Wyoming antelope numbers have declined over time. In 2006 there were approximately 550,000; the current population is estimated to be a little over 300,000. A big hit occurred during the 2022-2023 winter with some herds down 50%. While the herds have slowly recovered since 2023 this had a significant impact on the number of licenses available. Another factor was the price increase in special licenses. A special antelope license increased from about $600 to $1200 in 2023. That moved a good number of applicants out of the special draws into the regular draws.
The decrease in antelope numbers and the corresponding decrease in licenses is the biggest factor in reduced draw odds. There are still some ways to improve odds. One example is becoming friends with landowners in units with little public land, and thus better non-resident draw odds.
