Book Your Adventure 1-800-346-8747
Book Your Adventure 1-800-346-8747
Sign In
Worldwide Trophy Adventures
Book Your Adventure
1-800-346-8747

Wyoming Mule Deer and Antelope Deadline Alert

Erik Schell
|  
  • Erik Schell

The Wyoming mule deer and antelope application deadline is June 1 and results will be posted by early July so you’ll have plenty of time to get prepared – and psyched – for these hunts.

We highly, highly recommend you consider applying. Whether you are already sitting on a couple great tags/hunts for this fall or about to hit the panic button over the thought of not having a tag in your pocket, this is a draw you do not want to miss.

Here is why.

How the Draw Is Conducted

Wyoming uses an extremely complex but fair draw system that includes preference points as well as a random element. This is the best of both worlds as points-based draws are very predictable but those with a nominal number of preference points still have the chance at drawing a great tag.

Non-resident tag allotments for deer and antelope are split between the Regular (60 percent of the non-resident quota) and Special (40 percent of the non-resident quota) for each unit. The only difference between the two tags is the price, with the Special costing approximately twice as much. Within the Regular and Special draws the tags are split with 75 percent of available tags going to whomever applies with the most points and 25 percent allocated randomly among all applicants who did not draw out of the highest-points pool. Typically, applicants willing to pay for the higher priced Special tag will have better odds in the random as well as require less points to guarantee a draw through the predictable, points-based side of the draw.

Exceptions to this statement do exist. It sounds complicated, until you dive in and get a good look at the big picture. For clarification on individual units, please reach out to your TAGS consultant.

 

Party Applications

I personally endorse Wyoming’s party application system and wish other points-based states would adopt a similar process. Up to six applicants can apply as a party and preference points are averaged among the group. So for example, a group of three applicants applies as a party, Applicant 1 has two points, Applicant 2 has four points and Applicant 3 has zero points, for a total of 6 points. Total points are divided by the number of applicants and this group would enter the draw at a 2-point level.  

Consultants Tip: If you have kids or grandkids, purchase points in preparation to split them down the road. By planning ahead, you can help a kid to hunt a primo area right away and provide the experience we all want for the youth hunters in our families.

Minimum Age to Apply

A youth can apply for a Wyoming deer or antelope tag if they are 11 years of age but will turn 12 before the season starts. Wyoming offers a youth tag option, although it does not offer special season dates or draw odds.

Weapon Choice

The bulk of all tags in Wyoming are rifle tags but can be hunted during the archery season by purchasing a $75 archery endorsement. It should also be noted that crossbows are legal to use throughout the archery season. This is a great option as the September archery season can be phenomenal for hunting deer and antelope.

Mule Deer

Mule deer can be found across the state of Wyoming, but the trophy quality and style of hunt will vary greatly from one area to the next. The Cowboy State abounds with hunt options for those seeking a mature muley buck that is a representative trophy of the species. These hunts are typically action-packed and take place on large, private landholdings. Trophy hunters should consider the horseback/wall-tent style hunts found in the western regions of the state. If trophy bucks are the goal but you want to take horses/wall-tents out of the equation, consider private ranches or limited-entry draw areas that have solid track records of producing the quality you are after. These two options will offer the use of pickups/UTVs for transportation.

Managing expectations versus point status can be difficult but your consultant at TAGS will be able to assist in matching you with the right unit, outfitter and hunt dates because we all know these three factors are pivotal to success and overall enjoyment of the hunt.

Antelope

Wyoming boasts the largest antelope population, most B&C entries each year and readily available tags. These three facts make it a no-brainer. You should apply for an antelope tag in Wyoming or at minimum build up points. Great hunts that offer 100-percent draw odds with zero points are available here. These hunts will typically produce representative trophies with the occasional big buck being taken. For those after a trophy buck (80+ inches), you need to be in the right area. I can assure you WTA TAGS constantly keeps a finger on the pulse of Wyoming antelope production. When utilizing our services, you can be assured you will have maximized draw odds in an area that aligns with your personal goals for the hunt.

An antelope hunt in Wyoming is the perfect option for youth hunters or a person new to our great sport and they come at a price point that is much more affordable than many other big-game species.

Final Thoughts

Do not miss another year of applying and building points in the great state of Wyoming. This is a foundation state that should be a pillar of every hunter’s application portfolio. That’s how much we like this state and the opportunities it offers hunters.

Give WTA TAGS a call today if you would like assistance applying in the Wyoming draw, building valuable preference points or maximizing your current preference points.

TAGS can be reached at 1-800-755-8247

Apply me for the Wyoming Draw

Recent Articles

Related Articles

Alaska
Dall Sheep
Limited-Entry Alaska Dall Sheep: North America’s Pinnacle Hunt
November 5, 2025
Read More »
Saskatchewan
Waterfowl
Chasing Waterfowl from North to South
October 27, 2025
Read More »
Alaska
Dall Sheep
Against the Odds: Drawing Back-to-Back Sheep and Goat Tags 
October 20, 2025
Read More »
Limited-Entry Alaska Dall Sheep: North America’s Pinnacle Hunt

Limited-Entry Alaska Dall Sheep: North America’s Pinnacle Hunt

As the December 15 deadline to apply for Alaska’s most coveted big-game tags approaches, one opportunity stands above all others: limited-entry Dall sheep. If you’ve ever dreamed of pursuing this iconic high-country species, now is the time to apply.

Why this Hunt Matters More than Ever

In the not-too-distant past, Alaska suffered back-to-back-to-back severe weather events that dramatically impacted Dall sheep populations across much of the state, resulting in fewer over-the-counter opportunities and even closures. Hunters have been forced to look to Canada, where hunts are now largely sold out through 2027 and prices have surged beyond $60,000. Even at such outrageous prices, availability is scarce.

This shift has made Alaska’s limited-entry draw areas for Dall sheep one of the most valuable options left for serious hunters. With hunts priced between $28,000 and $35,000, applicants can still access very high-quality white sheep at nearly half the cost of Canadian alternatives.

Exceptional Success Rates

Despite the challenges statewide, the limited-entry regions—managed by very conservative tag allocations—continue to produce outstanding results for the lucky applicants of WTA TAGS:

  • 100% shot opportunity during the past three seasons,
  • 90%+ harvest rates on mature rams,
  • Some of the largest Dall rams in North America.

For those willing to embrace the physical challenge, this hunt represents the ultimate North American mountain adventure.

Why…
My Alaska Range Grizzly Adventure

My Alaska Range Grizzly Adventure

I’ve been a bear hunter my whole life, but grizzly was always the dream. When the time finally came, I reached out to WTA to book a hunt. My someday hunt was finally becoming a reality. I thought I knew what I was hoping for: one good opportunity at a mature grizzly. What actually happened over those 10 days was beyond anything I could have imagined.

My journey began in Anchorage, where I stayed the night before flying into the bush. The outfitter has a liaison in town to help with any last-minute needs, so no rental car was needed. The next morning at Merrill Field, I boarded a turboprop (they use caravans, not tiny Super Cubs) for the 1½-hour flight into hunting country.

At the airstrip, the crew waited with Kong—a massive military deuce-and-a-half that can ford rivers, plus Polaris six-wheelers. After a stop at the roadhouse to organize, we headed to moose camp, about four miles upriver.

The camp itself told stories of 50 years of hunting. Cabin walls covered with dozens of hunters’ stories, as far back as the ’70s. Old regulation books showing $50 polar bear licenses. Boxes of ammo, left behind over decades for anyone who might need them. Four cabins with wood stoves surrounded the main lodge, and there was a creek-fed shower with endless hot water. A crate of beer stays ice-cold in the stream. It’s glorious. Remote Alaska with just enough comfort to keep you hunting hard every day.

From the roadhouse, we spotted two black bears on the mountainside. That evening, the cameraman Jordan and I glassed near camp, getting oriented for what was supposed to be a grizzly-focused hunt.

The next morning, those black bears were still there. We moved in. At 390 yards, with shifting thermals threatening to blow our approach, I took my shot. Low but lethal. Two more shots finished it. While butchering, we discovered this old boar was peppered with birdshot—dozens of pellets in each leg and shoulder. Somewhere, sometime, he’d been a problem bear. He could take a bullet. By 3 p.m., we had meat in the freezer and the hide salted. We were back to looking for grizzly.

Day two took us seven miles up the creek on six-wheelers, somewhat technical riding through river crossings and over rough terrain. Near the old sheep camp, we spotted a sow with three cubs and various black bears, but no boars.

Then everything changed. Rounding an alder-lined corner, our guide hit the brakes. A black bear ahead was acting strangely. It was actually approaching us. Behind him, a grizzly was hunting him, panting from the chase. The black bear, caught between predators, escaped up the cliffs.

The grizzly sat on its haunches, exhausted, looking between us and the black bear as it escaped. This bear was in full predator mode, seemingly calculating whether we might be easier prey. Then he simply lay down for a nap, 400 yards away, completely unconcerned by our presence.

For 34 minutes, I stayed behind the gun. Time passed slowly as we talked through every scenario: “If he does this, we’ll do that.” Finally, he stood and turned broadside at 415 yards. One squeeze, perfect shot placement. He barrel-rolled down the slope.

This was it—the animal I’d wanted forever, taken in a sequence I couldn’t have scripted better. Pure euphoria.

We had two bears down and over a week left of hunting. Day three was Jordan’s birthday, and we decided to get him a bear tag from camp. This would be his first hunt behind a rifle. We picked up a great black bear in no time. Jordan’s demeanor totally changed as he went into hunt mode and put a perfect 350-yard shot right into the bear’s heart. Top-tier birthday!

Three bears in three days with a week remaining. I bought a second tag and grabbed my bow. We spent four days searching for another bear, exploring drainages, following wolf tracks, catching Dolly Varden, and collecting shed antlers. Living the full Alaska experience while always hunting.

On the second-to-last day, I spotted a huge black bear doing loops through berry patches on a steep face. After multiple failed positioning attempts, I opted to go solo while Jordan and our guide filmed from a distance. The bear, hearing me crash through the alders below him, thought I was another bear invading his berries. At nine yards, with his hackles up and ears flat, I put an arrow through his front shoulder. Our group’s fourth bear.

Four bears in four days. An incredible adventure. This was the outfitter’s first year focusing on Fall bear hunting. The populations are thriving (evident from the moose without calves), and they’ve wisely increased tag allocations.

I came to Alaska with a lifelong dream of taking a grizzly. What I got was something I couldn’t have imagined: multiple species, incredible encounters, and memories that transformed a dream hunt into something beyond dreams. The grizzly lying down in front of us, completely unafraid. Jordan’s pure joy at his first bear. Stalking with my bow, close enough to hear the bear growling and clacking its jaws.

Some hunts meet your expectations. This one created new ones. When you book with WTA, you’re not just booking a hunt, you’re setting yourself up for adventures you can’t even imagine.

Learn about this Hunt

The Central Flyway is a waterfowl superhighway—a vital corridor for migrating ducks and geese—and for those of us lucky enough to be waterfowlers, it offers unmatched opportunities to hunt and experience the migration from September through January.

Over the past 40 years, I’ve had the privilege of chasing ducks around the world, but many of my favorite memories come from following this flyway, especially during those early years when my duck-obsessed father would pull my brother and me out of school every Fall to chase birds.

That’s right! We missed school every year for dedicated waterfowl trips. No regrets.

In the true north country, along the edges of Canada’s boreal forest, early-season hunts are nothing short of magical. The birds are just beginning their journey south—hungry, unpressured, and eager to settle into newly harvested grain fields. It’s a waterfowler’s paradise. The decoy spreads in these northern zones are often among the first the birds see, and their eager, uneducated responses can be absolutely breathtaking.

One of the most unforgettable sights is the famed swirling cyclone of Canada geese funneling down into a field. I can still hear my dad yelling over the deafening honks, his voice barely audible, “They can’t hear us!” The birds were so loud that those at the top of the funnel couldn’t even hear the gunfire below. If you’ve ever experienced it, you know exactly the kind of spine-tingling moment I’m talking about.

When the birds pushed south, so did we.

The prairie pothole regions of North Dakota are pure waterfowl gold. The right pothole on a cold morning—especially if you can find open water—can be magic. And if the water’s frozen? My dad had a fix: get there early, break trail through the skim ice, and push it under itself to create an opening. Voilà…open water.

I’ll never forget one frigid morning. After breaking ice, my hands were bright red and on the edge of frostbite. I looked at my dad for sympathy, but he just grinned as the puddle ducks cupped up and said, “Do you want warm hands, or do you want to shoot ducks?” Like I said, he was a fanatic. I grabbed the old Winchester pump and did my best. That day, I also learned the value of hand warmers and Gore-Tex gloves.

There are so many unforgettable moments:

  • Slipping and sliding at a Nebraska reservoir, laughing hysterically as we wondered if we’d ever get the old Suburban and trailer back up the icy boat ramp. After limiting out on greenheads.
  • Rowing across the Delta Marsh in the dark to find the perfect crescent-shaped bulrush island to set the decoys that the canvasbacks couldn’t resist.
  • Chasing snow geese in South Dakota and realizing we’d finally picked the perfect field, the one that made it worth all those hours spent spray-painting sheet-metal shell decoys in the garage.

These weren’t just hunting trips. They were memories shared with family, with friends, and with the great outdoors itself.

In the end, missing a week of school every year was worth every single minute.

The last duck hunt I shared with my admittedly duck-crazy father was a world away and half a lifetime ago. The hunt may be long over, but the memory will always stay with me.

At WTA, we’re proud to connect our clients with trusted partners so they can experience these same one-of-a-kind adventures.

We offer incredible destinations and outstanding outfitters all along the Central Flyway—from Alberta and Saskatchewan to North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma—so you can create your own lasting memories.

Call Worldwide Trophy Adventures at 1-800-346-8747 today to book your trip of a lifetime.

See Central Flyway Hunts

Get Trip Specials & Cancellations,
Right Where You Want It.

No spam. Just the good stuff. Opt-out anytime.