Deer: regular tag vs whitetail tag
The Regular Deer Tag is valid for mule deer or white-tailed deer during general seasons, which keeps things simple for most hunters. The cheaper White-tailed Deer Tag is whitetail-only but opens additional any-weapon, archery and short-range opportunities in designated units that regular-tag holders don't get. Nonresident general deer tags are quota-limited at 15,500 statewide, so check availability before planning around one.
Elk: the A/B tag system
Idaho manages general elk hunting through 28 elk zones, and most zones split opportunity into A and B tags. The A tag is antlered-only in most zones and generally pairs with the earlier, longer seasons — including the October 10–24 any-weapon window in much of the state. The B tag is antlerless in most zones and comes with a shorter, later window. Zones have quirks: some are either-sex, some flip the pattern, so read your zone's tag description line by line.
Where hunters get tripped up
Three classic mistakes: buying the wrong letter for the zone you plan to hunt, assuming a general tag works statewide (it is zone-specific — a season, a set of units and a set of rules), and forgetting that premium opportunities run through the controlled-hunt draw with applications due May 1–June 5. When in doubt, look the exact hunt up in the IDFG hunt planner before you buy.