APPLICATION STRATEGY 2019: Utah Sheep, Moose, Goat, Bison

Utah's 2019 Sheep, Moose, Goat and Bison Application Overview

For the individuals who are lucky enough to draw, Utah continues to offer good opportunities to hunt moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat and bison. Those species are commonly referred to as once-in-a-lifetime (OIL), due to the fact that you can only draw and hunt those once. Below we have included a table to show just how many permits Utah offered last year and, for 2019, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) has once again come up with a number of new hunts to hopefully cycle more applicants through the system. These include archery hunts for bighorn sheep, bison and mountain goat and several new bison hunts on both the Book Cliffs and Henrys. Permit numbers have not yet been set for the new hunts, but it appears to be in addition to the existing hunts/permits.

Utah offers half of the permits for each hunt to the applicants with the most bonus points; the other half is randomly allocated. If there is an odd number of permits, the bulk of them go in the random draw and, if there is only one tag, it will be randomly drawn. Ultimately, what this means is that if there is one permit, you have a chance in the draw. Those odds are long, but you never know. We will cover everything you need to know to apply for moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat and bison in this article.

Note: The application deadline for all Utah species is March 7, 2019 at 11 p.m. MST. Applicants wishing to purchase bonus points only have until March 21, 2019 at 11 p.m. MST. You may apply online here.

* Utah won't set their 2019 allocations until May, which is after the application deadline.** Does not include resident Cooperative Wildlife Management Units (CWMU) moose permits.

Why Utah for Sheep, Moose, Goat, Bison

New for 2019

Season dates change slightly every year. Check them carefully before applying for hunts.

Bison

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

Desert Bighorn Sheep

Rocky Mountain Goat

Boundary Changes

State Information

View important information and an overview of Utah’s rules/regulations, the draw system and bonus points, tag and license fees and an interactive boundary line map on our State Profile. You can also view the Utah Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, desert bighorn sheep, moose, mountain goat and bison profiles to access historical and statistical data to help you find trophy units.

Important Dates and Information

Amount to Remit

The Draw System

Understanding the Draw

Every applicant must buy a hunting or combination license to apply. That license is valid 365 days from the date of purchase. If you time your application correctly you can apply for two years on the same license. For example, you could buy the license close to the deadline on one year and apply for hunts; then, apply the next year as soon as the draw opens. You do not need a valid hunting license to hunt. The permit you draw becomes the only valid permit that you need.

Points System

UDWR utilizes a bonus point system for once-in-a-lifetime species. For every year that you apply for a once-in-a-lifetime species and do not draw, you will be given a bonus point for that species. You may also buy a bonus point only. Every bonus point you have is essentially the number of times your name goes into the draw. Utah gives 50% of the permits for any given hunt to the applicants with the most bonus points. The other 50% are randomly drawn. Statistically, the more points you have, the better your odds for those random permits.

If there is only one permit available for a hunt, it will be randomly allocated. If there is an odd number, for example, three permits, the bulk will be randomly allocated and the one permit will be given to the high point holder.

The random draw process is relatively simple. Each applicant is assigned a randomly generated number for each bonus point they have. The applicants with the lowest generated random number will draw the permits until they are gone.

This is a good time to note that we advise applicants to apply for a hunt rather than just build points. The only reason you should not apply is if you cannot afford the time to hunt or the cost of the permit should you draw.

Permit Allocation Breakdown

Utah issues 10% of their draw permits to nonresidents. Below is an example of the permit split for the Book Cliffs Bison hunt: Aug. 24 to Sept. 4.

Total permits: 25

Resident total permits: 22 (90%)Nonresident total permits: 3 (10%)Resident bonus point permits: 11Resident random permits: 11Nonresident bonus point permits: 1Nonresident random permits: 2

Hunt Choices

Utah allows applicants to enter one hunt choice for once-in-a-lifetime species. If you draw a permit and hunt, then your accumulated points will be purged.

Group Applications

Group applications are not permitted for moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat or bison.

Unlocking Utah’s System

Utah does not allow applicants to draw a limited entry and a once-in-a-lifetime permit in the same year. The draw order may impact your strategy. For example, let's say you have enough points to draw both a once-in-a-lifetime mountain goat permit and an antelope permit. In that situation, you would draw the antelope permit and your mountain goat application will not even be considered.We recommend that you review your bonus points, draw odds and develop a strategy. If you are close to that maximum bonus point spot for a species, perhaps don’t shoot yourself in the foot by applying for and drawing a less desirable permit and, subsequently, taking your name out of the tag you really want.

Oil Hunt Choices

Utah allows applicants to enter one hunt choice for OIL species. If you draw a permit and hunt, then your accumulated points will be purged

Utah’s draw goes in the following order from first to last:

It’s important to look at the permit allocations and applicant breakdowns on the Unit Profiles and Draw Odds from the previous year and evaluate your application strategy. A call to a district biologist is also a good idea in order to assess how many permits may be available since Utah doesn’t set their allocations until after the application deadline. If you are building points and have been for a long time, it may benefit you to take a quick look at how many points it took to draw one of the available maximum point permits.For all species, the maximum point amount is 26 for 2019; however, there are some species that no longer have applicants at that level. Below are the high point holders for applicants that either purchased a point or applied.

Rocky Mountain bighorn sheepResidents: 25Nonresidents: 21Desert bighorn sheepResidents: 23Nonresidents: 25MooseResidents: 25Nonresidents: 24Mountain goatResidents: 23Nonresidents: 20BisonResidents: 24Nonresidents: 25

Utah's 2019 rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Breakdown

The most notable news for Utah’s bighorn sheep herds is that the Antelope Island population that the state has used as a source to transplant into other parts of the state has completely died off. The herd contracted a respiratory disease and quickly declined and the remaining 26 were then killed to remove the threat. The hunt on that unit will be discontinued for the foreseeable future until the herd is reestablished. If there is good news, it’s that we are hearing the unit will be reestablished with Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep rather than California bighorn sheep.

There are eight Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep units in the current state regulations and, of those, three are considered California bighorn sheep populations. Those populations are the Box Elder/Newfoundland, the Fillmore/Oak Creek and the Oquirrh/Stansbury, which were transplanted from the Antelope Island and Newfoundland population. The other areas (Book Cliffs, Nine Mile, North Slope and Central Mountains) are all considered Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. The state does not distinguish between the two in their rules and regulations guidebook.

The largest populations occur in the Nine Mile, Box Elder/Newfoundland Mountains and the Book Cliffs units. The Fillmore/Oak Creek and the Oquirhh/Stansbury are small populations with limited opportunity to hunt. Populations are generally stable in these areas while trophy potential is average. Utah isn’t known to produce book rams, but any unit can provide a high success hunt and a chance at a mature ram.

* New hunts and tag numbers will be set at the May big game board meeting.

How to Uncover Hidden Gem Rocky Bighorn Units

Residents have eight units that have bonus point permits available. If you have 19 points or more it’s worth reviewing the detailed Draw Odds page to research your options. If you have less than 19 points, all units are likely to have less than 2% random odds. The new archery hunt may have slightly better odds, but they are expected to still be very low.

Nonresidents have three hunts that they can apply for. The Newfoundland Unit is likely to have a bonus point permit and it’s going to take a minimum of 17 points to be in contention for it. The trophy quality is better in both of the other units, but there is only going to be one permit for each one of those units and odds are less than 1% at every point level. Remember it will be randomly allocated.

Boone & Crockett (b&c) Entry Trends for Utah Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

Units listed below may not have a current hunt for this species. Units in this table are included if any part of the unit is found within the county. Data provided below courtesy of the Boone and Crockett Club.

Managing Points and Expectations

2019 maximum points for rocky bighorn sheep:Residents: 26Nonresidents: 22

Find your draw odds

I Have 0 to 19 rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Points. What Can I Expect?

Residents

Residents have 10 hunt options—all of which have less than 1.5% odds up to the 17 point level. The Box Elder/Newfoundland Mountains had 21% odds at 18 points. It might be worth looking at the detailed draw odds page for the unit if you are at the 18 to 19 point level. The new archery hunt offers a bonus point permit that could be drawn in that range as well. If you are within this point range, you can apply for the hunts with the best odds or apply for the best trophy potential units. The difference between the odds is minimal.

Find your resident Rocky bighorn sheep draw odds with 0 points here

Nonresidents

Nonresidents can apply for either the Book Cliffs, South, Box Elder/Newfoundland Mountain or Nine Mile Grey Canyon hunt. All three have less than .02% odds for the entire zero to 16 point range. At the 17 to 19 point levels, it’s worth reviewing the detailed draw odds page to see how many applicants are at those levels and consider the Newfoundland Mountain Unit since it’s likely to have a bonus point permit available. Pick the unit with the best odds or the unit with the best trophy potential.

Find your nonresident Rocky bighorn sheep draw odds with 0 points here

I Have 20 to 26 rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Points. What Can I Expect?

Residents

At the 20 point level, applicants can look at the Box Elder/Newfoundland late hunt. The early hunt had slightly worse odds but it’s worth some research as well. With 21 points applicants could consider any hunt except the Book Cliffs/South. The Book Cliffs/South hunt will likely require over 22 points to be in contention for a permit.

Find your resident Rocky bighorn sheep draw odds with 20 points here

Nonresidents

The only hunt that is likely to have a bonus point permit is the Box Elder/Newfoundland Mountain hunt and it will require over 17 points to draw. The odds with less than 17 points were less than 1%. The odds for the other two units are less than 1% throughout the entire point range.

Find your nonresident Rocky bighorn sheep draw odds with 20 points here

Utah's 2019 desert Bighorn Sheep Breakdown

Utah has a relatively healthy desert bighorn sheep population. Over the past two years, more bighorn sheep have been harvested than ever before with 57 and 58 sheep being harvested statewide. Trophy potential is decent throughout the state with a couple of standout units: the Zion and the Kaiparowits Units (East, West, Escalante). Residents can select from the 14 hunt options while nonresidents can pick from four hunts. Nonresidents should note that there is typically only one permit for each of the four units and since there is only one permit, it will be randomly allocated.

Utah is fortunate that their desert bighorn sheep herds are doing quite well overall. There are pockets of concern and there are also pockets that appear to be thriving. The recent counts of the Kaiparowits herds were very positive. The Zion remains stable in lieu of a recent scare where biologists documented sick bighorn sheep within the park. Only time will tell how that will play out. The San Rafael Units are relatively stable as are the Pine Valley and the San Juan Units.

The largest herds exist within the Zion, Kaiparowits East and West and the San Rafael North and South. The other herds are smaller and hunting opportunities are managed accordingly.

Overall, it’s a great time to be in the mix for a bighorn sheep tag. For those who draw, 2019 should be a great year.

* New hunts and tag numbers will be set at the May big game board meeting.

How to Uncover Hidden Gem Desert Bighorn units

Residents have 14 hunts that have bonus point permits available. If you have 19 points or more it’s worth reviewing the detailed Draw Odds page to research your options. If you have less than 19 points, all units are likely to have less than 2% random odds. The new archery hunt may have slightly better odds, but they are expected to still be very low.

Nonresidents have four hunts that they can apply for. None are likely to have a bonus point permit available. Odds of drawing any of the desert sheep hunts for a nonresident are less than .25% all the way to the 26 point level. The trophy quality is better in the Zion and Kaiparowits Units. It’s worth noting that a nonresident who draws a sheep tag in the Kaiparowits, East may also hunt the Escalante Unit. The nonresident who draws the Zion tag can hunt the early and late hunt and a hunter who draws the San Rafael can hunt both the North and South units. There is a 1% chance at every point level. Remember: it will be randomly allocated.

Boone & Crockett (b&c) Entry Trends for Utah Desert Bighorn Sheep

Units listed below may not have a current hunt for this species. Units in this table are included if any part of the unit is found within the county. Data provided below courtesy of the Boone and Crockett Club.

Managing Points and Expectations

2019 max points for Desert bighorn sheep:Residents: 24Nonresidents 26

Find your draw odds

I Have 0 to 19 desert Bighorn Points. What Can I Expect?

Residents

With less than 19 points applicants can review the odds and apply for the unit with better odds or apply for the best trophy unit. The difference in the random odds between the Zion hunt and the La Sal/Potash is only 1.6% at the 19 point level.

Find your resident Desert bighorn sheep draw odds with 0 points here

Nonresidents

With maximum points, odds are less than .25% for all four of the hunts that you can apply for. Pick one, cross your fingers and hope for the best.

Find your nonresident Desert bighorn sheep draw odds with 0 points here

I Have 20 to 26 desert Bighorn Points. What Can I Expect?

Residents

With 20 points, resident applicants can research the Escalante unit. With 21 points the Henry Mountains and Dirty Devil units become options worth considering. At the 22 point level, the Kaiparowits, East, San Juan Lockhart and San Juan North and South units are worth a review. The Kaiparowits, West unit is going to require 23 or more points and the Pine Valley and Zion hunts will require over 24 points.

Find your resident Desert bighorn sheep draw odds with 20 points here

Nonresidents

Nonresidents still only have the four hunts that they can apply for. As long as there is only one permit available for any given hunt, that permit will always be randomly allocated.

Find your nonresident Desert bighorn sheep draw odds with 20 points here

Utah's 2019 shiras Moose Breakdown

If there is a bleak spot in Utah’s big game herds, it’s been Shiras moose over the past couple of decades. The populations are stable but are a fraction of what they once were in the late 90s and early 2000s. Unfortunately, the fallout has been a reduction in permits even though the number of applicants still remains very high—especially for residents. To put it into perspective, there are 32,273 total eligible resident applicants for moose while that same pool for each of the other species is less than 10,000. It’s a bit more evenly spread across species for nonresidents, but moose it still a very tough draw in Utah. Utah has tried to maintain a quality hunt by reducing the permit numbers. For the lucky hunters that draw, the trophy potential is still quite good.

The largest herds in the state occur along the Wasatch Front, the Cache and the North Slope, Summit in the Uintas. Residents can pick from 12 units—several of which are mostly comprised of private lands. Nonresidents are limited to just four options to apply: the Cache, North Slope, Summit, Ogden (new for nonresidents in 2019) and the Wasatch Mountains/Central Mountains. Applicants should be aware that the Ogden is mostly private land. The only unit that may have a bonus point permit for nonresidents is the Wasatch Mountains/Central Mountains.

The trophy potential was very good in the Cache unit this past year. It will likely be good again as will the North Slope, Summit unit. There may be a few larger bulls within other units, but be prepared to do some scouting. It may take time to find a mature bull.

* Units are mostly private land.** Unit will have a nonresident permit in 2019.

Many are not aware that there are 27 CWMU hunts offering permits available for residents to draw. Nonresidents may not apply for CWMU permits, but it’s likely that there are bull moose landowner tags available for purchase on some of these properties. See the UDWR guidebook for more information on CWMU hunts.

How to Uncover Hidden Gem Moose Units

Residents can apply for 14 different units; all but one have less than 1% odds up to 20 bonus points. The difference between the hardest to draw unit and the best odds at the 20 point level is only 1.63%. Use the draw odds and unit profiles to make the best selection.

We do not publish odds for CWMU hunts due to the fact that they occur only on private land and are only available to residents. If you are a resident, it may be worth reviewing those opportunities, harvest success rates, and odds within the state report to see if there are better possibilities there.

Nonresidents will only have the four units they can select from. It required 24 points to draw the bonus point permit in the Wasatch Mountain/Central Mountains and will likely require that again. The other units will only have one permit available each; those will be randomly drawn. The Ogden unit could have slightly better random odds being that it’s a new permit for nonresidents and the unit is mostly privately owned. It may be a better option if you can book a guided hunt should you draw.

Boone & Crocket (b&c) Entry Trends for Utah Shiras Moose

Units listed below may not have a current hunt for this species. Units in this table are included if any part of the unit is found within the county. Data provided below courtesy of the Boone and Crockett Club.

Two other counties with one entry each.

Cow Moose Opportunities

Cow Moose Draw Odds

Find your resident cow moose draw odds here

Find your nonresident cow moose draw odds here

Managing Points and Expectations

2019 max points for Shiras moose:Residents: 26Nonresidents: 25

Find your draw odds

I Have 0 to 20 Moose Points. What Can I Expect?

Residents

The best odds within this point range are for the Morgan, South Rich unit and it tops out at the 20 point range at 2%. The units with good public access and trophy potential all have odds that are less than 1%. Use the Draw Odds and Unit Profiles to make the best selection.

Find your resident moose draw odds with 0 points here

Nonresidents

Nonresidents with less than 20 points had .25% odds or less for all three hunts. Pick one and apply. You may consider the new Ogden hunt if you can go guided.

Find your nonresident moose draw odds with 0 points here

I Have 21 to 25 Moose Points. What Can I Expect?

Residents

With 22 points, applicants can consider the East Canyon, Morgan-Summit, Kamas, Morgan-South Rich, and the two South Slope hunts. With 23 points, applicants are in the running for almost every hunt. The Cache is going to require 24 points.

Find your resident moose draw odds with 21 points here

Nonresidents

Find your nonresident moose draw odds with 21 points here

Utah's 2019 rocky Mountain Goat Breakdown

Utah continues to expand its mountain goat herds and opportunities. Over the past few years, herds have been established on Mt. Dutton and the La Sal Mountains and several herds continue to expand and grow. The Nebo unit, in particular, has increased. It offered only three permits in 2017, which increased to 10 in 2018 and, now, for 2019, there will be two seasons (archery only and any weapon). Overall, mountain goat populations statewide are still down a bit from a high in 2013, but the herds are stable to growing. 2017 was the first year since 2013 that permits have increased.

The highest populations of mountain goats occur on the Uintas, West and Central Units, the Ogden, Willard Peak and the Beaver unit. Trophy potential is good throughout the state. The Beaver, Ogden, Willard Peak are the standout trophy units. The Uintas Units also have older age class billies available for those willing to put in the time and effort. The Beaver, Willard Peak, Mt. Dutton and La Sal areas have easier access; the Uintas units are more of your traditional backpack wilderness style mountain goat hunt.

There are 19 hunts that residents can apply for. There are nine hunts that nonresidents can apply for—two of which are likely to have a bonus point permit each available (Beaver and Ogden, Willard Peak).

* Permit numbers will be determined in May at the wildlife board meeting; there will be a nonresident permit available.

How to Uncover Hidden Gem Mountain Goat Units

Residents can apply for any of the 19 hunts. The few that are likely to have the best random odds are the archery hunts and the nanny hunt, but only by a small margin. One thing worth reviewing is the timing of the hunt. Most hunters want a long thick winter coat on their mountain goat and some of the early hunts may not allow for that opportunity. Hunting too late in the season may also yield snow and cold temperatures that could complicate the hunt. Also, consider that some areas will offer a more physically demanding backpack style hunt while others are among the most accessible and easy mountain goat hunts in the world. Consider your objectives for your hunt and review the odds to help you make the best choice. It will require 14 to 16 points to begin to be in the mix for bonus point permits.

Nonresidents can apply for one of the nine hunts that will have a nonresident permit. The archery hunt and nanny only hunts are likely to have the best random odds. The only two hunts that should have a bonus point permit available are the Beaver and Ogden/Willard Peak early hunts. Those are going to require 20 points to be in contention for those permits. The random odds for all other hunts are going to be between approximately .5% and .01%.

Boone & Crockett (b&c) Entry Trends for Utah Mountain Goats

Units listed below may not have a current hunt for this species. Units in this table are included if any part of the unit is found within the county. Data provided below courtesy of the Boone and Crockett Club.

One other county with one entry.

Managing Points and Expectations

Nanny Mountain Goat Opportunities

There is also a nanny mountain goat hunt on Ogden, Willard Peak for both residents and nonresidents.

Find your resident nanny mountain goat draw odds here

Find your nonresident nanny mountain goat draw odds here

2019 max points for mountain goat:Residents: 24Nonresidents: 21

Find your draw odds

I Have 0 to 13 mountain Goat Points. What Can I Expect?

Residents

It took 13 points to obtain a nanny permit last year. With 13 points going into the 2019 draw, odds are going to be approximately 60% if applicants apply in the same manner and the permit number remains the same. The archery hunt on the North Slope/South Slope, High Uintas Central took 13 points but could dip with no other applicants at the nine to 12 point level. The Nebo archery hunt may also be worth considering. All other hunts have random odds of 4% and less.

Find your resident mountain goat draw odds with 0 points here

Nonresidents

There are no guarantees for applicants in this point range. Review the odds and apply accordingly.

Find your nonresident mountain goat draw odds with 0 points here

I Have 14 to 23 Mountain Goat Points. What Can I Expect?

Residents

Toward the bottom end of this point scale applicants can review the odds and detailed draw odds pages for the archery hunt on the North Slope/South Slope, High Uintas Central and the nanny hunt on the Ogden, Willard Peak. With 16 points, the three North Slope/South Slope Uintas and the early Willard Peak hunt are options. The Kamas and Odgen, Willard Peak hunt are good options around the 17 or 18 point level. The Wasatch Units are going to require 18 to 21 points. The highly sought after Beaver hunts are going to require 20 to 21 points.

Find your resident mountain goat draw odds with 14 points here

Nonresidents

The two hunts that have had bonus point permits will require 20 to 21 points to draw. The other hunts are all going to have one random tag and the odds will be somewhere between .5% and .01%. It’s tough to draw a permit, but it’s always possible.

Find your nonresident mountain goat draw odds with 14 points here

Utah's 2019 bison Breakdown

Utah is among the very few states that offer hunts for free-range bison. Bison inhabit the Henry Mountains, Book Cliffs and Antelope Island. There are 15 hunts—all of which occur in these areas. Of those 15 hunts, six are new for this year. Nonresidents can apply for every hunt except the Antelope Island hunt. Some hunts occur in subunits within these areas. For example, within the Book Cliffs, there are hunts on the Wildhorse Bench and the Little Creek Roadless area.

There are hunts for cow only or hunter’s choice as well as a couple of relatively new archery only hunts. The hunts also vary by date. Typically, the later the hunt, the more challenging it can be due to weather and hunting pressure.

The Henrys and Book Cliffs herds continue to grow, which has given the state the opportunity to create new hunts. The Henry Mountains continues to be at or slightly over objective with an estimated herd of approximately 400. The Book Cliffs have a growing population and are also likely over the herd objective of 450. Antelope Island maintains an objective of 500. The Wildhorse Bench hunt is designed to give hunters the chance to hunt late season when the weather has pushed bison out of the neighboring reservation. It can be a very good hunt with weather or a ghost town if it’s dry and warm.

Overall, there are some great new hunts and it should be a very good year for the applicants who draw tags.

How to Uncover Hidden Gem Bison Units

Cow bison and the archery hunt on the Henrys have had better odds. The new cow archery bison hunt on the Henrys should have good odds this year. One other new hunt may have slightly better odds this year: the Book Cliffs, Little Creek Roadless. This area offers no vehicle access and hunters are almost assuredly going to have to use packstock or a large group of people to help pack a bull out. Also, as previously indicated, the later hunts often have better odds due to weather and hunting pressure, pushing bison deeper into more remote terrain.

All of those factors are worth considering if you are trying to increase your chances of drawing a permit. Cow bison, archery, later season dates and new hunts all can be a factor into slightly better odds of drawing.

* New hunts and permit numbers will be set at May wildlife board meeting. There is resident and at least one nonresident permit for each of those indicated.

Boone & Crockett (b&c) Entry Trends for Utah Bison

Units listed below may not have a current hunt for this species. Units in this table are included if any part of the unit is found within the county. Data provided below courtesy of the Boone and Crockett Club.

One other county with one entry.

Managing Points and Expectations

Cow Bison Opportunities

Find your resident cow bison draw odds here

Find your nonresident cow bison draw odds here

2019 max points for bison:Residents: 25Nonresidents: 26

Find your draw odds

I Have 0 to 13 Bison Points. What Can I Expect?

Residents

Residents with 13 points should consider the Henry Mountains late cow hunt or the Book Cliffs cow hunt. It’s tough to predict how many points it might take to draw the new cow hunts, but the new Book Cliffs cow November hunt, the archery cow hunt and the late season cow hunts on the Henrys should all be within reach with about 13 bonus points. The bull bison hunts will all require more points to draw with the Book Cliff hunts having the better random odds. Odds below the 13 point level are going to be in the .01% to 5% range. Review the Draw Odds pages and make the best selection for your objectives and number of points.

Find your resident bison draw odds with 0 points here

Nonresidents

The archery-only Henry Mountains hunt was a new hunt for nonresidents last year and it is likely to only have one randomly allocated permit. The archery cow hunt is new for 2019 and should have better odds for nonresidents. There were six hunts that had bonus point permits for nonresidents—all of which required 14 or more points. All other hunts had less than 6% odds through the entire point range and many have much lower odds. It’s tough to predict what the odds will be like for the new hunts, but keep in mind that cow hunts and late season hunts provided better odds. Once again, the cow only hunts and archery hunts will have the best odds.

Find your nonresident bison draw odds with 0 points here

I Have 14 to 26 bison Points. What Can I Expect?

Residents

It will require 19 or 20 bonus points to be in the mix for a bull bison permit. That includes the archery hunt on the Henrys. With the new hunts—four of which are bull (hunter’s choice) hunts—it could spread the applicants out some and a permit could leak down to a bit lower point level, but it’s hard to say.

The cow bison hunts are going to require 14 to 16 points and, once again, with new hunts this year, it may spread applicants out and create opportunities at lower point levels.

Find your resident bison draw odds with 14 points here

Nonresidents

A bull bison any weapon permit will require 23 or 24 points—the Book Cliffs being the easier draw. The archery bull bison hunt on the Henrys will likely require 20 or more points. Cow hunts on the Henrys should be available at the 14 or 15 point level. Review the Draw Odds pages and make the best selection for your objectives and number of points.

Find your nonresident bison draw odds with 14 points here