Interactive tool
Draw Odds & Application Deadline Lookup
Every western big game application window in one place: when it closes, which point system the state uses, and how long a tag realistically takes to draw.
Next deadline in your filter
Alaska moose — Nov 1 – Dec 15 (drawing)
About 91 days away. Pure random draw, no points.
| State | Species | Application window | Point system | Nonresident odds | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Arizona Game & Fish | Elk | Jan (elk/antelope cycle) Loyalty and bonus points stack. Late-season archery bull tags are the most accessible entry. | Bonus points (extra chances in a random draw) Point-only application available | Long odds — 7-15 points for quality units | Mid March |
| Arizona Arizona Game & Fish | Pronghorn antelope | Jan (elk/antelope cycle) One of the toughest pronghorn draws in the country because the herd is small and the bucks are huge. | Bonus points (extra chances in a random draw) Point-only application available | True lottery — under 2% most units, plan on a lifetime wait | Mid March |
| Wyoming Wyoming Game & Fish | Moose | Jan 1 – Feb 28 Once-in-a-lifetime for practical purposes. Buy points and keep applying. | Preference points (most points draws first) Point-only application available | True lottery — under 2% most units, plan on a lifetime wait | Late April |
| Wyoming Wyoming Game & Fish | Bighorn sheep | Jan 1 – Feb 28 Top-tier sheep state; expect a 20+ year point queue in the best units. | Preference points (most points draws first) Point-only application available | True lottery — under 2% most units, plan on a lifetime wait | Late April |
| Utah Utah DWR | Elk | Early Feb – early Mar Half the quota goes to the top point holders, half is random — a new applicant always has a small chance. | Bonus points (extra chances in a random draw) Point-only application available | Long odds — 7-15 points for quality units | Late May |
| Utah Utah DWR | Mule deer | Early Feb – early Mar General season deer is the realistic nonresident target; premium limited-entry units are 15+ points. | Bonus points (extra chances in a random draw) Point-only application available | Long odds — 7-15 points for quality units | Late May |
| Utah Utah DWR | Bighorn sheep | Early Feb – early Mar Once-in-a-lifetime species. Buy the point, keep the streak alive. | Bonus points (extra chances in a random draw) Point-only application available | True lottery — under 2% most units, plan on a lifetime wait | Late May |
| New Mexico New Mexico Game & Fish | Elk | Feb – mid Mar Pure random draw with a nonresident quota split. No points anywhere — apply every single year. | Pure random draw, no points | Mid odds — plan on 3-6 points for decent units | Late April |
| New Mexico New Mexico Game & Fish | Pronghorn antelope | Feb – mid Mar Random draw plus private-land landowner tags available over the counter. | Pure random draw, no points | Mid odds — plan on 3-6 points for decent units | Late April |
| New Mexico New Mexico Game & Fish | Bighorn sheep | Feb – mid Mar A true lottery, which means a first-year applicant can draw a desert ram. | Pure random draw, no points | True lottery — under 2% most units, plan on a lifetime wait | Late April |
| North Dakota North Dakota Game & Fish | Elk | Through late March Tiny quota. Treat as a lottery ticket, not a plan. | Bonus points (extra chances in a random draw) Point-only application available | True lottery — under 2% most units, plan on a lifetime wait | Mid May |
| Montana Montana FWP | Elk | Through Apr 1 Nonresident combination licenses are the entry point, and they draw well below 100% in most years. | Bonus points (extra chances in a random draw) Point-only application available | Mid odds — plan on 3-6 points for decent units | Late April |
| Montana Montana FWP | Mule deer | Through Apr 1 General deer with the combo license opens huge public country in eastern Montana. | Bonus points (extra chances in a random draw) Point-only application available | Mid odds — plan on 3-6 points for decent units | Late April |
| Colorado Colorado Parks & Wildlife | Elk | Early Mar – early Apr Still the biggest elk herd in North America. Second and leftover draws open real opportunity every year. | Hybrid — part of the quota by points, part random Point-only application available | Mid odds — plan on 3-6 points for decent units | Early June |
| Colorado Colorado Parks & Wildlife | Mule deer | Early Mar – early Apr All deer is draw-only. Nonresident quotas are capped, so mid-tier units still take points. | Hybrid — part of the quota by points, part random Point-only application available | Long odds — 7-15 points for quality units | Early June |
| Colorado Colorado Parks & Wildlife | Pronghorn antelope | Early Mar – early Apr Archery pronghorn tags are the fastest way into a Colorado hunt. | Hybrid — part of the quota by points, part random Point-only application available | Mid odds — plan on 3-6 points for decent units | Early June |
| Colorado Colorado Parks & Wildlife | Black bear | Early Mar – early Apr Over-the-counter bear licenses exist in many units alongside the draw. | Hybrid — part of the quota by points, part random Point-only application available | Good odds — many units draw in 0-2 points | Early June |
| Nevada Nevada Department of Wildlife | Elk | Mid Mar – mid Apr Squared bonus points make long-term applicants dramatically favored. | Bonus points (extra chances in a random draw) Point-only application available | Long odds — 7-15 points for quality units | Late May |
| Nevada Nevada Department of Wildlife | Mule deer | Mid Mar – mid Apr Nevada mule deer quality is high and the point creep is real; start now. | Bonus points (extra chances in a random draw) Point-only application available | Mid odds — plan on 3-6 points for decent units | Late May |
| Nevada Nevada Department of Wildlife | Pronghorn antelope | Mid Mar – mid Apr Horns-visible archery tags draw much faster than rifle. | Bonus points (extra chances in a random draw) Point-only application available | Long odds — 7-15 points for quality units | Late May |
| Kansas Kansas Dept. of Wildlife & Parks | Whitetail deer | Through late April Nonresident whitetail permits are unit-specific; western units take 1-3 points, eastern units draw most years. | Preference points (most points draws first) Point-only application available | Mid odds — plan on 3-6 points for decent units | Early June |
| Idaho Idaho Fish & Game | Elk | Apr 1 – Apr 30 (controlled) No point system — every year is a fresh roll. General elk tags sell first-come in December and sell out fast in top zones. | Pure random draw, no points | Mid odds — plan on 3-6 points for decent units | Late May |
| Idaho Idaho Fish & Game | Mule deer | Apr 1 – Apr 30 (controlled) General deer tags are available over the counter for nonresidents until the quota fills. | Pure random draw, no points | Mid odds — plan on 3-6 points for decent units | Late May |
| Idaho Idaho Fish & Game | Pronghorn antelope | Apr 1 – Apr 30 Random draw, so a first-time applicant has the same odds as a 20-year applicant. | Pure random draw, no points | Mid odds — plan on 3-6 points for decent units | Late May |
| Montana Montana FWP | Moose | Through May 1 Resident-heavy quota; nonresident odds are effectively a lottery. | Bonus points (extra chances in a random draw) Point-only application available | True lottery — under 2% most units, plan on a lifetime wait | Mid June |
| Oregon Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife | Elk | Through May 15 General western Oregon elk tags are available over the counter. | Preference points (most points draws first) Point-only application available | Mid odds — plan on 3-6 points for decent units | Late June |
| Oregon Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife | Mule deer | Through May 15 Eastside deer is controlled; westside blacktail is general season. | Preference points (most points draws first) Point-only application available | Mid odds — plan on 3-6 points for decent units | Late June |
| Washington Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife | Elk | Through mid May General season elk with a modern/muzzleloader/archery weapon choice is the accessible route. | Points with a points-only application option Point-only application available | Mid odds — plan on 3-6 points for decent units | Late June |
| Washington Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife | Mountain goat | Through mid May Once-in-a-lifetime. Squared points reward decades of applying. | Points with a points-only application option Point-only application available | True lottery — under 2% most units, plan on a lifetime wait | Late June |
| Wyoming Wyoming Game & Fish | Elk | Jan 1 – May 31 Nonresidents choose a special (higher fee, better odds) or regular draw. General elk licenses draw in most years with 1-3 points. | Preference points (most points draws first) Point-only application available | Mid odds — plan on 3-6 points for decent units | Late June |
| Wyoming Wyoming Game & Fish | Pronghorn antelope | Jan 1 – May 31 The best value pronghorn draw in the West. Many units draw with 0-2 points as a nonresident. | Preference points (most points draws first) Point-only application available | Good odds — many units draw in 0-2 points | Late June |
| Wyoming Wyoming Game & Fish | Mule deer | Jan 1 – May 31 Region general tags are the accessible option; premium units run 8+ points. | Preference points (most points draws first) Point-only application available | Mid odds — plan on 3-6 points for decent units | Late June |
| Iowa Iowa DNR | Whitetail deer | Through early June The premier whitetail draw. Nonresident archery tags in the best zones run 3-5 points. | Preference points (most points draws first) Point-only application available | Long odds — 7-15 points for quality units | Mid July |
| Montana Montana FWP | Pronghorn antelope | Through Jun 1 Eastern Montana pronghorn is a strong first western draw. | Bonus points (extra chances in a random draw) Point-only application available | Good odds — many units draw in 0-2 points | Late June |
| Arizona Arizona Game & Fish | Mule deer | Jun (deer/sheep cycle) Strip units are the lottery; Coues deer units in the southeast draw far more easily. | Bonus points (extra chances in a random draw) Point-only application available | Mid odds — plan on 3-6 points for decent units | Early August |
| South Dakota South Dakota GFP | Pronghorn antelope | Through mid June West River pronghorn with generous public access through the walk-in program. | Preference points (most points draws first) Point-only application available | Good odds — many units draw in 0-2 points | Early July |
| Alaska Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game | Moose | Nov 1 – Dec 15 (drawing) Pure random. Many general-season and registration moose hunts need no draw at all. | Pure random draw, no points | Mid odds — plan on 3-6 points for decent units | Late February |
| Alaska Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game | Bison | Nov 1 – Dec 15 (drawing) Delta and Farewell herds; a genuine lottery with no points to accumulate. | Pure random draw, no points | True lottery — under 2% most units, plan on a lifetime wait | Late February |
Typical recent-year windows and odds bands for planning only. Deadlines shift a few days each year and quotas change annually — confirm the current proclamation with the state agency linked in each row before you apply.
Plan the hunt you are applying for
Draw application questions
- When are western big game application deadlines?
- Most fall between January and June. Arizona elk and antelope run in January, Utah in February, New Mexico and Colorado in March and early April, Montana on April 1, Idaho on April 30, and Wyoming elk, deer, and antelope on May 31. Alaska's drawing closes December 15.
- What is the difference between preference points and bonus points?
- Preference points are a queue — the applicant with the most points draws first, so odds are close to zero until your point total reaches the unit's cutoff. Bonus points are extra tickets in a random draw, so a first-year applicant always has some chance. Colorado and Utah use hybrid systems that split the quota between the two.
- Which state is easiest to draw a tag in for a first-time applicant?
- Wyoming pronghorn, Montana pronghorn, and South Dakota pronghorn are the most accessible quality draws. Idaho and New Mexico use pure random draws, so a first-year applicant has exactly the same odds as a twenty-year applicant.
- Should I buy points if I am not applying this year?
- In preference-point states, yes — a point-only application keeps you in the queue for the price of a small fee. In random-draw states like Idaho and New Mexico there is nothing to buy, so only apply in years you can actually hunt.
- Are these dates official?
- No. Deadlines move by a few days most years and quotas change annually. Every row links to the state agency; confirm the current proclamation there before you apply.