Sawtooth Zone Elk tags 2017

Just found this on the ID F&G website. Any word yet on how they might sell the sawtooth elk tags????

Decision on Sawtooth elk tag distribution will likely come in March

It's not quite the same as opening day for hunting, but it's an opportunity for nonresidents to have an opening day for deer and elk in Idaho as the limited pool of 2017 tags are now on sale except the popular Sawtooth Elk Zone tags.

Hunters can once again buy licenses and tags online after internet sales returned in late November with added security measures after a data breach occurred last summer. Hunters now register a user name and password before buying licenses and tags online, which will further protect their personal information.

Nonresident tags sales will not include the popular Sawtooth Zone elk tags, which sold out in less than an hour last year, and the resident tags went almost as quickly when they went on sale in July.

Fish and Game officials are looking at different methods to distribute the Sawtooth Zone elk tags for 2017, and the Fish and Game commission will likely decide how to allocate them in March when it sets the 2017-18 big-game rules.

Idaho limits nonresident tags for big game, and the pool of general-season, nonresident tags for deer and elk both sold out in 2016, which hasn't happened since 2008.

I don't see any way around this going to a controlled hunt.

might end up like 73 deer, unlimited control hunt.

They won't do an unlimited hunt because they would have to sell more tags that the quota currently allows.

After giving it more thought I have another idea. They could split the 24 day B-tag season into two 12 day seasons and increase the quota. Or even split it into three 8-day hunts. Shorter seasons would reduce harvest success in each season but overall success in both seasons would probably stay similar to what it is now. They could do that with the A-tag as well.

Not that it matters to me, I don't hunt the Sawtooth zone but what happens there could very well set a precedent for how they handle this when other zones start to see the same issues of demand exceeding supply.

I dont think they will go unlimited like 73 deer either. They would sell way too many tags.

Here's a thought: Go to a controlled hunt, BUT split it up into several "units" or even sub-units and overall allocate more tags than the current quota. Provide extra tags in the units with higher elk numbers, or where the terrain is more difficult, etc. Provide lower tag numbers in units or sub units where there are less elk, higher hunter density, easier terrain, etc. That way more people get to hunt (greater opportunity) but the elk harvest stays within a reasonable range to provide good herd management.

LAST EDITED ON Dec-23-16 AT 03:40PM (MST)[p]What sucks about this situation is that the Sawtooth zone does not have quality bulls. While there are many 6x6's in the zone, in my experience the average herd bull is 280". You will work to see those.

In my eyes, the demand is due to the history of the zone. Everyone's grandpa grew up hunting the Sawtooths it appears. The country is gorgeous, there can be good bucks and the elk hunting used to be more consistent (per the old timers...).

I do enjoy hunting the zone and do so about every year, archery and rifle, my tag or buddy's tags. The zone is hit or miss. If you scout and hike hard, there are drainages with many many elk. On the contrary, there are identical drainages that hold literally NO elk.

I would compare it to unit 39 for deer. Many draws are loaded and many draws are barren.

It'd be a bummer to have to apply for a glorified opportunity hunt.

I think an unlimited draw unit would work. Most hunters want to apply for better units in the draw with this tag being a consolation prize if they don't draw. It's an OK elk unit but probably not worth all the fuss. I believe elk numbers are still below standard.

Tag quotas sure have made the Sawtooth zone a great local hunt in terms of crowds!

Yes the phone lines were sure crowded this last season trying to get the tag.

I agree, should be very interesting. Like someone posted above, some canyons hold a ton of elk and deer and then lots others are vacant. IMO the zone is not worth applying for as a controlled hunt.