2026 Wyoming Antelope Application Guide

May 15

If you are looking to go on an antelope hunt this fall, this is the application you’ve been waiting for.

No state does antelope hunting better for nonresidents than Wyoming. With over 300,000 antelope statewide, accessible public land across hundreds of units, and draw odds that still make sense even after the brutal 2022-23 winter, Wyoming is the king of antelope opportunity.

The herd is bouncing back strong. Wyoming Game and Fish is increasing tag allocations across almost every unit. If you've been sitting on points or you're just getting started, 2026 is shaping up to be one of the better years to get in.

The Wyoming antelope deadline is June 1st at 11:59 PM Mountain Time.

How Much DOes Wyoming Antelope Cost

A nonresident antelope tag in Wyoming runs $326 for the regular draw and $1,200 for the special draw.

The special gets you into better units with fewer points, and in some cases, it cuts your wait time by four to five years. We covered the full breakdown of regular versus special in the Wyoming Mule Deer episode - if you haven't listened to that yet, start there and then come back. The system works the same way.

If you don't draw, you're no longer automatically issued a preference point. You have to go back in after July 1st during the point-only period and manually purchase one. The point-only deadline is November 2nd.

How Wyoming Recovered from the 2022-23 Winter

The winter of 2022-23 hit hard. Some units saw massive antelope mortality, and Wyoming Game and Fish responded aggressively by cutting tag allocations for a couple of seasons.

The population rebounded faster than most people expected.

Antelope commonly have twins, sometimes even triplets, when conditions are good. With strong fawn recruitment over the past two to three years, we're already seeing replacement of that lost age class. It takes three to four years for antelope to hit mature buck status, so we're right on schedule.

Wyoming doesn't produce quite as many 90-inch giants as Nevada or Arizona --- mostly because severe winters can knock out older age-class bucks more frequently. But there are more 80-inch bucks in Wyoming than any other state, and the sheer population size means your odds of encountering one are higher.

This year, Wyoming Game and Fish is increasing tags in dozens of units. Only five tag types are seeing reductions, and one of those is a type zero tag anyway. That's a strong signal that the recovery is real.

Best Antelope Units in Wyoming

If you're chasing trophy antelope, focus on the southern half of the state --- specifically the railroad belt checkerboard and the south-central region.

Top-tier units regularly producing 80-inch or greater bucks:

Unit 58, 60, 61 --- Consistently at the top. 80-inch-plus potential, some units pushing 90 inches. Success rates above 65%. Nonresidents are looking at 18 to 21 points for regular draw, 15 to 17 for special.
Unit 90, 91, 92 --- The low 90s have been getting better every year. Trophy potential in the 75 to 80-inch range with success rates between 80% and 93%. Draw odds are lower --- 12 to 13 points for regular, 8 to 10 for special.
Unit 114, 67, 68 --- Northern outliers. These units produce big bucks but aren't as well-known. Worth looking at if you've got the points and want something off the beaten path.

Draw odds in Wyoming antelope are closely tied to two things: accessible public land and antelope population density. The more public you can actually get to, the higher the demand. Access is tricky in Wyoming because of the checkerboard and private roads, so before you apply anywhere, confirm the county roads and state highways actually reach the public land you're planning to hunt.

Corner crossing has been stable since the Supreme Court chose not to hear the appeal. If you follow the exact circumstances of that original case, it appears legal in several states including Wyoming. I'm not a lawyer, so don't take this as legal advice --- but it's worth understanding because a lot of antelope live in that railroad checkerboard.

What Makes Wyoming Antelope Different

One thing that sets Wyoming apart from the other core states is that antelope is a true points game.

Colorado and Montana both have over-the-counter or near-zero-point elk options. Wyoming has some zero-point mule deer opportunities. But antelope? There's really only one unit you can draw at zero points as a nonresident on the regular draw, and even that one comes with access challenges.

The good news is that Wyoming has options at every single point level. You're not stuck waiting 10 years before something new opens up. Every year you gain a point, new units become available --- and the quality climbs steadily.

If you're willing to apply for the special draw, things get even better. There are currently 25 units you can draw at zero points as a special applicant. Some of those are legitimately good hunts. A handful of units are even available as second-choice draws with 100% odds, which means you can hunt this year and still build points.

That second-choice option doesn't exist for regular draw applicants right now. There's one unit at 50% odds if you want to roll the dice, but that's it.

Wyoming Antelope Units by Point Level

Zero Points (Regular Draw)

Unit 109 is your only option with 100% draw odds at zero points.

The season runs September 19th through November 30th, so you get to hunt the rut and post-rut. Success rates sit around 51%, which is the lowest on the list but still decent for a zero-point tag.

The challenge is access. Most of the public land in Unit 109 is front-range country at the base of the mountains, which isn't prime antelope habitat. You'll need to be willing to hike farther than most people or knock on doors for private access.

One to Two Points

At one point, you add Unit 10 and Unit 19 --- both with 80% to 90% success rates and seasons running at least two weeks in October.

At two points, you pick up 10 more units. Almost all of them have success rates in the 60% to 90% range. Trophy potential across the board is around 70 inches, which is the Wyoming baseline. Pretty much every unit in the state is capable of producing a 70-inch buck.

Three to Five Points

You're adding six more units at three points, and by five points, the options get more interesting.

Unit 25 stands out. Good public land, strong success rates, and 70-inch trophy potential. It's a solid mid-range option that doesn't require double-digit points.

Unit 45 is another one worth looking at. Success rate around 80%, and nearly half the unit is public land.

Eight to Ten Points

This is where things get serious.

At eight points, you're starting to see units with 80-inch trophy potential, 80% to 90% public land, and success rates pushing into the 90s.

Unit 48 is one of my favorites. 80-inch bucks, tons of public land, success rates in the 90s. Just a great unit all around.

Unit 79 sits on the west front of the Bighorn Mountains. 80-inch potential, 80% public land, success rates between 70% and 80%. It's a strong choice for those with 10 pts (or 8 pts for bowhunters).

Unit 46 also shows up here with 85% success rates and good public access. A lot of the mid-40s units --- 46, 48, and others --- are all in that same quality range: 40% to 50% public, 80% to 90% success, and 75-inch buck potential.

Twelve Points and Up

If you're sitting on 12 or more points, you should be looking at the best units in the state.

Units 58, 60, 61, 90, 91, 92, and 68 are all within reach. At that point level, you're hunting 80-inch bucks with 90%-plus success rates and access to some of the most consistent trophy antelope ground in North America.

Honestly, if you're at 12 points or higher, I'd spend them. You're burning years and money waiting for something that isn't materially better than what you can already draw. Get out there and hunt.

Special Draw Strategy

If you're open to paying the $1,200 special fee, the landscape changes fast.

At zero points, you have 25 units with 100% draw odds. The best among them are Unit 30 (just south of Casper and Douglas) and Unit 46, which we already talked about.

The special also unlocks second-choice opportunities. There are 17 units you can draw on a second choice with 100% odds as a special applicant, meaning you can hunt this fall and still build a point.

Unit 46 as a second-choice special draw is one of the most interesting plays on the board. You're hunting a legitimately good unit, drawing with zero points, and you get to bank another point for next year. That's a hard combo to beat.

At five points with a special, you're up to 64 available units. That's roughly the same quality you'd see at nine or ten points in the regular draw. The special typically shaves off four to five points across most units, though some units show an even bigger gap.

Access and Public Land

Access drives demand in Wyoming more than almost anything else.

Some units look great on paper --- high antelope numbers, big bucks, long seasons --- but if all the public land is up in the mountains where antelope don't want to be, it's going to be a frustrating hunt.

Before you commit to any unit, pull it up on a mapping tool and check three things:

Where is the public land?
Is it sage flats and open country, or is it all timbered ridges and high elevation?
Can you actually reach it via county roads or state highways?

If the only roads into the public are private two-tracks, you're going to have a problem. County roads are public. Anything else is probably private unless it's specifically marked otherwise.

Corner crossing is a big deal in the railroad checkerboard, but again - I'm not a lawyer. Do your own research and make your own call.

When to Apply and What Happens Next

The deadline is June 1st at 11:59 PM Mountain Time.

Draw results come out in phases. If you draw, great. If you don't, remember that you are not automatically issued a preference point anymore. You have to log back in after July 1st and manually buy one during the point-only period. That window stays open until November 2nd.

If you're just building points this year and not applying for a tag, wait until July 1st or later and buy your point then. No reason to tie up money early.

We covered all the mechanics of Wyoming's draw system --- point splits, percentages, special versus regular, how the random 25% works --- in the Mule Deer episode. If you haven't listened to that, go back and start there. It applies to antelope the same way.

Final Thoughts

Wyoming is the best state in the West for nonresident antelope hunting, and 2026 is shaping up to be one of the stronger years in recent memory.

The herd is recovered. Tags are going up. Draw odds are still reasonable if you've got a few points, and there are legitimate zero-point options if you're willing to work for it.

If you've been waiting to cash in your points, this is the year. If you're just getting started, get in now and start building. Either way, don't miss June 1st.

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