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APPLICATION STRATEGY 2020: Utah Sheep, Moose, Goat, Bison

Utah's 2020 sheep, moose, goat and bison application overview

Jump to: NEW FOR 2020 State Info. Draw System R. Bighorn Breakdown D. Bighorn Breakdown Moose Breakdown Goat Breakdown Bison Breakdown

Note: The application deadline for all Utah species is March 5, 2020 at 11 p.m. MST. Applicants who want to purchase bonus points only have until March 19, 2020 at 11 p.m. MST. You may apply online here.


New for 2020


State information

To view important information and an overview of Utah’s rules/regulations, the draw system and bonus points, tag and license fees and an interactive boundary line map, check out our State Profile. You can also view the Species Profiles to access historical and statistical data to help you find trophy areas.

Utah State Profile Rocky Bighorn Profile Desert Bighorn Profile Shiras Moose Profile Mountain Goat Profile Bison Profile Draw Odds Filtering 2.0

Important dates and information

  • The deadline to apply is March 5, 2020 at 11 p.m. MST.
  • Apply online here.
  • The bonus point/preference point only purchase and application withdrawal deadline is March 19, 2020 at 11 p.m. MST.
  • Results will be emailed or available online on or shortly before May 29, 2020.
  • Hunters must have a valid hunting or combination hunting/fishing license to apply.
  • Hunting licenses are valid for 365 days from the date of purchase. If you time it correctly you can apply for two consecutive years on one license. You do not need an active hunting license to hunt, just to apply.
  • Applicants must be 12 years old by Dec 31, 2020 to apply and hunt in Utah.
  • Hunters born after Dec 31, 1965, must have taken an approved hunter’s education course.
  • Withdrawing or correcting an application is allowed before the application deadline. Corrections are made by withdrawing an application and submitting a new one. Be aware: you will be charged the $10 application fee again to make adjustments and reapply.
  • Moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat and bison draws utilize a bonus point system.
  • Nonresidents may apply and build bonus points for all available species.
  • Residents may only apply for one limited entry species: elk, antelope or deer. They may also apply for one once-in-a-lifetime species: moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat or bison. 
  • If you draw a permit and hunt for bull moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat or bison, you can no longer apply for that species again. Those are once-in-a-lifetime permits whether you harvest or not. 
  • a hunt on any of the once-in-a-lifetime permits, you cannot apply or draw another one for the same species in your life.

Fees and permit costs

Utah once-in-a-lifetime fees for 2020

ItemResident feesNonresident fees
365-day hunting license$11 youth (13 and under)
$16 youth (14 to 17)
$34 adult (18 to 64)
$25 adult (65 and older)
$25 youth (17 and under)
$65 adult (18 and older)
365-day hunt/fish combo license$20 youth (14 to 17)
$38 adult (18 to 64)
$29 adult (65 and older)
$29 youth (17 and under)
$85 adult (18 and older)
Application fee per species$10$10
Desert and Rocky bighorn sheep$513$1,518
Shiras moose$413$1,518
Rocky Mountain goat$413$1,518
Bison$413
$1,110 (Antelope Island)
$1,518
$2,615 (Antelope Island)

Note: Applicants only need to buy either a hunting license or combo hunting/fishing license to apply. Applicants will not be charged the cost of the permit unless they are successful in the draw.

The draw system 

Understanding the draw

Utah issues 10% of their draw permits to nonresidents.

UDWR utilizes a bonus point system for once-in-a-lifetime species. For every year that you apply for a once-in-a-lifetime species and do not draw, you will be given a bonus point for that species. You may also buy a bonus point only. Every bonus point you have is, essentially, the number of chances you have in the draw. Utah gives 50% of the permits for any given hunt to the applicants with the most bonus points. The other 50% are randomly drawn. Statistically, the more points you have, the better your odds for those random permits. 

If there is only one permit available for a hunt, it will be randomly allocated. If there is an odd number, for example, three permits, the bulk will be allocated to maximum point holders and the one permit will be randomly allocated.

We advise applicants to apply for a hunt rather than just build points. The only reason you should not apply is if you cannot afford the time to hunt or the cost of the permit should you draw.

Hunt choices

Utah allows applicants to enter one hunt choice for once-in-a-lifetime species. If you draw a permit and hunt, then your accumulated points will be purged. Residents can only apply for one of the following: moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat or bison. Nonresidents can apply for all of those species. 

Group applications

Group applications are not permitted for moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat or bison.

Utah’s draw goes in the following order from first to last:

  1. Buck deer (multi-season premium limited entry, premium limited entry, multi-season limited entry, limited entry, CWMU, and management buck deer)
  2. Bull elk (multi-season limited entry, limited entry, and CWMU)
  3. Buck antelope (limited entry and CWMU)
  4. Once-in-a-lifetime species (sheep, moose, mountain goat and bison)
  5. General buck deer (lifetime license holders)
  6. General buck deer (dedicated hunters)
  7. General buck deer (youth)
  8. General buck deer
  9. Youth any bull elk

Note that if you draw a limited entry deer, elk or antelope permit, your moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat and/or bison application will not be considered in the draw. You cannot draw both a limited entry permit and a once-in-a-lifetime permit in the same year.

Bonus point system

For all species, the maximum point amount is 27 for 2020; however, there are some species that no longer have applicants at that level. Below are the high point holders for applicants that either purchased a point or applied.

Bonus point system

SpeciesResidentNonresident
Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep2723
Desert bighorn sheep2527
Moose2626
Mountain goat2522
Bison2627

 

 Once-in-a-lifetime permits in 2019*

SpeciesResidentsNonresidentsTotal permits
Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep51354
Desert bighorn sheep65469
Shiras moose89695
Rocky mountain goat11210122
Bison21626242

*Utah won't set their 2020 allocations until May, which is after the application deadline.
**Does not include resident Cooperative Wildlife Management Units (CWMU) moose permits.

Utah's 2020 Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep breakdown

The largest populations occur in the Nine Mile, Box Elder/Newfoundland Mountains and the Book Cliffs units. Populations are generally stable in these areas while trophy potential is average. Utah isn’t known to produce book rams, but any unit can provide a high success hunt and a chance at a mature ram.

All Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep hunts 2020

UnitTrophy
Potential
Harvest
success
Resident
permits
(2019)
Nonresident
permits
(2019)
Book Cliffs, South175"+83%51
Box Elder, Newfoundland Mtn
(early)
155"+89%80
Box Elder, Newfoundland Mtn
(late)
155"+100%71
Box Elder, Newfoundland Mtn
(archery)
155"+75%40
Box Elder, Pilot Mtn150"+100%00
Central Mtns, Nebo170"+NANew hunt (resident only)NA
Fillmore, Oak Creek (early)155"+100%40
Fillmore, Oak Creek (late)155"+NANew huntNew hunt
Nine Mile & Gray Canyon175"+100%81
Nine Mile, Jack Creek175"+100%30
North Slope, Three Corners-Bare Top160”+NANew hunt (resident only)NA
North Slope, West Daggett160”+NANew hunt (resident only)NA
Oquirrh-Stansbury, West150”+100%30
Wasatch Mtns, West170”+NANew hunt (resident only)NA

* Permit numbers will be set at the May big game board meeting.

Boone & Crockett (B&C) entry trends for Utah Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep

Map of Utah's rocky bighorn sheep B&C all time entries 2020

Managing points and expectations

2020 maximum points for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep

Residents: 27
Nonresidents: 23

UTAH RESIDENT LIMITED ENTRY ROCKY BIGHORN POINT TOTALS GOING INTO THE 2020 DRAW

UTAH NONRESIDENT LIMITED ENTRY ROCKY BIGHORN POINT TOTALS GOING INTO THE 2020 DRAW

Utah Limited Entry Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep points going into the 2020 draw

PointsResidentNonresident
11,2722,557
29231,938
39051,616
46161,207
56261,099
65301,014
7444926
8423966
9379973
103221,122
113052,249
12280367
13234206
14211115
1516669
1614281
17130165
189913
19776
20593
21324
22202
2361
2430
2510
2600
2710

Residents can apply for one the 14 hunts. Nonresidents can apply for one of four hunts, which are indicated in the table above. It’s unlikely that there will be a bonus point permit for nonresidents. If there is, it’s most likely going to be in the Box Elder, Newfoundland Mtn unit.

Find your draw odds

I have 0 to 19 Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep points. What can I expect?

Residents

The Box Elder, Newfoundland Mtn archery hunt and the Oquirrh-Stansbury, West had had 100% odds at the 17 point level. 

Nonresidents 

Nonresident applicants can choose from the Book Cliffs, South, Box Elder, Newfoundland Mtn, Nine Mile & Gray Canyon or the new hunt on the Fillmore, Oak Creek. One permit is likely available for each one of those hunts. The Box Elder hunt had the best odds, but even it was less than .5% through the entire point range. The Book Cliffs and Nine Mile units have the best qualities of those units.

Find your resident Rocky bighorn sheep draw odds with 0 points here

Find your nonresident Rocky bighorn sheep draw odds with 0 points here

I have 20 to 26 Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep points. What can I expect?

Residents

Every hunt had 100% odds at 23 points in the last draw. At 22 points, every hunt also had 100% odds except for the Book Cliffs, South hunt. At 21 points, every hunt had 100% success except for the Book Cliffs, South and the Nine Mile & Gray Canyon. With 20 points, you could also consider the Oquirrh-Stansbury, West or the Fillmore, Oak Creek

Nonresidents 

Once again, nonresident applicants can choose from the Book Cliffs, South, Box Elder, Newfoundland Mtn, Nine Mile & Gray Canyon or the new hunt on the Fillmore, Oak Creek. Odds will be less than 1% across all hunts. The Box Elder, Newfoundland Mtn hunt could possibly have a bonus point permit, but it’s not likely. 

Find your resident Rocky bighorn sheep draw odds with 20 points here

Find your nonresident Rocky bighorn sheep draw odds with 20 points here


Utah's 2020 desert bighorn sheep breakdown

The largest herds exist within the Zion, Kaiparowits, East and West and the San Rafael, North and South. The other herds are smaller and hunting opportunities are managed accordingly.

All Desert bighorn sheep hunts 2020

UnitTrophy
Potential
Harvest
success
Resident
permits
(2019)
Nonresident
permits
(2019)
Henry Mountains150"+100%40
Kaiparowits, East160"+100%81
Kaiparowits, Escalante155"+100%40
Kaiparowits, West160"+100%101
La Sal, Potash/South Cisco150"+100%40
Pine Valley, Virgin River165"+New huntNew hunt (resident only)NA
Pine Valley, Beaver Dam165"+100%40
San Juan, Lockhart150"+100%20
San Juan, North150"+New huntNew hunt (resident only)NA
San Juan, San Juan River150"+New huntNew hunt (resident only)NA
San Juan, South150"+33%30
San Rafael, Dirty Devil160"+100%20
San Rafael, North150"+100%50
San Rafael, South145"+100%71
Zion (early)170”+100%31
Zion (late)170”+100%60
Zion (archery)170”+100%30

* New hunts and tag numbers will be set at the May big game board meeting.

Boone & Crockett (B&C) entry trends for Utah desert bighorn sheep

Map of Utah's desert bighorn sheep B&C all time entries 2020

Managing points and expectations

2020 max points for Desert bighorn sheep

Residents: 25
Nonresidents: 27

UTAH RESIDENT LIMITED ENTRY DESERT BIGHORN POINT TOTALS GOING INTO THE 2020 DRAW

UTAH NONRESIDENT LIMITED ENTRY DESERT BIGHORN POINT TOTALS GOING INTO THE 2020 DRAW

Utah Limited Entry Desert bighorn sheep points going into the 2020 draw

PointsResidentNonresident
11,3282,452
21,0061,883
39621,597
45891,172
55371,034
6520914
7451834
8398849
9410898
10363962
113501,526
12340457
13332418
14363358
15305386
16282339
17245261
18216241
19178210
20189173
21129100
2211156
235556
243250
25838
26029
2703

Find your draw odds

I have 0 to 19 desert bighorn points. What can I expect?

Residents

With 19 points and fewer, applicants should review the odds and apply for the unit that best meets your objective. The odds for the best trophy units range from less than 1% to 2%. The best odds were 2.4% for the San Juan, Lockhart unit. 

Nonresidents

Nonresidents can apply for one of the four hunts that will each have one permit a piece. Those units are the Kaiparowits, East, Kaiparowits, West, Zion and the San Rafael, South. Odds were less than .2% for all four hunts across the entire point range. The Zion and the Kaiparowits have the best trophy potential. 

Find your resident Desert bighorn sheep draw odds with 0 points here

Find your nonresident Desert bighorn sheep draw odds with 0 points here

I have 20 to 26 desert bighorn points. What can I expect?

Residents

The Zion archery hunt had 100% odds at 20 points. The Kaiparowits, Escalante had 100% odds at 21 points. There were five hunts that had 100% odds at 22 points, including the San Rafael units and the La Sal, Potash/South Cisco and the Henry Mtns. Moving into the 23 point level, Kaiparowits, East and the San Juan units had 100% odds. Every hunt had 100% odds in the past draw with 24 points. Make sure you visit the detailed Draw Odds page for the hunts you are considering in order to gauge how many applicants are at your same point level and what your chances might be moving into 2020. 

Nonresidents 

Adopt the same strategy as every nonresident applicant. Pick a unit and hope for some real luck.

Find your resident Desert bighorn sheep draw odds with 20 points here

Find your nonresident Desert bighorn sheep draw odds with 20 points here


Utah's 2020 Shiras moose breakdown

The largest herds in the state occur along the Wasatch Front, the Cache and the North Slope, Summit in the Uintas.

All Utah moose hunts for 2020

UnitHarvest
success
Resident
permits
(2019)
Nonresident
permits
(2019)
Cache100%91
Chalk Creek*100%30
East Canyon*100%30
East Canyon, Morgan-Summit*100%30
Kamas67%30
Morgan-South Rich*50%30
North Slope, Summit100%131
North Slope, Three Corners/West Daggett100%50
Ogden*86%71
South Slope, Diamond Mountain/Vernal100%20
South Slope, Yellowstone75%40
Wasatch Mountains/Central Mountains90%343

*Units are mostly private land.

Many are not aware that there are many CWMU hunts with permits available for residents to draw. Nonresidents may not apply for CWMU permits, but it’s likely that there are bull moose landowner tags available for purchase on some of these properties. See the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) guidebook for more information on CWMU hunts.


Boone & Crocket (B&C) entry trends for Utah Shiras moose

Map of Utah's moose B&C all time entries 2020

Managing points and expectations

2020 max points for Shiras moose

Residents: 26
Nonresidents: 26

UTAH RESIDENT LIMITED ENTRY MOOSE POINT TOTALS GOING INTO THE 2020 DRAW

UTAH NONRESIDENT LIMITED ENTRY MOOSE POINT TOTALS GOING INTO THE 2020 DRAW

Utah Limited Entry moose points going into the 2020 draw

PointsResidentNonresident
13,8442,274
22,9301,639
32,9321,403
42,089995
51,827884
61,704824
71,546774
81,386818
91,335770
101,301890
111,2971,776
121,230337
131,161309
141,140222
151,096183
161,039153
171,032149
18980143
19878122
20726113
2164360
2248937
2333920
241134
25173
2631

Find your draw odds


I have 0 to 22 moose points. What can I expect?

Residents

Unfortunately, from zero to 21 points, the odds of drawing a permit were less than 1% for every hunt except one: East Canyon, Morgan-Summit, which had 34% odds. With 22 points, applicants are still likely to be a year behind the bottom end of the curve; however, they should review these units: East Canyon, Kamas, Morgan-South Rich, and the South Slope, Diamond Mt/Vernal.

Nonresidents

The Wasatch Mtns/Central Mtns had 17% odds at 22 points. That is, once again, likely to creep, but it is worth a longer look. The other hunts all had odds of less than 1% through the entire point range.

Find your resident moose draw odds with 0 points here

Find your nonresident moose draw odds with 0 points here

I have 23 to 26 moose points. What can I expect?

Residents

Seven of the twelve hunts had 100% odds with 23 points. At 24 points, every hunt had 100% odds. Review the odds and unit profiles to find the hunt that best meets your needs. 

Nonresidents

The Wasatch Mtns/Central Mtns had 100% odds at 23 points. That is likely to creep, but it is worth a longer look. The other hunts all had odds of less than 1% through the entire point range.

FIND YOUR RESIDENT MOOSE DRAW ODDS WITH 23 POINTS HERE

FIND YOUR NONRESIDENT MOOSE DRAW ODDS WITH 23 POINTS HERE


Utah's 2020 Rocky Mountain goat breakdown

The highest populations of mountain goats occur on the Uintas, West and Central Units and the Beaver unit. Trophy potential is decent throughout the state, but has slipped some in recent years. Beaver and Ogden, Willard Peak have been the standout trophy units, but, once again, trophy potential is not what it was and we would not recommend looking solely at those units for the absolute best trophy potential. The Uintas Units also have older age class billies available for those willing to put in the time and effort. The Beaver, Ogden, Willard Peak, Mt Dutton and La Sal area have easier access; the Uintas units are more of your traditional backpack wilderness style mountain goat hunt. There will be no nanny only permits available for any unit going into 2020. 

All Utah mountain goat hunts for 2020

UnitHarvest
success
Resident
permits
(2019)
Nonresident
permits
(2019)
Beaver (early)90%82
Beaver (late)100%100
Central Mountains, Nebo (archery)78%91
Central Mountains, Nebo90%91
Chalk Creek/Kamas, Uintas91%111
La Sal, La Sal Mtns*100%30
Mt Dutton100%20
North Slope/South Slope,
High Uintas Central
(archery)
75%40
North Slope/South Slope,
High Uintas Central
90%91
North Slope/South Slope,
High Uintas East
67%30
North Slope/South Slope,
High Uintas Leidy Peak
100%30
North Slope/South Slope,
High Uintas West
91%191
Ogden, Willard Peak57%41
Ogden, Willard Peak100%20
Wasatch Mountains, Lone Peak100%30
Wasatch Mountains, Provo Peak100%30
Wasatch Mountains, Timpanogos100%40

*There will be a nonresident permit on the La Sal, La Sal Mtns in 2020 to go along with the other seven hunts that offered a permit(s) last year.

Boone & Crockett (B&C) entry trends for Utah mountain goats

Map of Utah's mountain goat B&C all time entries 2020

Managing points and expectations

2020 max points for mountain goat

Residents: 25
Nonresidents: 22

UTAH RESIDENT LIMITED ENTRY MOUNTAIN GOAT POINT TOTALS GOING INTO THE 2020 DRAW

UTAH NONRESIDENT LIMITED ENTRY MOUNTAIN GOAT POINT TOTALS GOING INTO THE 2020 DRAW

Utah Limited Entry mountain goat points going into the 2020 draw

PointsResidentNonresident
11,3281,986
29971,532
31,1071,348
4787952
5703873
6709834
7517752
8458758
9419777
10426898
113451,644
12324168
13325136
14254140
1517985
1618854
1714432
186745
196242
205430
212014
2251
2330
2410
2520

Find your draw odds

I have 0 to 14 mountain goat points. What can I expect?

Residents

With 14 points, residents could have drawn either of the archery only hunts on the North Slope/South Slope, High Uintas Central, or the Central Mtns, Nebo. That may still be the case in 2020, but it could creep some. Below the 14-point level, odds are less than 1% up to approximately 3%. The Beaver and Ogden, Willard Peak have the best access and trophy potential and, thus, the worst odds. Use the draw odds and unit profile to find hunts that best meet your ability and objectives and apply accordingly.

Nonresidents 

Every hunt had less than 1% odds from zero to 14 points. The Central Mtns, Nebo had the best odds at a staggering .53% at 14 points. If you fall within this range and are applying for other species in Utah as well, you might as well apply for the minimal $10 application fee. 

Find your resident mountain goat draw odds with 0 points here

Find your nonresident mountain goat draw odds with 0 points here

I have 15 to 25 mountain goat points. What can I expect?

Residents

At 15 points, residents should consider the two archery hunts and, perhaps, the North Slope/South Slope, High Uintas Leidy Peak hunt, which also had 100% odds at that level. With 16 points, applicants can look at those hunts as well as the hunts on North Slope/South Slope, High Uintas East, North Slope/South Slope, High Uintas Central, North Slope/South Slope, High Uintas West. Jumping into 17 and 18 points, applicants can consider the Chalk Creek/Kamas, Uintas, Ogden, Willard Peak, Central Mtns, Nebo and, perhaps, Wasatch Mtns, Provo Peak

The Beaver hunts required 21 points. An intriguing option at the 19 or 20 point level is Mt Dutton. There are still some older age class billies that were the original migrants from the neighboring Beaver unit. 

Nonresidents 

The only hunt that has had a bonus permit available and is likely to again is the Beaver. That hunt required 20 points last year to be in the running for that permit. It will require 21 or more this year and, even still, odds are likely to be 20% with 21 points. The rest of the hunts are randomly allocated and odds were less than 1% through the entire range. 

FIND YOUR RESIDENT MOUNTAIN GOAT DRAW ODDS WITH 20 POINTS HERE

FIND YOUR NONRESIDENT MOUNTAIN GOAT DRAW ODDS WITH 20 POINTS HERE


Utah's 2020 bison breakdown

Utah is among the very few states that offer hunts for free-range bison. Bison inhabit the Henry Mountains, Book Cliffs and Antelope Island. Herds are generally healthy and hunting opportunities are good for lucky permit holders. Considering that bison hunts in other states largely occur in “park like” settings, Utah offers a unique opportunity to actually hunt the icon of the American West.

There are hunts for cow only or hunter’s choice as well as a few archery only hunts. The hunts also vary by date. Typically, the later the hunt, the more challenging it can be due to weather and hunting pressure.

All Utah bison hunts for 2020

UnitHarvest successResident
permits
(2019)
Nonresident
permits
(2019)
Antelope Island100%20
Book Cliffs (archery)NANew huntNA
Book Cliffs100%142
Book Cliffs, Bitter Creek/South
(cow only)
NANew huntNew hunt
Book Cliffs, Bitter Creek/SouthNANew huntNA
Book Cliffs (cow only)50%223
Book Cliffs, Little Creek Roadless100%91
Book Cliffs, Little Creek Roadless
(cow only)
NANew huntNew hunt
Book Cliffs, Wild Horse
Bench/Nine Mile, Anthro
100%91
Henry Mtns (archery)78%71
Henry Mtns (archery, cow only)64%121
Henry Mtns (early)77%162
Henry Mtns (mid)44%162
Henry Mtns (late)60%171
Henry Mtns (cow only/early)50%253
Henry Mtns (cow only/late)88%243
*New hunts and permit numbers will be set at the May wildlife board meeting.

Boone & Crockett (B&C) entry trends for Utah bison

Map of Utah's bison B&C all time entries 2020

Managing points and expectations

2020 maximum points for bison

Residents: 26
Nonresidents: 27

UTAH RESIDENT LIMITED ENTRY BISON POINT TOTALS GOING INTO THE 2020 DRAW

UTAH NONRESIDENT LIMITED ENTRY BISON POINT TOTALS GOING INTO THE 2020 DRAW

Utah Limited Entry bison points going into the 2020 draw

PointsResidentNonresident
13,1842,285
22,3031,487
31,9711,330
41,302899
5990806
6834696
7734641
8614596
9526591
10536680
115231,273
12424131
13364100
1432481
1529169
1627368
1729983
1826053
1924439
2023738
2121650
2214421
238915
24398
25141
2610
2701

Find your draw odds

I have 0 to 15 bison points. What can I expect?

Residents

Applicants within this point range have very low odds of drawing an “any bison” permit, meaning the bull bison permits are very tough to draw. The Book Cliff, Little Creek Roadless unit had the best odds at 6.6% with 15 points. Within this range, odds range from less than 1% to about 3% for all other hunts. 

The better odds and opportunities within this range are for cow bison. It’s important to note that a cow bison meets the once-in-a-lifetime criteria and you cannot apply for or hunt bison in Utah again if you draw and hunt a cow. The archery Henry Mtns cow bison hunt had 100% odds with nine points. The rifle Henry Mtns cow hunts had 100% odds at 10 and 14 points. The Book Cliffs cow bison hunts had 100% odds at nine and 15 points. There is also a new cow bison hunt in the roadless area that applicants should consider if they have a guide or packstock.

Nonresidents

Unfortunately, odds for all “any bison” hunts were less than 1% throughout the entire point range. The Book Cliffs, Little Creek Roadless had the best odds, creeping up on almost 1% with 15 points. There is also a new cow only hunt available to nonresidents in that same unit in 2020.

Cow bison hunts have much better odds. The Book Cliffs, Bitter Creek/South hunt is new for 2020, but, in the past year, the regular cow hunt required 13 to 16 points for 100% odds. The Henry Mtns rifle cow hunts required 11 and 14 points to draw and are worth some research if you find yourself within this point range.

Find your resident bison draw odds with 0 points here

Find your nonresident bison draw odds with 0 points here

I have 16 to 26 bison points. What can I expect?

Residents

First, all cow bison hunts that were available in the last draw could have been drawn with 15 points. Going into this draw with 16 points, the cow hunts are worth looking into if that type of hunt meets your objectives. 

The “any bull” bison hunts takes a couple decades worth of points to draw. Within 20 points, the Book Cliffs, Little Creek Roadless hunt had 100% odds. The Henrys’ archery permits required 21 points. With 22 points, the other Book Cliffs hunts had 100% odds as did the Henrys’ late hunt. With 24 points, all hunts had 100% odds, except for Antelope Island, which had 14% odds. 

Nonresidents

There were a few “any bison” hunts that offered enough nonresident permits to have some allocated in the bonus point draw. Those were the Henry Mtns hunts and the Book Cliffs. Those hunts that had a bonus point permit(s) requiring 20 for the Book Cliffs and 22 and 24 points. 

The rifle cow bison hunts all had 100% odds at the 16 point level. Moving into 2020, 17 points should allow you to draw any of those cow hunts that have a bonus point permit(s). 

FIND YOUR RESIDENT BISON DRAW ODDS WITH 20 POINTS HERE

FIND YOUR NONRESIDENT BISON DRAW ODDS WITH 20 POINTS HERE

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