Idaho OTC tags

[IAhawks84]

Hey everyone,
Archery deer season is over for me and I've got a little gap until late muzzleloader, so we're getting ready to get our hunt planned for the panhandle of idaho next fall. This will be my first time hunting elk in idaho. Some of our crew has been before however. What does everyone think of the tag prices increasing and volume of tags decreasing? Will they sell out right away? Will more people be turned off by the increase? I believe it's going to be somewhere around $800 for the license and tag.
Well, it's almost Thanksgiving as well, I hope you all have a safe and relaxing holiday.

 

[blueridge]

Hunting license: $185
Elk tag: $651
Archery permit: $81
Access Fee: $10
Total: $927

 

[Nambaster]

The price increase does not make Idaho any more expensive than the other States. I don’t see that being an issue with nonresident hunters. The reduced tag allocation may be an issue. Best of luck to you. The Panhandle is very thick with low visibility.

 

[dgc1963]

Hunhting gets a bit more expencive every yr I kinda look at it like it is what it is. I save and pinch pennys where I can to go as much as I can I dont think the NR hunter numbers will change much

 

[IAhawks84]

Thanks for the responses! I'm gonna give it a shot regardless. We've got 4 applying, worse case scenario I pick up a bear tag and just go along.

 

[BrianID]

The deer and elk tag numbers are not decreased, just being spread more evenly between units. It will without a doubt make obtaining tags to hunt some areas much more difficult. Overall a bad deal for nonresidents. In reality it will have no measurable effect on crowding in most areas. It will increase the number of nonresidents in some units and decrease nonresidents in others. Residents that falsely believe nonresidents are the reason for crowding will get a small psychological benefit but this move will drive away nonresidents more than the cost increase. Idaho will continue to sell out their tags until the economy goes south.

All states should stop guaranteed outfitter tags aka "welfare tags". Guaranteed outfitter tags are a perfect example of political corruption where government officials give special favors to their buddies.

 

[TheTone]

I do think some of the perceived non resident crowding in some areas is due to area residents primarily day hunting vs non residents groups that may be camped out in the area for a week or so.

I can say that a unit I have elk hunted and some I have considered will see a decrease in total hunters and I might look at checking them out again

 

[BrianID]

I do think some of the perceived non resident crowding in some areas is due to area residents primarily day hunting vs non residents groups that may be camped out in the area for a week or so.

I can say that a unit I have elk hunted and some I have considered will see a decrease in total hunters and I might look at checking them out again

I really doubt you will see less elk hunters in 2021 than you saw 10 or 20 years ago. The real problem is the increase in number of residents. Even if the units you are interested in have less nonresident hunters than 10 or 20 years ago, there will be even more new residents hunting those units than nonresidents that are displaced. The nonresidents that are camping for a couple weeks or more every year during the elk hunt will be the ones that buy their tags early and will still be there in 2021.

 

[Slim55]

So here we are in 2021. Almost all of the elk tags in Idaho have sold out, Excluding controlled hunt tags. I have been shopping elk guides in Oregon and Idaho. The ones that I have contacted are booked solid. They say it's because of the closed borders. And hunters are insuring they have a hunt lined up. Even this past season, the woods were packed in areas I hunted. With both res, and n/res.

 

[timmy]

Good for Idaho putting a cap on nonresidents congregating in certain areas. It might not help overall with resident hunters but you simply can’t do nothing. Coming from a nonresident.

 

[Overall30627]

Me and two buddies got tags for island park zone idaho. We have never been are there any tips or tricks y’all would like to share. We got tags for archery we will be driving in from Texas.

 

[ccc23454]

Me and two buddies got tags for island park zone idaho. We have never been are there any tips or tricks y’all would like to share. We got tags for archery we will be driving in from Texas.

Welcome! tip: don't pet the bears. Good luck on your trip, you may want to create your own post and introduce yourself. Additionally, use search feature to find previously discussed issues to help you.

 

[Overall30627]

Welcome! tip: don't pet the bears. Good luck on your trip, you may want to create your own post and introduce yourself. Additionally, use search feature to find previously discussed issues to help you.

Thank you sir. I appreciate it.

 

[44hunter45]

Me and two buddies got tags for island park zone idaho. We have never been are there any tips or tricks y’all would like to share. We got tags for archery we will be driving in from Texas.

Bear spray and jingle bells.

 

[Slim55]

Thanks for the responses! I'm gonna give it a shot regardless. We've got 4 applying, worse case scenario I pick up a bear tag and just go along.

If you are bow hunting, you need not apply. It's over the counter. until they are out. I waited too long to purchase mine...

 

[44hunter45]

If you get a bear tag, please do not shoot a grizzly. If you find bear scat that is purple and smells like berries, you are on a black bear. If it smells like pepper spray and has jingle bells in it, its grizzly.

 

[Red Fox]

you will see more hunters than elk Friday-Sunday and it feels like everyone from Idaho Falls comes up to hunt. You will see bears.. good luck

 

[IAhawks84]

If you are bow hunting, you need not apply. It's over the counter. until they are out. I waited too long to purchase mine...

Yeah I realize that, I just phrased it incorrectly. We all were successful obtaining tags.

 

[IAhawks84]

I'm really hoping that we do see bears. We've purchased a bear and a mountain lion tag as well. We saw a cat in 2019 when we were bear hunting, but season closed about 2 weeks prior to us being there. I've been chasing a black bear for a while, but that is a whole new thread there ....

I've put in a lot of time studying bears. Identifying a bear is not a big concern of mine. I would just lean on the rule of don't shoot if you cannot tell, but I believe I'll be ok if the opportunity presents itself.

 

[Trbrincefield]

I got mine, 3rd year in a row in 2021. No luck last two years, but I learned a lot. The wife encourages me to keep at it, so I do. Idaho is beautiful, and there are elk out there. Still, for me. Worth the week in the woods if nothing else. Hopefully you got a tag.