2027 Western Big Game Draw Deadlines: 10 States, Every Date

Western draw season starts earlier than most hunters expect: Wyoming’s nonresident elk application opens in early January, Arizona in February.

Last verified: August 18, 2026. As of today, no Western state has published its full 2027 big-game application dates (Nevada’s 2027 spring turkey draw is the lone exception). That’s normal — agencies publish November–January. This calendar covers the ten Western draw states — Arizona, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington — showing each state’s current-cycle dates with a status label, and I re-verify every state as 2027 dates post (December 2026 – February 2027). Date classes: [2027 CONFIRMED] agency-published for 2027 · [RULE] recurring window fixed by regulation or stated agency cadence · [2026 PATTERN] last cycle’s official dates, shown until 2027 posts.

Now, the calendar itself. I built this so you can see the whole year in one table (deadline order, not alphabetical) and then read the state sections for the details that trip people up.

The master calendar: every Western draw in deadline order

Arizona (AZGFD)

Arizona runs three draw cycles: elk/pronghorn (regs out early January, deadline in February — the 2026 cycle opened January 13 and closed February 3 at 11:59 p.m. Arizona time), the deer/fall-species draw (deadline in June; June 2 in 2026), and the spring draw (deadline in October). You need a valid Arizona hunting license both to apply and on deadline day — a nonresident combo hunt & fish license runs $160 (resident $57). Points are bonus-style, with extra loyalty and hunter-education points. Note for planners: the old rule of thumb that Arizona “opens in December” no longer matches the agency’s published cadence — plan on mid-January. Sources: AZGFD Big Game Draw, 2026 draw announcement (retrieved Aug 18, 2026).

Wyoming (WGFD)

Wyoming’s nonresident elk application is the year’s first major deadline: the window ran January 2 – February 2 in the 2026 cycle, and the end-of-January close recurs annually (it slides a day or two for weekends — it was January 31 in 2024). Deer and pronghorn (all hunters) and resident elk run January 2 – June 1 with results June 18; bighorn sheep, moose, and mountain goat close April 30 with results May 21; bison runs March 2 – April 30. The modification/withdrawal deadline for NR elk is May 8. Wyoming is a preference-point state; the point-purchase window runs July 1 – November 2. Source: WGFD application dates & deadlines (retrieved Aug 18, 2026).

Montana (FWP)

Montana opened all 2026 applications March 1 at 5 a.m. Deer and elk permits plus the nonresident big-game/deer/elk combinations closed April 1 at 11:45 p.m. (drawing mid-April); moose, bighorn, mountain goat, and bison closed May 1 (drawing mid-May); pronghorn and the antlerless Deer B / Elk B licenses closed June 1. Montana’s system is a hybrid: bonus points squared for permit drawings, and separate $100 preference points (max 3) for the NR combination draw with its 75/25 split. Source: FWP application & drawing dates (retrieved Aug 18, 2026).

Idaho (IDFG)

Idaho is the great equalizer: no point system at all — every controlled-hunt application is a fresh random draw. Moose, bighorn, and mountain goat applications run April 1 – 30 (results early June); deer, elk, pronghorn, fall bear, fall turkey, and swan run May 1 – June 5, with a second application period August 5 – 15 for leftover controlled tags. You need an Idaho hunting license to apply — $185 for a nonresident adult (includes 3-day fishing) — plus application fees of $18 (deer/elk/pronghorn class) or $45.75 (moose/sheep/goat). Sources: IDFG controlled hunts, nonresident fees (retrieved Aug 18, 2026).

Colorado (CPW)

Colorado’s primary draw opened March 1, 2026 and closed April 7 at 8 p.m. MT, covering eight species: elk, deer, pronghorn, bear, moose, bighorn, mountain goat, and turkey. A qualifying license must be in your cart before you can apply, and sheep/goat/moose preference points carry a fee ($50 resident / $100 nonresident). The secondary draw follows in summer, and whatever remains lands on the leftover list — see my Colorado leftover tags guide for how that sale works right now. Source: CPW primary draw (retrieved Aug 18, 2026).

Utah (DWR)

Utah’s 2026 big-game application ran March 19 – April 23 (8 a.m. open, 11 p.m. close) at utahdraws.com, covering buck deer, bull elk, and pronghorn plus the once-in-a-lifetime species; results were emailed by May 31, with a point-only second chance June 9 – 23 during the antlerless period. Utah runs both systems at once — bonus points for limited-entry and once-in-a-lifetime hunts, preference points for general-season deer. A Utah hunting or combination license is required before applying: $144 nonresident (365-day), $40 resident, plus a $10/$21 per-species application fee. Source: Utah 2026 Big Game Application Guidebook (PDF) (retrieved Aug 18, 2026).

Nevada (NDOW)

Nevada’s main big-game draw closed May 13, 2026 at 11 p.m. Pacific with results by May 29; the second draw closed June 16 with results by June 26. The draw covers mule deer, elk, pronghorn, all three bighorn subspecies, mountain goat, moose, and bear, and dates are set annually by commission regulation. Nevada squares your bonus points for draw numbers — and wipes them after two consecutive years of not applying, so mark the calendar even in off years. One 2027 date is already official: the spring wild turkey draw closes January 25, 2027. An active hunting or combination license is required to apply and to bank points. Source: NDOW CR 26-01 deadlines (PDF) (retrieved Aug 18, 2026).

New Mexico (NMDGF)

New Mexico compresses everything into one deadline — March 18 in the 2026 cycle, results April 22 — covering elk, deer, pronghorn, bighorn, Barbary sheep, ibex, oryx, and javelina. There are no points of any kind: every applicant faces the same random odds every year, with tags split minimum 84% resident / 10% outfitter-contracted / 6% unguided nonresident. You buy the game-hunting license and Habitat Management & Access Validation with your application, and the full license fee is charged up front. Source: NMDGF applications & draw info (retrieved Aug 18, 2026).

Oregon (ODFW)

Oregon is the calendar’s one fixed star: controlled-hunt applications are due May 15 every year per ODFW, covering the buck deer (100), elk (200), pronghorn (400), bighorn (500), antlerless deer (600), spring bear (700), and mountain goat (900) hunt series. Results typically post in June, though the exact date varies from year to year. Oregon is preference-based, with 75% of tags in most hunts going to the highest point holders, and an annual hunting license is required before applying. Source: ODFW controlled hunts (retrieved Aug 18, 2026).

Washington (WDFW)

Washington’s special-hunt applications opened April 20, 2026, with the deadline extended one week to May 27 (a normal cycle closes in mid-to-late May), covering deer, elk, moose, bighorn, mountain goat, and fall turkey. Applications are purchased per species, results post to WILD accounts in June, and unsuccessful applicants accumulate application points that weight future draws. Source: WDFW special hunts + 2026 news releases (retrieved Aug 18, 2026).

How to build your 2027 application year

Let’s make this practical. Work backward from the table: buy prerequisite licenses in December (Arizona and Idaho licenses pay for themselves if you apply for two-plus species), put Wyoming NR elk and Arizona elk/pronghorn on the January calendar, New Mexico in early March, then batch the April–May states in one sitting. Two structural tips the point-chasers know: Idaho and New Mexico owe you nothing for history — they are worth applying every single year precisely because everyone has equal odds; and Nevada’s use-it-or-lose-it rule means a $0-hunt year should still be an apply-or-point-buy year. I update this page as each agency posts its 2027 dates.

Keep reading

• Deer season dates by state (2026-27) — the no-draw whitetail calendar, straight from the agencies.
• Colorado leftover tags 2026 — missed the draw? Colorado’s leftover sale is live right now.
• KFI Monza in 6.5 Creedmoor — a drawn tag deserves a dialed rifle.
• From the Brand Avalanche network: hunting suppressed in 2027? Check current ATF suppressor wait times at Popular Suppressors — they are down to days, not months.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Western big game draw season start?

Earlier than most hunters expect. Wyoming’s nonresident elk application opens in early January, and Arizona’s elk/pronghorn deadline lands in early February.

When does Western draw season end?

New Mexico closes in mid-March, and the April–May wave — Montana, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington — finishes the cycle.

Have 2027 Western draw dates been published yet?

As of the last verification (August 18, 2026), no Western state had published its full 2027 big-game application dates, with one exception: Nevada’s 2027 spring turkey draw. Agencies typically publish between November and January.

How many states does this Western draw calendar cover?

Ten Western draw states: Arizona, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington.

Final Thoughts

Remember, the Western draw calendar does not care whether you were ready. Put the January deadlines on the wall now, buy the prerequisite licenses in December, and treat the April and May wave as one afternoon of work. Miss one and you wait a year.

A note on sources: every window and deadline verified against the linked official agency page or published regulation on August 18, 2026, then human-edited. Dates are class-labeled rather than guessed; the full 2027 re-verify pass runs December 2026 – February 2027 as agencies publish.

Download this data: every table on this page as a CSV. Free to reuse with attribution to Popular Outdoorsman (CC BY 4.0).

James Nicholas

NFA Firearms Manufacturer & Professional Gunsmith The XDMAN has a talent for taking complex firearms subject matter and breaking it down into an easy-to-understand format that all experience levels can relate to. James is an 07/02 NFA Firearms Manufacturer, a Professional Gunsmith with over 20 years of experience, and a Firearms Writer, Photographer and Firearms Expert. Connect with him on Instagram, X, and Facebook as @therealxdman.

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