Quick Tips
- Take the time to plan this hunt out before purchasing a tag
- physical preparedness will be vital
On The Ground
Terrain
Vegetation
Access
Camping and Lodging
Historical Temperatures
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Bison inhabit the Nine Mile unit throughout portions of the year, and the state offers hunters the unique opportunity to chase these animals with an over-the-counter tag. This hunt is targeted for bison that migrate off Tribal Lands along the Green River located on the eastern border of the unit. Bison are found in extremely rugged portions of the unit that are entirely roadless making access an enormous hurdle for success.
Access into areas that hold populations of bison will be the biggest hurdle for hunters as these areas are entirely roadless. Careful planning should be considered before attempting this hunt
This part of Utah has many mesas and plateaus with some small canyons and washes that break up the landscape. There are some pinyon/juniper patches that will checker the flats and small hills. There are also some isolated drinkers and stock ponds. Any type of cross-country travel in this area will require many miles of walking and a lot of elevation gained and lost. In most cases, physical conditioning will be required to hunt here.
High elevations contain mostly pinyon/juniper, sagebrush and some bitterbrush with no alpine tundra. Middle elevations have pinyon/juniper, manzanita, grass meadows and sagebrush. The lower elevations have pinyon/juniper, sagebrush, oak brush, grasses and other browse.
Access into hunting areas for bison will prove to be the biggest challenge for tag holders. Generally, this can be done in one of two ways- Floating the Green River, a week-long endeavor, or hunters can choose to hike or horseback in from the west. Hiking in will require many miles of hiking along with a lot of elevation gain and loss.
The Horse Canyon and Turtle Canyon roads provide driveable access to an area where hunters can begin their hike into huntable areas but these roads are extremely rough and sometimes impassible during periods of heavy snow.
Because of the remoteness of the hunting areas within this unit hunters will be forced into primitive camping options.
Roughly 1,500 square miles
60% public land
Elevations range from 4,100 - 8,100 feet