Can You Hunt Controlled Units With an Idaho Super Hunt Tag?

Yes. If you win an Idaho Super Hunt tag, you can hunt any open general or controlled hunt in Idaho for the species you draw.

That's the core appeal of Idaho's Super Hunt. Instead of being restricted to one specific controlled hunt, a winner can choose among open hunts throughout the state for deer, elk, pronghorn, or moose. However, all other rules of the individual hunt still apply.

That flexibility makes Super Hunt one of Idaho's most unique big-game opportunities.

How Idaho Super Hunt Tags Work

Idaho Fish and Game operates Super Hunt separately from the state's regular controlled-hunt drawings.

Hunters purchase entries, and there are no preference or bonus points involved. Previous unsuccessful Super Hunt entries don't give you priority in a future drawing.

There are two ways to enter:

Species-specific Super Hunt: Enter separately for deer, elk, pronghorn, or moose.
Super Hunt Combo: Enter a separate drawing for the opportunity to hunt all four species—deer, elk, pronghorn, and moose—in the same season.

For 2026, individual Super Hunt entries cost $6 each, while Super Hunt Combo entries cost $20 each. No hunting license is required simply to enter, and Idaho places no limit on the number of entries an individual can purchase.

Where Are Idaho Super Hunt Tags Valid?

Super Hunt winners can hunt their species in any open general or controlled hunt in Idaho.

That includes opportunities that would normally require a hunter to successfully draw a controlled-hunt permit.

However, "any open hunt" does not mean the tag eliminates every other regulation.

Idaho Fish and Game states that:

All other rules of individual hunts apply.

That means you still need to pay attention to:

Hunt dates
Weapon restrictions
Hunt boundaries
Legal methods of take
Access restrictions
Species-specific regulations

A Super Hunt tag gives you extraordinary flexibility, but it doesn't create one continuous statewide any-weapon season.

Can You Hunt Multiple Units?

The major advantage of Super Hunt is that you aren't locked into one controlled-hunt area.

A winner can evaluate different open hunts across Idaho and choose opportunities based on current conditions.

For example, an elk Super Hunt winner could potentially participate in an open archery hunt and later consider another open elk hunt elsewhere if the tag remains unfilled.

But the hunter must follow the dates, boundaries, and weapon requirements of whichever individual hunt they're participating in.

That's a more accurate way to describe the tag than calling it an unrestricted statewide permit.

Can You Hunt Idaho's Best Controlled Hunts?

If the controlled hunt is open and valid for your Super Hunt species, yes.

This is one of the biggest advantages of winning.

A normal controlled-hunt applicant has to draw the specific hunt.

A Super Hunt winner isn't restricted to the one controlled hunt they applied for because they didn't win a normal hunt-specific permit—they won the broader Super Hunt opportunity.

Idaho Fish and Game specifically states that winners may participate in any open hunt for the species drawn, including controlled hunts.

Idaho Does Not Use Preference Points

This is an important correction.

Idaho's controlled-hunt system does not use a traditional preference-point system for deer, elk, pronghorn, or moose.

So don't describe Super Hunt as allowing hunters to bypass "years of Idaho preference points" or "point creep."

There aren't Idaho preference points to bypass.

Super Hunt instead provides another independent opportunity to gain access to highly desirable hunts without having to draw that specific controlled hunt through the regular drawing.

Super Hunt vs. Controlled Hunts

The distinction is relatively simple.

Regular controlled hunt: You apply for a specific controlled hunting opportunity. If successful, your permit is tied to that hunt's area, dates, and regulations.

Super Hunt: You win the ability to participate in any open general or controlled hunt for the species you drew, while still following the rules of the individual hunt.

Super Hunt doesn't use points, and unsuccessful entries don't build future priority.

Residents vs. Nonresidents

Both residents and nonresidents can enter Idaho Super Hunt.

No hunting license is required simply to purchase an entry, and the individual entry price is the same $6.

That's particularly important for nonresidents.

You don't have to purchase an Idaho nonresident hunting license just to put your name into the Super Hunt drawing.

How Many Super Hunt Tags Are Available?

Idaho holds two Super Hunt drawings each year.

The first drawing awards:

8 deer
8 elk
8 pronghorn
1 moose
1 Super Hunt Combo

The second drawing awards:

2 deer
2 elk
2 pronghorn
1 moose
1 Super Hunt Combo

That means 34 hunters receive Super Hunt opportunities annually, with the two Combo winners each receiving opportunities for all four species.

Idaho Super Hunt Deadlines

There are two entry deadlines.

First Drawing

May 31

The first drawing takes place in June.

Second Drawing

August 10

The second drawing takes place in August.

Entries purchased for the first drawing don't carry forward into the second drawing.

So there is no single April-through-August application period ending August 31.

How Many Entries Can You Buy?

There is no limit.

You can purchase multiple species-specific entries and multiple Combo entries.

Each additional entry gives you another chance in that drawing.

But more entries don't create preference or priority in future years.

Once that drawing is over, those entries are finished.

How the Super Hunt Combo Works

The Combo is important to explain correctly.

A $20 Super Hunt Combo entry doesn't simply place one entry into four independent species drawings.

The Combo has its own drawing pool.

One Combo winner is selected in the first drawing and another in the second.

Each winner receives the opportunity to hunt all four Super Hunt species:

Deer + elk + pronghorn + moose.

That's why the Combo is such an exceptional prize.

What Happens If You Already Have Another Idaho Tag?

Super Hunt tags are considered additional tags.

They don't automatically replace a general or controlled-hunt tag you already hold.

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

That gives a winner even more flexibility.

Hunters still need to follow all applicable harvest, tagging, and hunt regulations.

How Good Are Idaho Super Hunt Odds?

They're long.

Unlike a normal draw-odds article, we don't need to guess because Idaho Fish and Game publishes Super Hunt drawing statistics.

For the second 2026 drawing, Idaho received:

EntryEntriesOpportunitiesDeer12,6272Elk17,9932Pronghorn4,8622Moose25,0911Combo6,2701

The first 2026 drawing was even larger for several species, including more than 51,000 deer entries.

Super Hunt should therefore be treated as a low-probability additional opportunity—not a predictable route to a premium tag.

Does Buying More Entries Improve Your Odds?

Yes.

Each additional entry gives you another chance in that particular drawing.

Someone purchasing 50 entries has more chances than someone purchasing one.

But don't confuse that with a point system.

If you buy 50 entries this year and don't win, you start fresh the next time you enter.

There is no accumulated advantage from previous unsuccessful years.

Who Should Enter Idaho Super Hunt?

Super Hunt can make sense for hunters who want another chance at an exceptional Idaho opportunity.

It may be particularly appealing if you:

Want access to highly desirable controlled hunts
Want flexibility instead of being tied to one hunt
Want another chance beyond Idaho's regular controlled-hunt drawing
Are interested in deer, elk, pronghorn, or moose
Are comfortable treating the entry fee as a low-probability drawing

It isn't a replacement for a broader Idaho application strategy.

Think of it as another opportunity layered on top of that strategy.

What Happens If You Win?

If you win, you gain the Super Hunt opportunity for the species drawn—or all four species if you win the Combo.

From there, the real planning begins.

You'll want to research:

Open general hunts
Open controlled hunts
Season dates
Weapon restrictions
Unit boundaries
Public and private access
Current animal distribution
Hunting conditions

Because all other rules of individual hunts apply, always check the current Idaho regulations for the exact hunt you're considering.

Applying for Idaho Super Hunt

Entries can be purchased through Idaho Fish and Game's licensing system, the Go Outdoors Idaho app, Idaho Fish and Game offices, license vendors, or by phone.

For 2026:

Individual species entry: $6

Four-species Combo entry: $20

First drawing deadline: May 31

Second drawing deadline: August 10

Hunting license required to enter: No

Entry limit: None

FAQ — Idaho Super Hunt

Can I hunt controlled hunts with an Idaho Super Hunt tag?

Yes. Winners can participate in any open general or controlled hunt in Idaho for the species drawn. All other rules of the individual hunt still apply.

Is Idaho Super Hunt random or preference-point based?

Super Hunt doesn't use preference points. Each entry gives you a chance in that drawing, and previous unsuccessful years don't create future priority.

Does Idaho use preference points for regular controlled hunts?

No. Idaho doesn't use a traditional preference-point system for its controlled-hunt drawings.

How many Super Hunt entries can I buy?

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

How much does an Idaho Super Hunt entry cost?

For 2026, individual deer, elk, pronghorn, and moose entries cost $6 each. Super Hunt Combo entries cost $20 each.

Do I need an Idaho hunting license to enter?

No. Residents and nonresidents can enter without first purchasing an Idaho hunting license.

What's the difference between Super Hunt and Super Hunt Combo?

An individual Super Hunt entry is for one species. The Combo has its own drawing and gives the winner opportunities for all four species—deer, elk, pronghorn, and moose.

Can nonresidents enter?

Yes. Nonresidents are eligible to enter.

When is the Idaho Super Hunt deadline?

There are two: May 31 for the first drawing and August 10 for the second drawing.

How many people win each year?

Idaho awards Super Hunt opportunities to 34 hunters each year, including two Super Hunt Combo winners.

Does winning prevent me from using another Idaho tag?

Not necessarily. Idaho describes Super Hunt tags as additional tags that can be held alongside general or controlled-hunt tags.

Is Idaho Super Hunt worth entering?

It can be if you're comfortable with long odds and want another chance at an unusually flexible Idaho hunting opportunity. At $6 per species entry, the financial commitment can be relatively small, but the probability of winning remains low.

Continue Planning Your Hunt

The biggest thing to understand about Idaho Super Hunt is that it doesn't give you an imaginary unrestricted season.

It gives you something more useful:

The ability to hunt your species in any open general or controlled hunt in Idaho.

You still follow the dates, weapon restrictions, boundaries, and other rules of the individual hunt, but you're no longer tied to one normal controlled-hunt permit.

Use TAGZ to research Idaho draw odds, units, seasons, and western hunting opportunities as you build your application strategy.

For official Super Hunt rules, current deadlines, entry costs, and drawing statistics, use Idaho Fish and Game's Super Hunt information.

For more western hunting and application strategy, visit TAGZ Insights.