Pronghorn State Ranking

[WVgoodguy22]

I have a goal as some of you might remember to hunt pronghorn in every state that I can DIY style with any weapon type. I may cut out California, Oregon, Washington, but would include all the other western states as well as South Dakota, Nebraska, and perhaps Oklahoma. Not sure about Kansas for Non residents even though people go there for deer and turkey from out of state.
The criteria would be including; hunt quality, animal population aka opportunities, public land access, tag price, ease of drawing a tag. I am not a big trophy hunter, but a 70+ class buck would be nice.
I am from West Virginia so I can only go hunting out west once a year maybe for 10 days. So making a short term plan, mid term, and long term plan as Randy aka @BigFin is important. Which states would you put in each category for someone who doesn't live out west and why?
Thanks for any help, guidance and suggestions.

Sincerely,
Forrest

 

[WVgoodguy22]

Side note I have been a member of GoHunt for a couple years and have been through their state profiles for pronghorn, but wanted to know everyone's thoughts. I have 1-2 points in Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, NV, AZ, South Dakota and probably will for Utah in March.

 

[Knight.54]

Kansas is archery only for non residents. Tags are over the counter.

The way I understand the odds in az, nm, ut, and nv, it’s just a lottery ticket. Wy and mt are very doable, probably every couple of years. I think co would be attainable as well. I know nothing about sd.

good luck, they’re delicious

 

[Dunning Kruger]

Cant hunt pronghorn in washington, so probably good that youre skipping that, youd just get your ass in trouble. Not sure that theres pronghorn hunting in oregon or california either.

 

[Valley1320]

NM has big pronghorn with plenty of good units, and good hunting if you can draw a tag

 

[npaden]

By the time you factor in application costs, it may actually be cheaper to buy a landowner tag in New Mexico than wait the 20+ years that it is going to typically take to draw a tag in Arizona, Utah and maybe Nevada. Idaho is a straight lottery, no points.

Wyoming is by far and away the best, Montana and Colorado are both fairly doable with a little patience. After that pretty much all of them are going to be 10+ years to draw a tag unless you buy a landowner tag.

 

[BenInMT]

Probably not Montana if you are looking for a trophy. The opportunity is good, but the quality not so great. If you just want to hunt them not a bad choice. If I could hunt anywhere it would be AZ but I’ve never been all that into it to even see how hard it is to get a tag, I am guessing hard.

 

[Hunt&FishCO]

WY you should be able to draw a decent tag with 1 - 2 points, special draw ($) also helps draw as a NR. Can’t speak for other states but that’s where I hunt Pronghorn; takes awhile to draw in CO. Even as a Resident.

 

[Dakota79]

South Dakota archery antelope is guaranteed and rifle antelope will take several years to draw but there is plenty of public land available.

 

[WVgoodguy22]

Thanks to everyone who has chimed in so far. It does blow my mind that some states are 12+ points for a pronghorn, no matter how awesome, beautiful, unique and delicious (from what I heard, never have tried one) they are. I plan on doing a mule deer and pronghorn rifle hunt in Wyoming in 2022 (life events are keeping me from doing so once again this year), and work my way from there.

 

[3855WIN]

Wyoming
New Mexico
Arizona
Montana

 

[WVgoodguy22]

Thank you everyone who has contributed so far. The answers have helped. My overarching goal with this thread is to create a guide for those of us who may be starting out in the western big game hunting scene or have been doing so for a while, but are interested in chasing North America's most unique and fastest game animal in the pronghorn. The path to being a pronghorn junkie as it were. I know that outside of the once in a lifetimes, the elk is king and mule deer is the prince, but a guide for the Duke of the Desert would be sweet.
I recently watched a video on GoHunt's YouTube channel where Randy Newberg broke down how to hunt elk every year into Short term (1-4 years) Mid Term (5-9 yrs) Long Term (10+ years) for each western state. Even breaking it down into hunt type, weapon type, season; Early Archery, Late Archery, Early Rifle, Late Rifle, Muzzleloader, OTC, Limited Opportunity, Limited Draw, etc...
I know that Wyoming is obviously the state that everyone thinks of and starts with. I am interested in diving further into each state that I mentioned in my original starting post; MT, CO, ID, NV, NM, UT, AZ, SD, NE, OK, KS.

 

[pojoaque40]

NM has big pronghorn with plenty of good units, and good hunting if you can draw a tag

By the time you factor in application costs, it may actually be cheaper to buy a landowner tag in New Mexico than wait the 20+ years that it is going to typically take to draw a tag in Arizona, Utah and maybe Nevada. Idaho is a straight lottery, no points.

Agreed. NM just went to unlimited LO tags, which I'd assume will bring the prices down. The equality and intelligence of that decision - and it's affect on us public land owners - is another conversation.

 

[Big Shooter NT]

Side note I have been a member of GoHunt for a couple years and have been through their state profiles for pronghorn, but wanted to know everyone's thoughts. I have 1-2 points in Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, NV, AZ, South Dakota and probably will for Utah in March.

Thought you can get WY tags otc but could be mistaken

 

[WVgoodguy22]

Thought you can get WY tags otc but could be mistaken

I am on their website and from what I can tell it is draw only or buying a leftover license which could be considered OTC.

 

[Big Shooter NT]

I am on their website and from what I can tell it is draw only or buying a leftover license which could be considered OTC.

Thanks for that info!

 

[Big Shooter NT]

Much appreciated too!!!

 

[WVgoodguy22]

Thanks for that info!

You are welcome. As with anything pay attention to the dates for the draw deadline and when the leftover licenses go on sale. I am checking to see if doe/fawn is OTC, which one could add to the hunt. But bucks are draw only or those leftovers licenses if any.

 

[Hankg]

You are welcome. As with anything pay attention to the dates for the draw deadline and when the leftover licenses go on sale. I am checking to see if doe/fawn is OTC, which one could add to the hunt. But bucks are draw only or those leftovers licenses if any.

Both of y’all would benefit to watch Randy’s video of the Wyoming draw process. It explains it. I have no idea how to link something but google it to find the video.

 

[WVgoodguy22]

Both of y’all would benefit to watch Randy’s video of the Wyoming draw process. It explains it. I have no idea how to link something but google it to find the video.

I have watched that old one a couple times a while back and the new ones he puts out every year. I don't remember much on the left over tags if they are first come first serve or go through a second draw process. Each state is different. I know that people have recommended adding a doe tag or two to help fill up the freezer and extend the hunt if one finds their buck the first day. I will check his first video, as well as the Wyoming website and see if it goes into more detail on the left over tag part. Thank you.