2025-26 Idaho Big Game Season and Rules available online

The 2025-26 Big Game Seasons and Rules booklet is now available online. The Fish and Game Commission set the new seasons and rules in March, and the public comment period garnered about 14,700 comments from hunters. The department altered many of the initial proposals based on that feedback. 

"People who engage in the process know that Fish and Game staff frequently modify proposals and adjust final recommendations to the Commission based on what’s heard from hunters,” Fish and Game Director Jim Fredericks said. “Commissioners further consider public input before they made the final decisions, which may or may not have followed Fish and Game staff recommendations.” 

The new seasons and rules also included input from the two working groups that focused on deer hunting in the Southeast Region and elk hunting in the Clearwater Region. 

Both working groups submitted proposals to the Commission for their consideration, many of which were adopted. Fish and Game staff also convened a “Hunting and Advanced Technology” working group to assess public perspectives on what is and is not considered “fair” technology to use in big game hunting and made recommendations to the Commission. Commissioners approved moving a series of proposals on hunting technology into the rulemaking phase, and people will be able to comment on those proposals during spring and summer. Check Fish and Game’s website for details. 

Printed booklets are expected to arrive at Fish and Game offices and license vendors in late April. Due to a paper shortage, there are different thicknesses of paper within the first run of booklets, and later printings will be consistent paper. 

What’s new for 2025-26 Big Game Seasons and Rules

Here are some notable changes for the upcoming season. 

Chronic Wasting Disease hunts in Panhandle

New whitetail hunts in Unit 1 have been added to manage CWD, which was found in Unit 1 in 2024. Additional deer opportunity has been added in Unit 18.

Mule Deer changes in Southeast Region

The Unit 73A general any-weapon season is now muzzleloader-only, and archery-only dates have been extended.

White-tailed deer hunts in the Clearwater

The Unit 10A general any-weapon season has been extended through Dec 1, with the general muzzleloader season now running from Dec 2 – 11.

Dworshak Elk Zone

The Dworshak A Tag is now capped. Additional bull and cow elk opportunities have been added in the Weiser River, Brownlee, and Island Park Zones. New opportunities have been added in the South Hills and Diamond Creek Zones.

Archery pronghorn

Either-sex archery pronghorn hunts have been changed to buck-only in areas 28-1, 30A-1, 36-1, 49-1, 51-2, 59A-1, and 68. 

Completion of new bear identification course is required of all bear hunters

Unit 32 is now a general season hunt. Other changes have been made to both spring and fall general and controlled hunts in Units 22, 31 and 32A. General hunts have been added in Units 52A, 53, 68, 68A, 70, 73, and 73A.

Mountain Lion season goes year round

Hunting opportunities have been expanded with a statewide, year-round season (no changes to hound seasons). Hunters can now use a second mountain lion tag in Units 10A and 45. Dates where dogs are prohibited in Units 8 and 11A have been updated.

Muzzleloaders bullet changes

Sabots will be allowed in muzzleloader-only hunts starting July 1, 2025.