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Big Game Application Guidebook cover

Big game animals

Information about hunting big game species in Utah

Big Game Application Guidebook cover

Big Game Application Guidebook

Download the Utah DWR Big Game Application Guidebook to learn more about applying for a Utah big game permit.

Download PDF

Emergency changes

Gathering antlers and horns (Severe Winter Closure — Statewide)

Effective February 7 through April 30, 2023, the antler and horn gathering season will be closed throughout the entire State of Utah — on both public and private lands — thereby making it unlawful to gather antlers or horns. Extreme cold temperatures and elevated snowpack may negatively impact big game survival. In these conditions, big game animals are weakened and highly vulnerable to human-caused disturbance. The additional expenditure of energy and stress associated with disturbance may significantly increase winter mortality, particularly in mule deer populations. Closing the antler and horn gathering season will minimize a major source of disturbance during the time period wintering big game animals are most vulnerable.

As it relates to this closure, "gathering" means locating, attempting to locate, collecting, or marking locations of 1) shed antlers or horns or 2) antlers or horns attached to a skull plate of a dead animal.

This emergency change refers to information on pages 6 and 13 in the 2023 Utah Big Game Application Guidebook.

This change will remain in effect until April 30, 2023. Except for other emergency changes made since January 1, 2023, all other rules established in the Utah Big Game Application Guidebook have not changed and remain in effect.

Corrections

Page 71: In the CWMU buck deer hunt table, one public permit was listed in error for each of the following two units: Mecham Ridge (#DB1321) and Rock House (#DB1323). There are no public or private permits allocated for either of these CWMUs in 2023. The online edition of this guidebook has been updated by deleting these two units from the table.

Page 77: In the CWMU bull moose hunt table, one public permit was listed in error for each of the following three units: Little Pole Canyon (#MB6265), Sand Creek (#MB6264) and SJ Ranch (#MB6254). There are no public or private permits allocated for moose on these three CWMUs in 2023. The online edition of this guidebook has been updated by deleting these three units from the table.


Big game field regulations

Big Game Field Regulations

Download the Utah DWR Big Game Field Regulations Guidebook to learn more about the rules for hunting big game in Utah.

Download PDF

Corrections

Page 46: One of the exemptions for carrying a rifle or muzzleloader during big game archery hunts has been edited for clarity to include applicable bear and cougar hunts (new information in bold): "Hunters who are licensed to hunt big game species, bear or cougar during rifle or muzzleloader hunts that coincide with the big game archery hunt." The online edition of this guidebook has been updated with this change.

Page 27: In the elk-hunting table at the bottom of the page, an incorrect date is listed for the end of the any bull elk archery season. The correct end date is Sept. 21, 2022 (not Sept. 22, 2022, as was listed in the print edition of the guidebook). The online edition of this guidebook has been updated with the correct date.


Antlerless Guidebook

Antlerless Application Guidebook

View online resources for the antlerless hunt to learn more about applying for a Utah antlerless permit.

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Hunt planner

Hunt drawing results and drawing odds

Important dates

Antler gathering ethics course

Landowner permits

Depredation hunts

Dedicated Hunter Program

Bison orientation course

Management buck deer orientation course

Mountain goat orientation course

Extended archery seasons and 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.

Cooperative Wildlife Management Units (CWMUs)

Chronic wasting disease

Currently available hunting permits

Remaining permits

Report harvest information and see harvest data

Big game annual reports

Statewide big game management plans

Walk-In Access

Conservation Permit Program

Utah's Trial Hunting Program

Utah Hunter Mentoring Program

Other big game information

Quick links
Hunter Education: Sign up for classes
» Hunter Education
Lee Kay and Cache Valley Shooting Centers
» Shooting centers
Wildlife Blog: Views from DWR employees
» Wildlife Blog
Report poachers — 1-800-662-3337
» Report poachers
Wildlife dates
» Important dates
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