Western 2026 Big-Game Draw Results: Utah Nonresidents Find Out Thursday, Then Montana, Then Wyoming
Last updated: May 26, 2026 · Originally published: May 19, 2026
The 2026 western draw results start dropping in two days. Thursday, May 21, 2026 — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources posts nonresident western draw results for elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose, and bison. That is the first big draw drop of the western season. Montana follows in the back half of May. Wyoming posts on June 18. Most hunters get the wrong answer to the question “what do I do now?” because they get the order wrong.
Update, May 26, 2026: Colorado’s 2026 primary draw results are dropping May 26–29 — read the Colorado 2026 draw results: hunter next steps for the move list, whether your name came up or not.
This is the 2026 western draw results timeline, what the four decisions look like depending on whether you drew or did not draw in the western draw results, and why getting the Memorial Day weekend right matters more than the draw result itself.
The 2026 western draw results timeline, in the order it actually happens
| Date (2026) | State | What posts | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, May 21 | Utah | Nonresident elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose, bison | Utah DWR |
| Late May – early June (typically May 27 to June 5) | Montana | Elk, deer, antelope Type B special licenses | Montana FWP |
| Wed, June 18, 10 AM MT | Wyoming | Resident elk, deer, antelope; nonresident deer, antelope | Wyoming Game & Fish |
| Wed, June 18 | Utah | Resident elk, deer, antelope | Utah DWR |
| Rolling, June onward | Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon | Controlled hunt draws by species and unit | State agencies |
| Colorado | Colorado | Primary big-game draw results posted late May / early June; secondary draw opens mid-June for leftover tags | Colorado Parks & Wildlife |
The order matters because most hunters apply in multiple states, and the order in which results land changes which decisions are still open and which are already locked. A hunter who drew Wyoming antelope but missed Utah elk has different options than a hunter who drew Utah elk and missed Wyoming. Both are common.
Decision 1 — If you drew Utah elk in the 2026 western draw results
If your name comes up Thursday for a Utah nonresident elk tag — limited entry, premium limited entry, or general season any-legal-weapon — you have a 90-day-out problem to solve. The Utah general season opens in mid-October. The premium limited-entry archery seasons open earlier, some as early as August. Either way, the calendar starts running Thursday.
What to do this weekend:
- Lock the unit map. Utah’s GIS layer is free — download the unit boundary and overlay the public-land map (BLM + USFS) for the unit you drew. Most nonresident elk hunters arrive in Utah without having walked the unit. The single most expensive variable is e-scouting time.
- Book your lodging if it is a destination unit. Henrys Mountains, Book Cliffs, and Wasatch Mountain units have limited road-accessible lodging within an hour. Wait three weeks and the available rentals will be every drawn tag holder’s least preferred option.
- Order your archery tag-stamp if you drew an archery hunt. Some Utah units require an additional state archery permit on top of the tag. Verify in the harvest objective table for your specific unit.
- Get your suppressor paperwork moving if you are running one. Form 4 wait times have shortened post-One Big Beautiful Bill Act, but if you are buying a hunting can for this season — like the BANISH HNT 30 SS covered in today’s 33rd Day of Silence on PS.com — start the Form 4 by June at the latest. Suppressors are legal for big game in Utah.
Decision 2 — If you missed the Utah 2026 western draw results
Utah’s nonresident draw is one of the toughest in the West. Limited-entry premium units run draw odds in the low single digits even with maximum points. If you missed, the four moves to make:
- Confirm your point balance for 2027. Utah preference / bonus points are squared, so your odds increase nonlinearly across years. Whether you stayed at the same point count, gained a point, or got hit by Utah’s point burn on limited-entry hunts matters.
- Apply for Wyoming antelope by the May 31 deadline. Wyoming’s draw deadline is in May for most species, and antelope tags are still available for nonresidents in good numbers. If you wanted a western hunt in 2026, antelope is the highest-probability nonresident tag in the West right now.
- Look at Idaho second-controlled-hunt or leftover tags. Idaho posts a leftover sale window where unsold draw tags become first-come-first-served. The 2026 second controlled hunt drawing typically posts in late June.
- Plan the Wyoming/Colorado over-the-counter elk hunt. Some Wyoming areas and Colorado units still issue OTC nonresident elk archery and rifle tags. The 2026 Colorado OTC list shrunk again — verify before booking flights.
Decision 3 — Memorial Day weekend is the wrong weekend to e-scout
Memorial Day 2026 falls May 23–25. It is the busiest weekend on western public land all year. If your draw plan involves a scouting trip before opener, do not make it Memorial Day weekend. The campsites are full. The trailheads are full. The fire restrictions are stiff — BLM has already issued Stage 1 fire restrictions across parts of the West, and several USFS districts have followed. Stage 2 is plausible by July depending on the monsoon.
The better Memorial Day move is desk work: e-scout, glass-on-Google-Earth, build the unit map, and let the actual ground scouting happen the second or third weekend of June when the crowds have thinned and the road conditions have settled. Most western backcountry hunters who consistently kill bulls scout late June through July, not Memorial Day weekend. For the full pre-trip walk-through, see our Memorial Day 2026 public-land prep checklist.
Decision 4 — The point game for 2027
Whatever you saw in the western draw results, the May 21 → June 18 window is when most hunters make the worst decisions about future-year point applications. Two common errors:
Error one: dropping a state after a bad draw year. If you sat on five Wyoming elk points and burned them on a unit that did not deliver, the urge is to walk away from Wyoming. Do not. Wyoming’s special draw lottery is one of the higher-EV western applications across a decade.
Error two: starting too many new states at once. Building points in seven western states costs $300 to $500 a year in non-refundable application fees and tag prices, before you ever draw a tag. Most hunters can sustainably build in three states. Pick the three that match your hunt-style budget — backpack-elk states (CO, ID, MT, WY), road-elk states (UT, NM, AZ), or pronghorn-dominant (WY, NM, MT) — and let the others go.
Memorial Day prep after the 2026 western draw results
Whether you drew or did not, Memorial Day weekend is for these tasks:
- Re-zero your rifle if you have not since the last hunt.
- Reshoot 100, 200, 300, and 400 yards — whatever the unit terrain will plausibly require.
- Inventory your pack: bivy, water filter, head torch, batteries, paracord, knife, sharpener, freezer-paper for game bags. Replace what is missing or broken.
- Refresh boot conditioning. New boots take 60 to 80 miles to break in. June and July are the right months for that mileage.
- If your hunt involves a suppressor, get the Form 4 in. The post-OBBBA wait window is shorter than 2024–2025, but it is not zero. The BANISH HNT 30 SS is in play today on the 33rd Day of Silence — see the entry portal.
Frequently asked questions
When do Utah nonresident western draw results come out in 2026?
Thursday, May 21, 2026 for nonresident elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose, and bison. Utah resident draw results post June 18, 2026. Source: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
When do Wyoming western draw results come out in 2026?
Wednesday, June 18, 2026 at 10:00 AM Mountain Time. This covers resident elk, deer, and antelope plus nonresident deer and antelope. Source: Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
When do Montana western draw results come out in 2026?
Late May to early June 2026 for Montana FWP Type B special licenses on elk, deer, and antelope. Historically Montana posts between May 27 and June 5. Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
What happens if I miss the draw in every state I applied?
Look at over-the-counter and leftover tag opportunities. Wyoming antelope nonresident applications close May 31. Colorado has a secondary draw for leftover tags in mid-June. Idaho posts second controlled hunt results in late June. Some Wyoming areas and a shrinking number of Colorado units still issue OTC nonresident elk tags.
Can I run a suppressor on big game in western states?
Yes. Suppressors are legal for big-game hunting in all major western states (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Oregon). Confirm specific season and weapon restrictions in each state’s regulations.
Should I plan my scouting trip for Memorial Day weekend?
No. Memorial Day weekend is the busiest weekend on western public land all year. BLM and USFS fire restrictions are already active in many districts. The better scouting window is the second or third weekend of June, when crowds thin and road conditions settle.
What’s next on PO this week
Tuesday’s PO brief covered the 2026 western draw results timeline. Wednesday’s GGD piece looks at suppressor host rifles for new tag holders. Thursday’s Freedom’s Lodge brief covers state-by-state suppressor legality for hunting. Friday’s Current Homesteading brief covers field-to-freezer processing for the elk and mule deer most of you are planning to bring back.
Today on PopularSuppressors.com: the 33rd Day of Silence runs from 10:00 AM CT to 10:00 PM CT. Today’s prize is the BANISH HNT 30 SS — a 13-ounce stainless .30-cal hunting suppressor at $579 MSRP. Enter here →
About the author: James Nicholas — The XDMAN — is an 07/02 NFA Firearms Manufacturer, a professional gunsmith for over 20 years, and a firearms writer, photographer, and firearms expert. Follow him at @therealxdman on X.
FTC disclosure: PopularOutdoorsman.com is operated by Brand Avalanche Media, Inc. This article references the 100 Days of Silence campaign, a sponsored campaign on PopularSuppressors.com.
