DWR News Release
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. 27 at 8 a.m. and runs until 11 p.m. on March 3. 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:
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Bighorn sheep (desert and Rocky Mountain)
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Bison
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Elk
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Moose
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Mountain goat
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Mule deer
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Pronghorn
Starting Jan. 27, applications will be accepted for most of Utah’s 2022 big game hunts. There are a few exceptions, however; permits for the state’s general-season bull elk hunts won’t be available until July. Permits for the general-season archery bull elk hunt go on sale July 12, the any-bull elk permits go on sale July 14, and the spike bull elk permits go on sale July 26. Permits will be sold on the DWR website, at all DWR offices and at license agent locations.
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
If you’re thinking about hunting in a new area or going after a species you’ve never hunted before, you will likely have a lot of questions. The Utah Hunt Planner is an interactive, online map that provides valuable information from DWR biologists to help answer a lot of those questions.
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, see what the terrain is like, identify blocks of public land in the unit and locate the primary access points.
Applying for a bonus point or a preference point
If you’re not planning to hunt in 2022, 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 17.
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 2022 Utah big game hunting permit, see the 2022 Utah Big Game Application Guidebook or contact the nearest DWR office.