What you can draw with your preference points depends on the state, the species, and your residency, and the honest answer ranges from a lot more than you think to not in this lifetime. This guide maps what western big game draws actually open up at each point band, from zero points to 20-plus, for nonresidents across Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and Nevada, using 2025 draw data for elk, deer, and pronghorn.
Here is the short version. Wyoming opens early and caps out around 19 points. Colorado looks wide open, but most of that is leftover and undersubscribed tags that nobody applied for: the trophy units are a small, high-point slice. Arizona elk hits its stride from 8 to 12. Nevada rewards mid-range points on deer and pronghorn, but its elk stays a longshot, because Nevada is a no-floor weighted lottery. Utah splits in two: general-season buck deer is genuinely accessible to nonresidents, while its limited-entry elk and pronghorn make you wait the longest of anyone. The bands below tell you which states and species are even in play at your current point total, so you stop guessing and start applying where your points actually reach.
It is a field map of the preference point landscape, not a unit pick. Read it for where to aim your applications. When you want the exact floor on one specific unit, that is what a Tag Report is for.
What Can You Draw With 0 to 3 Points?
This range is wider than most people expect, mostly because of Wyoming deer. Half of all Wyoming NR deer slots draw at the random floor, meaning zero points. That's not an error. It reflects the large volume of doe, antlerless, and whitetail unit hunts that simply don't have serious NR pressure. Add in a few antlerless elk units and you're looking at roughly 40% of Wyoming NR elk draws accessible at 3 points or fewer, and 93% of deer draws.
Colorado looks wide open in this band, and for nonresidents it partly is: about 95% of elk, 87% of deer, and 83% of pronghorn tags are drawable at 3 nonresident points or fewer. The catch is what those tags are. Most Colorado nonresident tags, roughly 72% of the elk sheet, are leftover or undersubscribed hunts that nobody applied for, so they draw at zero points. That is real access if you just want to hunt, but the quality units are a small, high-point slice this number does not describe.
Nevada and Arizona deer start showing some light here too. A Nevada nonresident's single-year deer odds run about 4% at zero points and 25% by 3. Arizona NR deer is already about 62% by 3 points. Nothing significant in Utah at this level for non-residents.
What Can You Draw With 4 to 7 Points?
This is where Wyoming antelope and elk turn the corner. By 7 nonresident points, about 88% of Wyoming antelope draws and 85% of elk draws are accessible. You're in the core of the Wyoming preference pool here, which is where you want to be.
Nevada earns its keep on deer in this range. By 7 nonresident points, your single-year odds are about 54% on deer and 17% on pronghorn. Elk is another story: Nevada bull elk stays under 2% even at 7 points, because the draw is a weighted lottery with no floor. If you've been quietly building Nevada deer points, 4–7 is when they start paying out.
Arizona NR deer crosses 78% accessible at 7 points, and Arizona elk reaches about 47%, so the 4–7 band is where non-resident elk access starts building in earnest.
Colorado stays wide open for nonresidents (about 98% of elk and 95% of deer tags at 7 points), though most of that is still the leftover and undersubscribed pool, not the quality units. Utah splits here: general-season buck deer is about 96% accessible to nonresidents by 7 points, while Utah's limited-entry hunts stay locked, with LE elk under 5%.
What Can You Draw With 8 to 12 Points?
Wyoming elk is still producing: 92% accessible at 12 NR points, and antelope has hit 99%. If you're sitting at 10 Wyoming points, you've got nearly the whole NR preference pool in reach for both species. Deer maxed out earlier, so this range is mostly about locking in elk and antelope options.
In Utah, limited-entry pronghorn reaches about 24% by 12 nonresident points and LE elk is still under 9%. Utah general-season buck deer, though, has been accessible all along (about 97% by 12), so the Utah wait is a limited-entry story, not a deer story.
Arizona elk climbs to about 57% accessible by 12 NR points, crossing the majority threshold right around 8 to 9. Nevada elk, by contrast, is still under 6% at 12 points: its no-floor lottery moves the needle slowly on bulls. If Arizona elk is your target, 8–12 is where the draw legitimately starts; in Nevada, understand you are buying lottery tickets, not building toward a floor.
Colorado at 12 resident points is at 95–96% for elk and deer. The data is mostly maxed out at this level. For NR hunting in Colorado, you're now in competitive territory on the more pressured units.
What Can You Draw With 13 to 19 Points?
Utah's limited-entry hunts flip on in this range. LE elk reaches about 38% accessible at 19 nonresident points, and LE pronghorn jumps from 24% at 12 to 91% by 19. The LE pronghorn system runs steep: under 8 points you're largely locked out, by 19 you're mostly in. General-season deer has been accessible the whole time; limited-entry elk takes the longest.
Arizona elk reaches about 65% accessible at 19 NR points. If you're an Arizona elk hunter with 15+ points, most of the draw sheet is now in play for you. Nevada elk, even at 19 points, is only about a 13% single-year chance: its lottery has no ceiling to reach, just steadily longer odds against you. The two states are not the same machine.
Wyoming NR is largely maxed out by the top of this band. If you're sitting on 15+ Wyoming points, you've reached the ceiling of the preference pool. Adding more years isn't opening new doors, it's deepening your position on the hunts already within reach.
I've watched a lot of hunters treat Wyoming like a savings account. Keep depositing, don't ask questions, the payout comes eventually. That's not wrong exactly, but at some point the account stops compounding. Wyoming's NR preference pool has a ceiling. Utah doesn't. It just keeps asking for more. The difference is the system: Wyoming is preference points with a hard cap, Utah is bonus points stacked on a 50/50 LE split. They're not the same machine, and most people don't figure that out until they're 12 points deep in the wrong one.
What Can You Draw With 20 or More Points?
Utah's limited-entry elk is the dominant story above 20. LE elk goes from about 38% accessible at 19 nonresident points to roughly 77% by 25. If you're a Utah nonresident who has been patiently building bonus points and you're now past 20, you are finally in the majority of the limited-entry elk sheet. This is the payoff the bonus system was designed around. General-season deer, remember, has been drawable the whole way up.
Arizona pronghorn barely moves even up here: under 10% of nonresident draws at 25 points, because Arizona issues very few nonresident pronghorn tags. It is a lifetime tag, not a strategy play at any point level. Plan accordingly, because the floor has been moving and isn't moving back.
Arizona elk tops out around 70% at 25 nonresident points, not 100%: the single-pool average never fully closes. Colorado's trophy units, the small high-point slice behind that leftover-heavy average, finally land here too, needing 20 to 33 nonresident points. Wyoming has long since exited the picture; its NR preference pool maxes out at 19.
How Many Points Do You Need for Each State and Species?
How many points you need depends on the state's draw system. Wyoming and Colorado run preference draws with real floors; Utah, Arizona, and Nevada run bonus or weighted-random draws where the honest answer is a probability, not a threshold. The table below shows, for nonresidents, where each state and species passes roughly 40% single-year odds. Two caveats worth repeating: Colorado's low numbers are mostly leftover and undersubscribed tags, and Wyoming caps at 19 points.
| State | Elk | Deer | Pronghorn | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | 4–5 pts | 0 pts | 0–1 pts | Regular NR pool (Special draws lower); caps at 19 pts; WGFD calls it Antelope |
| Colorado | 0 pts† | 0 pts† | 0 pts† | †Mostly leftover/undersubscribed tags; trophy units 20–33 NR pts |
| Arizona | 4–8 pts | 1–4 pts | 25+ / rare | NR elk and deer accessible; pronghorn a lifetime longshot (under 10% even at 25 NR pts) |
| Nevada | 25+ / longshot | ~5 pts | ~19 pts | No floor: weighted lottery (bonus points squared, plus one). Points shown are where single-year odds pass ~40%; elk rarely gets there. |
| Utah | ~20 pts (LE) | 0 pts (gen) | 15–19 pts (LE) | General-season deer accessible; limited-entry elk/pronghorn are the wait |
Where Do Your Points Fit?
- 0–5 points: Wyoming deer and antelope are your most reliable quality entry. Colorado draws easily too, but most of it is leftover and undersubscribed tags, so treat a Colorado draw as a hunt, not the quality unit. Utah general-season buck deer is genuinely accessible even here. Nevada deer is worth a look and underused by out-of-state hunters. See what factors are shifting your odds before committing a first choice.
- 6–12 points: Wyoming elk and antelope are in their sweet spot. Nevada deer keeps climbing here, but its elk stays a longshot. Arizona deer and elk are accessible for NR in this range. Utah's limited-entry hunts are still mostly locked, with LE pronghorn only beginning to crack open, though general-season deer stays open. This is a good time to review whether your residency situation affects your position in any of these states.
- 13–20 points: Arizona elk is drawing well. Nevada deer is largely accessible, its elk still a longshot. Utah limited-entry pronghorn is essentially fully open by 19, and LE elk is starting to come online. Wyoming points have largely done their work; if you haven't drawn what you came for, the question is whether you're waiting for a specific unit or a specific experience. Consider whether the units you're targeting have actually gotten harder or easier to draw over the last few years.
- 20+ points: Utah limited-entry elk is the primary play; a majority of the LE elk sheet is accessible by 25 nonresident points. Arizona elk tops out around 70% by 25. Arizona pronghorn stays a lifetime longshot, under 10% even at 25. The broader strategy guide covers how to sequence multi-state applications when you're deep in multiple states simultaneously.
Points and Draw Questions, Answered
How many points do I need to draw a western elk tag as a nonresident?
It depends entirely on the state. Wyoming nonresident elk opens early, with about 85% of draws accessible by 7 points and the preference pool maxing out near 19. Arizona elk crosses the majority mark around 8 to 9 nonresident points, reaching about 57% by 12. Nevada elk is far harder: because Nevada is a weighted lottery with no floor, even 12 nonresident points is only about a 5% single-year chance at a bull. Utah limited-entry elk is the longest wait, under 5% through 7 points and not crossing 40% until about 19.
What can I draw with zero or low preference points?
More than most hunters think. About 93% of Wyoming nonresident deer draws and 40% of elk draws are accessible at 3 points or fewer. Colorado draws even more easily, but most Colorado nonresident tags are leftover or undersubscribed hunts that draw at zero points, not competitive quality units. Nevada and Arizona deer also start opening in this range.
How many points for a nonresident Utah elk tag?
Utah limited-entry elk runs the longest of the five states. Nonresident LE elk is under 5% accessible through 7 points, reaches about 38% at 19, then roughly 77% by 25. It uses bonus points on a 50/50 limited-entry split. Utah general-season buck deer, by contrast, is accessible to nonresidents at low points.
Do Wyoming preference points have a cap?
Effectively yes. Wyoming's nonresident preference pool has no draws above about 19 points on any species, so once you are past roughly 15 points, adding more years deepens your position on hunts already in reach rather than opening new ones.
What can I draw with 5 preference points?
At 5 nonresident points you have real options. Wyoming elk and antelope are in their core band, Nevada deer is opening up, and Arizona deer is largely accessible. Colorado draws easily for nonresidents, but mostly leftover tags rather than quality units. Utah general-season buck deer is accessible, while its limited-entry hunts stay locked until higher totals.
How many points do I need for a Wyoming antelope tag as a nonresident?
Wyoming antelope is one of the more accessible western tags for a nonresident. About 88% of the Regular NR antelope draws are reachable by 7 points, and roughly 77% by 4 points, with the preference pool capping at 19. A nonresident who pays into the Special draw can draw at even lower floors. Wyoming calls the species antelope, not pronghorn.
How many points do I need for a Nevada elk tag as a nonresident?
Nevada elk is genuinely hard for nonresidents. Because Nevada is a no-floor weighted lottery (bonus points squared, plus one), a nonresident's single-year odds are only about 2% at 7 points and 5% at 12, and no point total guarantees a draw. Nevada elk is a long-term lottery, not a build-to-a-floor tag.
How many points do I need for a Colorado elk tag as a nonresident?
It depends on the hunt. Most Colorado nonresident elk tags are leftover or undersubscribed hunts that draw at zero to one point, so basic access is easy. The quality and trophy units are the opposite, running roughly 20 to 33 nonresident points. The honest answer is zero for a tag, twenty-plus for a good one.
How many points do I need for an Arizona elk tag as a nonresident?
Arizona elk builds steadily for nonresidents. Single-year odds cross the majority around 8 to 9 points, reaching about 57% by 12 and 65% by 19. The premium early-rifle bull units are the exception, sitting near 29 to 30 points. Arizona caps nonresidents at 10% of each hunt's tags.
Know What Your Points Are Buying
The Tag Report runs your specific species, state, and point total against actual draw floor data, so you know exactly which units are in range and which ones are still years away. Nine ninety-nine per report.
Get Your Tag Report Free Guide First