Idaho Fish and Game is changing its sales date for 2025 nonresident deer and elk tags to Dec. 10. The change is intended to allow residents to conveniently buy licenses and permits in early in December, ensure auto-renew transactions can be processed in a timely manner, and provide better customer service to buyers. 

“We’ve heard from Idaho residents that the inability to renew their licenses on Dec. 1 and receive their items in the mail before January has been a challenge,” said Tara Reichert, Fish and Game’s License Operations Manager. “So, with Dec. 1 falling on a Sunday this year, and it being Thanksgiving weekend, we believe Dec. 10 will be more convenient for both our resident and nonresident customers.” 

Fish and Game will be reaching out to recent nonresident tag buyers who’ve provided email addresses to notify them that the sales date has changed to Dec. 10. The department will also reach out to hunters through media and social media, and they also ask hunters to help spread the word. 

“If someone in your family, or your hunting buddies, plan to buy a nonresident tag for next year, please let them know,” Reichert said. “The last thing we want is someone showing up on the wrong day, especially if they’re traveling to Idaho to buy a tag.” 

Fish and Game starts selling nonresident tags for the upcoming year in December so hunters have to time to buy tags and plan their hunts. Nonresident hunters are also advised that there will be new big game seasons set for 2025 in March, so hunts may not be the same in 2025 as they are in 2024.