See what's available in the Nonresident Tag Drawing for general season deer/elk tags in 2026 and how to apply

Nonresident deer and elk hunters interested in applying for general season deer and elk hunts in the first-ever Nonresident Tag Drawing can see what tags are available for 2026, and apply for those tags in December. 

The Nonresident General Deer and Elk tags brochure lists tags for elk, regular deer, and white-tailed deer available by elk zone or hunting unit. It is to be used as a cross reference with the Idaho Big Game Seasons and Rules brochure, which specifies hunt seasons and boundaries, rules, and other information.

Important dates for 2026 nonresident general deer and elk tags

• December 5-15, 2025: Application period for Nonresident Tag Drawing (including Disabled American Veterans deer/elk tags)
• Results Announcement: Early January 2026
• Deadline to Claim Tags (except DAV): Jan. 20, 2026

All hunters will be required to buy a 2026 hunting license valid to hunt big game in order to apply. All hunting license purchases are nonrefundable.

Participating in the nonresident general season deer/elk drawing will not affect a hunter's eligibility to apply for controlled hunts in the spring. 

Applying for nonresident, general season deer/elk tags

If you’ve bought an Idaho hunting, fishing or trapping license in the last 10 years or so, you probably have an account, so log into GoOutdoorsIdaho.com with your last name, date of birth and last four digits of your Social Security number. 

Ensure your user profile is up to date, including your mailing address and email address. Tags purchased will be mailed to the address on your account. Licenses purchased will be emailed along with a transaction confirmation. You will also be notified by email of your results in the tag drawing.

If you’re a first-time Idaho hunting license buyer, you need proof of Hunter Education Certification if you were born after 1974. Archery hunters must also prove their archery certification. 

Hunters can submit a total of two applications: one for elk and one for deer (except for DAV applicants). Hunters can apply for up to five hunt choices (units/zones) each for deer and elk. Regular deer tags and white-tailed deer tags can be applied for on the same application. 

Nonresident group applications may be submitted with up to four hunters in a group, and if one person draws, everyone in the group gets a tag. 

Deadline to buy tags

All hunters who draw a deer or elk tag in the Nonresident Tag Drawing must buy it by Jan. 20, 2026. That is an absolute deadline, and any tags not purchased by that date will be forfeited and available in a second application period in February. 

Anyone who is successful in the first application period is ineligible to apply for the second Nonresident Tag Drawing for general season deer and elk tags. 

For more information about the Nonresident Tag Drawing, including information about nonresident Disabled American Veteran tags and Junior Mentored tags, see the Nonresident Deer and Elk tags webpage.