Drawn West

Is Utah Antelope worth it?A lot of people skip Utah antelope entirely. That might be exactly why you should be building points right now.If you're already applying for elk or mule deer in Utah, adding an antelope point only costs you $— and some of the best pronghorn tags in the state are starting to come within reach. Utah doesn't carry the same reputation as Wyoming or Nevada, but the herds are recovering, the trophy quality is climbing back, and the hunting pressure on antelope is almost nothing compared to what you see on deer and elk tags.In this episode, we break down the full Utah antelope picture for 2026 — where the herds stand after the tough stretch following the 2023 winter kill, which units give you a real shot at an 80-inch buck, and how to think about Utah as part of a bigger multi-state antelope strategy. The April 23, 2026 application deadline is right around the corner.In this episode:• Utah pronghorn herd recovery after the 2023 winter kill — why trophy quality took a hit and where things stand now• How the Parker Mountain herd has served as a statewide source population, including 317 animals transplanted to new units in 2025• The four units with the strongest 80-inch-plus potential: San Rafael North, Book Cliffs South, Fillmore, and the Beaver• Draw odds breakdown for residents vs. non-residents — and the weapon-type combos where tags get realistic faster than you'd expect• Why Utah is a long-term state, not a cornerstone antelope state — and where it fits in a smart multi-state plan• The $21 point investment that makes complete sense if you're already buying a Utah hunting license________________________________________Follow along for more antelope breakdowns, application tips, and behind-the-scenes content: @getdrawnwestWant to stay ahead of every deadline and draw strategy before the season hits? Sign up for the Drawn West Newsletter — practical, no-fluff emails straight to your inbox:Stay 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 latest article![2026Big Game Application Results]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=getdrawnwest

Want a shot at hunting some of the biggest public land elk in the country? In this episode, we break down what Utah elk tags cost, how the draw works for nonresidents, and where both limited entry and OTC tags fit into a long range elk strategy.We walk through the nonresident math on the 365 day hunting license, general, spike only, any bull, and limited entry tag prices, and why Utah’s cheap bonus points become a bargain once you’re already buying the license. Then I break down Utah’s hybrid bonus point system for limited entry elk, how the resident/nonresident split works, and why Utah’s age class management creates some of the best public land bull potential in the country—up into the 340–380+ range in top units like Beaver, Boulder, and Pahvant.What we cover in this episode:• 365 day license hacks and point stacking• How Utah’s hybrid elk draw works• Best limited entry elk units for nonresidents• When to chase top tier vs “second tier” tags• Using OTC spike and any bull hunts while building pointsIf this episode helps you sort out where Utah elk belongs in your Western plan, subscribe to the podcast and follow @getdrawnwest on Instagram so you don’t miss the rest of the Utah application series!Stay 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![UtahMule Deer Application Guide]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 – Why Utah elk is so underrated fornonresidents01:40 – 2026 Utah elk deadlines and basic rules03:15 – Nonresident license, tag costs, and 365‑daylicense math06:30 – Limited entry vs general elk, weapon types,and season breakdown09:00 – How Utah’s hybrid bonus point draw works forelk13:00 – Why Utah elk quality is so high (age classand herd management)17:30 – Top‑end limited entry units: Beaver, Boulder,Pahvant, San Juan23:30 – Draw odds, long‑term odds modeling, andauction tag values30:30 – How to build a long‑term Utah elk strategy bypoint level37:30 – OTC spike‑only and any‑bull elk tags andwhere they fit43:00 – Key 2026 dates and how to stay on top of Utahelk applications

Want to chase some of the biggest mule deer in the country? In this episode, I break down what Utah really costs, how the draw works, and which units are actually worth your points so you can decide if it belongs in your long range strategy.We walk through the nonresident math on the 365 day license, general and limited entry tag costs, and why Utah’s cheap points become a bargain once you’re already in the system. Then I break down Utah’s bonus point system for limited entry, the true preference points for general season, and real world unit examples from zero points up into the 20 plus range.What we cover in this episode:• How to time the 365 day license so you get two application cycles out of one purchase.• The difference between premium limited entry, standard limited entry, management buck, cactus buck, and HAMS hunts—and what happens to your points when you draw.• High end units like Paunsaugunt, Henry Mountains, Fillmore Creek, and San Juan, plus realistic general units like Pine Valley, Zion, North Slope, Chalk Creek, Bonanza, La Sal, and Monroe from 0–10 points.• Why nonresidents often have more opportunity in Utah than residents when it comes to limited entry applications.• How I think about folding Utah into a bigger Western application plan using GoHunt Filtering 2.0.If this episode helps you sort out Utah, subscribe to the podcast and follow @getdrawnwest on Instagram so you don’t miss the rest of the Utah bonus series. 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 latest article![2026 Utah Elk Application Guide]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=getdrawnwest Chapters00:00:00 – Why Utah MuleDeer Matters in 202600:00:24 – Utah Deadline and How It Fits with MT, WY, CO00:02:36 – Nonresident Costs: License, Tags, and Points00:04:06 – Utah Draw System: Bonus vs Preference Points00:06:48 – Premium, Management, and Cactus Buck Hunts00:10:35 – General Season Deer and Draw Order Rules00:13:05 – Using GoHunt Filtering 2.0 for Utah Units00:16:11 – High‑End Limited Entry Units Worth Waiting For00:19:40 – Shortcut Tags with HAMS and Late Muzzleloader00:20:19 – Zero‑ to Ten‑Point General Units and Long‑Range Strategy

Ever walk through the woods thinking “Elk don’t exist” ? I’ve had a few of those days myself – On this episode we have the host of the Elk Don’t Exist podcast himself, comedian and hunter Dillon Deitz. We covered shed hunting and hunting stories stories, but it turned into a really solid conversation about getting into hunting and why it feels harder than it should.Dillon’s working on a series called Rookie Season where he’s taking guys with zero hunting background and helping them go through their first hunt. No experience, no shortcuts, just figuring it out as they go. That led into a bigger conversation about how complicated hunting has gotten, especially for someone looking in from the outside.We also got into public land pressure, non-residents, and the whole social media side of hunting — not trying to solve anything, just talking through what we’re seeing and what actually lines up with reality.Overall it’s just a laid back conversation, but there’s a lot in here whether you’ve been hunting your whole life or you’re just getting started.Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and follow @getdrawnwest on Instagram. If you enjoyed it, leave a 5-star rating and share it with someone who’d get something out of it.Check out the first episode of Dillon’s project The RookieSeason on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4j637LQffc Follow more of Dillon’s content on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/dillondeitz/ Looking 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 – Shed Hunting Stories08:30 – What “Rookie Season” Is22:30 – Why Hunting Feels Hard to Start35:30 – Public Land & Non-Residents49:00 – Keeping Hunting Fun1:03:00 – Hunting with Family1:14:00 – Social Media & Criticism1:20:00 – Gear & Getting Started

A Colorado moose, sheep, or goat tag is one of the hardest tags in the lower 48 to draw, but it may be worth applying for and we breakdown why!In this GOHUNT Bonus Episode of the Drawn West Podcast, Brian breaks down how Colorado’s moose, sheep, and goat system actually works, what makes it different from the straight preference draws for deer, elk, and antelope, and why these tags are still one of the more realistic long-game plays if you want a shot at a once-in-a-lifetime hunt. He covers the $2,823 nonresident tag cost, the three-year preference point buy-in, how weighted points create a random-but-improving draw system, and what the current outlook looks like for bighorns, goats, and especially moose. He also gets into an option most hunters overlook: ewe, nanny, and antlerless moose tags that can cut the wait down in a big way. • Colorado deadline: April 7 at 8 p.m. Mountain Time • Nonresident tag fee: $2,823, plus qualifying license • Three preference points required before you even have a chance to draw • Desert bighorn is random and separate from Rocky Mountain bighorn • Antlerless/female tags can dramatically improve draw odds Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and follow @getdrawnwest on Instagram.If you enjoyed this, leave a 5-star rating and share the show with a friend.Looking for more content from Drawn West? Check out our latest article!ColoradoElk Application StrategyFREE 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=getdrawnwest0:00 – Colorado Moose Sheep Goat Overview0:34 – April 7 Deadline and Tag Cost4:44 – How Colorado MSG Points Work12:05 – Why Weather Matters Less for MSG Applications13:22 – Rocky Mountain Bighorn Breakdown18:44 – Rocky Mountain Goat Breakdown22:51 – Why Colorado Moose Looks So Promising27:55 – Faster Draw Odds with Ewe, Nanny, and Antlerless Tags