Drawn West

Fourteen dollars. That's the cost to add a desert bighorn, mountain goat, or moose application to your Nevada big game submission — and for the right hunter, it might be the best $14 you spend all year.This is part four of the Nevada Application Series, the final installment covering the big three: moose, sheep, and goats. If you haven't listened to parts one through three covering mule deer and antelope, start there — those are where your real drawing opportunities live as a nonresident. This episode is about the long game, the lottery ticket add-ons, and why a few of them are more strategic than they look.We break down Nevada's squared point system and what it means for species with fewer than 20 nonresident tags. We cover desert bighorn population trends, which units have the best trophy potential, and where the draw odds actually start to get interesting for residents. We get into California bighorn and Rocky Mountain bighorn — including why nonresidents can't apply for Rocky Mountain at all. And we cover mountain goats and Nevada's brand new moose program, which is residents-only and only two years old.What's covered:• Nevada application deadline: May 13, 11 p.m. Pacific — costs for license, app fees, and tag prices for residents and nonresidents• Desert bighorn population decline (8,000 to 6,300 animals) and why Nevada still leads the country in desert bighorn tags• Nonresident desert bighorn draw odds — max points at 33 years, best unit under half a percent — and how to decide if it's worth it• Resident desert bighorn strategy — unit 268 approaching 24% draw odds at max points, and why ewe tags are worth a second look• California bighorn and Rocky Mountain bighorn — resident odds, best units, and why the odds are brutal even at max points• Mountain goat population growth (340 to 430 animals in four years) and the one nonresident tag available in unit 102• Nevada moose — residents only, 37,000 applicants for a handful of tags, and why getting in now matters for the long-term point curveIf this series helped you sort out Nevada, subscribe on your platform of choice so you don't miss the Wyoming mule deer and antelope breakdown coming up next.Stay Ahead of Hunting Season with the Drawn West Newsletter.Get practical emails on deadlines, draw strategy, new episodes, and giveawayupdates.Join Here: https://www.getdrawnwest.com/newsletterLooking for more content from Drawn West? Check out our latestarticle![NevadaMule Deer Application Article] FREE Gear Checklist:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/gearConnect with Brian Krebshttps://linktr.ee/getdrawnwest HaveQuestions or Comments? Send an email to [email protected]!Sponsorsand Discounts:GOHUNTInsider - $50 Gear Shop Credit with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/g3aa8L4GOHUNTGear Shop – 10% off most items with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/e75Pm4uSave10%on Maverick Hunting Blinds & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST https://maverickhunting.com/?ref=getdrawnwest00:00:00 — Nevada Application Deadline and Fees00:02:30 — Should You Apply for Nevada's Big Three?00:04:13 — Desert Bighorn Population and Tag Numbers00:07:11 — Nonresident Desert Bighorn Draw Odds00:09:37 — Resident Desert Bighorn Draw Odds and Unit 26800:11:54 — Best Units for Trophy Desert Bighorn00:12:56 — California Bighorn Sheep Overview00:15:08 — California Bighorn Trophy Units and Resident Draw Odds00:16:30 — Rocky Mountain Bighorn — Residents Only00:17:30 — Nevada Mountain Goats: Population and Draw Odds00:19:38 — Goat Trophy Potential and Best Units00:20:00 — Nevada Moose — Residents Only Program Explained00:21:57 — Final Nevada Wrap-Up and What's Coming Next

Want to hunt 400” bulls? Me too.Somewhere in Nevada, there are bulls pushing 400 inches on public land that almost no one will ever hunt. The draw odds are that bad. But if your name comes up, it's probably the best elk hunt you'll ever go on.This is part three of the Nevada application series, focused entirely on elk. Nevada doesn't have the numbers Utah has, but unit for unit, the top public land tags in the state compete with anything in the West — Colorado, Utah, Montana's Missouri Breaks, Arizona, New Mexico. The difference is access. There are only a handful of non-resident tags in even the best units each year, which is exactly why this is a lottery ticket conversation, not a guaranteed hunt conversation.We break down what those draw odds actually look like at every point level — from zero points to max — across archery, muzzleloader, and rifle. We cover which unit groups to target, how to think about stacking your five choices, and why the $19 application fee only makes sense in the context of what else you're already doing in Nevada.• Whether Nevada elk is worth applying for if you're not already in for mule deer or antelope• The $19 vs. $1,200 cost breakdown and what it means for your application strategy• Units 111–115 and 221–223: what makes them elite and how many non-resident tags actually go out• Draw odds at 10 points and max points — and what "less than 1%" really means long-term• How to use your five choices between top-tier units and higher-odds fallback picks• The secondary draw and leftover tag list: when to check and why it's worth watching• Why you should never skip a year in Nevada because of drought conditionsSubscribe wherever you listen, and follow @getdrawnwest on Instagram. If this helped your application strategy, leave a five-star rating and pass it along to someone else putting in for Nevada!Stay Ahead of Hunting Season with the Drawn West Newsletter.Get practical emails on deadlines, draw strategy, new episodes, and giveawayupdates.Join Here: https://www.getdrawnwest.com/newsletterLooking for more content from Drawn West? Check out our latestarticle![2026Big Game Draw Results] FREE Gear Checklist:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/gearConnect with Brian Krebshttps://linktr.ee/getdrawnwest HaveQuestions or Comments? Send an email to [email protected]!Sponsorsand Discounts:GOHUNTInsider - $50 Gear Shop Credit with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/g3aa8L4GOHUNTGear Shop – 10% off most items with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/e75Pm4uSave10%on Maverick Hunting Blinds & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST https://maverickhunting.com/?ref=getdrawnwest00:00 – Nevada Elk: Why the Draw Odds Are Bad and the Tags Are Elite01:03 – How Nevada's Best Units Stack Up Against Utah, Colorado, and Montana02:30 – The Decision Framework: Should You Even Apply for Nevada Elk?03:23 – Application Fee vs. Tag Fee: The Real Cost Math04:20 – Deadline, Group Rules, and the 90/10 Non-Resident Split04:50 – Drought Conditions and Whether to Skip a Year05:42 – Why You Should Always Keep Building Points in Nevada06:00 – Tag Cost Breakdown: $1,200 and How It Compares to Other States07:06 – Bonus Points, Secondary Draw, and the Leftover Tag Opportunity08:32 – The Best Nevada Elk Units: 111–115 and 221–22309:10 – How Few Non-Resident Tags Actually Go Out Each Year10:33 – Draw Odds at 10 Points: What the Numbers Actually Look Like11:30 – Max Points Draw Odds: The Honest Reality for Non-Residents12:51 – How to Stack Your Five Choices as a Lottery Strategy14:45 – Wrap-Up: Nevada Goat, Sheep, and Moose Coming Next

Nevada might be the most overlooked antelope state in the West — and the hunters who know about it are already building points.Statewide, Nevada produces a higher percentage of mature, oversized bucks than any other state. In peak years, a third of all antelope harvested were 15 inches or taller. Even in down years, about a quarter of the harvest hits that mark. No other state comes close to those averages across the board.And the tag is $300 for non-residents — one of the best values in Western hunting when you factor in the quality.This episode is part of the Drawn West Nevada series. We cover what non-residents need to know about applying for antelope: the draw system, group application risks, surrendered tags and the leftover list, herd quality, and unit strategy by points level.• May 13th deadline (11pm Pacific) — same as mule deer• $155 hunt/fish combo license + $14 antelope application fee to start building points• Nevada checks all five of your hunt choices before moving to the next applicant — always use all five• Applying as a group in Nevada is risky — with limited tags, a group of three can be disqualified if only two tags remain when their number pulls• Archery is the most realistic path: double-digit draw odds are available with as few as five points in units like 141 (16%), 31 (15%), and 32 (13%)• Muzzleloader is a solid mid-tier option; top northwest corner units (12, 13, 14) showing 7% odds at five points• Rifle antelope as a non-resident is effectively a long-term lottery — don't count on it• Top trophy units: northwest corner (11–15), central units (145, 161, 162, 172, 251) — 80-inch potential, 70–90% public land• Surrendered tags go back into a first-come-first-serve list — worth monitoring if you're local to the regionDeadline is May 13th. If you're already applying for mule deer, adding antelope costs just $14 more and uses the same license. No reason not to be in.Subscribe so you don't miss the elk and once-in-a-lifetime episodes coming next in this series. And if you want to go deeper on unit research and draw odds, GoHunt Filtering 2.0 is what Brian uses throughout this episode — use code drawnwest when you sign up.Stay up to date with everything Drawn West at GetDrawnWest.com.   Stay Ahead of Hunting Season with the Drawn West Newsletter.Get practical emails on deadlines, draw strategy, new episodes, and giveawayupdates.Join Here: https://www.getdrawnwest.com/newsletterLooking for more content from Drawn West? Check out our latestarticle![MasterYour Application Strategy] FREE Gear Checklist:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/gearConnect with Brian Krebshttps://linktr.ee/getdrawnwest Have Questions or Comments? Send an email to [email protected]!Sponsorsand Discounts:GOHUNTInsider - $50 Gear Shop Credit with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/g3aa8L4GOHUNT GearShop – 10% off most items with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/e75Pm4uSave10% onMaverick Hunting Blinds & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST https://maverickhunting.com/?ref=getdrawnwest00:00:00 Nevada Antelope 2026 — Why ItBelongs in Your Strategy00:01:51 Trophy Potential and Why NevadaStands Apart00:02:30 Deadline, Costs, and What ItTakes to Apply00:04:15 How the Nevada Draw Works (All 5Choices Explained)00:06:00 Group Applications — Why NevadaIs Different00:08:30 Surrendered Tags and theLeftover List00:10:14 Nevada Antelope Herd Status andQuality Breakdown00:12:34 Archery vs. Muzzleloader vs.Rifle — Realistic Timelines00:14:44 Draw Odds at 5 Points — BestArchery Units00:19:03 Top Trophy Units at 15–20 Points00:23:25 Rifle Reality Check forNon-Residents00:24:30 How to Pick Your 5 Hunt Choices— Final Strategy

Is Nevada mule deer even worth putting in for as a non-resident? That depends almost entirely on where you're at in your strategy, and this episode breaks down exactly how to think about Nevada Mule Deer.Nevada doesn't hand out a lot of non-resident tags, but the trophy potential is as high as anywhere in the West. Twenty units with 180-inch-plus potential. A minimum 140-inch floor across the entire state. Tags that cost non-residents $240. And a draw system built around giving every applicant multiple real chances — because Nevada checks all five of your hunt choices before moving on to the next person in line.This episode covers everything you need to make a decision before the May 13th deadline: how the weighted bonus draw works, what the current drought conditions actually mean for antler quality and herd health, why feral horses are a bigger long-term threat than people realize, and how to structure your five choices whether you're applying for the first time or sitting on 20 points.• How the weighted bonus system works — and why it makes Nevada one of the most fair draws in the West• The secondary draw, surrendered tags, and the first-come-first-serve leftover list that flexible hunters should be watching all summer• Why the archery and muzzleloader seasons are underrated entry points for non-residents• Unit breakdown: which units Brian targets at trophy potential, and which ones have real draw odds with zero, five, and ten points• Why the 130s (131 and 132) are the benchmark for best-in-state trophy potential• How drought conditions might actually produce some of the biggest bucks of the decade — and why the next three years may be the window• The case for applying for all five choices every year, and when points-only actually makes sense• The deadline to apply is May 13th at 11pm Pacific. Results drop around May 29th. If you're on the fence, apply — Nevada always gives you a chance, and you never want to sit out a year.Subscribe so you don't miss the rest of the Nevada series — elk, antelope, and once-in-a-lifetime species are all coming. And if you're getting value from the show, a quick rating genuinely helps more hunters find this content.Want more like this delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the Drawn West newsletter at GetDrawnWest.com and we'll send you application updates, strategy breakdowns, and new content as it drops.Stay Ahead of Hunting Season with the Drawn West Newsletter.Get practical emails on deadlines, draw strategy, new episodes, and giveawayupdates.Join Here: https://www.getdrawnwest.com/newsletterLooking for more content from Drawn West? Check out our latestarticle![How To GoElk Hunting for $1500] FREE Gear Checklist:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/gearConnect with Brian Krebshttps://linktr.ee/getdrawnwest Have Questions or Comments? Send an email to [email protected]!Sponsorsand Discounts:GOHUNTInsider - $50 Gear Shop Credit with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/g3aa8L4GOHUNT GearShop – 10% off most items with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/e75Pm4uSave10% onMaverick Hunting Blinds & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST https://maverickhunting.com/?ref=getdrawnwest00:00:00 Welcome — Nevada Mule Deer 2026Overview00:02:15 Deadline, Costs, and Tag Fees00:04:20 How the Nevada Weighted BonusDraw Works00:07:50 Five Hunt Choices and Why YouShould Always Use Them00:10:06 Points-Only vs. Applying: WhenEach Makes Sense00:10:32 Secondary Draw, SurrenderedTags, and the Leftover List00:13:45 Nevada Mule Deer Herd: Drought,Feral Horses, and What It Means00:16:15 Current Herd Status and WhyQuality Is Still High00:18:45 Unit Breakdown: Best TrophyPotential Units (131, 132, 221, 231+)00:21:00 Draw Odds at Zero, Five, and TenPoints00:26:00 Long-Term Play: What 20 PointsGets You00:28:00 Should You Apply? StrategySummary and Final Advice

How many points do you actually need before you can hunt elk in Colorado? If you've been watching that number climb and telling yourself "maybe in five more years" — you might be sitting on a play you haven't tried yet.Brian sits down with Dwayne Jones — sales manager for Novick's Outdoors, co-founder of Dream Dirt, and the man behind Shed Season — to talk through his journey from lifelong whitetail hunter to first-time Western elk applicant. Dwayne has never been west of Kansas, but thanks to a tip straight from a Colorado Parks and Wildlife employee, he's heading into the backcountry this September with a bow, a solid group of experienced buddies, and months of elk calls already practiced.The conversation covers what Eastern hunters actually need to know before going West — how elk behave differently than whitetails, why calling strategy matters more than calling perfection, what broadhead to run and why, and how fitness changes your mental game in the mountains. They also get into farm habitat, CRP programs, predator control, and turkey hunting with a bow. The kind of wide-open conversation that happens when two guys who genuinely love this stuff sit down without a hard stop.• The Colorado two-choice application strategy that lets you build a point and get drawn in the same year• Why a bull that "chuckles" back at you is telling you something specific — and what to do next• Fixed blade vs. expandable broadheads for elk and why pass-through matters more than you think• What CRP actually does for deer and turkey habitat — and why the critics are comparing it to the wrong thing• How fitness training changes your mental ceiling when things get hard in the mountains• Why Brian, despite a 354 bull in the next room, wouldn't pass a raghorn on a bow huntStay Ahead of Hunting Season with the Drawn West Newsletter.Get practical emails on deadlines, draw strategy, new episodes, and giveaway updates.Join Here: https://www.getdrawnwest.com/newsletterLooking for more content from Drawn West? Check out our latestarticle![Forging TheFuture: Benchmade’s Newest Hunting Knife] FREE Gear Checklist:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/gearConnect with Brian Krebshttps://linktr.ee/getdrawnwest HaveQuestions or Comments? Send an email to [email protected]!Sponsorsand Discounts:GOHUNTInsider - $50 Gear Shop Credit with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/g3aa8L4GOHUNTGear Shop – 10% off most items with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/e75Pm4uSave10%on Maverick Hunting Blinds & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST https://maverickhunting.com/?ref=getdrawnwest00:00:00 Introducing Dwayne Jones00:00:43 The Colorado Two-Choice Application Hack00:04:01 Archery Elk vs. Whitetail: What Changes00:07:05 Base Camp, Spike Camp, and First-Timer Advice00:08:37 Fitness for Elk Hunting — What Actually Matters00:11:20 Knowing Rich Froning and Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable00:17:00 Brian's Close Calls: Five Elk at Close Range, No Tags00:33:21 Reading Elk — When to Call, When to Shoot, When to Wait00:34:50 Broadheads for Elk: Why Brian Runs Fixed Blades00:43:10 CRP Programs, Habitat Management, and What's Actually Working00:53:01 Predator Control and Turkey Hunting with a Bow01:25:48 Elk Calling Deep Dive and Paul Medel's Playbook