Guide
Hunting licenses and tags by state
Draw vs over-the-counter big game tags in CO, MT, ID, WY, NM, and TX, and how good outfitters help you secure them.
Draw vs OTC at a glance
Colorado: large OTC bull elk allocation in many units, plus a draw for limited units. Idaho: nonresident general tags sell out within minutes of going on sale in early December. Montana: combination license draw with most odds requiring preference points. Wyoming: nonresident elk and antelope are draw-only with a special vs regular pool. New Mexico: 100% draw for elk. Arizona: 100% draw for everything. Texas: no draw for whitetail, hog, or exotic on private land.
When outfitters help
Many western outfitters hold landowner tags or guaranteed-draw allocations. If you're not building points and want to hunt this year, asking an outfitter "do you have any guaranteed-tag hunts available?" is the fastest path. Expect to pay a premium for that certainty.
Apply early
Most western draws close in late winter or early spring. Outfitters worth booking will walk you through the application step by step. If yours doesn't, that's a sign.