Utah

Utah has an excellent variety of big game. Bison, mountain goat, mule deer, elk, pronghorn antelope, Shiras moose, three kinds of wild sheep. Hunters must draw permits to pursue all species but elk. Some elk tags are sold over the counter, and deer tags in most general season units can be drawn the first year a hunter applies. The state has had many record-book mule deer and elk in the past 20 years, mostly in limited-tag areas or on private ranches. The world record non-typical elk was taken in 2008 in one of the units where tags are limited, locally known as a limited-entry unit. A few trophy-size bucks and bulls are taken every year in general units, but hunting pressure is heavy enough that few animals get old enough to reach trophy size. Utah has separate archery, muzzleloader, and rifle (any weapon)seasons for deer, elk, and antelope.

The state has had record book entries from Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, bison and Shiras moose and is one of the few states with desert bighorn sheep. Nonresidents are allocated 10% of tags in each unit as long as at least 10 tags are available. The state's Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit program limits tags on enrolled ranches but offers extended seasons that allow for uncrowded hunting as well as the chance to hunt elk and deer during the rut. Hunters who apply for limited-entry permits receive bonus points for each unsuccessful application, giving them an additional chance to draw in future lottery drawings.

Half the tags in limited-entry units are allocated to hunters who have more bonus points than another hunter, ensuring that hunters who have been faithful in applying year after year eventually get to hunt, although a hunter beginning now might never live long enough to reach maximum bonus-point status. Residents may apply for sportsman's tags, one for each species. With a few exceptions, holders may hunt any open unit during an extended season. The state issues transferable vouchers to some landowners that allow the holder to bypass the drawing and buy an elk, deer, pronghorn, or moose tag.

License Costs

Species Costs

Important Dates

Draw Result Dates

Draw System

Tag lottery

Applicants may select three hunt choices when applying for limited-entry or general-season tags. The state considers all applicants first hunt choices before considering any applicant's second choice. As a result, no highly desirable tags are given to hunters who seek the tag as a second or third choice. Nonresidents receive 10% of tags for each hunt choice when at least 10 tags are offered.

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. 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.

Bonus points

A hunter who applies for, but does not receive a limited-entry tag receives a bonus point. A hunter also may apply for a bonus point without applying for a tag. The state issues 50% of limited-entry tags to hunters with more bonus points than other applicants.

New as of 2023: Applicants who missed the primary big game application period but still want to purchase a point now have a second chance to do so during the antlerless application in June.

Points do NOT expire in Utah until used for a hunt selection

Preference Points

Preference points can increase your odds of drawing a general-season buck deer, antlerless deer, antlerless elk or doe pronghorn in Utah. A hunter also may apply for a bonus point without applying for a tag.

New as of 2023: Applicants who missed the primary big game application period but still want to purchase a point now have a second chance to do so during the antlerless application in June.

Points do NOT expire in Utah until used for a hunt selection

Nonresident tag allocation

Utah issues 10% of its permits to nonresidents but nonresident tag numbers are in a separate pool and nonresidents are not competing against residents in the draw.

Hunt choices

Party applications

Group applications are allowed in Utah for multi-season premium limited-entry, premium limited-entry, multi-season limited-entry, limited-entry, general-season deer, and resident CWMU deer, elk or pronghorn permits. Group applications are not accepted for management buck deer hunts. Up to four people can apply together as a group. To apply as a group, every member of the group must be entered in the same application session. You can't add people to a group once you submit your application. You may, however, withdraw individuals from a group application after it has been submitted. If you enter the draw as a group, then you are all entered on the same application. This means that once the application is drawn, everyone in the group will receive a permit and, conversely, no one will draw if that single application is not selected.

If you enter the drawing as a group, each member of the group will have their points added, averaged and rounded down. For example, suppose two hunters are applying as a group and one member has seven bonus points and the other member has two. Their points will be averaged, at 4.5, and then rounded down to four.

Residents and nonresidents can apply together in a group; however, some hunts may not have enough nonresident permits for your group size, which could make your group unsuccessful in the drawing. Consider the following examples:

An individual applicant who applied and was successfully drawn with a group cannot surrender their permits and regain their bonus points if the entire group does not also surrender their permits. All permits must be surrendered to the DWR more than 30 days before the start of the season for which the permit is valid.

Withdrawing

Withdrawing or correcting an online application is allowed before the application deadline. Corrections must be made online.

Waiting period

Credit cards

Credit cards are accepted (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover, as well as prepaid cards). Applicants are charged a nonrefundable $10 fee for each species application or each bonus or preference point application. Cards must be valid through June. Hunters are not charged for tag fees unless they draw tags.

Hunting license

Hunters must have a valid hunting or combination hunting-and-fishing license to apply for tags. Hunting licenses are valid for 365 days from the date of purchase. As long as your hunting license is valid on the date you submit your application, you don't have to purchase a new license for the actual hunt. You only need a valid hunting license to apply and once you draw a permit, that permit now becomes the only license/permit you need.

Getting a Tag

Landowner tags

Youth hunting

Youth hunters (younger than 18 years old on July 31 of the hunting year) may hunt during archery, muzzleloader and rifle seasons if they draw a general season rifle deer permit. Youth hunters who draw an archery or muzzleloader permit are restricted to those seasons.

Returning tags/transferring tags

Hunters may exchange general season buck deer tags and general season elk tags, but there are restrictions. Tags must be for the same species and sex. Deer tags can be exchanged for one in a different unit if one is available. Elk tags can be exchanged for tags authorizing different weapons. You may exchange a spike elk tag for an any-bull tag if one is available, and vice versa.

Hunting Rules

Minimum age to hunt

12 years old

Hunters education

Required for anyone born on or after Dec. 31, 1965

Bowhunters education

Utah does not require a bowhunter's education.

Hunters orange

Anyone hunting big game where a centerfire rifle hunt is taking place must wear hunter orange on the exterior so that it can be seen, including one or more of the following items: hat, shirt, jacket, coat, vest, or sweater.

Weapon restrictions

Archery: Hunters may not use crossbows during the archery seasons. Bows must have a minimum draw weight of 30 pounds. Only broadheads wider than ⅞ inch are legal. Arrows must be at least 20 inches long, from the tip of the arrowhead to the tip of the nock.

Muzzleloader: Muzzleloaders must be a minimum of .40 caliber. For deer and antelope hunting bullets must weigh at least 130 grains and sabot bullets at least 170 grains. For hunting elk, moose, sheep, or mountain goats a bullet must weigh at least 210 grains, and sabot bullets must weigh at least 240 grains. Only black powder or black powder substitute is legal smokeless powder is prohibited. Propellent and projectile may not be bonded together. Only open sights, peep sights, a red dot, or scopes with 1xpower or less will be allowed on muzzleloaders during muzzleloader hunt seasons. Scopes of any power are allowed on muzzleloaders during any-legal-weapon hunts.

Modern firearms: During any weapon season, centerfire rifles, handguns, and shotguns are legal. Centerfire rifle ammunition must have expanding bullets. Shotguns must be at least 20 gauge and must shoot slugs or buckets no smaller than 00 buck. Handguns must be at least .24 caliber and must shoot expanding bullets. Ammunition must develop at least 500 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle for hunting deer or antelope. Ammunition must develop at least 500 foot pounds of energy at 100 yards to be legal for hunting other big game species.

Hunting opportunities for military members

Residency

Service members who are on permanent duty in Utah are granted residency for the purpose of purchasing licenses. This includes their dependents as well.

Disabled veterans

The Utah Division of Wildlife does not currently offer any DAV programs though they do extend some special inclusions for any residents with a recognized disability.