Information about hunting big game animals in Utah

Big Game Application Guidebook

Download the 2012 guidebook to learn more about applying for a Utah big game permit.

Big Game Field Regulations

Download the 2011 guidebook to learn more about the rules & regulations for hunting big game in Utah.

Antlerless Application Guidebook

View the 2011 guidebook to learn more about applying for a Utah antlerless permit.

Utah's deer hunt in 2012

• Prepare for the 2012 deer hunt
• See the number of deer permits approved for each unit
• Learn more about the switch to 30 deer-hunting units and what to expect in 2012
• See a map of the 30 general-season deer units for 2012 (641 KB PDF)
• View interactive maps of deer-hunting units

Important dates

See our wildlife calendar for dates and deadlines.

Recent hunting news

• Check our news release page for press releases regarding big game and other wildlife.

Hunting guidebooks & maps

• Visit our guidebook page to download the current Hunting Guidebook and view official rules, regulations, dates and other information regarding Utah hunts.
• View online, interactive maps of most hunt unit boundaries
• See a map of the 30 general-season deer units for 2012 (641 KB PDF)

Currently available hunting permits

• Buy currently available fishing & hunting licenses online
• Apply online for available hunt drawings

Hunt application drawing results

• View your big game draw results
• Permits remaining after the 2011 big game drawing
• Permits remaining after the 2011 antlerless drawing
  (On July 21, remaining antlerless permits go on sale at many DWR offices, authorized vendors and online.)

Depredation pool application

• Apply for the deer, elk or pronghorn depredation hunter pool

Report harvest information and see harvest data

• Reporting requirements for big game animals
• Report your harvest online and see your bonus points: This link will take you to the "My Drawing History" page. Once there, log in, then use the harvest tab to enter your limited-entry, CWMU or once-in-a-lifetime harvest report.
• 2011 bucks, bulls & once-in-a-lifetime harvest data

Dedicated hunter program

• Requirements, projects and contact information

Antler gathering ethics course

• From Feb. 1 to April 15, shed antler and horn gathers must possess an antler-gathering certificate. To obtain this certificate, take this online ethics course. You may print the certificate at the end of the course.

Bison orientation course

• Information and materials to read before taking the course. — (PDF format)
• Take the cow bison online orientation course
• How to spot a collared bison — (PDF format)

Management buck deer orientation course

• Information and materials to read before taking the course.
• Take the management buck deer online orientation course

Rocky Mountain goat orientation course

• Complete the Rocky Mountain goat hunt female only orientation online.

Archery ethics course

• Bow hunters planning to hunt the extended hunts must complete an online course covering the special considerations of hunting in these high-use areas.

Permits approved for 2011 big game drawing

• 2011 general-season permits
• 2011 limited-entry deer permits
• 2011 limited-entry elk permits
• 2011 limited-entry pronghorn permits
• 2011 once-in-a-lifetime permits

Big game statistics & drawing odds

• 2011–12 sportsman drawing odds report — (PDF format)
• 2011 bucks, bulls & once-in-a-lifetime bonus point & drawing statistics
• 2011 big game drawing odds report — (PDF format)
• 2011 antlerless preference point draw results — (PDF format)
• 2011 big game bonus point draw results by hunt — (PDF format)
• 2011 big game bonus point purchase results — (PDF format)
• 2011 big game bonus point draw results by species — (PDF format)
• 2010–11 sportsman drawing odds report — (PDF format)
• 2010 bucks, bulls & once-in-a-lifetime harvest data
• 2010 antlerless preference point draw results — (PDF format)
• 2010 big game bonus point draw results — (PDF format)
• 2010 big game bonus point purchase results — (PDF format)
• 2010 bonus point summary by residency and species — (PDF format)
• 2010 big game draw results — (PDF format)
• 2010 big game drawing odds report — (PDF format)
• 2009 bucks, bulls & once-in-a-lifetime harvest data
• 2009 bucks, bulls & once-in-a-lifetime bonus point & drawing statistics
• 2009 big game drawing odds report — (PDF format)
• 2009 antlerless drawing odds report — (PDF format)

Cooperative Wildlife Management Units (CWMUs)

• CWMU maps and information
• The Utah Cooperative Wildlife Management Association Web site

Big game annual reports

The annual reports are in PDF format, and they are all 1 to 3 MB.

• 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2001–2004, 2001, 2000, 1998 & 1999, 1997

Statewide big game management plans

• Mule Deer — (PDF format, 156 KB)
  • Unit deer management plans
• Elk — (PDF format, 248 KB)
• Rocky Mountain Goat — (PDF format, 44 KB)
• Moose — (PDF format, 40 KB)
• Bighorn sheep — (PDF format, 48 KB)
• Pronghorn — (PDF format, 360 KB)
• Bison Henry Mountains, Book Cliffs — (PDF format, 500 KB each)

Walk-In Access

• The Walk-In Access Program: Private property open to hunting, fishing and trapping.

Conservation Permit program

• Information about the DWR's Conservation Permit program
• 2012 Conservation Permit summary — (PDF format)
• See Administrative Rule R657-41 for an explanation of Conservation Permits.

Other big game information

• Read what the DWR is doing to help Utah's deer
• Working to help Utah's deer herds
• Supplemental winter feeding of deer
• New laws to control predators
• Disease issues in Utah deer
• Minimizing browsing damage from deer
• Limited-entry landowner association list
• Chronic Wasting Disease
• Managing off-highway vehicles: U.S. Forest Service & OHVs. — (PDF format, 1 MB)
• Hunter education
• Guides & outfitters
• Teaming with Wildlife
• Utah Big Game Range Trend Studies
• Trespassing laws of specific interest to hunters
  — Landowner/hunter permission card

*Some of our documents are in PDF format and require free Adobe Acrobat Reader software. Download Acrobat Reader