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Big Game Hunting => Out Of State Hunting => Topic started by: bearpaw on March 05, 2025, 04:54:21 AM


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Title: If you hunt in Idaho?
Post by: bearpaw on March 05, 2025, 04:54:21 AM
It might be a good time to consider a 3 year license, get current pricing for the next three years, I would definitely try to do it before the next price increase which should be announced before taking affect.

https://idfg.idaho.gov/licenses/three-year
Title: Re: If you hunt in Idaho?
Post by: Bucks2Ducks on March 05, 2025, 05:29:44 AM
Man its almost $200 already, do they really need to raise it again
Title: Re: If you hunt in Idaho?
Post by: Rob on March 05, 2025, 07:21:14 AM
my 3 year just expired, I re-upped it.  I was thinking of doing the Sportsman's package however there is quite a bit of stuff on there I do not need.

I guess I need to do the math and see if the discount is worth it given what I typically buy.

In reality, I should probably get the lifetime license....
Title: Re: If you hunt in Idaho?
Post by: bearpaw on March 05, 2025, 11:12:05 AM
Man its almost $200 already, do they really need to raise it again

I don't know when, but I know it is being discussed, with demand so high I'm surprised it has not been increased already. More specifically its tag fees I heard was being discussed, but usually licenses go up when tag fees go up. I'm guessing we will see changes in 2026.
Title: Re: If you hunt in Idaho?
Post by: Sitka_Blacktail on March 05, 2025, 05:15:46 PM
I'm not going to buy a 3 year license when there is no guarantee I'll get a tag.
Title: Re: If you hunt in Idaho?
Post by: Karl Blanchard on March 05, 2025, 05:57:29 PM
I'm not going to buy a 3 year license when there is no guarantee I'll get a tag.
you'll need the license just to apply so if planning to apply it may not be a bad idea to lock in current pricing with a 3y license :twocents:
Title: Re: If you hunt in Idaho?
Post by: CarbonHunter on March 05, 2025, 07:06:28 PM
I'm not going to buy a 3 year license when there is no guarantee I'll get a tag.
you'll need the license just to apply so if planning to apply it may not be a bad idea to lock in current pricing with a 3y license :twocents:

Or even shed hunt…  :chuckle:
Title: Re: If you hunt in Idaho?
Post by: fowl smacker on March 05, 2025, 08:30:16 PM
I'm not going to buy a 3 year license when there is no guarantee I'll get a tag.
you'll need the license just to apply so if planning to apply it may not be a bad idea to lock in current pricing with a 3y license :twocents:
You don't have to but the license until you get chosen to pick your unit.  If you buy a 3 yr, and get a high # in the que the tags may be sold out.
Title: Re: If you hunt in Idaho?
Post by: Alan K on March 05, 2025, 08:32:06 PM
It is going to be a draw moving forward, you'll need to purchase your license to apply.  The queue is a thing of the past now.
Title: Re: If you hunt in Idaho?
Post by: fowl smacker on March 05, 2025, 08:32:59 PM
It is going to be a draw moving forward, you'll need to purchase your license to apply.  The queue is a thing of the past now.
Ah, I hadn't heard that was a done deal.
Title: Re: If you hunt in Idaho?
Post by: bearpaw on March 06, 2025, 03:59:36 AM
It is going to be a draw moving forward, you'll need to purchase your license to apply.  The queue is a thing of the past now.
Ah, I hadn't heard that was a done deal.

Karl is correct, a non-resident draw is the recommendation of the working group and widely expected to be adopted by the commission. When I asked agency staff about changes they advised me to expect a change to controlled hunts for nonresidents, nobody knows what the small details will be but the change to a nonresident draw system is expected. Unless the current rule changes (which is not expected to happen) you must possess a hunting license to apply for controlled hunts.
Title: Re: If you hunt in Idaho?
Post by: andrew_in_idaho on March 18, 2025, 08:00:58 AM
my 3 year just expired, I re-upped it.  I was thinking of doing the Sportsman's package however there is quite a bit of stuff on there I do not need.

I guess I need to do the math and see if the discount is worth it given what I typically buy.

In reality, I should probably get the lifetime license....
I did the math when I was buying hunting, fishing, deer, elk, bear, wolf and an archery permit. It ended up coming out about $15 cheaper to buy the sportsman’s package and get the turkey, mt lion, muzzleloader permit, and salmon/steelhead included


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Title: Re: If you hunt in Idaho?
Post by: Rob on March 18, 2025, 11:42:29 AM
I wondered if that was going to be the case.  But then again, you cannot get a 3 year sportsman's package.  So the gamble is, will base process go up in the next 3 years?
Title: Re: If you hunt in Idaho?
Post by: bearpaw on March 18, 2025, 04:45:15 PM
my 3 year just expired, I re-upped it.  I was thinking of doing the Sportsman's package however there is quite a bit of stuff on there I do not need.

I guess I need to do the math and see if the discount is worth it given what I typically buy.

In reality, I should probably get the lifetime license....
I did the math when I was buying hunting, fishing, deer, elk, bear, wolf and an archery permit. It ended up coming out about $15 cheaper to buy the sportsman’s package and get the turkey, mt lion, muzzleloader permit, and salmon/steelhead included


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For residents the sportsman package is a better deal if you want all the tags.  :tup:
No sportsman package is offered for non-residents, so with the likely upcming price increase the 3 yr is a good deal.
Title: Re: If you hunt in Idaho?
Post by: kodiak06 on April 05, 2025, 07:14:31 PM
The voters passed a draw application fee along with applicant requirements to have a valid hunting license
Title: Re: If you hunt in Idaho?
Post by: andrew_in_idaho on April 05, 2025, 07:51:30 PM
The voters passed a draw application fee along with applicant requirements to have a valid hunting license
No we didn’t. The commission may have


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Title: Re: If you hunt in Idaho?
Post by: Magnum_Willys on April 06, 2025, 06:17:35 AM
The voters passed a draw application fee along with applicant requirements to have a valid hunting license
No we didn’t. The commission may have


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I don’t believe anything has offically been finalized.  I think we get the current system for non-res tags for one more year.  Dec 10 draw for 2026 tags.    Whoop!  Love it!
Title: Re: If you hunt in Idaho?
Post by: bearpaw on April 06, 2025, 07:14:44 AM
I wondered if that was going to be the case.  But then again, you cannot get a 3 year sportsman's package.  So the gamble is, will base process go up in the next 3 years?

I think resident pricing will depend on how well the draw works out with non-residents. The commission discusses potential funding shortfalls if non-res tags do not sell out, see the commission meeting video, that discussion is at about 3:32:20. There is also concern if the non-res quota is reduced from 15% to 10% of total tags, will there be a revenue shortfall?

The commission did vote to move forward with a non-res draw. The difference between how the Idaho commission values and accommodates public testimony verses how the Washington commission values and accommodates public testimony is like night and day.

Title: Re: If you hunt in Idaho?
Post by: kodiak06 on April 19, 2025, 07:15:14 AM
The voters passed a draw application fee along with applicant requirements to have a valid hunting license
No we didn’t. The commission may have
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I meant the commissioners voting on it BUT, hunters have been a big proponent of increasing the non-res tags and voicing their opinion to IDFG and all over social media.  Their ignorance to how many tags are allotted was part of the argument lol. Sucks, but now the Idaho residents hunting WA will get a taste of an increase as well beginning '26, but the baiting ban may have made some give up on WA as well.
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