Montana is not known as a trophy state when it comes to antelope. However what it lacks in trophy potential, it greatly makes up for in the opportunity for a quality antelope hunt. The heavy hitters in Montana for trophy potential are located on the western side of the state on private land. Expect a long wait for these coveted licenses and private land opportunities. In the last 10 years, Montana has only has produced 39 B&C antelope entries which requires 80" or more. Most hunters focus their efforts on Southeast Montana.

A trophy antelope in Montana is a solid 70-75". Some hunting districts may offer the chance to take a buck close to 80", but this caliber of a buck is rare. It typically takes two to four days for hunters to harvest an antelope in Montana, making this a great species to hunt with a high chance of success.

If you are an antelope hunter and did not draw a lot of tags, the Big Sky Country is a great plan because of the late application deadline. Remember that Montana has a lot of opportunities for people who are just applying for antelope for the first time. You can draw an antelope license as your second or third choice and still build points, so don't let the thought of applying with no points discourage you. With over 8 million acres of Block Management that private landowners open up for hunting, this state provides a lot of choices for hunters of all types and abilities.

This is also a great state to be a bowhunter due to the extremely long archery antelope season. Bowhunters can also just about hunt the entire state which opens the doors to hunting some of the top trophy areas that can take years to draw for rifle.

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Boone and Crockett entries