Can You Still Apply for Other Idaho Hunts If You Enter the Super Hunt?

Yes. Entering Idaho's Super Hunt does not prevent you from applying for Idaho's regular controlled hunts, and winning a Super Hunt tag does not automatically cancel your other hunting opportunities. Idaho Fish and Game treats Super Hunt tags as additional hunting opportunities, meaning a Super Hunt winner may still hold and use other general-season or controlled-hunt tags when otherwise legally eligible.

How the Idaho Super Hunt Works

Idaho's Super Hunt is a separate drawing that provides hunting opportunities for four big-game species: deer, elk, pronghorn, and moose. Hunters purchase entries rather than selecting one specific hunt when entering Super Hunt. If you win, you may participate in any open general or controlled hunt in Idaho for the species drawn. However, a Super Hunt tag does not override the rules of the individual hunt. Hunters must still follow applicable season dates, weapon restrictions, hunt boundaries, access requirements, and other regulations. Super Hunt operates separately from Idaho's normal controlled-hunt drawing.

Can You Apply for Controlled Hunts and Super Hunt in the Same Year?

Yes. You can enter Super Hunt and still apply for regular Idaho controlled hunts as long as you otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for those controlled hunts. Entering Super Hunt does not use up your regular controlled-hunt application opportunity. Idaho's rules also allow a Super Hunt applicant, including a hunter who successfully harvests an animal using a Super Hunt tag, to apply for a controlled hunt for the same species during the same year or subsequent years when otherwise eligible. That means Super Hunt doesn't replace your regular Idaho application strategy; it gives you another opportunity alongside it.

What Happens If You Win Super Hunt and a Controlled Hunt?

You can potentially hold both. Idaho Fish and Game treats Super Hunt tags as additional tags rather than automatically replacing a general-season or controlled-hunt tag a hunter may otherwise legally possess. For example, if you draw an Idaho controlled elk hunt and also win an elk Super Hunt tag, winning the Super Hunt does not automatically cancel your controlled-hunt tag. You still need to follow all regulations associated with each tag and the individual hunts you participate in.

Can You Harvest More Than One Animal of the Same Species?

Potentially, when you legally possess the appropriate additional tags. Idaho regulations recognize additional deer, elk, or pronghorn harvest opportunities for hunters legally holding a Super Hunt or Super Hunt Combo tag for that species. This is another reason it is inaccurate to describe Super Hunt as simply replacing your normal tag; it is an additional hunting opportunity. Always verify the current year's tag and harvest regulations before hunting.

Does Super Hunt Restrict You From Applying for the Same Species?

No. Winning Super Hunt does not create a blanket restriction preventing you from applying for a controlled hunt for the same species. Idaho's Super Hunt rules allow applicants, including successful Super Hunt hunters, to apply for controlled hunts for the same species during the same or subsequent years when otherwise eligible. Normal application requirements and individual hunt regulations still apply.

Idaho Does Not Use Preference Points

This is an important distinction for hunters accustomed to applying across multiple Western states. Idaho's controlled-hunt system is not a preference-point system. Hunters do not accumulate Idaho deer, elk, pronghorn, or moose preference points every year they fail to draw. Controlled-hunt tags are allocated through a random drawing among eligible applicants. That means there are no Idaho preference points for Super Hunt to use, preserve, reset, protect, or bypass. When building an Idaho application strategy, focus on the actual draw odds, applicant numbers, available tags, hunt choices, and regulations rather than point creep.

Super Hunt vs. Regular Controlled Hunts

With a regular controlled hunt, you apply for a specific hunting opportunity. If successful, your tag is associated with that particular hunt and its applicable dates, boundaries, weapon restrictions, and other regulations. The odds of drawing depend on factors such as the number of eligible applicants and available tags. With Super Hunt, you purchase entries into a separate random drawing. If successful, your Super Hunt tag allows you to participate in any open general or controlled hunt for the species drawn, while still following the rules of whichever individual hunt you choose. The Super Hunt opportunity can also be additional to other tags you are otherwise legally allowed to possess.

Can You Enter Super Hunt After Applying for Moose?

Yes. Idaho has additional application restrictions surrounding controlled hunts for moose, bighorn sheep, and mountain goat, but those restrictions do not prevent eligible hunters from entering Super Hunt. Idaho Fish and Game has specifically reminded moose, bighorn sheep, and mountain goat controlled-hunt applicants that they may still enter Super Hunt for deer, elk, pronghorn, and moose. That makes Super Hunt another potential opportunity for hunters participating in Idaho's controlled-hunt system.

Can You Enter Super Hunt Without a Hunting License?

Yes. Idaho does not require residents or nonresidents to purchase a hunting license simply to enter the Super Hunt drawing. That differs from regular controlled-hunt applications, where applicable licensing and eligibility requirements must be met.

How Much Does Super Hunt Cost?

Current individual Super Hunt entries cost $6 per entry for deer, elk, pronghorn, and moose. The four-species Super Hunt Combo costs $20 per entry. There is no limit on the number of Super Hunt entries an individual may purchase.

What Is the Super Hunt Combo?

The Super Hunt Combo is a separate drawing that provides the winner with hunting opportunities for all four Super Hunt species: deer, elk, pronghorn, and moose. Idaho awards one Super Hunt Combo winner in the first drawing and another in the second drawing. The Combo can be especially attractive to hunters who want a chance at the broadest Super Hunt opportunity rather than entering for only one individual species.

When Are the Idaho Super Hunt Deadlines?

Idaho conducts two Super Hunt drawings each year. The first drawing has an entry deadline of May 31, and the second drawing has an entry deadline of August 10. That gives hunters two separate Super Hunt drawing opportunities during the year. Always check the current Idaho Fish and Game regulations before entering because dates, fees, and program rules can change.

How Should You Use Super Hunt in Your Idaho Strategy?

The best way to think about Super Hunt is as an additional layer in your Idaho application strategy rather than a replacement for controlled hunts. Continue researching the regular controlled hunts that fit your goals. Look at available tags, historical draw odds, hunt dates, weapon restrictions, access, and the type of hunting experience each opportunity provides. Then decide whether adding Super Hunt entries makes sense for your budget. Super Hunt can provide another chance at highly desirable Idaho hunts, flexibility to choose among open hunts if you win, an opportunity separate from the regular controlled-hunt drawing, and a chance at deer, elk, pronghorn, or moose without purchasing an Idaho hunting license simply to enter. Super Hunt receives substantially more entries than there are available tags, so it should be viewed as an additional opportunity rather than a replacement for your normal Idaho hunting plans.

Don't Skip a Controlled Hunt Because You Entered Super Hunt

This may be the most important strategic takeaway. Entering Super Hunt isn't a reason to skip a regular controlled-hunt application you want. The two systems can work alongside each other. Your strategy might look like applying for the specific Idaho hunt that fits your goals in the regular controlled hunt, then purchasing Super Hunt entries for a separate chance at a more flexible hunting opportunity. If you don't win Super Hunt, your regular application strategy continues normally. If you do win, you have added an exceptional hunting opportunity.

What Happens If You Win?

A Super Hunt winner may participate in any open general or controlled hunt for the species drawn. That means winning is really the beginning of another planning process: deciding which Idaho hunt or hunts you want to pursue. Consider hunt dates, hunt areas and boundaries, weapon restrictions, access, terrain, public and private land, and current conditions. Super Hunt gives you choices, but it does not remove the regulations governing those choices.

For additional Idaho hunting context, see Can nonresidents apply for the Idaho Super Hunt? and Do you need an Idaho hunting license to apply for the Super Hunt?. Hunters interested in specific hunt options after winning can review Can you hunt any unit with an Idaho Super Hunt tag? and Can you hunt controlled units with an Idaho Super Hunt tag?.

FAQ — Idaho Super Hunt and Other Applications

Can I apply for controlled hunts and enter Super Hunt in the same year? Yes. Super Hunt operates separately from Idaho's regular controlled-hunt drawing.

Does winning Super Hunt prevent me from applying for another controlled hunt? No. Idaho's Super Hunt rules allow applicants, including hunters who harvest using a Super Hunt tag, to apply for controlled hunts for the same species during the same or subsequent years when otherwise eligible.

Can I hold a Super Hunt tag and a controlled-hunt tag? Yes, when otherwise legally eligible. Super Hunt tags are additional hunting opportunities and do not automatically replace other general or controlled-hunt tags you legally possess.

Can I hunt controlled hunts with a Super Hunt tag? Yes. A Super Hunt winner may participate in any open general or controlled hunt for the species drawn. All other rules of the individual hunt still apply.

Does Super Hunt affect my Idaho preference points? Idaho does not use a traditional preference-point system for its controlled hunts, so there are no Idaho preference points for Super Hunt to use or reset.

Can I enter Super Hunt if I applied for an Idaho moose controlled hunt? Yes. Idaho allows eligible controlled-hunt applicants to participate in Super Hunt.