HUNTING -- Idaho’s bighorn sheep auction tag sold for $100,000 to an online bidder at the national Wild Sheep Foundation Sheep Show in Reno Saturday night -- the fifth-highest winning bid since the program started in 1988.

This permit is valid for use in all open bighorn sheep hunt areas in 2015 throughout Idaho, including Hunt Area 11; Hells Canyon.

The Washington bighorn auction tag sold this year for $77,500 for a tag to hunt California bighorn sheep within the state.  "We're very pleased with that bid," said Rich Harris, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife special species coordinator.

Since 1988, the Idaho auction tag has generated more than $1.85 million for bighorn sheep research and management, Idaho Fish and Game Department officials say.

Money raised through the auction goes towards research and management of bighorn sheep in Idaho with special emphasis on restoring populations along the Salmon River and in Hells Canyon. The funds are also used as match to leverage additional funds from the federal government.

The annual bighorn sheep lottery tag provides hunters with another coveted opportunity. The drawing is held on the last Wednesday in July. The Idaho Wild Sheep Foundation’s raffle tickets are on sale with no limit to the number of tickets purchased per individual.

An application will also be available in Fish and Game’s 2015 Moose, Bighorn Sheep and Mountain Goat Seasons and Rules coming out in February.

Last year, more than 3,000 hunters from all over the United States participated in the raffle. Since 1992, the sale of tickets for the lottery tag drawing has generated nearly $1 million. These funds are also used for the benefit and enhancement of bighorn sheep in Idaho.

• For a closer look at Idaho’s bighorn sheep check out this video.