After Utah revised its antelope management strategy and began issuing more permits several years ago, average buck size declined slightly statewide. That said, overall quality remains solid, and good bucks are still common. Utah manages antelope with the goal of near-total harvest opportunity, which keeps these hunts very enjoyable—even if most trophies fall in the 65 to 75” range with the occasional outlier. Animal numbers are generally high, so success often comes down to being patient and selective before pulling the trigger. We’ve noted units with marginally better trophy potential, though the differences between units are fairly small.

We don’t cover every non-resident unit; instead, we’ve focused on those that consistently provide strong hunt quality and respectable trophy potential. Success rates are typically close to one hundred percent, and most rifle hunts are wrapped up within a few days. One of Utah’s strengths is that most units offer archery, muzzleloader, and rifle options. Muzzleloader hunts are especially overlooked when it comes to trophy potential; despite occurring after rifle season, they still produce high success rates and usually have better draw odds. Archery hunts also perform well, with surprisingly high success and often easier draws than the other weapon types.

Antelope populations across Utah are generally meeting or exceeding management objectives and remain healthy. All buck hunts take place early in the year during August and September, and outside of archery season, bucks are typically in the rut. If you’re already applying for other Utah species, antelope is a great option to build points and add another high-odds hunt to your lineup.

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