The Ten Best States for Hunting Pronghorn Antelope

Most of the states in the US have large numbers of antelopes. Antelopes are mainly found in the arid shortgrass prairies. Nevertheless, some of the best places are the east of the Rockies such as Wyoming, Eastern Montana, Southeastern Colorado, and northwestern South Dakota. Most of the states require the hunters to enter a draw for them to get an antelope tag, but others offer high drawing odds and give a chance to hunt per year. The states that offer few entry tags are considered trophy zones and they offer hunters a chance to pursue big mature bucks by minimizing the number of hunters through drawings. You can apply for the tag to hunt in the coveted grounds.

1. Wyoming

The population of antelopes in Wyoming is higher than that of people in this state. Wyoming is a great place to hunt since it offers both over-the-counter (OTC) tags and draw tags. The eastern region is mainly short grass prairie with scattered BLM properties, such as the Red Desert Checkerboard. The South Central, Northwest, and North Central regions have abundant Forest Service property. The Cowboy State has the highest number of hunter participation, the highest success rates, and highest harvests. When it comes to antelope hunting, Wyoming takes the lead. Non-residents recorded a 100% success rate. No other state has ever achieved such a high rate.

Wyoming draw process is quite complicated, but it ensures that there is always some
chance of drawing the extremely coveted permit. The antelope rifle season is open from late September to late October. Almost all of Wyoming state trust lands are accessible for hunting. Most of the lands are private. However, there are several access programs for the public to carry out their expedition on private lands. Some of the best counties for hunting are Campbell, Sweetwater, Natrona, Carbon, and Fremont.

2. Montana

Montana is second to Wyoming for the population of antelopes. This is a great state for
visiting hunters. This state has a bonus and not a preference system of acquiring tags. Montana has a Block Management Program that permits hunters to access private lands. The access may be fully unregulated, just demanding the hunter to sign in and out. This is a wonderful system, particularly in the east, where public lands are limited.

The eastern part is mainly a rolling prairie, with dispersed areas of rugged breaks or badlands and sparse timber with a lot of BLM lands and scattered checkerboards of state land on other areas. The western side has big Forest Service holdings, large rugged wilderness parts. The most famous areas for hunting are the Bob Marshal, Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, and Absaroka-Beartooth areas. Eastern Montana is popular with antelope hunting, but there is decent hunting on other areas too.

3. New Mexico

The state has awesome Coues Whitetail antelope hunting. The hunting opportunities are as diverse as the terrain and the habitat. New Mexico has some of the finest Pronghorn Antelope found in North America.

There is no preference system in New Mexico. Therefore, a first-time applicant has a better chance of drawing a tag like everyone else. Eastern New Mexico is mainly dominated by private lands, but there are limited National Grasslands and abundant state land, in addition to large blocks of BLM in the southeast part.
Some of the best counties to hunt are Lincoln, Colfax, Socorro, Catron, and Mora.

4. Arizona

Arizona has a nationwide reputation for antelope hunting. It is one of the few places in the United States with Coues deer. Arizona’s antelopes have longer horns because the mild winters enable them to live longer lives.

For you to hunt in Arizona, you must purchase a hunting license. This state does not have a preference system for repeat applicants. Instead, they have a bonus system to encourage repeat applicants. You can hunt on state lands if you have a valid hunting license. Some of the best counties to hunt are Mohave, Navajo Coconino, Apache, and Yavapai.

5. Texas

New Year begins on September 1, and not January 1, for most outdoorsmen. Hunting is a great strategic withdrawal in Texas. A hunter can feel things getting back in place by sitting on the side of a hill. It is the autumn of another year in his life and a perfect time to reflect. If the hunter is determined, he can venture the highlands and canyons of the West Texas in a land referred to as Trans-Pecos.

All lands in the four National Forests in this state are open to public hunting. Besides a valid Texas hunting license, no additional fee is charged for hunting. The National Forests are located in the heavily wooded East Texas Piney Woods area. Pronghorn antelopes are in the Trans-Pecos, the Permian Basin, and the Panhandle regions. Antelopes prefer these areas because they are treeless, flat plains or moderately rolling prairies.

6. Colorado

When a person thinks of hunting in the west, this is the state most people considers first. Hunting in Colorado is a dream. There are ten species of big game animals. This is the only state that offers over-the-counter tags. The tags allow you to hunt in most of the public GMU. The tags are issued on a first come, first served basis until the maximum number is attained. Every hunter must have a license before going to hunt.

There are both public and private lands for hunting. Much of the land is available to the public. Private land is accessible to the public through special partnerships with the wildlife department. Hunting expeditions that involve private land have additional hunting opportunities. The state is two regions, the East, which is characterized by plains, and the West, which is basically a mountainous country. Sites for hunting in Colorado are determined by factors such as season, GMU, equipment, health, and species of the animal.

7. Nevada

There is no shortage of state land in Nevada. The access is brilliant with an exception of the BLM checkerboard where every additional square mile is private land. There are high elevation National Forest Lands and mountainous ranges. Most of the largest mountain ranges are located in the middle of the state. The other rare feature in Nevada is the Himalayan Snow Cock.

The hunters are required to purchase a hunting license before applying. It operates on a bonus system. Nevada has limited public land to hunt. The top five counties to hunt are White Pine, Elko, Washoe, Pershing, and Humboldt.

8. Oregon

This is an exceptionally diverse state, with high deserts in the East and temperate rainforest in the West. This diversity creates numerous hunting opportunities; including the rare whitetails, antelopes, and the endangered Columbian whitetail, which you can hunt since they are overpopulated in some regions, imagine that?

All antelope tags are regulated, and hunters are required to have a hunting license. Oregon operates on a preference basis. Antelope hunting is mostly in August, but there are a few exceptions.

The amount of state land is staggering, with the enormous amounts of National and State Forests all over the western and central mountainous regions, BLM in the eastern basins, and another remarkably isolated series of peaks in the Northeast. Combine all these opportunities with commercial timberlands, and there can be no shortage of hunting land for you.

9. Utah

There are lesser antelopes in this state as compared to Wyoming. Nevertheless, lucky hunters can expect a good hunt. The Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) regulates hunting in Utah. One must have a license to hunt in this state.

Antelope hunting is done on the eastern and western deserts. The state is divided by mountain range. Flat, arid deserts, high mesas, and deep canyons characterize the eastern region. The western part is mainly a desert with small, isolated mountain ranges. Approximately 2/3 of Utah’s grounds are public land. Half of this land is open to hunting.

10. South Dakota

South Dakota is among the regions with the highest antelope population in the United States. Most of the antelopes are found to the west of Missouri River. There is lots of state land in South Dakota. Crooked Creek Outfitters provides antelope hunting for archery and firearm. The hunting zone is in Harding County, situated in the northwest region of the state. South Dakota has prime hunting terrain as well as pleasant habitats.

South Dakota has more than 5 million acres for hunting on both public and private land that has been rent out for public hunting. However, most of the land is privately owned. Hunters require permission to access private hunting grounds. A hunter’s ability to develop a friendship with the private landowners enhances his/her hunting opportunities. Therefore, hunters are encouraged to create a working as well as a personal relationship with the owners. In addition, hunters should respect the land and their rights.

Public land open for hunting includes the 730 GPA’s, Forest service which covers more than 2 million acres in the Custer National Forests and the Black Hills and the three national grassland units; Grand River, Fort Pierre, and Buffalo Gap. School lands are also available for public hunting.

Antelope hunting is a fascinating sport. Every year people place tags and pay to hunt in the most covetable places the world has to offer. These are the best places to hunt in the United States. Antelope meat is delicious, and the skin is beautiful.