Order online, pick up at a licensed dealer in Bannock County. Pocatello sits in the Portneuf Valley between the Bannock and Portneuf ranges, a railroad town built around the Union Pacific yards and Idaho State University. The Fort Hall Reservation and American Falls Reservoir spread out to the northwest.
Pick an FFL dealer near you that accepts shipped transfers and name it at checkout. We confirm their license and ship the firearm to them. Ammunition, optics and parts ship straight to your door where Idaho law allows.
Idaho has no permit to purchase, no firearm registration and no state waiting period. At a licensed dealer you show photo identification, complete ATF Form 4473 and the dealer runs a federal NICS background check before the gun is handed over. Federal law sets the dealer minimum age at 18 for rifles and shotguns and 21 for handguns. Idaho adds no purchase permit and no state background check on a private sale between two Idaho residents, though it is still a crime to transfer a firearm to someone you know cannot legally have one.
Dealers in these communities all work for Pocatello-area buyers:
Idaho Code 18-3302(4)(f) lets anyone over 18 who is a United States citizen or a current member of the armed forces, and who is not otherwise disqualified, carry a concealed firearm in Idaho without a license. Licenses are still issued, and many people want one for reciprocity and for the federal school-zone exception. The Bannock County sheriff issues both the standard five-year license and the enhanced license, which under Idaho Code 18-3302K requires an eight-hour face-to-face course with at least 98 rounds of live fire. Courthouses, schools and federal buildings stay off-limits.
Idaho Fish and Game sets deer and elk seasons by game management unit. For 2026 the general any-weapon deer season opens October 10 in most units and closes October 24 or October 31. The backcountry units 16A, 17, 19 and 20 run September 15 to November 20, and the Panhandle units are white-tailed deer only from October 10 to 31 before any deer opens November 1 to 14. General archery deer runs August 30 to September 30. Elk is hunted on zone A and B tags, each zone with its own archery and any-weapon dates.
Bannock County is in the Bannock elk zone, Units 70, 71, 72, 73, 73A and 74. The general any-weapon deer season in Units 71, 72 and 74 runs October 10 to 24, and Unit 73A has a muzzleloader-only deer season in the same window. The Oregon Trail Range west of town is on the BLM public range list.
Scout Mountain and the Caribou-Targhee National Forest rise straight off the south side of town, and Portneuf Wildlife Management Area is a stocked pheasant site.
Idaho Fish and Game runs or supports five public shooting ranges, and the Bureau of Land Management lists nine more on public land around the state. Hours, fees and range rules vary, so call ahead or check the agency page before you drive out.
Source: Idaho Department of Fish and Game public shooting range list and Bureau of Land Management Idaho shooting range list, September 2026. Distances are approximate; call or check the agency site before you drive out.
Browning
★ 4.8 11 reviews
Capacity: 8 | Barrel Length: 3.62
Mossberg
★ 4.9 10 reviews
Capacity: 11 | Barrel Length: 3.4
Yes. Order here, name a licensed FFL dealer in Chubbuck, Inkom, McCammon, Pocatello or anywhere in Bannock County, and we ship the firearm to them. You fill out ATF Form 4473 at their counter and they run the background check.
No. Idaho has no permit to purchase and no firearm registry. You complete ATF Form 4473 and pass a NICS background check at the licensed dealer near Pocatello that receives your order.
No. Idaho has no state waiting period, so once the dealer's NICS check returns a proceed you can take the firearm home the same day. A delayed check is handled under federal rules and many dealers wait for a final answer.
The Bannock County sheriff. Idaho Code 18-3302 gives the sheriff up to 90 days to issue, the license runs five years, and the statutory fee is $20 for an original license plus the actual cost of the fingerprint check.
We ship every firearm to a licensed dealer near Pocatello that you choose at checkout. The dealer runs the background check and hands the gun over. Ammunition, optics and most parts ship to your door.
Yes, if you are over 18, a United States citizen or a current member of the armed forces, and not disqualified under Idaho Code 18-3302(11). Schools, courthouses and federal property remain off-limits.
Shots run from timbered 80 yards to open sage at 400, so the .270 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, .308, .30-06, 7mm Remington Magnum and .300 Winchester Magnum all cover it. Rimfire rifles and handguns may not be used for big game in Idaho.
Each dealer sets its own fee, commonly $20 to $75. Call before you order to confirm the price and that they accept firearms shipped from an online store.
General information, not legal advice. Rules current as of September 2026. See our Idaho gun law overview and check with Bannock County Sheriff or a local attorney about your own situation.
