Apply for Utah's most prized hunting permits, starting Oct. 28

Salt Lake City — Sportsman permits are among Utah's most prized hunting permits, and the time for Utah residents to apply for the 2026 permits is coming up soon.

Utahns can begin submitting applications for the 2026 sportsman permits on Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 8 a.m. MDT. Utah residents can apply for permits online, by calling or visiting the nearest Utah Division of Wildlife Resources regional office or by calling the new hunt-drawing helpline at 855-UTDRAWS (855-883-7297). To be included in the permit drawing, you must submit your application by Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 11 p.m. MST. (But if you are calling a DWR office to submit your application, the deadline is 5 p.m.) The deadline to withdraw an application is also Nov. 18 at 11 p.m. MST.

Hunters should note that there is a new Utah draw application system, so the website and vendor are different from previous application periods. Visit the DWR website to learn more about the new system features.

"If you draw a sportsman permit, you can hunt on almost every unit in Utah that's open to hunting the species you drew a permit for," DWR Wildlife Licensing Coordinator Lindy Varney said. "Also, the season dates are much longer, so you'll have more time to scout different places to harvest an animal. It's truly the hunt of a lifetime."

Utahns may apply for as many species as they'd like, but only one sportsman permit is offered for each of the following species:

• Bison
• Black bear
• Buck deer
• Buck pronghorn
• Bull elk
• Bull moose
• Desert bighorn sheep
• Mountain goat
• Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep
• Wild turkey

There's a non-refundable $10 application fee to apply for each species. If you successfully draw a permit, the permit fees range from $40 to $564, depending on the species. Visit the DWR website to see the cost of each permit.

Applicants cannot earn or use bonus points in the sportsman drawing, and only Utah residents may apply for sportsman permits. (See the Utah residency requirements on the DWR website.)

In order to apply for a sportsman permit, each species has different age restrictions. If you apply for any big game species, you must turn 12 years old by Dec. 31, 2026 and must be 12 years old before the season ends. To be eligible to apply for a Sportsman black bear permit, you must be 12 years old by Dec. 31, 2026. There are no age restrictions to apply for a turkey permit. A valid Utah hunting or combination license is also required to apply for any of the sportsman permits.

Application results will be available by Wednesday, Nov. 26. You can also find the drawing results online or by calling 855-883-7297 (855-UTDRAWS).

For more information about Utah's sportsman permits, visit the DWR website.