Idaho big game applications are due by the 30th of April. You have to buy a license in order to put in. You must decide whether to put in for a Rocky Mountain Bighorn, a California Bighorn or a Mountain Goat. Having to choose one species to apply for, plus buying the hunting license just to enter the draw, makes the odds better than most any other state.

The information for non-resident applications can be found on the website at http://www2.state.id.us/fishgame/common/nonres/nonres.htm

How exactly are the non-resident tags allocated in Idaho? There does not seem to be a NR quota in any specific area, maybe just an overall cap. So does that mean you just put in and if you are drawn there is a NR tag in the area you applied for?

Just curious. Haven't really found a good explanation in their online regs.

I don't profess to know just how it's done but the information I think you're looking for is at http://www2.state.id.us/fishgame/common/regulations/msg/03_04/5_7ch.pdf

Look under "PERMITS", at the end of that section, just above "ELIGIBILITY". It starts with "Nonresident Limitations..."

Hope that helps.

Well, I had seen that part and I guess that's where I came up with the cap part (10% NR limit or not more than one NR permit if there are fewer than 10 permits for a controlled hunt).

After pondering it a bunch and looking at previous years I think I understand. It appears non-residents go into the same pool of applicants as residents and could be drawn until the 10% or 1 tag NR cap per hunt is reached. Is that correct?

http://www2.state.id.us/fishgame/hunt/ch/odds/OddsInfo.cfm

Thanks RamDreamer

NVBighorn,

From all I've read, that is correct. It seems to me to be a modified version of what they do in California and North Dakota. In CA & ND everyone is in the same pool but only one tag may go to a non-resident (although none are guaranteed or set aside for such). In that scenario, if the first non-resident is drawn before all the tags are gone then that non-resident gets a tag. Any non-residents pulled subsequent to that, even if tags are left, is not awarded a tag and that tag goes to the next resident drawn.

Thanks, you said that much clearer than I did.