New for 2023

State Information

The Utah Draw System

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Utah's 2023 Mule Deer Breakdown

General Season Deer Preference Points

Utah's 2023 Mule Deer Application Overview

Note: The application deadline for all Utah species is April 27, 2023 at 11 p.m. MST. Applicants wishing to purchase preference and/or bonus points only can do so prior to the April 27 deadline or if they miss that deadline they can apply for points only during the antlerless application timeframe from June 7 to 22. You may apply online here.

Insider features

HUNT PLANNER

To aid in your research and planning efforts, we created a brand new tool for Insiders called Hunt Planner. This tool will help you be more efficient at planning for hunts and also keeps all your research data organized. No more notepads getting lost or headaches when trying to remember what units caught your eye during your research! Everything you need is always in one place at GOHUNT.

What can you do in Hunt Planner?

Learn more about Hunt Planner here

POINT TRACKER

Point Tracker allows you to enter the number of points you have for each state and species and, as you research through Filtering 2.0 and Draw Odds, your point total will automatically be highlighted. Learn more about Point Tracker here.

Access Point Tracker here

To view important information and an overview of Utah’s rules/regulations, the draw system and bonus points, tag and license fees and an interactive boundary line map, check out our State Profile. You can also view the Utah Mule Deer Profile to access historical and statistical data to help you find trophy areas.

Important Dates and Information

Note: Applicants need to buy either a hunting license or combination hunting/fishing license to apply. Applicants will not be charged the cost of the permit unless they are successful in the draw.

Hunting License to Apply

Every applicant will need to have a valid hunting license to apply for hunts or even bonus and preference points only. That hunting license is valid for 365 days from the date of purchase. Applicants can buy one hunting license every two years and apply if they time it correctly. For example, if you purchase a hunting license and apply on the last day of this application period and then apply early in next year's application period, you could apply for two years on one hunting license. You do not need a valid hunting license to actually hunt; you only need it to apply in the draw.

The permit split offers 90% to residents and 10% to nonresidents.

Recommend permits for the three weapon types based on the following percentages: 20% archery, 20% muzzleloader, and 60% any weapon. On some units, these percentages may be altered to help achieve buck-to-doe ratio objectives.

Limited Entry Deer Hunt Bonus Point System

Utah has a hybrid draw system for limited entry deer permits. Limited entry deer permits are: premium limited entry deer, limited entry deer, management and cactus buck deer and HAMS hunts. Those are not separate species/hunts that you can apply for. You can only apply for one.

Premium Limited Entry Deer Hunts

These units/hunts are managed for higher buck:doe ratios (45-55:100) and a higher quality hunt. The Henry Mtns, Paunsaugunt and Antelope Island hunts fall under this category. There are archery, muzzleloader, rifle and multi-season hunts available for the Henry Mtns and the Paunsaugunt. Antelope Island only offers a rifle permit.

Limited Entry Deer Hunts

Limited entry units are managed for a slightly lower buck:doe ratio (25-30:100) than the premium units. These units offer good hunts, but quality is not typically on par with the premium units. There are archery, muzzleloader, rifle and multi-season hunts for these units and the odds of drawing these hunts are better than the premium units. There are also late season muzzleloader limited entry hunts that occur on general season units. These hunts run from Nov. 1 to 9. Be aware that the late muzzleloader hunts on general season units are limited entry hunts and utilize the bonus point hybrid draw system. If you draw one of these permits, you will lose any accumulated bonus points.

Cactus Buck and Management Buck Hunts

The Paunsaugunt unit will have archery, muzzleloader and rifle hunts for management (bucks with three points or less on at least one antler) and cactus (bucks with velvet covering at least 50% of its antlers during the season dates). The management and cactus buck hunts are limited entry hunts and successful applicants will lose any accumulated bonus points should they draw.

Hams Limited Entry Deer Hunts

HAMS hunts will occur on the Book Cliffs/Floy Canyon, Kaiparowits and East Canyon and run from Nov. 11 to 26. The dates are ideal for a rutting mule deer hunt, but weapons are restricted to handguns, archery, muzzleloader (no scope) and shotgun. If you draw one of these permits, you will lose any accumulated bonus points.

The limited entry deer hunts listed above utilize a hybrid bonus point system. UDWR allocates 50% of the permits for each hunt to the applicants with the most bonus points and 50% are randomly allocated. The random draw takes into consideration the number of points each applicant has, meaning you get more chances in the random draw with each point you have. For example, if I have no points, I get one chance. If I have 10 points, I get 11 chances (one for each point I have and one for this year’s application). If there is an odd number of permits available the bulk go to high point holders. The remaining permits will be randomly allocated. If there is one permit only, it will be randomly allocated.

Bonus points are given for each year an applicant applies for a limited entry hunt and is unsuccessful in the draw. Applicants can also apply for bonus points only if they choose to until April 27 at 11:00 PM MST. If applicants miss the deadline, they can apply for bonus and preference points during the antlerless application timeframe from June 7 to 22. Bonus points are species specific, meaning you cannot apply bonus points for limited entry elk toward a limited entry deer hunt. We highly recommend that applicants apply for limited entry hunts and not for bonus points only. With Utah offering half of their permits through a random draw, applicants should apply for hunts. They will receive a bonus point if they are unsuccessful in the draw.

Residents can apply for general season deer, dedicated hunter deer and one limited entry species: either premium/limited entry deer, limited entry elk or limited entry antelope. Residents can also apply for one once-in-a-lifetime species: moose, bighorn sheep, bison or mountain goat. Nonresidents can apply for every species they are interested in.

General Season Deer Hunt Preference Point System

General season deer hunts are allocated in the state draw. There are no over-the-counter (OTC) deer options for residents or nonresidents. General season deer permits are allocated through a true preference point system. This means that the applicants with the most preference points for any given hunt receive the permits. Applicants can gain one preference point per year by applying for it as a first choice or by applying for a hunt and being unsuccessful in the draw. Applicants can include up to five hunt choices; however, applicants will lose their points if they draw any choice. Utah considers every applicant's first choice before moving to any applicant’s second choice. To draw a permit as a second choice, there must be a surplus of permits after every applicant’s first choice is considered.

20% of the general season deer permits are allocated to youth applicants. Youth who apply for and draw a general season any weapon permit can also hunt the archery, muzzleloader and rifle season(s).

When considering general season deer hunts, the detailed draw odds pages are critical for the hunt(s) you are considering. Make sure you understand point creep and know how to read the draw trends.

Dedicated Hunter Deer Hunt Preference Point System

The dedicated hunter program is offered on general season units. This program is a unique opportunity that allows a hunter to hunt all seasons (archery, muzzleloader, rifle) and harvest two bucks in a three-year period. The dedicated hunter program allocates permits using a true preference point system. The applicants with the most preference points that apply for any given hunt will be guaranteed the permit. If drawn, you will be enrolled in the program for three years. You may obtain a permit and hunt all three years, but you can only harvest two bucks in a three-year period. You can only hunt the unit you originally drew. In exchange for having a guaranteed permit and the opportunity to hunt all three seasons, a hunter must complete 32 service hours on UDWR approved conservation projects or you can purchase all or a portion of your hours at a cost of $20/per hour.

If you can afford the cost and time to hunt multiple seasons, the dedicated hunter program is an excellent way to scout, hunt and harvest a big buck on a general season unit.

Hunt Choices

Applicants can select two hunt choices when applying for limited entry hunts. Every applicant’s first choice is considered before moving to anyone's second choice. It is extremely rare for a limited entry permit to be drawn as a second choice.

General season deer applicants can select up to five hunt choices. Be aware that if you draw any of your five choices, you will lose any accumulated preference points.

Group Applications

Up to four applicants can apply for limited entry and general season deer hunts on one application. Group applications are not accepted for management buck hunts. Nonresidents and residents can apply together. Bonus points and preference points are averaged for a group application and rounded down to the nearest whole number. There must be enough permits to cover the number of applicants on your group application; otherwise it will be rejected. That goes for residents and nonresidents who apply together as a group. Nonresident permits will come out of the nonresident pool for that hunt — make sure there are enough permits if you apply in a group.

Draw order:

Utah’s draw goes in the following order from first to last:

Utah does not allow applicants to draw multiple limited entry tags in the same draw/year. Applicants also cannot draw both a limited entry deer and general season deer hunt in the same year. If you draw a limited entry deer permit, your general season deer application will not be considered in the draw, but you will receive a preference point. You also cannot draw a limited entry and a once-in-a-lifetime (moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat or bison) permit in the same year. Because of the order of the draw, if you draw a limited entry permit, your once-in-a-lifetime application will not be considered in the draw, but you will receive a bonus point(s).

Snowpack and Drought in Utah

Mule deer have a slightly more specific diet when compared to elk; however, they do eat a variety of plants, including browse, forbs and grasses. Deer are especially reliant on shrubs for forage during winter months. New fawn production is closely tied to the abundance of succulent, green forage during the spring and summer months. A couple of the major problems facing mule deer populations in Utah is that many of the crucial deer ranges are in late successional plant community stages dominated by mature stands of pinyon-juniper or other conifer trees and old even-aged stands of shrubs such as sagebrush. Many crucial deer winter ranges are covered with older shrubs with little or no recruitment of young plants or are being replaced by annual grasses like cheatgrass. In addition, in some areas, summer ranges have lacked disturbance in the forms of fire and/or logging/thinning and conifer trees are encroaching on and replacing aspen and brushy habitats that mule deer thrive in. Habitat conditions were drier from 2019 to early 2022. Survival was good, but range conditions were not ideal. 2022 rebounded some and survival was once again good and range conditions improved. This winter has been record breaking for snow totals. Survival seems to be average for the central and southern portion of the state. The northern and northeastern portion of the state will have an increased mortality, especially for fawns. The snowpack will be beneficial in the long run; however, survival will suffer some — particularly in northern Utah.

Antler growth is a combination of body condition, age, genetics and nutrition. The genetics are generally really good in Utah and every unit in the state has the potential to produce trophy caliber bucks, including the general season units. New studies suggest that mule deer bucks reach 93% of their antler growth by 4.5 years. Most units are managed for desirable postseason buck:doe ratios and not for age class; however, once again, every unit in the state has bucks that are making it to over four years old. Certainly, there are fewer bucks surviving to four years old and older on general season units, but I will say with confidence that every unit has an age class that can offer trophy quality. Body condition and nutrition are the factors that vary year in and year out. Studies suggest that fawns born small to mothers in poor physical condition will likely never fully recover and will remain smaller in both body and antler size. With that, let's look at the potential for antler growth and fawn recruitment in Utah in 2023 and potentially the future.

Knowing that 93% of a buck’s antler potential growth is reached by age 4.5 and that fawns born to small, malnutritioned mothers tend to stay smaller, we can look back at the winter of 2019. Utah gets approximately 95% of its water from snowpack. The winter of 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 had a good snowpack with almost the entire state receiving 150% of annual percentages. The winter of 2019/2020 and 2021/2022 did not produce good snowpack and Utah experienced a few years of drought.

Certainly, with the winters of 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 being drier (60% to 90%), bucks would not have had great growth year; however, the fawns that were born in the spring of 2019 should have generally been born from healthy does and body condition and survival would have been good. With that, I can speculate that the groundwork for good antler growth would have been laid going into the fall of 2023 for 4.5 to 5.5 year old bucks. The spring and summer of 2022 did have good spring and summer rain. That leads us to the potential for antler growth going into 2023.

The entire state is over 160% of snowpack. Many areas of the state are 200% plus and the Pine Valley area in the southwestern portion of the state is currently at 312%. The amount of snow is both a blessing and a curse. In the northern and northeastern portion of the state, winter ranges are generally higher in elevation and urban sprawl is a bigger issue. In those areas, body condition for does and bucks that survive is not going to be ideal and new green growth in vegetation is lagging. In those areas, fawn survival and antler growth will not be good in 2023. The southern, east and west desert areas have more winter range at lower elevations and the snowpack is going to benefit those ranges. In 2023, throughout the southern two-thirds of the state, antler growth should be very good.

2023

Utah snow water equivalent update from April 3, 2023. Source: National Resources Conservation Service

Utah drought monitor status from March 28, 2023. Source: United States Drought Monitor

2022

Utah snow water equivalent update from February 7, 2022. Source: National Resources Conservation Service

2022 Utah drought monitor status from February 1. Source: United States Drought Monitor

2021

Utah snow water equivalent from February 9, 2021. Source: National Resources Conservation Service

2021 Utah drought monitor status from January 11. Source: United States Drought Monitor

Utah has always been and will continue to be a great mule deer state. For several years, prior to the drought year of 2020/2021, the populations were growing and Utah was one of the only states in the West with increasing mule deer herds. Populations are still healthy for the most part — and the opportunity to hunt are still good — more so in the southern portions of the state in 2023. As stated in the breakdown of limited entry hunts and general season hunt descriptions above, there are options to apply. There are two premium limited entry hunting units in Utah: the Henry Mountains and the Paunsaugunt. These units are managed for a three-year average of 40 to 50 bucks per 100 does and 40% of the harvest around five years of age. The limited entry units in the state are managed for a postseason buck-to-doe ratio of 25 to 35 bucks per 100 does. The premium limited entry and limited entry deer hunts are tough to draw and the odds are tough. Still, in my opinion, it’s worth applying due to the fact that random permits are allocated.

General season deer hunts can be drawn with very few points. The general season units are managed for buck to doe ratios of either 15-17:100 or 18-20:100 depending on the unit. Hunting pressure is typically high and the trophy potential on general season hunts is lower. Most of the bucks available are of a younger age class, normally 2.5 to 3.5 year old bucks. In saying that, every year, some of the best bucks in the state are killed on general season units. Those bigger bucks are not numerous, but they are there for hunters willing to scout hard and have several days to hunt.

Limited Entry Muzzleloader Hunts on General Season Units

These hunts occur on the general season units from Nov. 1 to 19 and permit holders can only hunt with a muzzleloader although it can be a modern muzzleloader with magnified scope. These hunts are limited entry, occuring on all general season units and, if you draw one, all of your bonus points will be utilized. It’s worth noting that these hunts will begin two days after the rifle general season hunts. The dates are also prior to the prime dates of the rut, which typically occur throughout the middle of November into December. They are not managed for high buck to doe ratios or trophy potential although some great bucks have been killed. The bonus points required to draw these tags is close or slightly less than the limited entry hunts. If you apply for one of these hunts, I would suggest taking as much of the hunt off as possible. Pre-season scouting can be beneficial, but with the rifle general season hunt going on just prior to it, it may not be as helpful as you would hope. If Utah were to get some early snow storms and cold weather in 2023, this can be a decent hunt, but I would suggest it’s more of an opportunity type of hunt than a hunt for a mature trophy caliber buck. Below are the better options for these limited entry hunts.

Managing limited entry deer bonus points and expectations

2023 maximum bonus points for limited entry deer: 29

Find your draw odds

2023 maximum preference points for general season deer: 23

Conclusion

We covered the hit list for limited entry deer and the better opportunities for the general season based on population, buck:doe ratios and harvest success. To explore the odds of hunts, log into your account, hover over the Insider header and then when the drop down appears, click on “Draw odds.” You can then select Utah as the state and then resident/nonresident or click the species “mule deer, limited entry.” That will allow you to see the odds for every limited entry deer hunt offered.

As you review the number of people who have a significant number of preference points for the general season, you will see that there are many people packing points. If you are one of those applicants with over six points, you may consider applying as a party with a new hunter and going on a hunt. Many of the general season hunts can be drawn with very few points. If you have enough points to draw some of the better general season hunts, I would highly recommend burning those and going to Utah to hunt. General season deer is not what it was five years ago, but it’s still good. The other species that Utah offers are tough to draw so get some value out of the license you have to buy to apply every year and go on a general season deer hunt as often as you can!

We covered the hit list for limited entry deer and the better opportunities for the general season based on population, buck:doe ratios and harvest success. To explore the odds of hunts, log into your account, hover over the Insider header and then when the drop down appears, click on “Draw odds.” You can then select Utah as the state and then resident/nonresident or click the species “mule deer, limited entry.” That will allow you to see the odds for every limited entry deer hunt offered.

As you review the number of people who have a significant number of preference points for the general season, you will see that there are many people packing points. If you are one of those applicants with over six points, you may consider applying as a party with a new hunter and going on a hunt. Many of the general season hunts can be drawn with very few points. If you have enough points to draw some of the better general season hunts, I would highly recommend burning those and going to Utah to hunt. General season deer is not what it was five years ago, but it’s still good. The other species that Utah offers are tough to draw so get some value out of the license you have to buy to apply every year and go on a general season deer hunt as often as you can!

Find your draw odds