Non-residents can apply for both Desert and Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. Utah is one of the more aggressive states when it comes to issuing bighorn sheep permits, but they do not have booming populations of either species, so permits are still very hard to come by. In fact, the San Rafael South Desert sheep hunt was the only sheep hunt to have two non-resident permits offered in 2021. The unfortunate part of this is that we have no idea as to which, if any, unit will have two permits to allow for a preference draw tag until after the draw deadline.
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2021 was another great year for Rocky Mountain bighorns along the Green River. Not as good as 2020, but some quality 17011+ rams were taken. It looks like we are on the peak of ram harvest for size right now, but there is no telling how long ram harvest of this size will last. While a mid-170" to 18011 ram is a possibility, rams of this size are not the norm. Nonresidents can apply for 4 of the 14 Rocky Mountain bighorn hunts. The Fillmore, Oak Creek and Box Elder, Newfoundland units have the subspecies California bighorn in them. The Book Cliffs, South and Nine Mile, Gray Canyon units have Rocky Mountain bighorns. Although there is an early and a late rifle season in both the Box Elder and Fillmore, Oak Creek unit, non-residents are limited to the first season in the Box Elder and the late season in the Oak Creek.
Non-residents can now apply for 5 of the 16 Desert bighorn sheep hunts available in 2022. The San Rafael, Dirty Devil has seen an increase in sheep the last handful of years, and last year had a non-resident tag awarded. As a bonus, the Dirty Devil non-resident sheep permit holders can also hunt the Henry Mountains unit. The Zion unit continues to struggle as both population and ram quality have declined. The late and early hunts this year have been merged because of the reduction in tags. This is still a good hunt for a Desert sheep, but the 17011 potential this unit was once known for is gone for now.
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Although the season dates have been finalized, the actual number of permits that will be awarded for these hunts are unknown until the April Wildlife Board meeting. Expect one permit for each hunt available for non-residents to apply for.
Remember that Utah manages for 100% harvest success for their any weapon hunts, and any sheep hunt you have the opportunity to go on will be a great experience and have a huntable population with some mature rams in it. Odds are very steep, as you can see in our tables, but if you are already applying in Utah for another species, it only costs an additional $15 to throw your name in the hat for your chance at a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We only cover non-resident units in this issue, but if you have any questions about the other units that are available to residents only, make sure you give us a call as we research most of the other units in Utah.
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For access to all of our research and data we've collected over the last 20+ years, then join today and access the best research tools for hunting Bighorn Sheep in Utah including 3D Maps, Draw Odds, Consultations and much more. Go on more hunts with better information!
Search our database of Utah Bighorn Sheep opportunities.
The Utah Big Game application period deadline is 11:00 p.m. mst on March 3, 2022. The deadline to apply for bonus/preference points and to withdraw your application is March 17, 2022.
Our online/print magazine has everything in one location: Application info, draw details and odds, fees, hunter requirements, point structure, age restrictions, youth information, weapon restrictions, other tag opportunities, hunt planning and much more. If you would like access to all of our research join today!
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Up-Front Fees |
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| Non-Resident Hunting License | $72 |
| Youth (17 and younger) Non-Resident Hunting License | $29 |
| Application Fee per Species | $15 |
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| Desert Bighorn Sheep | $2,200 |
| Rocky Bighorn Sheep | $2,200 |
| Moose | $2,200 |
| Rocky Mountain Goat | $2,200 |
| Bison | $2,200 |
| Limited-Entry Elk | $1,000 |
| Multi-Season Limited-Entry Elk | $1,805 |
| Youth Any Bull Elk | $593 |
| Premium Limited-Entry Buck Deer | $768 |
| Multi-Season Premium Limited-Entry Buck Deer | $1,330 |
| Limited-Entry and Limited-Entry Management Buck Deer | $650 |
| Multi-Season Limited-Entry Buck Deer | $1,100 |
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| Dedicated Hunter Deer Program | $1,047 |
| Antelope | $337 |
Utah Bighorn Sheep Hunting Articles from Huntin' Fool Magazine
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