Applying for a hunting permit as a group

What hunters should know about group applications

Group applications allow you and your friends and family to apply together. A group application makes it possible for every member of the group to obtain a permit. If the application is not successful, however, then no one in the group will obtain a permit. There may be only up to four hunters — including resident and nonresidents — when applying in a group. For more information about group applications, read Utah Admin. Rule R657-62-7 and R657-62-19.

• To apply as a group, there are two methods:
  • Obtain a "Group Code."
    • One member of the group can submit an initial application. They will receive a group code for each species once they submit the application. The group code will be found on the confirmation page and in their confirmation email.
    • If you have a group code and want to join a group application, log into the application, select your species on the "Species Selection" page and then enter your group code on the "Hunt Selection" page.
  • Alternatively, applicants in the same transaction can join a group using the "Select in Cart" option.
    • One applicant in the transaction adds their hunt(s) to the cart.
    • The second applicant selects the species they want to join a group for, and on the "Hunt Selection" page choose the "Select in Cart" option to join the application already in the cart.
• To determine how many points a group has in the drawing, group members have their points averaged and then 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, 4.5, and then rounded down to four.
• There are some rare circumstances where a group may be altered automatically if one member draws a limited-entry or once-in-a-lifetime permit during a different phase of the drawing.
• If you obtain a permit with a group, please be aware that there are special restrictions about surrendering your permit if you aren't going to use it. Please read Administrative Rule R657-42.
• Group applications are not accepted for Sportsman, Black Bear, Once-in-a-Lifetime Big Game and Limited-entry Antlerless hunts.

Groups with nonresidents

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:

1. Your group is made up of one resident and two nonresidents. If there is only one nonresident permit available, your group can't draw the permit unless there are leftover resident permits. That circumstance is extremely rare.
2. Your group is made up of one resident and one nonresident. There are lots of resident permits and one nonresident permit. Because of the drawing process, the 1 nonresident permit will be issued randomly after the bonus point round. This means that there is almost no chance of this group drawing the permit. Look for a hunt that has at least two nonresident permits.

Youth-only groups

Up to 20% of the general-season buck deer, antlerless deer, antlerless elk and doe pronghorn permits through the draws are specifically reserved for youth aged 17 or younger as of July 31. Up to 15% of turkey, tundra swan, sandhill crane, sharp-tailed grouse and greater sage-grouse permits are also reserved for youth 17 or younger as of July 31. Up to four youth can apply in youth-only groups and be considered for the reserved permits. Important: When you apply in a youth-only group, all hunters must meet the age requirement or the application will not be processed with the other youth applications.