The nonresident deer and elk draw change is the kind of thing that sneaks up on out-of-state buddies who've been running the midnight tag-grab for years. If you know anyone who hunts Idaho from out of state, they needed to hear about this six months ago.

"You're paying for the chance to apply, not a guaranteed tag."

That's a brutal sentence if you're used to OTC tags. A non-refundable license fee just to enter a lottery is going to sting some people — especially the ones who drove up from Nevada or Utah expecting to grab a tag the same way they always did.

"The thermal and night vision bans aren't just about pulling the trigger after dark. They cover scouting and retrieval as well. If you're using a thermal to locate a downed animal during the restricted window, that's covered under the rule as written."

This is the one that'll catch people off guard. Using a thermal to recover a downed elk at last light isn't some high-tech advantage-seeking move — it's a meat recovery tool. The rule doesn't care. Worth knowing before August 1.

"Idaho would be in alignment with other western states like Alaska, Wyoming, Utah, Montana, and others that already have similar, even more restrictive, regulations on these technologies. Idaho is not breaking new ground here. We are honestly doing a little bit of catch up."

Fair point. Montana's been here for a while, and the sky hasn't fallen on their hunting culture. The HAT Working Group pulling 750 applicants and selecting 23 people across different backgrounds is at least a more serious process than most states bother with.

"Sportsmen and hunting organizations need a reasonable amount of time to absorb, analyze and respond to season setting proposals."

Sen. Foreman isn't wrong. The Commission sets deer and elk seasons and most hunters find out about changes the same way they find out about everything — from a forum post two weeks before the season opens. A mandatory 30-day comment window seems like a low bar to clear.

For Idaho residents still sorting out how the technology rules affect your 2026 setup — specifically the cellular camera question — have you already pulled your transmitting cameras off public land, or are you waiting to see where the legislature lands before making any changes?

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Read the full article in The Handbook → | By The Boise Gun Club Team