Nebraska Elk — Unit 131
Nebraska Unit 131 covers 2,364,576 acres and lies 41 miles west of McCook and 52 miles south of Ogallala. 1% of it is public land, mostly state land (1%). In 2025, hunters took 3 elk here. Its biggest hunt, U131-ANTLERLESS, put up 7 resident tags in the 2026 draw.
Your chance of drawing here
Every elk license type on offer in Unit 131, with the prior-draw chance for a first-choice resident applicant. Type your points in to see your own number.
Chances are from the 2026 draw (the most recent) for a first-choice resident. "Points needed" = the cut in the last draw.
Simple view Odds at every point level-
39% Long shot
-
— Cut level
-
2% Point builder
-
100% Likely draw
| Hunt | Your odds (0 pts) | Points needed | Tags / applicants | License | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U131-ANTLERLESS ↗ U131 Antlerless | 39% Long shot | — | 7 / — | Standard | Aug 1 – Jan 31, 2027 |
| U131-ANTLERLESS-LO ↗ U131 Antlerless (landowner) | — Cut level | — | 5 / — | Landowner | Aug 1 – Jan 31, 2027 |
| U131-BULL ↗ U131 Bull | 2% Point builder | 0 −3 since 2025 | — / 28 | Standard | Sep 1 – Dec 31, 2026 |
| U131-BULL-LO ↗ U131 Bull (landowner) | 100% Likely draw | 0 steady since 2025 | — / — | Landowner | Sep 1 – Dec 31, 2026 |
What these columns mean
- Your odds —
- the share of applicants at your point level who drew this tag in the 2026 draw. Not a forecast: quotas and demand move every year.
- The badge —
- plain language for that number. Likely draw 75% or better · Real chance 40%+ · Long shot 15%+ · Point builder below that, so you are applying mainly to bank a point · Undersubscribed means fewer first-choice applicants than tags, so everyone who applied drew.
- Points needed —
- the lowest point total that still got a tag in the 2026 draw, and how that cut has moved since the earliest draw we hold.
- Tags / applicants —
- tags on offer and first-choice applicants for them, as the agency published them. Under five tags the percentage is flagged, because one applicant either way swings it.
What it costs to apply (2026 resident fees)
| License | Up front | Gone if you miss | If you draw |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard license | $11 | $11 | $232 |
| Landowner license | $11 | $11 | $77 |
Application window: opens Jun 1, closes Jun 12, 2027 (expected). Full fee breakdown.
The country
Boundaries are drawn for orientation only — the written boundary description in the regulations governs.
Who owns the ground
- Private 2,343,058 ac · 99%
- State land 19,713 ac · 1%
- Bureau of Reclamation 1,750 ac · 0%
- County or city land 55 ac · 0%
How the hunting has gone
What Nebraska Game and Parks Commission publishes for this area after each season — harvest statistics for everyone who hunted it, not draw odds and not a forecast. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission publishes these per hunt rather than per unit; the rows below add its own figures together, since a hunter holds one tag for the species in a season.
| Season | Harvest |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 |
What the agency says about the area
NGPC elk hunting unit "Unit 131"; permits drawn as U131 Antlerless; U131 Antlerless (landowner); U131 Bull; ...
Source: Nebraska Big Game Guide 2026 (unit names, public-land statements)
Boundary: Elk Hunting Units (NGPC hosted feature layer, Elk_Hunting_Units_2022)
Harvest: 2026 Big Game Recommendation Book (2025 season harvest; comparisons 2021-2025)