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Drawn West

Drawn West is for the hunters who load the truck each fall — chasing bugles, big country, and something deeper than just filling a tag.
Host Brian Krebs dives into tag strategies, gear prep, and real-world advice to help non-resident hunters make the most of limited time out West. Each episode features expert guests and gritty stories from hunters you’ve never heard of — the kind who get it done with one week, one tag, and no excuses.

Latest Episodes:

Oregon Antelope, Bighorn Sheep & Mountain Goat Application Guide — Is It Worth It? May 14, 2026

Show notes

Already applying in Oregon wondering if you should add antelope, sheep, or goats to your application? We breakdown everything you need to know to decide!

Oregon isn't known for massive antelope numbers, but what it does have is consistent trophy quality, high harvest success rates, and one of the most cost-efficient point systems in the West. For sheep and goats, it's a fully random draw — no points, no guarantees — but if you're already buying the license, $10 is a pretty cheap lottery ticket.

We break down exactly when it makes financial sense to add these species, what point levels unlock for antelope, and what the current tag counts and population data look like for bighorn sheep and mountain goats in 2026.

In this episode:

• Why Oregon antelope is more consistent than other states — and what that means for trophy hunters

• The point level breakdown for non-resident antelope draw odds (0, 5, and 15 points)

• How sheep and goats use a completely different, fully random draw system in Oregon

• Current non-resident tag allocations for California bighorn, Rocky Mountain bighorn, and mountain goat

• Why Oregon mountain goat populations are concerning — and what it means for draw odds

If this helped, subscribe and leave a rating — it makes a real difference. Follow along on Instagram @getdrawnwest.

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00:00:03 – Oregon's Bonus Species:Antelope, Sheep & Goats Overview

00:02:02 – Why Oregon Antelope IsDifferent From Other States

00:03:15 – Draw Odds, Trophy Potential& What It Takes to Draw

00:04:41 – Application Deadline, Costs& Tag Prices

00:06:21 – Zero-Point Antelope Strategyfor Non-Residents

00:08:21 – Five-Point Antelope Options:Archery & Rifle

00:10:42 – Fifteen-Point AntelopeBreakdown & Best Units

00:13:45 – Resident Antelope StrategyNotes

00:16:30 – Sheep & Goat Costs, TagPrices & Draw System

00:18:25 – Oregon Bighorn Sheep: Residentvs. Non-Resident Allocations

00:19:19 – California Bighorn & RockyMountain Bighorn Tag Breakdown

00:21:48 – Mountain Goat Trophy Potential& Population Decline

00:23:26 – Should You Apply for Sheep& Goats? The Decision Framework

Oregon Elk Application Guide — Units, Draw Odds, and What to Expect as a Non-Resident May 13, 2026

Show notes

Oregon has 130,000 elk. That's not a rumor — it's one of the largest herds in the country. But most non-residents either overlook it or misunderstand what it actually offers. If you're building a Western elk strategy, this is the episode that puts Oregon in the right place.

We break down both sides of the state — Roosevelt elk on the west side of the Cascades, Rocky Mountain elk to the east — and walk through exactly what the draw looks like depending on how many points you're carrying. From zero-point opportunities all the way into the 20-plus-point elite units, Oregon has more range than most people realize. The deadline to apply is May 15, so if this is on your radar, the window is closing fast.

What we get into:

• Why Oregon is built for opportunity — and what that means for trophy expectations

• The Rocky Mountain units pushing 320, 350, and even 360 inches of antler (and what it takes to draw them)

• Why unit 58 might be the best mid-range value in the whole state for non-residents

• Roosevelt elk 101 — why they hunt differently, where the public land actually is, and which units are worth your time

• A full breakdown of what's realistic with zero, four, and ten-plus points for both species and both weapon types

• The non-resident cost breakdown — and why Oregon's 10-to-1 resident/non-resident split is actually one of the fairer ones in the West

If you're serious about applying, subscribe so you don't miss the over-the-counter breakdown coming later this summer.

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00:02:28 Roosevelt vs. Rocky Mountain: How Oregon's Herd Is Split

00:04:06 Is Oregon a Trophy State? Setting the Right Expectations

00:06:47 The Elite Rocky Mountain Units — 320 Inches and Up

00:08:48 Roosevelt Elk Units — What to Expect and Where to Start

00:11:03 Zero-Point Options for Rocky Mountain and Roosevelt Elk

00:11:26 Four-Point Strategy — Archery and Rifle Breakdowns

00:15:00 Four-Point Roosevelt Elk Units — What's Actually Worth It

00:19:46 Ten-Plus Points — Where the Draw Really Opens Up

00:20:57 Final Thoughts and Application Deadline Reminder

Oregon Deer Applications - Mule Deer, Blacktail & Whitetail May 12, 2026

Show notes

Looking for another option for a deer tag this fall? Oregon might be the perfect fit!

The state just renamed and restructured every deer unit in the eastern half of Oregon — which means nobody has clean odds data, and for once, experience and points alone won't tell the whole story.

Oregon doesn't get talked about much — and that's part of why it's worth a closer look right now. The combination of new units, zero historical odds, and a 25% random draw makes this a year where even someone with a handful of points has a legitimate shot at a tag that would normally take a decade to draw.

How the 2026 eastern unit rename wipes out draw history and what to do when there's no reliable odds data to work from
The real nonresident cost breakdown — $203 to apply, $500 for a tag, and a point-saver option if you want to skip the draw this year
How Oregon's 75/25 hybrid system works and why the random pool matters more than most hunters realize in a year like this
High-end mule deer areas with 180-inch potential including Southeast 02, Crooked River, South Wallowas, Trout Creeks, and Southeast Steens
Why controlled archery hunts are still the most reliable path to drawing an Oregon deer tag if you need a hunt this year
Top blacktail units for a deer slam — Applegate, Indigo, Dixon, and McKenzie — with realistic trophy expectations and current draw timelines
The tiny but huntable Colombian whitetail herd, why archery is the smart play at three points for nonresidents, and how Eastern whitetail fits into a long-game strategy

If this helped you figure out where Oregon fits in your plan, subscribe so you don't miss the elk and antelope episodes dropping this week. And if you're getting value from the show, a quick rating goes a long way — it genuinely helps more hunters find this content.

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Save10%on Maverick Hunting Blinds & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST https://maverickhunting.com/?ref=getdrawnwest00:00 – Why Oregon deer is worth a serious look in 2026
01:05 – Deadline, costs, and the point-saver option explained
03:32 – Oregon's drought, snowpack, and what it means for deer this year
05:32 – How Oregon's hybrid preference point system actually works
07:30 – Group applications, point averaging, and the 18-person rule
08:45 – Oregon mule deer reality: what to expect from the state overall
10:00 – New high-end mule deer units with 180-inch potential
11:08 – When to swing big vs. protect your points in a zero-data year
12:05 – Controlled archery hunts: best draw odds in a shakeup year
13:06 – Columbia blacktail overview and standout controlled units
15:47 – Colombian whitetail and Eastern whitetail: deer slam strategy
18:11 – How to e-scout new units when draw data doesn't exist yet

Nevada Moose, Sheep & Goat & Moose Applications — Draw Odds, Tag Costs, and Unit Strategy May 09, 2026

Show notes

Fourteen dollars. That's the cost to add a desert bighorn, mountain goat, or moose application to your Nevada big game submission — and for the right hunter, it might be the best $14 you spend all year.

This is part four of the Nevada Application Series, the final installment covering the big three: moose, sheep, and goats. If you haven't listened to parts one through three covering mule deer and antelope, start there — those are where your real drawing opportunities live as a nonresident. This episode is about the long game, the lottery ticket add-ons, and why a few of them are more strategic than they look.

We break down Nevada's squared point system and what it means for species with fewer than 20 nonresident tags. We cover desert bighorn population trends, which units have the best trophy potential, and where the draw odds actually start to get interesting for residents. We get into California bighorn and Rocky Mountain bighorn — including why nonresidents can't apply for Rocky Mountain at all. And we cover mountain goats and Nevada's brand new moose program, which is residents-only and only two years old.

What's covered:

• Nevada application deadline: May 13, 11 p.m. Pacific — costs for license, app fees, and tag prices for residents and nonresidents

• Desert bighorn population decline (8,000 to 6,300 animals) and why Nevada still leads the country in desert bighorn tags

• Nonresident desert bighorn draw odds — max points at 33 years, best unit under half a percent — and how to decide if it's worth it

• Resident desert bighorn strategy — unit 268 approaching 24% draw odds at max points, and why ewe tags are worth a second look

• California bighorn and Rocky Mountain bighorn — resident odds, best units, and why the odds are brutal even at max points

• Mountain goat population growth (340 to 430 animals in four years) and the one nonresident tag available in unit 102

• Nevada moose — residents only, 37,000 applicants for a handful of tags, and why getting in now matters for the long-term point curve

If this series helped you sort out Nevada, subscribe on your platform of choice so you don't miss the Wyoming mule deer and antelope breakdown coming up next.

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00:02:30 — Should You Apply for Nevada's Big Three?

00:04:13 — Desert Bighorn Population and Tag Numbers

00:07:11 — Nonresident Desert Bighorn Draw Odds

00:09:37 — Resident Desert Bighorn Draw Odds and Unit 268

00:11:54 — Best Units for Trophy Desert Bighorn

00:12:56 — California Bighorn Sheep Overview

00:15:08 — California Bighorn Trophy Units and Resident Draw Odds

00:16:30 — Rocky Mountain Bighorn — Residents Only

00:17:30 — Nevada Mountain Goats: Population and Draw Odds

00:19:38 — Goat Trophy Potential and Best Units

00:20:00 — Nevada Moose — Residents Only Program Explained

00:21:57 — Final Nevada Wrap-Up and What's Coming Next

Nevada Elk – Best Elk Units in America May 08, 2026

Show notes

Want to hunt 400” bulls? Me too.

Somewhere in Nevada, there are bulls pushing 400 inches on public land that almost no one will ever hunt. The draw odds are that bad. But if your name comes up, it's probably the best elk hunt you'll ever go on.

This is part three of the Nevada application series, focused entirely on elk. Nevada doesn't have the numbers Utah has, but unit for unit, the top public land tags in the state compete with anything in the West — Colorado, Utah, Montana's Missouri Breaks, Arizona, New Mexico. The difference is access. There are only a handful of non-resident tags in even the best units each year, which is exactly why this is a lottery ticket conversation, not a guaranteed hunt conversation.

We break down what those draw odds actually look like at every point level — from zero points to max — across archery, muzzleloader, and rifle. We cover which unit groups to target, how to think about stacking your five choices, and why the $19 application fee only makes sense in the context of what else you're already doing in Nevada.

• Whether Nevada elk is worth applying for if you're not already in for mule deer or antelope

• The $19 vs. $1,200 cost breakdown and what it means for your application strategy

• Units 111–115 and 221–223: what makes them elite and how many non-resident tags actually go out

• Draw odds at 10 points and max points — and what "less than 1%" really means long-term

• How to use your five choices between top-tier units and higher-odds fallback picks

• The secondary draw and leftover tag list: when to check and why it's worth watching

• Why you should never skip a year in Nevada because of drought conditions

Subscribe wherever you listen, and follow @getdrawnwest on Instagram. If this helped your application strategy, leave a five-star rating and pass it along to someone else putting in for Nevada!

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00:00 – Nevada Elk: Why the Draw Odds Are Bad and the Tags Are Elite

01:03 – How Nevada's Best Units Stack Up Against Utah, Colorado, and Montana

02:30 – The Decision Framework: Should You Even Apply for Nevada Elk?

03:23 – Application Fee vs. Tag Fee: The Real Cost Math

04:20 – Deadline, Group Rules, and the 90/10 Non-Resident Split

04:50 – Drought Conditions and Whether to Skip a Year

05:42 – Why You Should Always Keep Building Points in Nevada

06:00 – Tag Cost Breakdown: $1,200 and How It Compares to Other States

07:06 – Bonus Points, Secondary Draw, and the Leftover Tag Opportunity

08:32 – The Best Nevada Elk Units: 111–115 and 221–223

09:10 – How Few Non-Resident Tags Actually Go Out Each Year

10:33 – Draw Odds at 10 Points: What the Numbers Actually Look Like

11:30 – Max Points Draw Odds: The Honest Reality for Non-Residents

12:51 – How to Stack Your Five Choices as a Lottery Strategy

14:45 – Wrap-Up: Nevada Goat, Sheep, and Moose Coming Next

Nevada Antelope Application Strategy | Best Units for 80” Bucks May 07, 2026

Show notes

Nevada might be the most overlooked antelope state in the West — and the hunters who know about it are already building points.

Statewide, Nevada produces a higher percentage of mature, oversized bucks than any other state. In peak years, a third of all antelope harvested were 15 inches or taller. Even in down years, about a quarter of the harvest hits that mark. No other state comes close to those averages across the board.

And the tag is $300 for non-residents — one of the best values in Western hunting when you factor in the quality.

This episode is part of the Drawn West Nevada series. We cover what non-residents need to know about applying for antelope: the draw system, group application risks, surrendered tags and the leftover list, herd quality, and unit strategy by points level.

• May 13th deadline (11pm Pacific) — same as mule deer

• $155 hunt/fish combo license + $14 antelope application fee to start building points

• Nevada checks all five of your hunt choices before moving to the next applicant — always use all five

• Applying as a group in Nevada is risky — with limited tags, a group of three can be disqualified if only two tags remain when their number pulls

• Archery is the most realistic path: double-digit draw odds are available with as few as five points in units like 141 (16%), 31 (15%), and 32 (13%)

• Muzzleloader is a solid mid-tier option; top northwest corner units (12, 13, 14) showing 7% odds at five points

• Rifle antelope as a non-resident is effectively a long-term lottery — don't count on it

• Top trophy units: northwest corner (11–15), central units (145, 161, 162, 172, 251) — 80-inch potential, 70–90% public land

• Surrendered tags go back into a first-come-first-serve list — worth monitoring if you're local to the region

Deadline is May 13th. If you're already applying for mule deer, adding antelope costs just $14 more and uses the same license. No reason not to be in.

Subscribe so you don't miss the elk and once-in-a-lifetime episodes coming next in this series. And if you want to go deeper on unit research and draw odds, GoHunt Filtering 2.0 is what Brian uses throughout this episode — use code drawnwest when you sign up.

Stay up to date with everything Drawn West at GetDrawnWest.com.

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00:00:00 Nevada Antelope 2026 — Why ItBelongs in Your Strategy

00:01:51 Trophy Potential and Why NevadaStands Apart

00:02:30 Deadline, Costs, and What ItTakes to Apply

00:04:15 How the Nevada Draw Works (All 5Choices Explained)

00:06:00 Group Applications — Why NevadaIs Different

00:08:30 Surrendered Tags and theLeftover List

00:10:14 Nevada Antelope Herd Status andQuality Breakdown

00:12:34 Archery vs. Muzzleloader vs.Rifle — Realistic Timelines

00:14:44 Draw Odds at 5 Points — BestArchery Units

00:19:03 Top Trophy Units at 15–20 Points

00:23:25 Rifle Reality Check forNon-Residents

00:24:30 How to Pick Your 5 Hunt Choices— Final Strategy

Nevada Mule Deer: Draw Strategy, Trophy Units, and Draw System Explained May 06, 2026

Show notes

Is Nevada mule deer even worth putting in for as a non-resident? That depends almost entirely on where you're at in your strategy, and this episode breaks down exactly how to think about Nevada Mule Deer.

Nevada doesn't hand out a lot of non-resident tags, but the trophy potential is as high as anywhere in the West. Twenty units with 180-inch-plus potential. A minimum 140-inch floor across the entire state. Tags that cost non-residents $240. And a draw system built around giving every applicant multiple real chances — because Nevada checks all five of your hunt choices before moving on to the next person in line.

This episode covers everything you need to make a decision before the May 13th deadline: how the weighted bonus draw works, what the current drought conditions actually mean for antler quality and herd health, why feral horses are a bigger long-term threat than people realize, and how to structure your five choices whether you're applying for the first time or sitting on 20 points.

• How the weighted bonus system works — and why it makes Nevada one of the most fair draws in the West

• The secondary draw, surrendered tags, and the first-come-first-serve leftover list that flexible hunters should be watching all summer

• Why the archery and muzzleloader seasons are underrated entry points for non-residents

• Unit breakdown: which units Brian targets at trophy potential, and which ones have real draw odds with zero, five, and ten points

• Why the 130s (131 and 132) are the benchmark for best-in-state trophy potential

• How drought conditions might actually produce some of the biggest bucks of the decade — and why the next three years may be the window

• The case for applying for all five choices every year, and when points-only actually makes sense

•

The deadline to apply is May 13th at 11pm Pacific. Results drop around May 29th. If you're on the fence, apply — Nevada always gives you a chance, and you never want to sit out a year.

Subscribe so you don't miss the rest of the Nevada series — elk, antelope, and once-in-a-lifetime species are all coming. And if you're getting value from the show, a quick rating genuinely helps more hunters find this content.

Want more like this delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the Drawn West newsletter at GetDrawnWest.com and we'll send you application updates, strategy breakdowns, and new content as it drops.

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00:00:00 Welcome — Nevada Mule Deer 2026Overview

00:02:15 Deadline, Costs, and Tag Fees

00:04:20 How the Nevada Weighted BonusDraw Works

00:07:50 Five Hunt Choices and Why YouShould Always Use Them

00:10:06 Points-Only vs. Applying: WhenEach Makes Sense

00:10:32 Secondary Draw, SurrenderedTags, and the Leftover List

00:13:45 Nevada Mule Deer Herd: Drought,Feral Horses, and What It Means

00:16:15 Current Herd Status and WhyQuality Is Still High

00:18:45 Unit Breakdown: Best TrophyPotential Units (131, 132, 221, 231+)

00:21:00 Draw Odds at Zero, Five, and TenPoints

00:26:00 Long-Term Play: What 20 PointsGets You

00:28:00 Should You Apply? StrategySummary and Final Advice

From Whitetails To Elk w/ Dwayne Jones May 05, 2026

Show notes

How many points do you actually need before you can hunt elk in Colorado? If you've been watching that number climb and telling yourself "maybe in five more years" — you might be sitting on a play you haven't tried yet.

Brian sits down with Dwayne Jones — sales manager for Novick's Outdoors, co-founder of Dream Dirt, and the man behind Shed Season — to talk through his journey from lifelong whitetail hunter to first-time Western elk applicant. Dwayne has never been west of Kansas, but thanks to a tip straight from a Colorado Parks and Wildlife employee, he's heading into the backcountry this September with a bow, a solid group of experienced buddies, and months of elk calls already practiced.

The conversation covers what Eastern hunters actually need to know before going West — how elk behave differently than whitetails, why calling strategy matters more than calling perfection, what broadhead to run and why, and how fitness changes your mental game in the mountains. They also get into farm habitat, CRP programs, predator control, and turkey hunting with a bow. The kind of wide-open conversation that happens when two guys who genuinely love this stuff sit down without a hard stop.

• The Colorado two-choice application strategy that lets you build a point and get drawn in the same year

• Why a bull that "chuckles" back at you is telling you something specific — and what to do next

• Fixed blade vs. expandable broadheads for elk and why pass-through matters more than you think

• What CRP actually does for deer and turkey habitat — and why the critics are comparing it to the wrong thing

• How fitness training changes your mental ceiling when things get hard in the mountains

• Why Brian, despite a 354 bull in the next room, wouldn't pass a raghorn on a bow hunt

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00:00:43 The Colorado Two-Choice Application Hack

00:04:01 Archery Elk vs. Whitetail: What Changes

00:07:05 Base Camp, Spike Camp, and First-Timer Advice

00:08:37 Fitness for Elk Hunting — What Actually Matters

00:11:20 Knowing Rich Froning and Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

00:17:00 Brian's Close Calls: Five Elk at Close Range, No Tags

00:33:21 Reading Elk — When to Call, When to Shoot, When to Wait

00:34:50 Broadheads for Elk: Why Brian Runs Fixed Blades

00:43:10 CRP Programs, Habitat Management, and What's Actually Working

00:53:01 Predator Control and Turkey Hunting with a Bow

01:25:48 Elk Calling Deep Dive and Paul Medel's Playbook

Montana Moose, Sheep, Goat, Bison Application Strategy Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

Did you know there are over-the-counter Bighorn Sheep tags in the lower 48? We dive in to that and more in this episode!

Montana runs a squared bonus point system, which means you always have a chance no matter how many points you have — but the odds climb very differently depending on the species. Moose points actually build toward something real. Sheep is closer to a lifetime lottery ticket. Goat and bison sit somewhere in between. Before you decide whether to apply, you need to know which of these is actually worth your time and money.

This episode breaks down all four species — what the draw odds look like at every point level for both residents and non-residents, why Montana's tag prices are surprisingly affordable compared to Wyoming, and how to think about whether building points here beats saving up for a guided hunt somewhere else.

What we cover:

• How Montana's squared bonus point system works — and why you always have a shot even with one point

• The only five units offering unlimited bighorn sheep tags, the harvest quota system, and why success rates sit at just 2–7%

• Why Montana moose odds actually climb to meaningful percentages — and what that means for your long-term strategy

• Rocky Mountain goat draw odds for non-residents vs. residents, and why this is one of the best resident opportunities in any state we've covered

• Montana's Yellowstone-corridor bison hunt: no point system, pure lottery, and what a quarter-to-half percent draw odds really means

• Why the same bison herd costs $1,250 to apply for in Montana vs. $6,000 in Wyoming

Hit subscribe and leave us a five-star review — and get on the Drawn West newsletter at getdrawnwest.com so you never miss another deadline like this one.

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00:00 Montana Once-in-a-Lifetime Overview& May 1st Deadline

02:08 Tag Costs, Refund Policy & HowMontana's Hybrid System Works

04:13 Squared Bonus Points Explained: WhyYou Always Have a Chance

05:13 When to Apply vs. When to BuyPoints Only

07:26 Montana Bighorn Sheep: Best in theLower 48 — But Declining Tags

10:00 The Over-the-Counter Sheep Hunt:What the Success Rates Actually Say

13:00 Top Trophy Units & Non-ResidentDraw Odds by Point Level

16:35 Resident Bighorn Sheep Odds: ADifferent Story Entirely

18:00 Montana Moose Breakdown:Population, Harvest & Trophy Quality

20:08 Moose Draw Odds: Why This SpeciesIs Worth Playing the Long Game

23:39 Rocky Mountain Goat: Best ResidentOdds We've Seen in This Series

25:40 Resident Goat Odds at Max Points —Legitimately Exciting

26:30 Montana Bison Hunt: YellowstoneMigration, No Points, Pure Lottery

29:00 Should You Apply? Brian's PersonalTake on All Four Species

Wyoming Moose, Goat, Sheep & Bison Application Strategy Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

Would you pay $6000 to apply for a Bison tag?

This episode we dive into the Wyoming Moose, Goat, Sheep & Bison applications for 2026.

Moose, bighorn sheep, Rocky Mountain goat, and free-range bison are all on the table, but the draw odds, the point system, and the upfront costs are a completely different game than anything else in the West. Before you write that check, you need to know what you're actually getting into.

This episode breaks down each species individually — who has a realistic shot, which units non-residents should actually target, and whether buying Wyoming preference points for 30 years makes more sense than putting that money toward a guided hunt somewhere else.

What we cover:

• The only bighorn sheep unit offering non-residents random draw odds — and what it means if you don't have 26+ points

• The three moose units with random odds and why success rates are still near 100% if you pull the tag

• Why Rocky Mountain goat is all-random for everyone — and what the odds look like after units 4 and 5 were eliminated

• The Yellowstone-corridor bison hunt: best odds of all four species and why success rates have been slipping

• The real upfront cost reality and how the May reimbursement timeline works

If this helps, subscribe and leave us a five-star review — and get on the Drawn West newsletter at getdrawnwest.com so you never miss a deadline again.

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