Utah offers two categories for deer permits — limited-entry and general season. Both are awarded through a draw system, but they have different point systems and separate draws. You can only hold one mule deer buck permit per year. If you’re selected for a limited-entry buck deer permit, you’re not eligible for a general season buck permit.
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Limited-entry hunts are designed to maintain higher buck-to-doe ratios and are divided into premium limited-entry and standard limited-entry categories. The Paunsaugunt and Henry Mountains are classified as premium limited-entry units and are managed to maintain a buck-to-doe ratio of 40-55 bucks per 100 does. These units are known for their top-tier trophy potential, though other standard limited-entry areas like Oak Creek, San Juan, and Dolores Triangle can produce a few high-quality bucks every year.
Standard limited-entry units are managed for a 23-35 buck-to-doe ratio per 100 does. While these units can still produce trophy bucks, finding one of that caliber may take more effort and patience.
You will get a good idea of the quality associated with each unit as you read through unit descriptions for each of the limited-entry units. Even the lower-tier managed units like Book Cliffs and West Desert/Vernon will be good, fun hunts with plenty of bucks to choose from, but it will be much harder to find a buck over 170 inches. Most of these limited-entry units in Utah have excellent public access and are mostly public land except Diamond Mountain. This unit still has enough public land to hunt and be successful, but it is bordering 50/50 public/private. An outfitter can give you access to portions of private land, which would be very beneficial here.
Utah has added a few brand new hunts this year to the lineup. There are four new rifle hunts that are honestly completely different from each other, except for the two La Sal late rifle hunts. The La Sal hunts were put in place to address CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) concerns in the local populations surrounding the town of Moab. Small, isolated units were implemented (Moab Valley and Castle Valley) during the rut to provide the best chance at harvesting the oldest age-class buck possible, as UDWR believes these older bucks are the main spreaders of the disease. There could be a couple of nice bucks taken from these hunts, but overall, they are expected to be decent hunts for a mature buck.
The Thousand Lakes unit was moved back into the limited-entry hunts this year after being a general season unit for quite a few years. This unit was originally moved over to a general season unit because it wasn’t performing as a limited-entry hunt. Now, ironically, it is being moved back to a limited-entry hunt because it wasn’t performing as a general season hunt. They are now managing this solely as a restricted weapon unit, and it will most likely continue to struggle to produce good results with such a small, limited population.
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The two hunts that have the best potential for trophy quality that were added this year are the Little Rockies and Manco Mesa hunts. Both hunts are in very remote desert areas with small populations that receive a small increase of deer with winter migration. The Little Rockies is located within the Henry Mtns unit and is as remote an area as there is on that unit. It rarely gets hunted as there are very few deer out there, but this late rut hunt will give the lucky few hunters a chance to possibly harvest a giant buck. The Mancos Mesa unit is within the San Juan Elk Ridge unit and is similar to the Little Rockies in the remoteness and low deer densities. This area also has big buck potential, and both areas will require the aid of an outfitter or an extreme amount of scouting to be successful.
Pay attention to the moisture levels in the southern part of the state’s limited-entry areas. Southern Utah has received very little winter moisture this year, and bucks have a tendency to shrink up a bit when dry conditions such as the current weather pattern are present. Take this into consideration when applying and setting expectations as this year has the potential to produce below average antler growth.
Utah offers additional limited-entry hunts to help manage hunter applications and reduce pressure on the limited-entry deer point system. One of these is a series of management hunts on the Paunsaugunt which include archery, muzzleloader, and rifle seasons. New for 2025, the Henry Mtns will again have a rifle season for this type of hunt. Permit holders can harvest an antlered deer with no more than 3 points (excluding eyeguards) on one side. These hunts offer a great opportunity for an enjoyable experience, with plenty of game and the chance to harvest mature bucks.
Another unique hunt is the cactus buck hunt, which allows hunters to harvest an antlered deer with at least 50% of its antlers covered in velvet. This hunt was created to address a rise in cactus bucks within the Paunsaugunt unit. Initially, the hunt provided good opportunities when there was a high number of cactus bucks, but now, as their numbers have dwindled, finding a cactus buck with a decent rack has become a rare and challenging task, almost like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Another type of limited-entry hunt in Utah takes place on general season units and is known as the HAMSS hunt, which stands for Handgun, Archery, Muzzleloader, Shotgun, and Straight-Walled Cartridge. These hunts occur after the general season, typically in November. The muzzleloader portion of the hunt coincides with the mule deer rut, offering hunters a chance to target older, more vulnerable bucks. However, since these hunts are on general season units, mature bucks are less common, making it challenging to find a true trophy.
We don’t provide specific comments on all of these hunts, as they tend to be a gamble in terms of hunt quality and harvest success. While the HAMSS hunts allow the use of a muzzleloader within certain guidelines, there are different restrictions that hunters should review on page 106. Of the three HAMSS hunts available, the Book Cliffs/Floy Canyon and Kaiparowits units offer the best potential for trophy bucks. These areas have lower deer populations and will present a tough challenge, but they’re home to a few bucks that may exceed the 180” mark.
Utah offers late limited-entry muzzleloader hunts on all general season units. This program began in 2015 with a small number of units and has since expanded and adjusted over the years. It has been successful in providing more limited-entry hunt opportunities for applicants to use their points, helping to clear out a few more hunters from the limited-entry pool.
These later season hunts can be effective in finding mature bucks as they move closer to does, but rut activity can be unpredictable, making it a bit of a hit-or-miss situation. While some great bucks have been taken, those are the exception rather than the rule.
It’s important to note that these general season units are managed for lower buck-to-doe ratios compared to Utah’s dedicated limited-entry units. As a result, finding bucks over 180” can be challenging. If you’re hoping for a better shot at an older age class buck, it’s worth considering Utah’s top general season units. Pay attention to the three-year average buck-to-doe ratios listed in the table as they can give you an idea of which units might have a better chance of producing older bucks.
Utah is a great state to apply for limited-entry deer hunts, especially if you’re already applying for other species and don’t mind waiting 14+ years for entry-level unit bonus permits or a shot at a random permit. With some of the best deer genetics in the West, it’s definitely worth tossing your name in the hat for an additional $16.
For most general season units in Utah, permit distribution is divided into 20% archery, 20% muzzleloader, and 60% rifle. Of the 12 units with two rifle seasons, 20% of the rifle permits are allocated to the early October season, with the remaining going to the late season hunts.
For 2025, there have been some changes to general deer hunt units both in legal hunt methods as well as boundary changes. Utah instituted new restricted muzzleloader and rifle hunt units as a legal method of take. The Beaver, West; Boulder/Kaiparowits; and Cache units are all part of this new hunt method of take. Archery on these units will remain the same as the state guidelines for legal archery use. You can refer to the first section of the state section under “Weapon Restrictions” to see the legal definitions of muzzleloader and rifle restrictions. Ultimately, the creation of these restricted-weapon areas was intended to allow for more opportunity with limiting harvest through limiting technology.
If you’ve accumulated more points than needed to draw a hunt, consider teaming up with a friend for a group application. You’ll enter the draw using the average points of everyone in the group. Remember, you can apply for both a limited-entry and a general season deer hunt each year. Think of them as separate draws for different species. If you draw a limited-entry deer permit, your general deer application will be voided, but you’ll still receive a preference point.
We’ve compiled a table with our top picks for general season deer units, including draw odds and harvest statistics for each unit and season. These top picks are based on factors like buck-to-doe ratios, harvest success, public land access, and our on-the-ground knowledge. We believe these units offer the best chance for a successful hunt, especially for mature bucks.
If you drew an archery deer or elk permit in any unit or are enrolled in the Dedicated Hunter program, you may also hunt the extended archery season in the extended archery areas. There will be a total of 10 deer areas and 3 elk areas. Most of these extended areas have private land issues, with some being entirely private land. Some elk areas are all located along the Wasatch Front and North and Northeast Utah and run August 16-December 15. The deer areas are starting to be scattered all throughout the state, with the bulk of them located in North and Northeast Utah and run September 13-October 15 or November 30th. The extended season is better later when bucks are rutting and migrate into middle and lower elevations. There can be high hunting pressure and success rates are low, but it can extend your season if you were previously unsuccessful in filling your permit. For a full list of units, boundary descriptions, and season dates, go to www.wildlife.utah.gov/extendedarchery or view units on the UDNR Hunt Planner at https://dwrapps.utah.gov/huntboundary/hbstart.
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Those applying for a buck deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, desert bighorn sheep, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, Rocky Mountain goat, or bison tag will need to apply between January 27 and March 3. Those applying for bonus and/or preference points can apply between March 4 and 17.
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Up-Front Fees |
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| Non-Resident Hunting License | $122.64 |
| Youth (17 and younger) Non-Resident Hunting License | $34.75 |
| Application Fee per Species | $16.35 |
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| Premium Limited-Entry Buck Deer | $815.56 |
| Multi-Season Premium Limited-Entry Buck Deer | $1,359.26 |
| Limited-Entry and Limited-Entry Management Buck Deer | $684.74 |
| Multi-Season Limited-Entry Buck Deer | $1,1154.86 |
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| Dedicated Hunter Deer Program | $1,090.47 |
| Youth Dedicated Hunter General Deer Program | $852.35 |
Utah Deer Hunting Articles from Huntin' Fool Magazine
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