Idaho’s Shift From Over-the-Counter to a Draw System
Are Over-the-Counter tags a thing of the past? For years, Idaho was known as one of the last western states where non-resident hunters could still buy general deer and elk tags without going through a traditional draw. That reputation stuck—even as tags sold out faster every season.
This year, Idaho has officially moved non-resident general deer and elk tags from an over-the-counter sale to a random draw system.
At first glance, this feels like another opportunity disappearing. But when you look at how Idaho’s old system has been working the last few years, this change isn’t as drastic as it sounds.
In many ways, Idaho simply formalized a process that was already acting like a draw.
Let’s break down what changed, why it happened, and how non-resident hunters should think about Idaho going forward.
Idaho Wasn’t Truly Over the Counter Anymore
Idaho’s old system was labeled “over the counter,” but functionally it worked very differently from classic OTC states.
Here’s how it played out:
Non-resident tags were capped
Sales opened on a single day
Popular units sold out immediately
Success depended on internet speed and queue position
If you logged in early and pulled a good number, you had options. If you didn’t, you watched units disappear in real time.
That’s not true OTC access. That’s first-come, first-served randomness.
The new draw system doesn’t remove opportunity—it simply moves the randomness from checkout day to application season, which is a cleaner and more transparent way to manage demand. With the old system, when your turn came up you’d have to scramble to figure out which units were still left, and if they were worth grabbing. Now, you get to pick only the units you’re interested in. No more mad scrambling.
Why Idaho Moved to a Draw System
From my perspective, the old OTC sale created real problems:
Yearly website crashes and queue chaos
No way for hunters to plan with confidence
Poor options for group hunts
Frustration from both the state and non-residents
A draw system solves most of these issues.
Everyone now has time to:
Research units ahead of time
Apply intentionally for only units they are interested in
Submit group applications
Receive results early enough to plan the rest of their season
This wasn’t about eliminating non-resident opportunity. It was about bringing order to a system that had outgrown its structure.
How the New Idaho Draw Works
Idaho’s non-resident general deer and elk draw is fully random. No preference points, no bonus points, everyone has the same odds. Each application is assigned a random number. Tags are awarded starting with the lowest number until quotas are filled.
Non-resident hunters may submit both an elk application AND a deer application at the same time. For both species, hunters can also choose up to five units or hunt choices per application.
All first choices are evaluated before the system moves on to second choices, then third, fourth, and fifth.
This is critical - Your first choice matters far more than the rest.
Major Improvements for group applications
Under the old OTC sale, hunting Idaho with a group was difficult.
One hunter might get lucky in the queue while another ended up thousands of spots back. Groups were routinely split before tags were even purchased.
The draw system fixes that.
Up to four hunters may apply together
Everyone draws or no one does
Tags are only issued if enough are available for the entire group
For non-resident hunters who travel to hunt, this is one of the biggest improvements Idaho has made. I have never hunted Idaho, and this was one of the reasons – it used to be almost impossible for a group to all get the same unit. No longer.
Non-Resident Caps Still limit Hunting Pressure
We get a lot of flak that we are causing more pressure in the West by sharing information about states and draws. The concern that always comes up is increased non-resident pressure. This is simply not true, and Idaho’s draw does not change that reality.
Non-resident participation is still limited by:
Statewide caps
Unit-level quotas
Percentage-based limits in many units
Idaho decides how many non-residents hunt—regardless of how many people apply. No amount of podcasts or articles we put out changes how many out-of-state license plates are parked at the trail head.
Creators and Podcasts do not increase pressure when the cap is fixed.
How to Think About Idaho Strategically Now
Idaho used to be a great solo option while you built up points in the other states. Now,
there’s two different paths you can take with Idaho:
If You Have Points and Backup Options:
Use your first choice to swing for a unit you’d love to hunt
Treat it as a true random opportunity
Leave your additional choices blank
If you don’t draw, go with your back up options in other states later in the application season
If You Don’t Have points or A Backup Plan:
First choice: still your best option – use it wisely on a unit with good odds.
Second choice: be realistic with how few units will have tags left in the second round if you really need a tag.
Accept that later choices rarely come into play
This is basically the same idea we talk about in our full application strategy article: Master You Application Strategy
Applying Without Draw Odds
The lack of historical draw odds makes it tricky to plan applications for the first few years. I am expecting to see lots of ping-ponging with hunters flocking from low odds units to high odds units and back until things stabilize with supply and demand. In the meantime, GoHunt’s Filter 2.0 can give you the best insider knowledge available to make your application plan.
Units with high success rates, high public land, and strong trophy potential will always attract demand. That hasn’t changed.
This is where research tools like GoHunt’s Filtering 2.0 can make or break a hunt. If you haven’t used it before, you can info on every unit across the west for:
Trophy potential
Harvest success
Public land percentages
Terrain and access
Weapon season structure
Check it out and use the code DRAWNWEST when you sign up for $50 of free credit in their gear shop on some of the best gear for western hunting - from arrows to optics they have anything you need for the mountain.
Why Idaho Is Still a GREAT OPTION
Even with the move to a draw, Idaho remains one of the best value options in the West for non-resident hunters. Idaho still offers some of the most competitive Elk and Deer tag prices while supplying tons of public land. There are also some incredible units in Idaho in terms of trophy quality, harvest success rates, and access. And now with a traditional draw, there’s plenty of time to research a plan for those applications.
If your goal is to hunt consistently—not just chase once-in-a-lifetime tags—Idaho still belongs in the conversation.
The Bigger Picture on Idaho’s Draw System
It’s easy to frame this change as another loss of opportunity, and I am certainly bummed to see another OTC option disappear, but that misses the bigger picture.
Idaho didn’t suddenly remove OTC access—it outgrew it.
Demand exceeded what a checkout-based system could manage. The draw doesn’t remove opportunity; it distributes it more evenly and predictably.
If you adapt your expectations and treat Idaho like the random, no-points opportunity it now is, it can still be a valuable part of a long-term western hunting plan.
Have a plan. Be honest about your goals. Use Idaho intentionally to reach your goals.
Until next time, stay drawn.
If this helped clarify how Idaho fits into the bigger picture, the next step is building a full application plan that works across multiple states. Check out the related Tags & Application articles below!
