Washington offers hunters chances to tick several species off their lists. For deer hunters, the state has three species: mule deer, whitetail, and blacktail. Elk hunters can chase both Rocky Mountain and Roosevelt elk.

Note: As of 2/21/2023, the new 2023 Washington regs, season dates, and hunt codes have not yet been published (Big Game Hunting Regulations). The big game application period begins around April 20, 2023, and ends around May 20, 2023, with draw results available by the last week of June. 

Hunters may apply for tags with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife here.

Huntin’ Fool’s Washington page is an excellent, updated resource for ongoing Washington draw changes.

Washington Draw Process FAQs

Application Dates and Deadlines: Huntin’ Fool lines out Washington dates and deadlines.

Free for onX Elite members, Hunt Reminder’s Washington page is also an excellent resource for timely application season reminders.

Hunting license and species costs for tags usually include:

• Application Fee
• Hunting License Fee to apply (usually need a qualifying license before you can apply)
• Species Fee (This is what you pay for the animal you want to hunt. Some you pay upfront at application, some you pay for once you get the tag.)
• Points-Only fee (fees for people just buying points and not actually applying for a hunt)

Point System

• Washington utilizes a squared bonus point system. Each year that you’re unsuccessful at drawing a special permit, you’ll receive another point.
• Bonus points are both species and category specific. “Categories” are types of hunts for each species. For example, there are five moose categories: Antlered Bull, Antlerless, Youth, 65 & Over, and Disabled.
• You can apply for a maximum of four hunt choices per application, except for the quality deer and elk categories. For quality deer and elk hunts only two hunt choices are allowed.
• When you’re drawn, all of your application choices are considered before moving on to the next applicant.
• Points cannot be transferred between individuals or categories.
• When a hunter is selected for a special permit, the hunter’s point total for that species/category drops to zero.

Tag Allocation

• There are no dedicated quotas for nonresidents; all applicants have the same odds to draw regardless of residency status.
• There are no permits set aside for applicants with the most points; all permits are issued via the random bonus point drawing.

Useful Links:

• Access the onX Complete Package for Western Application Research
• Log Into Hunt Research Tools Today to Start Your 2023 Application Season
• View Washington Big Game Hunting Regulations Here
• Apply Here for Your Washington Hunting Tags
• Read Washington Hunting News and Updates Here
• Check Washington CWD Updates Here

onX Hunt’s Top Three State Application Tips

• There is an option to apply for bonus points only, but the cost to do so is the same as actually applying for a permit. Given the low draw odds, it is generally the best option to apply for special permits instead of opting for points only.
• It is possible to draw more than one permit for the same species. If you do, you can participate in each hunt, but must stop hunting once you harvest an animal. Unless one of those permits is for a second tag, you are restricted to harvesting one animal.
• Washington does allow for group applications and the group’s total bonus points are averaged when entering into the draw.

Your One-Stop Application Season Stop

To maximize your time spent researching and applying—and to help you build your strategy to successfully draw in 2024 and beyond—we’re providing onX Hunt Elite Members with FREE services in one comprehensive package:

• Hunt Research Tools: In-Depth Draw Odds and Application Tools
• Huntin’ Fool: Boots-on-the-Ground Research and Insight
• HuntReminder: Worry-Free Text and Email Reminder Service
• onX Hunt: Map Your Hunt With Research Layers

The post Washington: 2024 Hunting Application Details appeared first on onX Hunt.

For elk and deer, Idaho offers General tags that can be purchased in December, but the total number of nonresident tags given out are capped by specific zones. The best zones sell out quickly so be prepared going in. Click here for more information. Idaho has no point system for hunters; all tags are issued in a random drawing, and therefore all applications have an equal change. 

As of April 2, 2024, the new 2024 Idaho regulations, season dates, and hunt codes are available (Big Game Seasons and Rules). The big game application period for moose, sheep, and mountain goat ends April 30, 2024, with draw results available by the middle of May. The application period for elk, deer, and antelope controlled hunts is in May with a deadline of June 5, 2024, and the results will be posted in early July.

Big game proposals for 2024 have been published and can be reviewed here.

Hunters may apply for tags with Idaho Fish and Game here.

Huntin’ Fool’s Idaho page is an excellent, updated resource for ongoing Idaho draw changes.

Idaho Draw Process FAQs

Application Dates and Deadlines: Huntin’ Fool lines out Idaho dates and deadlines.

Free for onX Elite members, Hunt Reminder’s Idaho page is also an excellent resource for timely application season reminders.

Hunting license and species costs for tags usually include:

• Application Fee
• Hunting License Fee to apply (usually need a qualifying license before you can apply)
• Species Fee (This is what you pay for the animal you want to hunt. Some you pay upfront at application, some you pay for once you get the tag.)
• Points-Only fee (fees for people just buying points and not actually applying for a hunt)

Point System

• Idaho does not have a point system. All tags are issued via random drawing, and all applicants have an equal chance.

Tag Allocation

• Up to 10% of the total tag quota for controlled hunt permits can be issued to nonresidents per species.
• If a controlled hunt has 10 or fewer permits, only one tag may be given to nonresidents.
• You may only apply for one of the following: moose, bighorn sheep, or mountain goat.
• If you apply for moose, sheep, or goat you cannot apply for limited-entry controlled hunts for deer, elk, or antelope unless there are unlimited permits available for the hunt.

New This Year:

• This is the second year of the two-year regulation cycle, so there were not many changes made.
• Due to low mule deer populations, the following areas that were either-sex deer tags have been changed to antlered only: hunt codes 1070, 1083, 1098, 1099, and 1100. There were also mule deer doe tags cut from units 60, 68, 70, and 73.
• Due to low antelope populations, the following areas are closed for 2024: hunt codes 4022, 4025, 4027, 4028, 4043, and 4052.

Useful Links:

• Access the onX Complete Package for Western Application Research
• Log Into Hunt Research Tools Today to Start Your 2023 Application Season
• View Idaho Hunting Regulations Here
• Apply Here for Your Idaho Hunting Tags
• Read Idaho Hunting News and Updates Here

onX Hunt’s Top Three State Application Tips

• If you are a nonresident interested in moose, you should be applying in Idaho—lthough drawing a tag is never easy, Idaho does have the best moose draw odds in the Lower 48.
• The 10% total species cap has a meaningful impact for nonresidents applying for moose, sheep, and mountain goat hunts. That’s why you see hunts for these species that have nonresident applicants, but no tags drawn. If there are 50 total sheep permits available, that means a maximum of five tags can be given to nonresidents across all sheep hunt codes. So don’t assume that because a particular hunt didn’t give a nonresident tag last year, that you shouldn’t apply for that hunt this year.
• If you plan to hunt big game in Idaho, consider picking up a wolf permit for $31.75. Unlimited tags are available and can be purchased at participating retailers.

Your One-Stop Application Season Stop

To maximize your time spent researching and applying—and to help you build your strategy to successfully draw in 2024 and beyond—we’re providing onX Hunt Elite Members with FREE services in one comprehensive package:

• Hunt Research Tools: In-Depth Draw Odds and Application Tools
• Huntin’ Fool: Boots-on-the-Ground Research and Insight
• HuntReminder: Worry-Free Text and Email Reminder Service
• onX Hunt: Map Your Hunt With Research Layers

The post Idaho: 2024 Hunting Application Details appeared first on onX Hunt.

High-end trophy bull elk are taken in Nevada every year with some very good tags available. The state uses a squared bonus point system (optional) with no tags reserved for the highest point holders, so it’s possible to draw any available tag even if you have few or no points. There are also quite a few options for mule deer tags across the state, including some early-season archery options with reasonable draw odds.

The 2024 Nevada Big Game Regulations are available here. The big game application period began on March 25 and ends on May 8, with draw results scheduled to be released on May 17.

Hunters may apply for tags with the Nevada Department of Wildlife here. 

Huntin’ Fool’s Nevada page is an excellent, updated resource for ongoing Nevada draw changes.

Nevada Draw Process FAQs

Application Dates and Deadlines: Huntin’ Fool lines out Nevada dates and deadlines.

Free for onX Hunt Elite members, Hunt Reminder’s Nevada page is also an excellent resource for timely application season reminders.

Hunting license and species costs for tags usually include:

• Application Fee
• Hunting License Fee to apply (usually need a qualifying license before you can apply)
• Species Fee (This is what you pay for the animal you want to hunt. Some you pay upfront at application, some you pay for once you get the tag.)
• Points-Only fee (fees for people just buying points and not actually applying for a hunt)

Point System

• Nevada uses a squared Bonus Point system.
• Bonus Points are like raffle tickets: the more you have, the more “chances” you have in the draw.
• You get one chance for your current application, and then your current Bonus Point total is squared and you get that many more chances in the drawing (so with 4 points, you’d get 17 chances, 1 + [4*4]).
• If you apply for a tag and are unsuccessful, you will be awarded a Bonus Point for that species if you purchased a hunting license with your application ($38 for Residents, $155 for nonresidents in 2022).
• You can also apply for Bonus Points only but you still need to purchase a hunting license for that application year.
• If you draw your Bonus Point total will be purged to zero for that species.
• If you fail to apply for a species for two consecutive years, your Bonus Point for that species will be lost.
• Nevada separates Bonus Point categories for species, subspecies, and gender which allows you to accumulate Bonus Points specifically for antlerless deer and elk hunts, as well as spike elk and horns shorter than ears antelope.

Tag Allocation

• In Nevada, approximately 15% of the total tags for a hunt code are issued to nonresidents but that percentage can vary.
• In general, Nevada uses separate hunt codes for residents and nonresidents with a set total tag quota for every hunt by residency type.

Useful Links:

• Access the onX Hunt Complete Package for Western Application Research
• Log Into Hunt Research Tools Today to Start Your 2024 Application Season
• View Nevada Hunting Regulations Here
• Apply Here for Your Nevada Hunting Tags
• Read Nevada Hunting News and Updates Here

onX Hunt’s Top Four State Application Tips

• To maximize your overall chances to draw across all your hunt choices, you want to order the five hunt choices on your application from hardest to draw (first choice) to easiest to draw (fifth choice).
• Draw odds can be low for a good majority of the hunts in Nevada including the “middle” tier (particularly for nonresidents). If you’re serious about using your accumulated Nevada bonus points, take advantage of the five application choices you are allowed by choosing hunts that are in less demand at choice four and five.
• If desert sheep or California bighorn are on your lifetime bucket list, you should be applying in Nevada if your budget allows.
• Nevada has some species specific waiting periods if you draw successfully. If you draw an antlered elk tag, you must wait seven years before you are eligible to apply again. For buck antelope the waiting period is three years, and for bighorn sheep and mountain goat the waiting period is 10 years. There are no waiting periods for antlerless elk or deer (including antlered).

Your One-Stop Application Season Stop

To maximize your time spent researching and applying—and to help you build your strategy to successfully draw in 2024 and beyond—we’re providing onX Hunt Elite Members with FREE services in one comprehensive package:

• Hunt Research Tools: In-Depth Draw Odds and Application Tools
• Huntin’ Fool: Boots-on-the-Ground Research and Insight
• HuntReminder: Worry-Free Text and Email Reminder Service
• onX Hunt: Map Your Hunt With Research Layers

The post Nevada: 2024 Hunting Application Details appeared first on onX Hunt.

Application deadlines for non-resident elk close early on January 31, 2024, and the remaining tags for resident elk as well as other big game species are drawn in April and May (more detailed information below). Wyoming only accepts online applications, you may apply here. 

New In 2024 From Huntin’ Fool

Wyoming is facing a few changes for 2024 and beyond.

The statewide general elk license for non-residents has been broken into three regions with separate license quotas for each region.

License fees for special elk and all trophy species have increased for all non-residents.

The deadline has been moved back even later for sheep, moose, goat, and bison to April 30, 2024.

 Deer and Antelope Updates

The special license price for deer and antelope has been increased substantially for 2024. The special license will now cost non-resident applicants $1,215 each.

With further survey data being collected regarding the winter loss impact of the 2022/2023 winter, non-resident deer license quotas have been reduced for regions G, H, L, R, and X.

You can find more discussion on the topic in this YouTube video, a Hunt Masterclass with Huntin’ Fool about Wyoming Elk Draw Changes for 2024.

Huntin’ Fool’s Wyoming page is an excellent, updated resource for ongoing Wyoming draw changes. 

Wyoming Draw Process Basics

Application Dates and Deadlines: Huntin’ Fool lines out Wyoming dates and deadlines.

Free for onX Elite members, Hunt Reminder’s Wyoming page is also an excellent resource for timely application season reminders.

Application and Tag Costs (Resident and Non-Resident)

Hunting license and species costs for tags usually include:

• Application Fee
• Hunting License Fee to apply (usually need a qualifying license before you can apply)
• Species Fee (This is what you pay for the animal you want to hunt. Some you pay upfront at application, some you pay for once you get the tag.)
• Points-Only fee (fees for people just buying points and not actually applying for a hunt)

Useful Links:

• Access the onX Complete Package for Western Application Research

• Log Into onX Hunt Research Tools Today to Start Your 2024 Application Season

• Look Up Your Wyoming Preference Points Here

• View Wyoming Hunting Regulations Here

• Apply Here for Your Wyoming Hunting Tags

Your One-Stop Application Season Stop

To maximize your time spent researching and applying—and to help you build your strategy to successfully draw in 2024 and beyond—we’re providing onX Hunt Elite Members with FREE services in one comprehensive package:

• Hunt Research Tools: In-Depth Draw Odds and Application Tools
• Huntin’ Fool: Boots-on-the-Ground Research and Insight
• HuntReminder: Worry-Free Text and Email Reminder Service
• onX Hunt: Map Your Hunt With Research Layers

The post Wyoming: 2024 Hunting Application Details appeared first on onX Hunt.

With that said, there are a lot of moving parts to setting up a fulfilling fall hunting season, especially if you’re thinking of venturing out of state. Things like budget, time allocation, and scouting are just a few things that need to be considered. So, while I’m a firm believer in there being way more than one way to skin a cat, I’m going to lay out what I believe are some key factors to pay attention to that will help pave the way for you to set up your best fall season yet.

Time Allocation

Time allocation from one person to the next is going to be different. Some folks will be able to dedicate a whole month or even more to a hunt, and others will only have a week. This is the first thing you need to hash out before planning.

More goes into a trip than just hunt days. There could be multiple travel days on each end. A seven-day trip might only be five days of hunting. You might consider flying versus driving to save some time. Another thing to keep in mind is that there may be a mandatory check-in depending on the state and species. Make sure to leave time for that.

Also, if you are hunting big critters like elk or moose, this is going to take multiple trips of packing if you’re solo. That’s time and then even more time if you’re backpack hunting. Because of that, you’ll either have to be prepared to possibly stay an extra day to pack or set a rule to not shoot an animal past a certain day.

Obviously, the more time you can get the better. Just because you might be limited on time though, doesn’t mean you can’t have a good fall. You’ve just got to be a bit more savvy.

Budget

What you’ll need to line out here for budget—no matter the size of your wallet—is tag, gas/travel, food, gear, and possibly taxidermy. Tag prices are set in stone, so you can see exactly what that’s going to be right off the rip. If money is tight, look into black bear and whitetail deer tags. And while gas prices fluctuate, you can get a ballpark for pricing throughout your route ahead of time. Average that out per mile to get a rough idea. In terms of gear, there’s a difference between what you need and what you may want, so keep that in mind. Lastly, we all want to be successful, so we should plan for that by having a plan for taxidermy. Research what different mounts/tanned hides cost and know that going into your hunt.

When I really started trying to fill up my fall with as many hunts as possible, I had a pretty tight budget. I remember setting aside $100 a month for a whole year to pay for my first out-of-state elk hunt. To do it, I cut out other things in my life like eating out. I’d also do little side jobs here and there making as little as $50 to help pay for gas. As for gear, borrow, rent, and hit the classifieds. Aside from that elk hunt, I hunted a ton locally to fill up my fall too. Sometimes that meant getting to a trailhead at midnight so I could hunt the whole next day. It can be done. Where there is a will, there is a way.

Definite Hunts vs. Maybe Hunts

A key strategy I’ve always used to plan my fall seasons is knowing the hunts I’m going steady with vs. the ones that may not call me back. And really what that comes down to is OTC/0 point hunts vs. draw tags that are not guaranteed. All of this can be organized and made visible via the onX Hunt Research Tools. You’ll get a breakdown of what hunts are aces in the hole and that you can plan 100% on, as well as how many points will be needed to draw those more coveted tags.

Both OTC and draw options offer a hunter the ability to plan a fulfilling fall hunting season. OTC hunts offer fantastic opportunities to not only get in the field regularly but also to learn certain areas year after year. And then adding those draw tags into the mix will help spice things up and break up the monotony. Schedule and e-scout for your definite OTC hunts now and plan for your draw tags based on the points game for later.

E-Scouting

We’ve talked about time allocation towards our hunting seasons. That time didn’t account for any scouting. Unless you’re hunting in your home state and have easier access to your hunting areas, going out of state just to scout is simply not an option for many people. That’s where the power of e-scouting comes in.

I fall under the group that cannot go out of state to scout for hunts. Because of that, e-scouting has become a regular strategy of mine year after year. Ten minutes here and ten minutes there, spent in onX Hunt marking areas of interest, access points, private land boundaries, mapping out hikes, where the roads are/where they’re not, and just getting a general lay of the land will go a long way.

Something that I’ve found incredibly helpful in getting the most accurate data out of my e-scouting is truly learning about the animal I’m hunting. Read biology reports, and books on the species, and watch videos going over their day-to-day habits throughout the year. Knowing this information helps me narrow down where to look and where to not given the time of year I plan on hunting.

If you’re starting from absolute scratch, I highly suggest utilizing the Wildlife Layers Feature within onX Hunt. It’ll give you insight into things like general species distribution and Boone and Crockett entries per species per area.

Closing Remarks

Looking at a fall hunting season as a whole can get quite overwhelming. Between the huge span of time, diving into regulations, and sifting through all of the possibilities, it’s really easy to get discouraged. Here’s the thing though: A person only has so many fall hunting seasons in their life. Do the work now and reap the benefits down the road.

The post Plan Your Best Fall Hunting Season: Four Factors for Success appeared first on onX Hunt.

For elk and deer, Montana issues Big Game “Combo” tags that are valid for large parts of the state and have regional or unit-by-unit regulations that can differ slightly. At present these tags can be drawn by nonresidents every two to three years (at worst), and are over the counter for residents.

The eastern portions of Montana contain a significant amount of private lands. As always, be sure to research public land access before deciding where to hunt/apply. There are significant portions of western Montana that are home to grizzly bears and wolves. In these areas, it is important to be bear aware and to understand what impact wolves might have on local big game habits and tendencies.

Hunters looking to apply for tags in Montana should plan for the following application deadlines:

• Deer and elk: April 1
• Moose, goat, sheep, and bison: May 1
• Antelope: June 1
• Alternate list signup: June 30
• Super Tags: June 30
• Mountain lion: July 24
• Bonus points: September 30
• Preference points: December 31

Hunters may apply for tags with Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks here. 

Huntin’ Fool’s Montana page is an excellent, updated resource for ongoing Montana draw changes.

Read more on Huntin’ Fool’s Montana page.

Montana Draw Process FAQs

Application Dates and Deadlines: Huntin’ Fool lines out Montana dates and deadlines.

Free for onX Elite members, Hunt Reminder’s Montana page is also an excellent resource for timely application season reminders.

Hunting license and species costs for tags usually include:

• Application Fee.
• Hunting License Fee to apply (usually need a qualifying license before you can apply).
• Species Fee (This is what you pay for the animal you want to hunt. Some you pay upfront at application, some you pay for once you get the tag.).
• Points-Only fee (fees for people just buying points and not actually applying for a hunt).

Point System

• For elk and deer, Montana has two primary license types that each use a different point system.
• There are General Deer, General Elk, and General Deer/Elk combo licenses, commonly referred to as General tags.
  • You need a General tag to hunt elk or deer in Montana.
  • For nonresidents, the General tag drawing uses a Preference Point system.
  • Residents can buy a General tag over the counter.
  • The nonresident General tag drawing has some complexity and can be confusing; read this for a full description of how it works.
• There are also Permits. Permits are limited entry tags for a specific unit or units. There are elk and deer permits that you can apply for, as well as permits for all other big game species.
• The drawing for Permits in Montana uses an optional Bonus Point system.
• Bonus Points are like raffle tickets; the more you have, the more “chances” you have in the draw.
• You get one chance for your current application, and then your current Bonus Point total is squared and you get that many more chances in the drawing (so with 4 points, you’d get 17 chances, 1 + [4*4]).
• If you apply for a tag and are unsuccessful, you will be awarded a Bonus Point for that species if you paid the optional Bonus Point fee at the time of your application.
• Or, you can also choose to buy a Bonus Point Only each year during a separate application period to accumulate Bonus Points.
• If you draw your first choice on a limited-entry permit application your Bonus Point total will be purged to zero for that species.

Tag Allocation

• For limited entry elk, deer, and antelope permits, up to 10% of the total tags for each hunt code can be issued to nonresidents.
• For moose, bighorn sheep, and mountain goats, up to 10% of the total tags in each respective region can be issued to nonresidents.
• Residents and nonresidents are all in the same random drawing, where each applicant’s Bonus Point total is applied when determining your total number of “chances.”
• Once the 10% nonresident quota max is hit, no further nonresident tags will be issued for that hunt code or region.

New This Year:

General Updates

• All accumulated bonus points, including the one purchased at the time of application, will be used in the current year’s drawing if that person elects to purchase a bonus point.
• Licenses and/or permits issued through a drawing identified as a “first and only choice” opportunity will not be offered as a surplus license/permit opportunity if the Department receives  fewer applications than the number of licenses/permits available.

Mule Deer Updates

• Mule deer units 410 and 417 were changed from general units to limited-entry units due to low mule deer numbers.
• All mule deer doe permits will only be valid on private land in regions 6 and 7. Also, adult rifle hunters will no longer be able to harvest a doe mule deer with the general deer tag in most of the units in the state.

Sheep, Moose, Mtn Goat, Bison, Antelope Updates

• All accumulated bonus points, including the one purchased at the time of application, will be used in the current year’s drawing if that person elects to purchase a bonus point.
• The Region 7 antelope license has been split into two separate hunts. The 007- 20 license is now only valid in any region 7 unit south of the Yellowstone River. The 007-21 license is valid in any region 7 unit north of the Yellowstone River.
• There is a new “Buy Items Again” option when applying online that will allow you to purchase and/or apply exactly the same as you did last year. Be careful if choosing this option as Montana does not allow modifications to your applications once they have been submitted.
• There is a new archery-only season for all moose hunts and any goat hunt with a September 15th general season opening date. The archery-only season dates for both species will be September 7-14, 2024.
• New hunts have been opened in units 381 and 305 for bighorn sheep and in unit 700 for moose. Of these, only 381 sheep is available for non-residents to apply for this year.

Useful Links:

• Access the onX Complete Package for Western Application Research.
• Log Into Hunt Research Tools To Start Your 2024 Application Season.
• View Montana Hunting Regulations.
• Apply for Your Montana Hunting Tags.
• Read About Montana Hunting Access.
• Read Montana Hunting News and Updates.

onX Hunt’s Top Three State Application Tips

• If you’re new to applying in Montana and a nonresident, be aware that 25% of all Big Game combo tags are issued to applicants with no preference points. Participating in the preference point system is optional,  and at present applicants with zero points actually have better drawing odds than those applicants with one point.
• Montana’s application process can be confusing and easily misunderstood. If you’re new to it, call Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to make sure you understand the process. And don’t wait; do it early in the application period to avoid the last minute rush. The application period for elk and deer typically begins in late February and ends April 1st.
• Bighorn sheep, moose, and mountain goat tags are generally very difficult to draw anywhere. Consider steering clear of the very hardest to draw hunts and focus on the lower two-thirds if you want to increase your chances of drawing in your lifetime. It may not seem like a big difference between .10 % odds and .05% odds, but consider that is actually one in 1000 against one in 2000. If you’re late to the game in accumulating bonus points, you’ll need all the luck you can get to overcome the odds.

Your One-Stop Application Season Stop

To maximize your time spent researching and applying—and to help you build your strategy to successfully draw in 2024 and beyond—we’re providing onX Hunt Elite Members with FREE services in one comprehensive package:

• Hunt Research Tools: In-Depth Draw Odds and Application Tools
• Huntin’ Fool: Boots-on-the-Ground Research and Insight
• HuntReminder: Worry-Free Text and Email Reminder Service
• onX Hunt: Map Your Hunt With Research Layers

The post Montana: 2024 Hunting Application Details appeared first on onX Hunt.

Utah has two separate and distinct drawings for mule deer: limited-entry and general. The limited-entry hunts are managed for more mature bucks overall but typically are also more difficult to draw. The general hunts are available in a different group of units and generally provide for more draw opportunities.

Utah uses a bonus point system, but it’s possible to draw a premium big game tag in Utah with no points, if you get lucky enough in the random portion of the drawing.

The Utah big game application period begins in late March and ends in late April, with draw results available by the end of May.

Hunters may apply for tags with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources here.

Huntin’ Fool’s Utah page is an excellent, updated resource for ongoing Utah draw changes.

New in 2024 From Huntin’ Fool

• Utah voted to remove variable power scopes for muzzleloaders beginning this year. Open sights and 1x scopes are legal. Magnified scopes will still be allowed on muzzleloaders used during any weapon hunts.
• Utah’s technology committee has also helped pass new regulations to not allow electronics to be included in any riflescope, except for illuminated reticles. In addition, no electronics may be attached to the bow or arrow, except for illuminated nocks and cameras. However, a camera cannot aid in the take of wildlife.
• Utah increased non-resident license and permit fees across the board for 2024.
• The Book Cliffs, Little Creek/South muzzleloader cow bison hunt has been discontinued for 2024.
• Utah allows applicants to edit their application free of charge at any time before the application deadline.
• Hunters can access proposed permit recommendations for all big game hunts starting in April. This will allow applicants to see how many permits the state is proposing for the hunts for which they’re applying.

Read more on Huntin’ Fool’s Utah page.

Utah Draw Process FAQs

Application Dates and Deadlines: Huntin’ Fool lines out Utah dates and deadlines.

Free for onX Elite members, Hunt Reminder’s Utah page is also an excellent resource for timely application season reminders.

Hunting license and species costs for tags usually include:

• Application Fee
• Hunting License Fee to apply (usually need a qualifying license before you can apply)
• Species Fee (This is what you pay for the animal you want to hunt. Some you pay upfront at application, some you pay for once you get the tag.)
• Points-Only fee (fees for people just buying points and not actually applying for a hunt)

Point System

• For limited entry elk, deer, antelope, and Once-in-a-Lifetime moose (OIL), sheep, and goats Utah uses a traditional Bonus Point system.
• Bonus Points are like raffle tickets: the more you have, the more “chances” you have in the draw.
• You get one chance for your current application, and then one additional chance for every Bonus Point you have (so with three points, you’d get four chances).
• If you apply for a tag and are unsuccessful, you will be awarded a Bonus Point for that species that will apply to next year’s application.
• Or, you can also choose to apply for a Bonus Point only each year to accumulate Bonus Points.
• If you draw your first choice for a limited entry tag, your Bonus Points are purged back to zero.
• For general deer tags, Utah uses a traditional Preference Point system.
• Preference Points are like a place in line: first in, first out. The applicants with the most Preference Points draw before those with less.
• You can apply for Preference Points only and accumulate general deer Preference Points.
• If you draw your first thru fifth choice for general deer, your Preference Points are purged back to zero.

Tag Allocation

• Nonresidents are issued a maximum of 10% of the total tags for a given hunt code.
• For limited entry and Once in a Lifetime tags, 50% of the total number of tags for that hunt will be awarded to the applicants with the most Bonus Points.
• The remaining 50% of tags for any given hunt code will be issued in the Random Draw.
• If the resident or nonresident total quota is an odd number, the extra tag will be issued in the Bonus Point Draw.
• But if there is only one tag available in total, it will be issued in the Random Draw.
• 100% of the general deer tags per hunt code are issued to the applicants with the most Preference Points.
• 20% of the total general deer buck tags are allocated to the youth drawing.
• You can apply for both a limited-entry and a General Deer tag, but if you draw a Limited Entry deer tag your General Deer tag application will not be considered (but you will still get a Preference Point)
• You can only hold one limited-entry or OIL tag per year. The draw order is limited entry deer, elk, antelope, OIL species (sheep, moose, mountain goat, bison), youth general deer, and then general deer.

Useful Links:

• Access the onX Complete Package for Western Application Research
• Log Into Hunt Research Tools Today to Start Your 2023 Application Season
• View Utah Hunting Regulations Here
• Apply Here for Your Utah Hunting Tags
• Check Your Utah Draw History Here
• Read Utah Hunting News and Updates Here

onX Hunt’s Top Four State Application Tips

• For limited entry hunts, Utah considers everyone’s first choice before anyone’s second choice is looked at. Because of the high demand, this means that only your first choice is truly relevant to your application.
• For elk, Utah does have some general season rifle hunts/units that are obtained on a first come, first serve basis during a special period in July. Most of these hunts have a capped number of tags and will typically sell out in a matter of hours.
• If you are an archery elk hunter, there are also early-season spike hunt tags available in limited entry units. These are unlimited, and enable you to hunt spike elk in some of the best trophy elk units in the country and can be an excellent way to learn more about these areas.
• Point creep is a significant problem in Utah — each year these hunts get harder and harder to draw, especially as a nonresident. If you are only applying for the highest-demand hunts you can realistically go a lifetime without ever drawing. At least consider the middle tier demand hunts as part of your long-term Utah strategy.

Your One-Stop Application Season Stop

To maximize your time spent researching and applying—and to help you build your strategy to successfully draw in 2024 and beyond—we’re providing onX Hunt Elite Members with FREE services in one comprehensive package:

• Hunt Research Tools: In-Depth Draw Odds and Application Tools
• Huntin’ Fool: Boots-on-the-Ground Research and Insight
• HuntReminder: Worry-Free Text and Email Reminder Service
• onX Hunt: Map Your Hunt With Research Layers

The post Utah: 2024 Hunting Application Details appeared first on onX Hunt.

Mule Deer tags hunts are all issued via the drawing, but Colorado is known for its trophy deer genetics and generally healthy herd numbers making it a must-apply-for state if you are a mule deer enthusiast. Because Colorado uses a pure Preference Point drawing system, it can be a bit easier to plan and predict draw success compared to other states. But expect point creep to continue year over year—especially for the higher demand hunts that take more points to draw.

The Colorado big game application period begins around March 1, 2024, and ends April 2, 2024 with draw results available by mid-May (elk, deer, antelope, moose). Draw results for sheep and goat are released mid-April.

Hunters may apply for tags with Colorado Parks and Wildlife here.

Huntin’ Fool’s Colorado page is an excellent, updated resource for ongoing Colorado draw changes.

New in 2024 From Huntin’ Fool

• The Colorado Parks & Wildlife Commission slipped in a reduction to the non-resident quota in May of last year to all non-high demand hunt codes from 65% resident/35% non-resident to 75% resident/25% non-resident. Draw odds for most hunts will be affected by this new change for 2024.
• Unit 43 deer, elk, and bear will be split into two separate units, 43 and 431.
• Unit 74 early rifle deer hunt will have more concise boundaries. The hunt area now will be above 11,000’.
• Mount Evans was renamed to Mount Blue Sky, so G4 and S3 will have that name change for the area.
• Non-resident black bear licenses were increased from $112.34 to $251.75 because the Commission felt that the reduction in price to $100 in 2019 did not increase harvest enough to justify the reduced price.
• Northwestern elk units 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 14, 23, 24, 131, 211, 214, 231,
• 301, and 441 have all been moved to a draw for antlered elk for second and third rifle for a two-year period to address low bull to cow ratios stemming from the 2022/2023 elevated winter mortality.
• An additional archery ram season was added to S32 this year for non-residents. S74 rifle was also added to the non-resident Rocky Mountain bighorn ram draw, while S09 archery, S49 archery, and S44 rifle were taken out of the nonresident application pool for 2024.
• G06 added one non-resident mountain goat rifle tag for 2024.
• G12 lost three tags for non-resident rifle mountain goat for 2024.
• Unit 66 was added to available cow moose hunts for non-residents.

Read more on Huntin’ Fool’s Colorado page.

Colorado Draw Process FAQs

Application Dates and Deadlines: Huntin’ Fool lines out Colorado dates and deadlines.

Free for onX Elite members, Hunt Reminder’s Colorado page is also an excellent resource for timely application season reminders.

Hunting license and species costs for tags usually include:

• Application Fee
• Hunting License Fee to apply (usually need a qualifying license before you can apply)
• Species Fee (This is what you pay for the animal you want to hunt. Some you pay upfront at application, some you pay for once you get the tag.)
• Points-Only fee (fees for people just buying points and not actually applying for a hunt)

Point System

For elk, deer, and antelope, Colorado uses a Preference Point system:

• Preference Points are like a place in line: first in, first out. The applicants with the most Preference Points draw before those with less.
• If you apply for and are unsuccessful drawing your first choice limited license, you’ll receive an additional Preference Point for future drawings.
• Applicants may apply for Preference Points only during the primary application window that begins in early March, but you must first buy a qualifying license.
• Preference Points are considered for your first choice only. If you draw your first choice for a species and it is a limited license, your Preference Points are purged back to zero.
• If nonresidents fail to apply or buy a Preference Point for a particular species in 10 consecutive years, they will lose all accumulated Preference Points for that species.

For moose, sheep, and mountain goat, Colorado uses a Preference Point + Weighted Point system:

• Effectively, you must accumulate the maximum of three Preference Points before you have any chance to draw a tag. So if you’re new, you will not have any chance for three years.
• After you have three Preference Points, you accumulate Weighted Points. Weighted Points are a fancy way to effectively implement Bonus Points in an otherwise random drawing.
• Participating in the Weighted Point program is now optional. Once you have three Preference Points, you can opt out of paying the additional fee ($100 for nonresidents, $50 for residents) to accumulate Weighted Points.
• There is no Point System for desert bighorn sheep; the very few available tags in Colorado are issued randomly.
• Preference Points are considered for your first choice only. If you draw your first choice for a species and it is a limited license, your Preference Points are purged back to zero.
• If nonresidents fail to apply or buy a Preference Point for a particular species in 10 consecutive years, they will lose all accumulated Preference Points for that species.

Tag Allocation

• For elk and deer hunt codes that required six or more points for a Colorado resident to draw, up to 20 percent may go to nonresidents.
• For hunt codes that required fewer than six points for a Colorado resident to draw an elk or deer license, up to 35 percent may go to nonresidents.
• There is no maximum nonresident tag allocation for antelope.
• Nonresident allocations may increase if licenses remain after all Colorado resident first choices have been drawn for that hunt code.
• License allocations do not apply to private-land only and Ranching for Wildlife licenses.
• In a group of applications made up of both residents and nonresidents, all nonresidents in the group will count against the nonresident allocation.
• Up to 10% of the available moose, sheep, and mountain goat tags can be issued to nonresidents.

Useful Links:

• Access the onX Complete Package for Western Application Research
• Log Into Hunt Research Tools Today to Start Your 2023 Application Season
• View Colorado Hunting Regulations Here
• Apply Here for Your Colorado Hunting Tags
• Check Your Colorado Draw History Here
• Read Colorado Hunting News and Updates Here

onX Hunt’s Top Four State Application Tips

• If you’re a rifle elk hunter, Colorado offers a number of second, third, and fourth season tags that are limited in number but must be drawn. Some of these tags can be drawn with zero preference points (first year applying), even for nonresidents.
• For moose, sheep, and goat, in nearly all cases Colorado’s point system requires you to apply for three years prior to being eligible for success in the drawing. But once eligible, you can draw one of these tags with only a small number of points if you’re lucky enough.
• For over-the-counter archery elk hunts, expect crowds and hunting pressure. Have a backup plan (or two) in case your primary hunting area is a bust and think outside the box when scouting for potential unpressured areas (i.e. further from the road may not always be better).
• In a lot of areas a bear tag can be purchased over-the-counter and will provide a bonus opportunity for the elk or deer hunter (see this Bear Hunt Code Matrix for 2022 example codes).

Your One-Stop Application Season Stop

To maximize your time spent researching and applying—and to help you build your strategy to successfully draw in 2024 and beyond—we’re providing onX Hunt Elite Members with FREE services in one comprehensive package:

• Hunt Research Tools: In-Depth Draw Odds and Application Tools
• Huntin’ Fool: Boots-on-the-Ground Research and Insight
• HuntReminder: Worry-Free Text and Email Reminder Service
• onX Hunt: Map Your Hunt With Research Layers

The post Colorado: 2024 Hunting Application Details appeared first on onX Hunt.

Alaska

The biggest changes in Alaska are usually related to weather conditions or the Federal Subsistence Boards voting to close areas to sport hunting. The unsubstantiated closures have been in the central Brooks Range and unit 23 for caribou. Stay tuned for more updates this spring as more meetings are on deck. The Board of Game also voted to move unit 23 caribou hunting for non-residents to a limited draw hunt beginning in 2025.

Arizona

Most of Arizona’s draw tag opportunities remain unchanged; however, they continue to mess with the non-resident opportunity for archery over-the-counter tags. Starting with the 2023 calendar year, the non-resident archery deer tag quota was set just under 3,000 tags. These tags went on sale online on December 1, 2022, and sold out completely within 48 hours. Fast forward to the 2024 tag sale day, which was November 2, 2023, and all of the tags sold out in under 4 hours. This means that you may not purchase an OTC deer tag to hunt any of the 2024 seasons if you didn’t already purchase a tag.

If you were lucky and hold an archery tag, keep in mind that you must also follow the harvest quota thresholds per unit as it will close to all deer hunting once a certain number of buck deer have been harvested and reported, regardless of future season dates. This harvest quota resets with each regulatory year (July 1 to June 30).

Arizona will most likely offer more “limited-entry” big game permits that are special, extra opportunities they have created to collect application fees. These hunts are raffle type and only offer one tag per hunt. Keep watching the AZGFD website for more information on when these applications will open.

Colorado

Colorado released 10 gray wolves from Oregon into the northwest portion of the state. They plan to release another round of the carnivores next winter. It’s only a matter of time before our elk populations start to feel the effects of this reintroduction “plan.”

Two working group committees have been meeting the past few months to make recommendations to the CO Commission in regards to the next five years of season structure as well as drastic changes to the overall draw process. Finalizations will be made at the June and July meetings with the hopes of being implemented for the 2025 season.

Idaho

Idaho continues to make it a disaster for non-residents to obtain general elk and deer tags during their December 1 sale day. When 2024 tags went on sale last December, their website was inundated with tens of thousands of non-residents trying to get a tag. The legislature would like to see the non-resident general tags be taken to a controlled hunt draw instead of over-the-counter. Demand continues to increase, and there is no equal way to play the game at getting a general tag under their “first-come, maybe first-served” program. Some tags will be returned to the Department and placed on sale once a month on predetermined dates.

Nebraska

In 2022, Nebraska restricted non-residents to 15,000 deer permits, of which no more than 5,000 archery and 2,000 muzzleloader permits can be sold to non-residents. In 2023, the quota was reduced to 10,000 total non-resident permits with no more than 3,000 permits for archery and 1,000 permits for the muzzleloader season. 2023 was the first year the over-the-counter archery antelope permits were discontinued and permits were only available in the draw. Stay tuned for more information as they could potentially lower the non-resident quotas for the 2024 season.

Nevada

Nevada continues to offer their first-come, first-served tag sales program online but restricts non-residents to only purchase returned non-resident quota tags. This makes the chance of a non-resident grabbing a tag next to impossible. In better news, two resident Shiras moose bull permits will be offered this year in Nevada. This is great news for their increasing moose populations and someday we hope to see a non-resident tag.

New Mexico

The largest change in New Mexico is the new regulation change from last year that removes the use of riflescopes or mounted optics during all muzzleloader hunts. Muzzleloader restrictions remain the same, but they can no longer have a scope mounted atop. All muzzleloaders must only have open or peep sights. Red dots and 1x scopes are not allowed. 

The state’s Game Commission is also considering creating a minimum age of 9 years old for youth hunters who have hunter education to be able to apply in the draw. Their goal is to institute this minimum age in time for the 2025 draw.

Utah

The biggest change for Utah was made last year, moving the application deadline from early March to late April (April 25, 2024). This movement will provide insight into proposed permit numbers before the application would need to be submitted. This should greatly help non-residents or those with points looking to have a peek into how many permits will actually be available in the draw.

All license and permit fees for residents increased for this year. The hunting license fee for non-residents will also increase from $72 to $120 for a 365-day license. The application fee per species increased by one dollar, up to $16 each.

Utah overhauled the statewide elk management plan last, which has directed the Division of Wildlife to change season quotas, target harvest and age structures, season dates, and available weapon types. Most limited-entry units now have a mid-season (October) rifle hunt that will follow the early archery and early rifle hunts. Most units also have a late archery hunt in early December. The idea behind these changes was to allow for the opportunity to provide more permits to sportsmen while maintaining the trophy quality that Utah has been known for.

The statewide mule deer management plan is now under review and sits with their new committee. Expect drastic changes to be discussed and voted upon at the November and December 2024 regional and board meetings.

Wyoming

Wyoming continues to flirt with the price ceiling on their big game licenses. The special price license for elk, deer, and antelope has greatly increased while the general license fee has stayed the same. 

The general elk license for non-residents that used to be valid statewide in all open units was divided into 3 general regions for 2024, eastern, western, and southern. Applications still had to be submitted by January 31 but draw results will not be available until late May. The April 2024 commission meetings will determine the extent of the season closures, antler restrictions, and license quotas.

The biggest issue when it comes to our downgrade to a 10% cap on non-resident sheep and moose licenses is the way that the state runs their preference vs. random draws. Currently, 75% of the licenses are awarded to those with the most preference points, and 25% are awarded randomly in the draw to any applicant, regardless of their point level. This means that if there are three or fewer licenses available for a specific hunt, there will not be a random license available at all in the non-resident draw. Frankly, this means that if you have 20 points or more for sheep and moose, you may still have a chance in the draw, but if you sit below the 20-point level, you may never have a chance at a preference license. 

onX and Huntin’ Fool’s Partnership

Huntin’ Fool was established to cultivate a community of like-minded hunters who want to help each other. Whether you’re planning a do-it-yourself hunt or you’re looking for the best outfitters in North America, Huntin’ Fool can help. A Huntin’ Fool Membership provides hunters with individualized assistance in addition to access to the countless hours of in-depth, in-the-field knowledge acquired by the Huntin’ Fool community each season.

Your One-Stop Application Season Stop

To maximize your time spent researching and applying—and to help you build your strategy to successfully draw in 2024 and beyond—we’re providing onX Hunt Elite Members with FREE services in one comprehensive package:

• Hunt Research Tools: In-Depth Draw Odds and Application Tools
• Huntin’ Fool: Boots-on-the-Ground Research and Insight
• HuntReminder: Worry-Free Text and Email Reminder Service
• onX Hunt: Map Your Hunt With Research Layers

The post The Biggest Changes to Hunting Out West: Huntin’ Fool’s Updates appeared first on onX Hunt.

Aside from over-the-counter sheep hunting in Montana, there is no real plan for hunting the “once-in-a-lifetime” species like moose, sheep, goat, and bison, except for being incredibly lucky in the draw. For this reason, the following will be focused on an elk, mule deer, and antelope application strategy and from a DIY hunter’s perspective. It’s also worth noting that the tables shown below do not account for point creep, but rather from where I feel the best values currently exist in each state.

In my opinion, the best hunting application strategy should include an even mix of short-, intermediate-, and long-term applications. To understand which states fit into each of those categories, they can most simply be broken down into three different groups: opportunity states, wild card states, and trophy states. There are some exceptions for some species in some of these states, and this grouping is a generalization to keep this breakdown simple.

The Opportunity States: Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming

These are the foundational states you should be taking advantage of to be going on a hunt every year. The best value in these states is in the three to five year range for most species. By cycling through each of these states while rebuilding the points for each species you’ve cashed in on, these states are vital for those looking to find themselves on a hunt every year. That won’t be the case If you’re chasing the best hunts in these states each year.

The Wild Card States: Idaho and New Mexico

Without a point system in place in Idaho and New Mexico, there’s no planning on when you’ll be hunting in these states. You’re simply at the mercy of the draw as to whether you will have a tag in your pocket from year to year. Without a point system, you can jump in and out of the draw each year if budget or schedule dictates doing so without hurting your chances of being drawn in the future.

The Trophy States: Arizona, Nevada, and Utah

While it’s mathematically possible to draw any tag in these states with little or even no points, the odds are incredibly long. Lower tag allocations keep trophy potential high and draw odds low. Middle of the road hunts in these states are not what I’m going after here. Instead, I’m swinging for the fences in hopes of drawing a hunt someday that will have me hunting in a unit that holds world-class animals. I don’t need a hunt in these states that only offers an opportunity at an average animal. That’s what the opportunity states are for.

With a better understanding of which states offer which types of opportunity, we‘ll break down a more detailed look at planning a short (one to three years), intermediate (five to 10 years), and long-term (15+ years) plan for each species. With exception to Idaho and New Mexico, the hunts assigned to each column represent a 50% or higher probability of being drawn. The better over-the-counter hunts in these states are also represented in the one-year columns.

Elk

Colorado’s archery and rifle hunts are easily the most popular non-resident over-the-counter elk hunting option. There is no limit to the number of tags that may be sold to non-residents each year. While that is good news for a non-resident looking to get their elk fix, it also comes with a crowded elk hunting experience. At around three points for an archery hunter and around five for a rifle hunter, there are good options for hunts that will offer a much better experience than those of the OTC units.

Idaho also offers non-residents the opportunity to purchase OTC tags in 26 elk zones across the state. Each comes with different season dates and weapon restrictions. These tags are not unlimited for non-residents and are subject to a non-resident cap in each zone. To pick up one of these tags, you need to purchase one when they go on sale on December 1. You will also need a little luck in getting a low enough number in the “virtual waiting room” to have your pick at the better zones. In May and early June, you may also apply for controlled hunts, and with no point system in place, your odds for the more popular hunts will be in the 1%-10% range each year.

Montana’s draw system can be confusing as you can apply for general elk licenses and also limited quota permit hunts. You have roughly a 60% chance of drawing a general elk license each year if you’re not participating in the preference point system. If you are participating in the preference point system, you can count on drawing a general license every two years. For limited quota hunts, three bonus points give an archery hunter a good shot at drawing some archery permits. The odds are longer for limited quota rifle hunts with 10 bonus points giving you a decent chance of being drawn. The way Montana runs its draw, you’ve always got a chance of drawing a limited quota hunt no matter how many bonus points you have, so it makes sense to apply for limited quota hunts if you are already applying for a general license.

New Mexico, without a point system in place, offers a one to ten percent chance of drawing the more popular elk hunts.

Utah has general season elk permits that go on sale in July. General archery elk permits are unlimited for non-resident hunters while general rifle permit numbers are limited. Point creep in Utah for a limited-entry elk hunt has gotten out of control and drawing a permit should be viewed as a long-term play. You’ve always got a chance at drawing along the way but doing so means beating lottery-type odds. The same can be said of limited entry elk hunts in Arizona and Nevada.

Wyoming split general elk units into 3 regions this year (2024) from a statewide general elk tag in prior years. In 2023, 4.1 points guaranteed this license in the regular draw and special draw. This is going to obviously change the draw odds and render these prior years draw statistics useless except for speculation. Wyoming also added close to 1,000 more nonresident elk tags which even further complicates this. Wyoming also raised the special elk license fee to $1,967 which after your 2.5% online convenience fee will bring your total to just over $2,000. This will also affect the draw odds for both regular and special so it’s going to take a few years of the new system to get a feel for the level of points required to draw a general elk license.

Mule Deer

Arizona offers archery hunters over-the-counter tags for mule deer. There is a cap on the number of tags that may be sold to non-residents as well as limits in place for the number of deer that may be harvested in each unit before it is closed. For limited-entry archery hunts, there are some options at around 10 points, but you’re in for a long wait if you’re trying to draw an archery Strip tag or one of the best rifle hunts in the state, which are currently taking 25 points to draw.

Colorado’s sweet spot for archery deer hunters begins at around three points. Determining the best value for its rifle deer hunts is more difficult because, between the multiple sets of rifle season dates, there are plenty of options for hunts to apply for. It’s fair to say that each point you accrue is going to return its value and get you on a slightly better hunt. Because of this, an argument could be made to put a rifle hunter’s best value in any of the three, five, 10, or even 15+ year categories. That being said, with limited short-term rifle options for mule deer hunting in the West, it makes sense for applicants to take advantage of the three-point type hunts if they are looking for a good mule deer hunt as often as possible.

Idaho also offers non-residents the opportunity to purchase OTC tags in any of the general deer units across the state. Each comes with different season dates and weapon options. These tags are not unlimited for non-residents and are subject to a non-resident cap in each unit. To pick up one of these tags, you need to purchase one when they go on sale on December 1. In May and early June, you may also apply for controlled hunts, and with no point system in place, your odds for the more popular hunts will be in the 1%-15% range each year.

In Montana, you can apply for general deer licenses and also limited quota permit hunts. You have roughly a 50% chance of drawing a general deer license each year if you are not participating in the preference point system. If you are participating in the preference point system, you can count on drawing a general license every other year. For limited quota hunts, 10 bonus points get you in the game for a good chance at drawing a decent limited quota rifle hunt. Unfortunately for archery hunters, the same is true as there aren’t any archery-only hunts to apply for. To archery hunt limited quota units, you will have to apply for a rifle tag and hunt its archery season dates if drawn.

To get into one of the top units in Nevada that offer you a chance at taking one of the giant deer the state produces each year, you are going to be looking at a long-term application strategy. Only Arizona and Utah’s top hunts offer a better chance of finding a true giant than the top units in Nevada. With few states across the West offering top-end trophy mule deer hunts, I’ll take on the long draw odds and wait my turn for some luck in the draw. There are plenty of easier-to-draw options for those who aren’t concerned with how big of a deer they are hunting in Nevada.

New Mexico, without a point system in place, offers a five to 20 percent chance of drawing the more popular opportunity-type deer hunts.

In Utah, you can apply for two different types of deer hunts each year: general hunts and limited-quota hunts. What’s great about this system is that while you are applying for Utah’s best hunts in hopes of hitting the lottery, you can also cash in on your general deer points and be hunting a general unit occasionally along the way. Archery hunters will have good options at three points while the better rifle hunts are taking five points to draw in the general units.

Like Wyoming’s elk hunts, the general region deer hunts in Wyoming give you a few good options at around five points. For me, it’s not worth chasing point creep to catch the better hunts in Wyoming if you are looking for a good mule deer hunt as often as possible.

Antelope

In Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah, the odds of being drawn for an antelope hunt are rough. Of these states that have a point system in place, you’re going to need to be sitting on a pile of points or beat some long odds. Aside from Utah, each of these states offers great trophy potential and should be worth the wait when drawn.

Colorado sells unlimited over-the-counter archery antelope licenses in many areas of the state. However, many of those areas are comprised of private land, making access difficult. For limited-entry hunts, five points will get an archery hunter on a good hunt and 15 points give a rifle hunter some good public land options.

Idaho offers archery hunters a good number of unlimited quota archery hunts. You must apply in the controlled draw for them and use your first application choice to ensure being drawn for one. Many of these hunts offer good public access. There are also controlled archery hunts that are going to offer a little better potential for a better buck. Most of these hunts run anywhere between five and 50 percent draw odds. Rifle hunters are faced with two to five percent odds of being drawn for any of the controlled rifle hunts.

Montana has two different point systems for buck antelope: archery and any weapon. You may only apply for one of these hunts each year, but you can also build points for whichever one you didn’t apply for in the limited quota draw. The archery hunts are usually drawn with two or three points and are valid in any unit in the state in exception to three units. With five points, a rifle hunter will have a good probability of being drawn for a good unit with enough public land to have a good hunt.

Point creep for antelope in Wyoming has really taken off over the last couple of years and we’ve seen some of the easier-to-draw hunts double in the amount of points it takes to be drawn over that span. As it stands now, most of the options for decent public land hunts don’t begin until you’re sitting on around five points. Aside from only a few exceptions, archery hunters will need to apply for a rifle tag and hunt the archery only season dates if drawn.

In addition to the strategy and options outlined above, most of the states I’ve focused on here provide some muzzleloader options as well. With the varying limitations on muzzleloader restrictions between each of these states (as well as in the interest of trying to keep this breakdown as simple as possible), those options weren’t covered.

If your Huntin’ Fool membership includes access to speak with the Hunt Advisors and you need help fine-tuning your application strategy, you can always give us a call. With a better understanding of when and which states make the most sense to be spending your points in, you will be making the most of your hunting opportunities by beginning each application season with a well-planned application strategy.

The post Planning Your Short, Intermediate, and Long-Term Hunting Application Strategy appeared first on onX Hunt.