New for 2021

State Information

Wyoming snow water equivalent as of February 01, 2021. Source: National Resources Conservation Service

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Wyoming snow water equivalent from May 05, 2020. Source: National Resources Conservation Service

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Source: US Drought Monitor

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Source: US Drought Monitor

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Wyoming grizzly bear range in 1990 and 2016. Source: Wyoming Fish and Game Department

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The Draw System

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Wyoming's 2021 mule Deer Breakdown

How to Uncover Hidden Gem Mule Deer Areas

Wyoming's 2021 whitetail Deer Breakdown

Managing Deer preference Points and Expectations

Wyoming's 2021 antelope Breakdown

Managing Antelope Preference Points and Expectations

Wyoming's 2021 deer and Antelope application Overview

Note: The application deadline for Wyoming deer and antelope is June 1, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. MST. You can .

Draw Results Will Post June 18

Preference Point Reminder

Insider Feature

Resident Antlerless Draw Odds

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Nonresident Antlerless draw Odds

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GOHUNT INSIDERs can research draw odds for female species within their account. Log into your account, hover over the INSIDER icon in the header bar. When the pop-up box appears click on the “draw odds” link near the top of the box. Next, select Wyoming as the state and then either resident or nonresident regular draw as your residency. When the list of species appears, scroll down towards the bottom to find antlerless deer and doe/fawn antelope.

View important information and an overview of the Wyoming rules/regulations, the draw system, SuperTag and SuperTag Trifecta, tag and license fees and an interactive boundary line map on our . You can also view the Wyoming Species Profiles to access historical and statistical data to help you find trophy areas.

Important Dates and Information

*Applicants must front the entire cost of the licenses they apply for. There is also a 2.5% processing fee to the total amount.

*Archery license is $72 for nonresidents and $16 for residents for those wanting to bowhunt.

Snowpack in Wyoming

2021

Wyoming snow water equivalent as of February 01, 2021. Source: National Resources Conservation Service

Currently, the western part of the state is still below average in snow water equivalent. The northeastern and eastern parts of the state are above average with the Powder River Basin sitting at 133% of its annual rate. Horn and antler growth should be good throughout Regions G, H and F as should the renowned Red Desert antelope areas. Those areas had decent moisture last year and, even though it’s been drier this year, those herds should fare well. The areas that received ample precipitation will likely be in better shape going into 2022; however, unfortunately, the timing and size of the late storms definitely took a toll on populations.

2020

Wyoming snow water equivalent from May 05, 2020. Source: National Resources Conservation Service

Wyoming Drought Status

2021

Source: US Drought Monitor

Wyoming covers a very diverse range of habitats and elevations and has all four distinct seasons. However, Mother Nature has been tough on Wyoming’s deer and antelope herds over the past several years. The winters of 2016/2017 and 2018/2019 were harsh and a vast majority of the fawn crop was lost, primarily in the western portion of the state. This was followed by a decent winter last year and then drought conditions throughout the spring and summer months. The current winter was relatively dry up until an early spring blizzard that brought a few feet of snow and freezing temperatures to the north central and eastern portions of the state. Due to drought and then the late blizzard, a good number of antelope were lost in those areas.

2020

Source: US Drought Monitor

Designated Wilderness Areas (dwa)

A nonresident cannot legally hunt a DWA on their own; they must be accompanied by a licensed Wyoming outfitter or licensed Wyoming resident. A DMA is a United States Forest Service (USFS) designation.

A Wilderness Study Area (WSA) is a BLM designation and a nonresident can hunt those areas without a guide.

Before applying, be aware that there are large tracts of USFS DWAs in many mule deer hunt areas. Every year, we receive email questions after the draw from applicants who have drawn licenses that are composed of all DWA or large portions of DWA and they are trying to figure out how to hunt. Please do some research and apply accordingly.

Grizzly Country

Since 2000, the grizzly population has continued to grow and expand well beyond the Grizzly Bear Recovery Zone. The most recent estimate of the population was approximately 700 grizzly bears.

Hunting in grizzly country can be intimidating and is a real cause for concern. If hunting in occupied grizzly bear areas is something you do not want to do, please do some research and apply for areas where that is not an issue. See the map below for estimated grizzly bear range.

Wyoming grizzly bear range in 1990 and 2016. Source:

Understanding the Draw

Wyoming is a great place to apply for licenses and go hunting. Nonresidents are allocated approximately 20% of the total deer and antelope licenses. Residents are allocated approximately 80% of the deer and antelope licenses.

The nonresident deer and antelope draw works on a modified preference point system with 75% of the licenses for each hunt given to the applicants with the most points who apply for any given hunt. The other 25% are randomly allocated with no weight given to the number of preference points applicants have. Any applicants who aren’t successful in the preference point draw are rolled into the random pool and will have a chance to draw from the random licenses available. There must be a minimum of four nonresident permits available for one to be allocated in the random draw.

Nonresident applicants who are unsuccessful in the draw will not automatically be given a preference point. If you do not draw, you will still need to buy a preference point in the summer point only purchase time frame of July 1 through Nov. 1, 2021.

The resident licenses are randomly allocated. There is no point system for deer and antelope for residents.

What Is the Difference between "Ful" Price” and "Reduce" Price” Licenses?

Applicants may be interested in applying for full price and reduced price licenses in Wyoming and they can apply in both draws if they wish. The full price and reduced price are separate draws. The full price draw is where applicants will apply for buck antelope, buck deer or some full price antlerless hunts. The reduced price draw is where applicants will apply for the bulk of the doe/fawn antelope and doe/fawn deer hunts.

The full price draw works on a modified preference point system. The reduced price draw is completely random with no point system. If you apply and draw license(s) in the reduced price draw, your preference points will not be impacted; they are two separate draws.

What Are Types?

Wyoming categorizes their hunting licenses by type.

What Is the Special and Regular Draw?

What Is the Special and Regular Draw?

There are two pools of licenses for nonresidents: the regular and the special. Applicants will have to choose the option they want to apply for. The licenses are essentially the same, but the difference is that the special licenses will cost $288 more. Applicants who apply in the special draw often have better odds due to the fact that fewer applicants are willing to pay the higher price. However, this is not always the case, especially for trophy quality hunts. Review the to see if the added cost is worth it.

The regular draw allocates 60% of the nonresident permits; the other 40% goes to the special draw. Within those pools, 75% of the licenses are allocated to the applicants with the most preference points. The other 25% are randomly allocated with no weight given to the number of points you have. Even if this is your first year of applying, you have some chance for most hunts.

Hunt Choices

Wyoming allows applicants to apply for up to three hunt choices. They consider every applicant's first choice before moving to any applicant’s second choice. You will only lose your preference points if you draw your first choice. If you draw a second or third choice, you will retain your points and will draw the license. If you draw a license as a second and third choice, you can then also purchase a point in the summer point only timeframe for that year.

Group Applications

Wyoming will allow up to six people to apply on a party application for deer and antelope. Residents and nonresidents cannot apply together in a party application. Party applications have their preference points averaged out to the fourth decimal point. For example, a party application of three hunters with five, three and two preference points will go into the draw with 3.3333 points (5+3+2=10/3=3.3333). The party is treated as a single application and, if it’s drawn, all members of the party will receive a license. Wyoming will allocate permits over the hunt quota to cover a party application, so there is no decrease in odds for group applications.

Leftover Licenses

WGFD conducts a second draw for leftover deer and antelope licenses that remain after the initial drawing. There is no cost to apply and no point system. Your preference points will not be impacted by applying and drawing in the second leftover draw.

The application period for leftover deer and antelope drawing is typically the last week of June.

Results of the leftover drawing will be available by early July and licenses remaining after that will go on sale on a first come, first served basis a few days later.

Mother Nature has been tough on Wyoming over the last five years. Tough winter conditions in 2016/2017 and into 2018/2019 followed by drought has made it difficult for mule deer herds to rebound. The silver lining is that the winter weather and drought have been somewhat locatized through the state and there are portions of the state that have fared better and are rebounding.

The famed Regions G, H and, to lesser extent, L and F had a rough winter in 2016/2017. By most accounts, G and H lost 90% plus of the fawn recruitment during that winter. Since then, recruitment has been good and this upcoming fall marks three years since that die-off, which means that there will be a few more three- and four-year-old bucks available. It should be a good year to have a license for those regions. Provided this year is light once again, the future is very bright for some of Wyoming's best deer country.

Limited Quota and General Season Hunting

Wyoming offers both general season hunting and limited quota hunts. Residents can simply purchase the general season deer hunting license over-the-counter (OTC) and hunt any general season/area in the state. Nonresidents must draw general region licenses. There is no OTC general season deer hunting for nonresidents. Whether you have no points, a handful or have been waiting for years for your chance to hunt, Wyoming has a hunt for you!

Laramie Region

: Without paying a trespass/trophy fee or hiring an outfitter, hunters have a difficult time harvesting a mature mule deer buck. Half of the estimated population (11,100) to objective (20,000), but no change in license allocation.

//: Continued poor fawn production, but survivability is good. Good opportunity for a younger age class of buck. No change in license numbers. 36:100 buck to doe ratio. Estimated population of 14,900 with an objective of 20,000.

, , , , : Objective set at 10,000; population estimate is 6,316. Buck to doe ratio is 31:100. Stable population. No change in license numbers. Overall, a healthy distribution of age classes of bucks in the population.

: Objective is 7,500 with the current estimate of 6,345. Buck to doe ratio of 32:100. Stable to growing population. No change in licenses. Lower population of older age class bucks.

, , , , : Objective of 16,000; estimate of 10,866. Buck to doe ratio of 35:100. Declining license numbers for the Type 1 from 375 to 200. Increase in licenses from 200 to 250 in Type 1. A good number of younger age class bucks available with a lower number of mature bucks.

Green River Region

, , : Herd is slightly over objective, estimated at 20,722. The buck to doe ratio is 29:100. general will move to a 4 point or better restriction and doe/fawn licenses will be reduced. Region W will see a reduction of licenses from 900 to 750.

, : Population declining for a number or years due to habitat and predation. Buck to doe ratio is 38:100. Fawn survival and production is low. Overall population is estimated at 4,050 with an objective of 8,500. Licenses in will remain at 25. will remain at 200.

, , : Population is well below objective, estimated at 13,260 with an objective of 20,000. Poor recruitment. Antler restriction to 4 point or better in , and . Region K will have a reduction in licenses from 300 to 350.

Jackson Region

: 400 nonresident license quota for 2021. High over winter survival on the northern winter ranges. 41:100 buck to doe ratio in the northern portion of those winter ranges. Mule deer in , - the population is below average. Recent data suggests 30:100 buck to doe ratio. Estimate population of 30,200; objective of 40,000. Antler restrictions will be implemented in to 4 point or better. , , licenses will remain valid for any antlered buck.

Pinedale Region

: 600 nonresident license quota for 2021. Deer numbers below objective in , -, , , -. Population estimate of 19,838 with an objective of 32,000. Good fawn survival in normal range at 68:100 fawn ratio. Buck to doe ratio is approximately 36:100.

Lander Region

: Population is slightly below objective at 3,350. The objective is 3,700. Good fawn production with fawn to doe ratio at 76:100. Buck to doe ratio increased with a ratio of 55:100. Quota is being reduced once again from 100 to 75, which is a 75 license reduction in the past two years.

: Population is estimated at 1,499 with an objective of 2,600. Very low fawn production at only 33:100 fawn to doe ratio. Buck to doe ratio is up though with an estimate of 57:100, but maybe a factor of lower sample size. License number will remain the same. Decent number of mature bucks, but a lower population overall.

, , : Population is 8,143 with an objective of 11,000. Fawn production has increased with a 73:100 fawn to doe ratio. Buck to doe ratio is 25:100.

, : Population is nearing its objective, with a population of 4,054 and objective of 4,500. Good fawn production at 76:100 fawn to doe ratio. Low buck to doe ratio at 19:100. , general seasons will remain 3 point or better antler restrictions. Region Q nonresident quota will remain at 125 license.

: Area is close to meeting hunter satisfaction objectives of 60%. General season hunt will remain 3 point or better antler restriction.

, : Population estimate of 6,306 with an objective of 8,000. Buck to doe ratio of 26:100. These hunt areas have struggled with low fawn production with a fawn to doe ratio of 49:100.

, , : Landowner and hunter satisfaction was 58% and 81%. This herd occupies a predominantly agricultural area as well as lands interspersed with the Wind River Reservation. The highest densities of mule deer are found along the southern portion of and along the Wind River through .

, : Slight reduction of permits in again from 400 to 350 and will remain at 50.

Cody Region

, , : Below objective of 11,000 with a population estimate of 7,673. Fawn to doe ratio is better at 60:100. Buck to doe ratio is 26:100. Although buck ratios have historically been within the range of recreational management, many of these bucks are young, which creates dissatisfaction among a vocal group of hunters.

, , : Population is before management objectives, but increasing at 3,942 and an objective of 5,000. Fawn to doe ratios are good with 80:100 and buck to doe ratios are 33:100.

, : Population is below management objective at 2,995 with an objective of 4,000. Fawn to doe ratio is 54:100 and the buck to doe ratio is low for Wyoming at 31:100.

-, , , : Population is below management objective, estimated at 11,205 with an objective of 16,000. Fawn to doe ratio is 52:100 and the buck to doe ratio is up some at 37:100. and will have a season reduction of seven days. Type 1 will have a reduction in licenses from 125 to 100. will have a one day reduction in season dates. Region M will see a reduction in licenses from 800 to 600.

, : Populations are slightly below management objectives with an estimate of 3,130 and an objective of 3,600. Fawn production is better, but still not growing at 53:100. Buck to doe ratio is 35:100. No changes in license numbers in 2021 for these hunt areas.

, : Population is below objective at 4,121 with an objective of 5,000; fawn to doe ratio is 67:100 and buck to doe ratio is 36:100. Recent hunter satisfaction: 76% satisfied, 11% neutral, 13% dissatisfied.

, , : Population is below objective at 2,900 with an objective of 5,000. Recruitment was once again with a fawn to doe ratio of 46:100. The buck to doe ratio continues to be below the norm for Wyoming at 27:100.

-: Population is below objective at 6,800 with an objective of 12,000. Fawn to doe ratio is 52:100. Buck to doe ratio is 19:100. Antler point restrictions will be removed for all of these areas.

Sheridan Region

-, , : Large population estimated at 36,600 with an objective of 45,000. Fawn recruitment at a ratio of 56:100 and a buck to doe ratio of 49:100. Hunter satisfaction: 74% satisfied, 18% neutral, 8% dissatisfied. This herd can be difficult with hunter access to public lands being limited. Nearly all landowners charge access fees or outfit for buck hunting and tend to cater to nonresident hunters. Region C (, , , ) licenses will remain the same at 2,500, which is the second highest number of licenses offered of any region in the state. In 2018, incisors from hunter harvested bucks were collected during hunter checks to obtain lab ages. Bucks aged 4.5 years and 5.5 years comprised 47% of the sample.

, , : Estimated population of 10,528 and an objective of 13,000. High buck to doe ratio of 43:100 and fawn to doe ratio of 53:100. This herd area is largely private land with limited areas of accessible public lands, but for those that gain access to private or go on outfitted hunts, the hunting is very good.

, , , , -: Below management objectives for population with an estimate of 13,390 and an objective of 20,000. Buck to doe ratio of 30:100 and high fawn to doe ratios of 66:100. Region Y (, , , ) will have 1,800 licenses, which is the third highest number of any region. , are predominantly private land. , , and contain mostly public lands. A lot of these bucks appear to be younger animals. Mature bucks seem to be lacking in this population, resulting in smaller antlered animals generally available for harvest.

, , , , : Estimated population of 12,039 with an objective of 18,000. Buck to doe ratio of 40:100 and fawn to doe ratio of 64:100. Accessible public lands are limited in the northern portion of the herd area, but are more prevalent to the south, which receives heavy hunting pressure. and contain relatively large areas of accessible public lands and are managed with more conservative hunting seasons. All areas are within general Region Y.

Casper Region

-, : Estimated population of 23,291 with an objective of 23,291. Buck to doe ratio is good at 39:100. Fawn to doe ratio is 58:100. Approximately 75% of the land within the herd area is private and most mule deer are harvested on private land because it provides the majority of mule deer habitat. Hunter access is largely controlled by private landowners and access fees along with outfitted hunting are common. Region B licenses will be reduced from 1,500 to 1,350 in 2021.

-: Estimated population of 28,103 and an objective of 30,000. Buck to doe ratio of 22:100 with a fawn to doe ratio of 66:100. Approximately 76% of the land in the herd area is private. Significant blocks of accessible public land are found on the Black Hills National Forest in , and . A block of BLM land with a couple of access points is also present in . Region A will have a reduction of licenses from 4,000 to 3,750. This is the greatest number of licenses offered of any region in Wyoming.

: Estimated population of 7,343 with an objective of 9,000. Hunter satisfaction: 86% satisfied, 8% neutral, 6% dissatisfied. Public hunting access within the herd area is poor with only small tracts of accessible public land interspersed with predominantly private lands. High trespass fees and outfitting for mule deer are common on most ranches within this herd area.

: Estimated population of 6,180 and an objective of 12,000. Buck to doe ratio is healthy at 51:100. Recruitment has also been high with a fawn:doe ratio of 79:100. Hunting access within the herd area is marginal with tracts of public land and national forest interspersed with predominantly private lands.

-: Estimated population of 4,121 with an objective of 8,000. Buck to doe ratio of 26:100 and good fawn:doe ratio at 66:100. In Hunt Area 66, hunting access is good with large tracts of public land as well as a sizable Hunter Management Area providing access to key private lands. Hunt Area 67, which includes the north-central portion of Casper Mountain, remains closed to hunting.

-: One of the only herds that may be exceeding objectives with an estimate of 5,887 and an objective of 5,500. High buck to doe ratio of 53:100 and great fawn to doe ratio at 70:100. Hunting access within the herd area is moderate. While there are large tracts of public lands and several large walk-in areas, there are also many parcels of private land with restricted access. is dominated by private lands with several small public land parcels. General license hunting pressure can be disproportionately high on public lands within and harvest success in the hunt area is typically low as a result. is part of general Region D, which will have 400 licenses. is a limited quota area, which will see a license reduction from 175 to 125 in 2021.

: One of the only herds that is nearly meeting objectives with an estimate of 4,230 and an objective of 4,700. Good buck to doe ratio of 53:100 and fawn to doe ratio at 54:100. Hunting access within the herd area is very good with large tracts of public land as well as walk-in areas available for hunting. The southeastern corner of the herd area is the only area dominated by private lands. This is a limited quota area, which will see a reduction in mule deer licenses from 300 to 200 while the Type 3 whitetail licenses will be increased from 50 to 75.

Wyoming offers several other additional areas with a trophy potential of 170” to 180”. You can find these areas by using and adjusting the trophy potential slide filter.

To Get Started with Filtering 2.0

When most think about hunting Wyoming for deer, the species they are dreaming about is probably not a whitetail. Wyoming offers good opportunities for whitetail hunting; the bad news is that most inhabit private land. Whitetail deer populations are strong though and, in most areas of the state, the license numbers continue to increase.

With a robust and growing population and private land harboring a good portion of whitetail, the trophy potential is much better than you might think. Wyoming isn’t Kansas or Iowa, but it does offer a good opportunity to harvest a nice buck.

If you want to pursue Wyoming whitetail, it will take some real research. Utilize the GOHUNT INSIDER tools to find a good hunt. It’s worth noting that the largest concentration of whitetail on public land occurs in the northeastern portion of the state in the Black Hills.

*There are several other areas where a 140 to 150”+ buck is possible. Use to explore additional options.

*Be aware that whitetail deer habitat is often closely associated with river bottoms and agricultural land and because of this private land and access can be an issue.

How to Uncover Hidden Gem Whitetail Areas

Wyoming offers so many areas that are easily drawn and still allow a reasonable chance at taking a mature whitetail. Utilize our and manipulate the Trophy Potential to display the areas that have a chance at bucks that score 140” or better. Customize your search and click on a specific hunt area to access the Unit Profile in order to gain the greatest resource available to thoroughly learn an area. Pay special attention to how much public land is available. Once again, the key to harvesting a good whitetail buck is researching where the public land is adjacent to whitetail habitat, which is often privately owned property. Another good option is to book a hunt with an outfitter who has access to private land. Visit the on the homepage to find listings and contact information for Wyoming guides and outfitters.

The maximum number of nonresident preference points for deer is 15 going into the 2021 draw.

Residents

Wyoming is arguably the best state in the West for resident hunters. Limited quota hunts are allocated via a random draw with no point system and general licenses are available OTC. If you use , you can quickly see that a resident has better than 50% odds for seven limited quota hunts, including Type 2, Type 1 and Type 1 as well as a few of others in the south-central portion of the state.

The best guaranteed hunts are available OTC in Regions G, H and F. The best hunts in the state include , , and with odds ranging from 1.8% to 3.9%. Review the odds, use the filters and unit profile to pick the best choice for you.

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Nonresidents - I Have 0 Deer Preference Points. What Can I Expect?

The first decision you’ll need to make is deciding if you want to apply and, if you do, deciding if you want to apply in the regular or special draw. Remember that the odds are typically a bit better in the special draw, but the cost of the license is significantly more. You also have to front the entire cost of the license you apply for. If you only want preference points, simply wait until the summer months and buy your point.

If you decide you want to apply, you have a few methods you can consider regardless of whether you apply in the special or regular. One, you can review the odds and apply for the best trophy hunt in the state that still has a random license available in the draw. For example, the random odds in the regular draw are 12% for Region H and 4.4% for Region G. The odds of drawing the top-tier licenses are slim, but, if you do draw, the opportunity for a good hunt is excellent.

Another option is to use to sort by odds, harvest success and trophy potential to find the best combination that meets your objectives. For example, there are four limited quota hunts in the special draw that have 25%+ draw odds with zero points and 170”+ trophy potential. Those areas are 22, 80, 119 and 157. Public land and access is probably going to need to be a major topic of research for those who apply; however, it goes to show that there are options.

Finally, if you just want to go hunting, do not overlook the general season hunts. Thirteen of the general season region hunts had 100% odds with no points in the special draw. Those include Regions A, B, C, D, F, J, L, M, Q, R, T, X and Y. Even more interesting is that, of those, A, B, C, D, F L, M, R, T, X and Y all had 100% odds as a second choice. That means you could potentially draw one of those as a second choice, get a license to go hunting and, then, still buy a point in the summer for this year.

There are many more options to explore in addition to these. Spend some time in your INSIDER account and find the best options for you.

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What Can I Do with 3 or 5 Deer Preference Points in the Nonresident Regular Draw?

General Regions H, K, R and W are all worth researching in the regular draw. Limited quota hunts in , , , and // are also intriguing options within this point range. If applicants are willing to go into the special draw, try for , and . and both have great harvest success at 70% and 59% with trophy potential at 170”+

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What Can I Expect with 6 or 9 deer Preference Points in the Nonresident Regular Draw?

Region G required seven to eight points this past draw and it’s possible it could require eight to nine points going into 2021. It might require one or two more light winters for those areas to be world class once again, but there is still good hunting and it’s getting better. Every other general region had 100% odds in the regular draw with four points. Moving to the limited quota regular draw hunts, (<8 points), (6 points) (6 points), (7 points) (<7 points), (9 points) and Type 2 (7 points) are your best options within this point range.

Going into the special draw, (<9 points) is an interesting option, which is a Nov. 1 to 15 hunt.

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What Can I Expect with 10 or 15 Deer Preference Points in the Nonresident Regular Draw?

If you have maximum points, which is 15, you may be holding out for one of the hunts listed in our GOHUNT hit list above; however, it might be worth looking at the odds before you decide to apply. For example, the regular draw odds with maximum points were (55%), (5.3%), (60%), (6.1%) and (6.4%). If you are waiting for those hunts, be sure you look at the detailed draw odds pages to see how many other applications you are competing with and how many permits were allocated. You are likely going to wait over a decade to draw an or license.

If you decide you want to use your points and go hunting, then, within the regular draw, you might consider , , , /, , and Type 1. In the special draw, the same hunts are also available, but you may be able to draw them with a point or two less. If you are at the bottom end of this point range and you don’t want to wait, it might be worth going into the special draw.

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Wyoming is still the best place in the world to hunt antelope. The populations are robust and the trophy potential is excellent. Statewide harvest success was approximately 88% with approximately 40,410 total antelope taken by hunters in 2020. If you are looking for an opportunity to hunt antelope, you should be applying — or at a minimum purchasing preference points — in Wyoming. Trophy quality is generally good throughout the state. There are areas that usually produce book bucks (central and southwest corner), but the reality is that any hunt area in the state is capable of mid 70” to even 80” bucks.

One of the most common questions we get about Wyoming antelope hunting is, “Can I draw a license as a second choice and still have a good hunt?” The answer is yes — although those opportunities are getting harder to find. If you are willing to do some real research into land access — or willing to go guided — there are good hunts available in the regular draw. In the special draw, there are indeed more options that have decent access and amounts of public land to hunt that can be drawn as a second choice. As with most western states, we are seeing more and more applicants. The opportunities to draw as a second choice are likely to dip this year due to an anticipated increase in applicants and a decrease in license numbers.

Wyoming’s antelope population is still strong although there has been some localized decline in some areas of the state. Below, we will break down the hunt areas that are going to see license decreases or increases. As you can see in the table below there are a good number of areas that will see license cuts in 2021. Areas not listed in the table will see no change in license numbers.

The GOHUNT Hit List Areas for Wyoming Antelope

Good public land access and a robust antelope population often offers a good hunt, but the odds of drawing these types of hunts have gotten tougher over the years. The areas listed below offer the best chance at a trophy buck; however, once again, the odds of drawing are long.

There are other areas that have 80” potential and public land to hunt. Utilize the Draw Odds, and Unit Profiles to find additional areas.

How to Uncover Hidden Gem Antelope Areas

Even with the late spring storms and the die-off that occurred in the central and eastern part of the state, antelope populations are still very good. Trophy potential is also good throughout the state and hunters who are able to scout prior to their hunt or spend multiple days hunting and looking over a good number of bucks can often find a mature 70”s caliber buck. As such, draw odds are closely tied to the amount of accessible public land in an area. Areas with good access to larger tracts of public land are harder to draw. Areas that have limited amounts of public land or the access is difficult are easier to draw. Within these types of areas is where the real hidden gems lie. Utilize the standalone to find hunts that can be drawn in your point range. From there, the public land filter is often a good reference to quickly review the amount of public land. Utilize and land ownership layer as well to explore the access and options to hunt. Most antelope hunts have high harvest success. Also, consider the walk-in access and hunter management areas. In some areas, there are sizable amounts of acreage available through those programs. Another option that is often overlooked are the Type 2 hunts that are only valid within a half mile of irrigated land. Certainly, that limits the amount of land to hunt, but there are good opportunities to hunt and harvest success rates are still very high.

Finally, while the odds for deer and elk may not be significantly better between the special and regular draw, for antelope, the odds are often much better in the special draw. Fewer people are willing to pay the higher price for the special antelope draw and, if you are willing, there are more options. In addition, if you are looking for a hunt to draw as a second choice, the options within the special draw are indeed more plentiful.

The maximum number of nonresident preference points for antelope is 15 going into the 2021 draw.

Residents - I Have 0 Antelope Preference Points. What Can I Expect?

Out of the 119 hunts available to residents, 38 of them had 100% odds, and 27 of those could have been drawn as a second choice. This would allow applicants to apply for a great hunt as a first choice and, if they do not draw, they still can draw a good license as a second choice.

- Type 0, , , , and - Type 2 are all great options. Better options as a second choice are , , , and . If you live in Wyoming and want to hunt antelope every year, it’s absolutely possible; it just requires a little research.

The trophy hunts within the GOHUNT hit list still have really good odds for residents. The worst odds are for at 9%. Most trophy hunts are within the 20% to 35% range and even has odds as high as 48%.

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Nonresidents

Nonresidents will need to decide what their objectives are for a Wyoming antelope hunt. As previously stated, harvest rates are often in the 90%+ range and average days hunted was just over three in 2020. Harvesting a buck is not all that difficult; however, harvesting a trophy buck can be. If your goal is a true 80”+ buck, booking with a guide or hunting the top-tier areas where they manage for bigger bucks is your best bet. If your goal is a good DIY hunt where access is good and harvest success is high, it may require a handful of points. If your goal is to simply hunt antelope, there are areas that have 100% odds with no points and can even be drawn as a second choice. Again, public land and access can be an issue in those types of areas.

Nonresidents will also have to decide if they want to apply in the regular or special draw. There are more options because there are typically fewer applicants willing to pay that price to hunt antelope. The options to draw a license as a second choice are decreasing, but there are a few more within the special draw.

There are 10 hunts that can be drawn with no points in the regular draw while there were 31 hunts that could have been drawn in the special draw. In the regular draw, applicants might consider , or . Applicants in the special draw should research , , and . The best options as a second choice are in the special draw for , , , and - Type 2. It’s worth noting that these areas were also among the hardest hit with winter storms and will be receiving license cuts this year.

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What Can I Do with 3 or 5 Antelope Preference Points?

The top-tier hunts at this point will not be within range and the reality is that drawing one of them gives you no assurance that you will harvest an 80” buck. If you have points within this range, we would encourage you to do some research and consider going on a hunt sooner rather than later.

In the regular draw, the muzzleloader hunt Type 0 in is also worth some research. Other hunts worth consideration are , , , , , , , , , , , , , and . Out of those, , and all had harvest success of 75% or greater and 75”+ trophy potential.

The special draw opens up a few more interesting hunts: - Type 9, and - Type 0 muzzleloader hunts are very good opportunities. Rifle hunters might consider , , , , , , , , - Type 2, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and . There are a few really good options to hunt tucked away in those hunt areas, for example , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and all had 75% plus harvest success, 50% plus public land and 75” plus trophy potential.

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What Can I Expect with 6 or 10 Antelope Preference Points?

If you made it to this point range, you should strongly consider using them and getting back into the draw system once again. The better options are - Type 9, - Type 0, , , , , - Type 2, , - Type 2, - Type 1, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and . Within those, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and all have 75” plus trophy potential and 50% and greater public land.

In the special draw, the most intriguing hunts available are , , , , , , , , , . Out of those, , , , and have 80”+ potential and very good harvest success rates and public land to roam.

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What Can I Expect with 11 to 15 Antelope Preference Points?

With 15 points, you are probably committed to the top hunt areas. had 46% odds in the regular draw with maximum points last year. and had 100% odds with <13 points. had 100% odds with <14 points. had 100% odds with <12 points. Area 64 had 100% odds with <13 points. is a great option in the 11- to 12-point range. was available with 12.

, , , and are the best options in the special draw.

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