entry.

Instead, you purchase an entry for a species.

For example, you can enter for:

Elk

Deer

Pronghorn

Moose

or the:

Four-Species Super Hunt Combo

If you win, your Super Hunt tag allows you to participate in any open general or controlled hunt in Idaho for the species drawn.

All other rules for the individual hunt still apply.

Can Nonresidents Enter?

Yes.

Idaho Fish and Game specifically states that no hunting license is required to enter a Super Hunt drawing for either residents or nonresidents.

That makes Super Hunt especially attractive to hunters who don't already have an Idaho license or another Idaho hunt planned.

A hunter living in Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania or anywhere else can purchase Super Hunt entries without first buying an Idaho nonresident hunting license.

How Much Do Super Hunt Entries Cost?

Under Idaho Fish and Game's current rules:

Deer: $6 per entry
Elk: $6 per entry
Pronghorn: $6 per entry
Moose: $6 per entry
Four-Species Combo: $20 per entry

Additional processing fees may apply for online or telephone transactions.

There is no limit on the number of entries you can purchase.

So if you wanted additional chances in the elk drawing, you could purchase multiple $6 elk entries.

The same applies to deer, pronghorn, moose and the Combo.

Is There a Limit on Super Hunt Entries?

No.

Idaho Fish and Game explicitly states that there is no limit to the number of entries purchased per individual.

That means the previous claim that hunters can purchase a maximum of 12 entries is incorrect.

Every entry gives you another chance in that particular species drawing.

Buying more entries increases your mathematical probability of winning, but the odds can still be extremely long.

What Species Are Included?

Idaho Super Hunt includes:

• Deer
• Elk
• Pronghorn
• Moose

It does not include:

• Bighorn sheep
• Mountain goat
• Black bear
• Mountain lion
• Turkey

Idaho's own regulations describe Super Hunt as an opportunity to pursue elk, deer, pronghorn or moose, with the Combo winner able to hunt all four species.

How Many Super Hunt Tags Are Awarded?

Idaho currently awards 34 Super Hunt opportunities each year through two drawings.

First Drawing

The first drawing awards:

• 8 deer tags
• 8 elk tags
• 8 pronghorn tags
• 1 moose tag
• 1 four-species Combo

Second Drawing

The second drawing awards:

• 2 deer tags
• 2 elk tags
• 2 pronghorn tags
• 1 moose tag
• 1 four-species Combo

That totals 34 winners/opportunities across the two drawings.

What Are the Super Hunt Deadlines?

Under Idaho's current structure:

First Drawing

Entries must be received by:

May 31

Winning entries are drawn in June.

Second Drawing

Entries must be received by:

August 10

Winning entries are drawn in August.

Hunters planning for 2027 should confirm the official dates when Idaho Fish and Game releases the applicable regulations.

Do not assume the schedule will remain unchanged.

What Can You Hunt If You Win?

This is what makes Super Hunt so valuable.

A winner can hunt any open general or controlled hunt in Idaho for the species drawn.

For example, an Elk Super Hunt winner isn't locked into a single Unit 39 hunt or one controlled-hunt number.

Instead, the winner can evaluate Idaho's open elk opportunities and decide which hunt best fits their goals.

That might include comparing:

• Season dates
• Weapon types
• Trophy potential
• Public-land access
• Terrain
• Historical success
• Hunting pressure
• Travel logistics

The same basic concept applies to deer, pronghorn and moose winners.

Does a Super Hunt Tag Give You Private-Land Access?

No.

A Super Hunt tag gives the hunter exceptional flexibility in choosing an open hunt, but it does not automatically grant permission to hunt private property.

If the area you want to hunt contains private land, you still need appropriate landowner permission unless another access program applies.

Idaho does use money from Super Hunt entries to support access programs that help provide hunting access to or across private land, but winning the drawing itself isn't blanket private-land authorization.

Idaho Super Hunt Draw Odds

Super Hunt odds are based on the total number of entries competing for the available tags.

For example, Idaho's 2026 first drawing had:

SpeciesEntriesTagsApprox. odds per entryPronghorn11,77881 in 1,472Elk21,03081 in 2,629Deer51,17381 in 6,397Moose25,98611 in 25,986Combo13,50911 in 13,509

Those figures come directly from Idaho Fish and Game's published Super Hunt statistics.

Odds change every year depending on how many entries hunters purchase.

Do Nonresidents Have Worse Super Hunt Odds?

There isn't a separate nonresident quota stated for Super Hunt like the quotas that apply to many standard Idaho controlled hunts.

Residents and nonresidents are both eligible to purchase entries.

Your chance in the Super Hunt is therefore driven primarily by:

Your number of entries versus the total number of entries in the species drawing.

That's different from Idaho's ordinary controlled-hunt process, where residency rules can affect tag allocation.

Idaho Super Hunt vs. Regular Controlled Hunts

The two systems should not be confused.

Idaho Controlled Hunts

Standard controlled hunts:

• Require hunters to apply for specific hunts
• Have limited tag quotas
• Use a random drawing
• Can have resident/nonresident allocation restrictions
• Do not use preference points
• Do not use bonus points

Idaho Fish and Game has long described its controlled-hunt system as a random draw in which eligible applications are randomly selected.

Idaho Super Hunt

Super Hunt:

• Is a separate drawing
• Uses species-level entries
• Allows unlimited entries
• Requires no hunting license merely to enter
• Is open to residents and nonresidents
• Gives winners access to any open general or controlled hunt for that species
• Does not use preference or bonus points

You can participate in both systems during the same year.

Can You Hold a Super Hunt Tag and Another Idaho Tag?

Yes.

Idaho Fish and Game states that Super Hunt tags are in addition to general or controlled-hunt tags a hunter has applied for or already holds.

That means purchasing Super Hunt entries doesn't interfere with your normal Idaho application strategy.

A hunter could apply for a standard controlled elk hunt while also purchasing Elk Super Hunt entries.

Does Idaho Use Preference Points?

No.

Idaho's standard controlled-hunt drawing is random.

You don't accumulate preference points after unsuccessful applications, and you don't need to wait five or ten years to become competitive simply because other hunters have accumulated more points.

Idaho Fish and Game's own bonus-point analysis explicitly contrasts Idaho's random drawing with point-based systems used elsewhere.

A highly desirable controlled hunt can still have very low odds, but that's caused by applicant demand relative to available tags—not point requirements.

Super Hunt Application Strategy

Because there are no points, the basic strategy is straightforward.

First, decide what species you would genuinely hunt if selected.

Then consider the historical number of entries relative to the number of available tags.

For example, 2026 first-drawing odds were considerably better for pronghorn than for deer or moose.

Hunters can also purchase multiple entries because Idaho imposes no entry limit.

But don't treat buying more entries as a guarantee.

If a drawing has tens of thousands of entries, even purchasing several entries can leave you with very long odds.

Super Hunt is best treated as an additional opportunity alongside your primary Western application strategy.

Using TAGZ for Idaho Hunt Planning

TAGZ can help hunters evaluate Idaho's normal controlled and general hunting opportunities while deciding where a Super Hunt tag could be most valuable.

If you win, rather than being assigned a specific Super Hunt unit, you can research open hunts and compare:

• Units
• Terrain
• Draw information
• Season dates
• Weapon types
• Access
• Historical hunting data

That makes the planning phase just as important as entering the drawing.

FAQ — Idaho Super Hunt for Nonresidents

Can nonresidents enter Idaho Super Hunt?

Yes. Idaho Super Hunt is open to residents and nonresidents.

Do nonresidents need an Idaho hunting license to enter?

No. Idaho Fish and Game states that no license is required merely to purchase a Super Hunt entry.

How much is an Idaho Super Hunt entry?

Individual deer, elk, pronghorn and moose entries currently cost $6. The four-species Combo costs $20.

Can I buy more than one entry?

Yes. There is currently no limit on the number of entries a hunter can purchase.

Can I enter for bighorn sheep or mountain goat?

No. Idaho Super Hunt covers deer, elk, pronghorn and moose.

Do I select a hunt code when entering?

No. You enter the drawing for a species rather than an individual controlled-hunt code.

Can I hunt any unit if I win?

You may participate in any open general or controlled hunt for the species drawn, subject to the rules governing that hunt.

Does Super Hunt use preference points?

No.

Does Idaho's normal controlled-hunt drawing use preference points?

No. Idaho uses a random controlled-hunt drawing.

When are Super Hunt entries due?

Under the current structure, May 31 for the first drawing and August 10 for the second. Hunters should verify official 2027 dates when published.

Continue Planning Your Hunt

Idaho Super Hunt gives residents and nonresidents an inexpensive chance at one of the state's most flexible hunting opportunities.

The odds can be long, but you don't need years of points, and you aren't restricted to selecting one unit before entering.

Use TAGZ to research Idaho units, compare hunting opportunities and evaluate where you would want to hunt if your Super Hunt entry gets drawn.

For more Western draw strategy and Idaho hunting information, visit TAGZ Insights.