In order to screen a suitable extraction method for polysaccharides from Gastrodia elata Bl., the hot water extraction, ultrasound extraction and enzymatic hydrolysis were applied to extracting polysaccharides from G. elata Bl.f. glauca S. Chow from Pingwu in Sichuan province, then the polysaccharides extraction ratios and their antioxidant activities were compared. The polysaccharides extraction ratios and antioxidant activities were obviously influenced by the extraction methods. Of them, the extraction ratio of enzymatic hydrolysis was the highest with the value of 50.315%, which was extremely different from the other extraction methods (P＜0.01). The antioxidant activities were in the following order: ultrasound extraction, enzymatic hydrolysis and hot water extraction by using DPPH free radical scavenge capacity and FRAP values. However, the antioxidant activities were in the following order: enzymatic hydrolysis, ultrasound extraction and hot water extraction by using ABTS free radical scavenge capacity. In conclusion, due to the higher extraction rate and antioxidant activity, ultrasound extraction and enzymatic hydrolysis were efficient to extract polysaccharides from G. elata.