Antelope Draw Strategies
Plan your antelope application strategy with Huntin’ Fool’s insights into trophy-only hunts, any-weapon opportunities, and archery antelope.
Trophy-Only
State Snapshots
| State & Total Tags Issued 2021-2023 | 80″+ Boone & Crockett Entries 2021-2023 | Boone & Crockett Entries to # of Tags Issued | 2023 Non-Refundable Hunt License and/or Stamp | 2023 Non-Refundable Fees to Apply or Build Points | 2023 Fees to Float (Refunded if Not Drawn) | Should I Apply or Build Points Where Available? |
| Wyoming 121,036 Tags | 21 | 1 in 5,764 | $0 | $15 to apply and/ or $31 for a point | Regular $341 Special $629 | Absolutely. Wyoming is a must, whether applying for points only or for tags. |
| New Mexico 20,493** Tags | 17 | 1 in 1,205 | $69 | $13 | $270 | Yes, if applying for other species. With no point system and low out-of-pocket cost, the long odds are worth playing. |
| Nevada 9,466** Tags | 12 | 1 in 789 | $156 | $14 | $0 | Yes, if applying for other species. Long draw odds make this an expensive choice for antelope only. |
| Arizona 1,824 Tags | 4 | 1 in 456 | $160 | $15 | $0 | Only if applying for other species AND you are prepared for a 30+ year grind. Arizona point creep has made antelope tags incredibly hard to draw. |
| Colorado 63,759 Tags | 8 | 1 in 7,970 | $105.28 | $10 | $0 | No, unless applying for other species. The best goats with decent draw odds tend to be on land with access issues. |
| Utah 4,678 Tags | 4 | 1 in 1,170 | $72 | $15 | $0 | Only if applying for other species already. Utah makes it too cheap to pass up if you’re already fronting license fees for other species. |
| Montana 66,992 Tags | 6 | 1 in 11,165 | $25 if applying in the draw | $25 | $200 | Yes. The price is right and tags are plentiful, but beware that giant bucks are scarce in Montana. |
**2023 tags issued were not available at the time this article was written. Total tags issued in 2022 were used for 2023 estimates for New Mexico and Nevada.
Wyoming Antelope
All antelope strategies should start with Wyoming. The Cowboy State is home to roughly half of the continent’s antelope population, and it typically issues nearly 50,000 antelope tags annually. Sitting at 1,394 all-time entries, Wyoming has put more Boone and Crockett antelope bucks in the book than any other state.
Although the ratio of Boone and Crockett bucks harvested to tags issued looks terrible at face value, it’s arguable that one of the main reasons there are so few giants harvested in Wyoming is because antelope are tough to field judge, and it is hard to stay off the trigger when you see an impressive buck. With a little self-discipline and polished field judging skills, Wyoming is the place to concentrate on to put an entry in the record books.
The 2022-23 winter hit some of Wyoming’s antelope herds hard, and winterkill levels reached historic highs in some pockets. Since then, winter weather has been nearly non-existent, providing a good start to a quick population rebound.
Arizona Antelope
Arizona holds the title of the highest Boone and Crockett entry ratio to tags allocated for antelope. Arizona has produced 11 of the top 20 all-time bucks. These statistics are particularly impressive considering the Grand Canyon State has an estimated population of fewer than 10,000 speed goats. Contrast those numbers with Wyoming’s herd of around 400,000 antelope with no top 15 entries in Boone and Crockett’s all-time scores, and you can see why Arizona is such a special place to hunt antelope.
However, if you want to stand in line for a coveted Arizona tag, you’ll need to recognize that antelope points for Arizona’s best units are measured in decades, not years. Serious antelope hunters looking for an 80″+ trophy should apply a multi-state strategy.
New Mexico Antelope
New Mexico’s behemoth speed goats should be high on the list since there are no bonus points, and the non-refundable price to apply is incredibly low. New Mexico ranks second to Wyoming on the all-time Boone and Crockett entries list, with 800 entries.
New Mexico also boasts the current world record antelope, a giant scoring 96 4/8” taken in 2013. If a giant antelope is high on your hunting bucket list, you should apply in New Mexico in spite of the terrible draw odds.
The trophy table (above) provides insight into the remaining states, like Nevada, that traditionally produce huge bucks. In most cases, the cost of applying and the number of years it takes to draw the best tags doesn’t make sense unless you are already applying in that state for other species and fronting the sunk costs of purchasing the non-refundable hunting licenses.
Any-Weapon Opportunities
The story begins and ends with Wyoming and Montana for any-weapon. Including doe tags, the two states typically provide nearly 60,000 antelope tags annually, and feature tens of millions of acres of public land antelope habitat to hunt. These states provide plenty of hunts that can be drawn with 0-5 points depending on how much private land you are willing to work around.
Montana and Wyoming require the hunter to know legal public road easements and private land ownership. There are no private property posting requirements for landowners in either state, so the onus is on the hunter to avoid a trespassing ticket. Outside of that warning, pick one of these two states and bring your best glassing game and a dialed-in rifle for one of the most fun hunts the West has to offer.
Archery Hunts
If you love the stick and string and extending your hunting seasons, and you appreciate being schooled by cagey critters several times each day, then go for an archery antelope hunt. Draw odds for archery-only hunts range from extremely good to guaranteed for several western states, including Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.
These hunts are managed for opportunity, and as a result, you will see competition, and it is rare to turn up trophy-sized speed goats. In spite of that, archery antelope hunts offer a target-rich environment and a vast amount of public land to hunt. To be consistently successful, you’ll need to be a great shot with your bow, patient, and methodical.
