Want to hunt big game in Utah this fall? The application period opens Jan. 28

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Salt Lake City — The application period for Utah's big game hunts starts soon. If you're interested in getting your own locally-harvested deer or elk meat this fall, be sure to take note of the dates.

The application period opens on Jan. 28 and runs until 11 p.m. on March 4. To be included in the drawing for the hunts, you can apply on the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources website or over the phone by calling the nearest DWR regional office.

The results of the drawing will be released no later than May 31. You'll be notified by email, but you can also get the drawing results online or by calling 1-800-221-0659.

Big game hunts are held in Utah for the following species:

• Bighorn sheep (desert and Rocky Mountain)
• Bison
• Elk
• Moose
• Mountain goat
• Mule deer
• Pronghorn

Starting Jan. 28, applications will be accepted for all of Utah's 2021 big game hunts except one: permits to hunt bull elk during the general bull elk hunt won't be available until July.

Permits to hunt on any-bull elk units go on sale July 13. Permits to hunt on spike bull units go on sale July 20.

Join the Dedicated Hunter program

In addition to applying for the hunts, if you'd like a chance to hunt all three general-season deer hunts, you should consider applying for Utah's Dedicated Hunter program. You can learn more about the program, and how to join it, on the DWR website.

Utah Hunt Planner

When you're thinking about hunting in a new area — or going after a species you've never hunted before — you likely have a lot of questions. The Utah Hunt Planner, an interactive, online map, can answer many of them.

The Hunt Planner provides in-depth, hunter-focused information about all of Utah's hunts. Use it when you're researching hunts you want to apply for — or use it after you draw a permit for a particular hunt. You can learn the best spots to find animals, what the terrain is like in that area, if there's a lot of public land in the unit and where the best access points are located. DWR biologists keep the Hunt Planner up to date with the details hunters care about.

Applying for a bonus point or a preference point

If you're not planning to hunt in 2021, you can still apply for a bonus point or a preference point. Earning a point increases the chance you'll draw a permit the next time you apply. Your application for a point must be received no later than 11 p.m. on March 18. You must have a hunting license or a combination license to apply for a bonus/preference point or a big game hunting permit.

For more information about applying for a 2021 Utah big game hunting permit, see the 2021 Utah Big Game Application Guidebook, call 1-800-221-0659 or contact the nearest DWR office.

Apply now