Hunting
Big Game Hunting
No other state in the lower 48 has as much big game hunting variety and quality as Idaho. Idaho is sparsely populated with huge areas of forests, canyonlands, and mountain wildernesses. Idaho seasons generally run from 20-65 days. Hunter congestion remains rare.
Idaho's elk herds are renowned. An Idaho elk hunt offers the opportunity to experience real nature and wilderness, spend time with family or friends, and harvest a nice animal. Idaho's percentage of older bulls presents a unique trophy hunting opportunity in the West.
Idaho's whitetail deer populations in Idaho have also have grown. Their distribution, concentrated inforested areas of northern Idaho, has expanded in recent years. Idaho's mule deer populations are rebounding from years of drought and the severe winter of 1992. Mountain lion populations are extremely strong. Record book cougars have been taken recently. Moose hunting is on the rise. Bighorn sheep, mountain goat, and antelope hunts are in high demand. Idaho continues to offer outstanding black bear hunting in fall and spring.
Idaho's non-wilderness areas are accessed by backcountry roads, while wilderness areas are accessed by horseback or on foot. Idaho outfitters offer archery, rifle and muzzleloader hunts. Customized services range from drop camps to fully guided trips. Accommodations are provided in comfortable camps or lodges.
Deer and Elk Tags
Hunters who book through an Idaho outfitter will find their deer and elk tags easy to get. Each year the Fish and Game Commission sets aside and/or allocates a number of elk and deer tags for non-resident hunters who book with licensed outfitters. This system means that Idaho outfitters have tags long after surrounding states, such as Montana and Wyoming, have sold out. See the Hunting Fees & Regulations section for more information.
Bird Hunting
Idaho river outfitters often combine chukar hunting with steelhead and sturgeon fishing on Idaho "cast and blast" trips. Boats used for fishing provide access to the remote rocky canyons of the Snake, Salmon and Clearwater Rivers. Forest Grouse hunting can be an option while hunting big game.