Utah
Legendary giant mule deer units, Wasatch elk country, and rugged desert bighorn canyonlands.
Utah - The Beehive State & World-Record Mule Deer Mecca
Utah offers outstanding sportspeople opportunities, rich wildlife habitats, and extensive public land access. From trophy big game hunting to abundant upland bird coverts and waterfowl flyways, Utah provides a premier destination for hunters of all experience levels.
Managed under strict wildlife conservation guidelines by the state department of natural resources, hunting in Utah contributes directly to habitat preservation and healthy game populations across the state.
Top Hunting Attractions in Utah
Discover the premier wildlife management areas, big game habitats, and renowned wingshooting regions across Utah.
The Paunsaugunt & Book Cliffs Trophy Mule Deer
San Juan & Wasatch Limited-Entry Bull Elk
Red Rock Rim Desert Bighorn & Pronghorn
Great Salt Lake & Bear River Migratory Waterfowl
Hunting Benefits
Hunter's Bottom Line
Utah stands as the premier trophy mule deer state in the world. Strict limited-entry management, extensive habitat restoration, and predator control have allowed the Beehive State to produce more record-book mule deer entries over the past two decades than any other state.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) conducts its primary big game draw in March. Utah utilizes a bonus point system for limited-entry hunts and a preference point system for general season deer permits, giving applicants strategic paths to draw tags.
General season archery deer permits allow hunters to pursue velvet mule deer in high alpine basins starting in mid-August. Spotting bucks in their morning feeding beds and executing silent stalks across scree slopes and krummholz requires patience and elite mountain fitness.
The Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit (CWMU) program partners with private landowners to offer transferable landowner tags, allowing non-residents to bypass state draw lotteries and hunt managed private properties with guaranteed tags.