New for 2020

State Information

The Utah Draw System

Utah's 2020 mule Deer Breakdown

Utah snowpack update as of February 20, 2020. Source: National Resources Conservation Service

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Utah snowpack update as of February 23, 2019. Source: National Resources Conservation Service

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How to Uncover Hidden Gem Mule Deer Units

Managing Points and Expectations

Utah's 2020 mule Deer Application Overview

Note: The application deadline for all Utah species is March 5, 2020 at 11 p.m. MST. Applicants who want to purchase bonus points only have until March 19, 2020 at 11 p.m. MST. You may apply online here.

To view important information and an overview of Utah’s rules/regulations, the draw system and bonus points, tag and license fees and an interactive boundary line map, check out our State Profile. You can also view the Utah Mule Deer Profile to access historical and statistical data to help you find trophy areas.

Important Dates and Information

Fees and Permit Costs

Note: Applicants only need to buy either a hunting license or combo hunting/fishing license to apply. Applicants will not be charged the cost of the permit unless they are successful in the draw.

Utah issues 10% of their draw permits to nonresidents.

What Can I Apply For?

Utah allows residents to apply for one premium/limited entry species, one once-in-a-lifetime species and a general season deer permit. If an applicant is not already enrolled in the dedicated hunter program they can also apply for it. If you draw into the dedicated hunter program you are enrolled in it for three years and cannot apply for general season deer during that time frame.

Nonresidents can apply for all species they are interested in. They can apply for limited entry deer, elk, antelope, all once-in-a-lifetime species (moose, bighorn sheep, bison, mountain goat) and general season deer. They can also apply for the dedicated hunter program if not already enrolled. Please read more about the dedicated hunter program in the “hunting seasons” below.

Applicants can only draw one once-in-a-lifetime permit or limited entry permit in a year. You cannot draw both and hunt both in the same year. You also cannot draw a limited entry deer and a general season deer permit in the same year. If you draw a limited entry deer permit, your general season deer application will not be considered.

You can apply for points only, we highly encourage applicants to apply for a hunt though. The only reason applicants should not apply for hunts is if they cannot afford the permit should they draw or the time off to hunt. More on that below.

Limited Entry

All limited entry deer hunts are allocated through a modified bonus point system. Half of the permits for each hunt are given to applicants that apply with the most bonus points. The other half are allocated through a random draw with weight given to the number of points you have. Essentially, the more points you have, the more chances you get in the drawing. If there is an odd number of permits, then the bulk of the permits go to high point holders. If there is one permit only, it will be randomly drawn. You obtain a point for each year you are unsuccessful in the draw or applicants can apply for points only.

**Only apply for a point only if you cannot afford the permit or the time off to hunt should you draw. With a portion of the permits being randomly drawn, you always have some chance.

Limited Entry Deer Hunt Choices

Applicants can select two hunt choices when applying for limited entry deer hunts. Every applicant’s first choice is considered before moving to anyone's second choice. It is extremely rare for a limited entry permit to be drawn as a second choice. If you draw a permit as your first or second choice, your accumulated points will be purged.

Group Applications

Up to four can apply together on a group application for limited entry and general season deer. Group applicants are not allowed for management deer hunts. A group application is treated as a single application. Group applicants will have their points totaled, averaged and rounded down to the whole number.

You will obtain a point for each year you are unsuccessful in the draw or applicants can pay for points only. You can select up to five hunt choices on your general season deer application. Be aware that if you draw any of your five choices your preference points will be purged. If you purchase a leftover general season deer hunt, your preference points will be purged.

Dedicated Hunter Program

The dedicated hunter program is a unique opportunity that allows a hunter to hunt all seasons (archery, muzzleloader, rifle) and harvest two bucks in a three year period. If drawn, you will be enrolled in the program for three years. You may obtain a permit and hunt all three years, but you can only harvest two bucks in a three year period. You can only hunt the unit you drew. In exchange for having a guaranteed permit and the opportunity to hunt all three seasons, a hunter must complete 32 service hours on Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) approved conservation projects or you can purchase all or a portion of your hours at a cost of $20/per hour.

If you can afford the cost and time to hunt multiple seasons, the dedicated hunter program is an excellent way to scout, hunt and harvest a big buck on a general season unit.

Draw Order

Utah’s draw goes in the following order from first to last:

Utah does not allow applicants to draw multiple limited entry tags in the same draw/year. You also cannot draw a limited entry and a once-in-a-lifetime (moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat or bison) permit in the same year.

Over the past several years, Utah has continued to create new opportunities to work more hunters through the draw system and to give hunters additional opportunities. Within the limited entry section of deer hunts Utah currently offers: premium limited entry, limited entry, management and cactus buck, HAMS and late muzzleloader limited entry on general season units. Applicants can apply for one of the previous limited entry hunts, but not all of those.

Snowpack in Utah

The entire state is currently over 100% of normal snowpack. It’s shaping up to be a very good water year and the antler growth should reflect that. If spring snow/rain are good through the months of March, April and May, antler growth could be exceptional in 2020.

2020

Utah snowpack update as of February 20, 2020. Source: National Resources Conservation Service

2019

Utah snowpack update as of February 23, 2019. Source: National Resources Conservation Service

Premium Limited Entry

These are units/hunts that are managed for higher buck:doe ratios and a higher quality hunt. The Henry Mountains, Paunsaugunt and Antelope Island hunts are under this category. There are archery, muzzleloader, rifle and multi-season hunts available for these units.

Management and Cactus Limited Entry

The Henry Mountains and Paunsaugunt units have archery, muzzleloader and rifle hunts for management (bucks with three points or less on at least one antler) and cactus (bucks with velvet covering at least 50% of its antlers during the season dates).

Limited Entry

Limited entry units are managed for a lower buck:doe ratio than the premium units. These units offer good hunts, but quality is not typically on par with the premium units. There are archery, muzzleloader and rifle hunts for these units and odds of drawing these hunts are better than the premium units.

Hams Hunts

New hunts for 2020, the HAMS hunts will occur on the Book Cliffs, Floy Canyon, Kaiparowits, Morgan-South Rich and run from Nov. 6 to 27th. The dates are ideal for a rutting mule deer hunt, but weapons are restricted to handguns, archery, muzzleloader and shotgun.

Late Muzzleloader On general Season Units

These hunts occur on the general season units from Oct. 28 to Nov. 5th and permit holders must use a muzzleloader. These are limited entry hunts that occur on general season units and, if you draw one, all of your bonus points will be utilized. It’s worth noting that these hunts will begin two days after the rifle general season hunts end and end prior to the prime dates of the rut.

General Season Deer Hunts

As previously stated, general season deer hunts work on a preference point system that is seperate from the limited entry hunts. Most limited entry archery, muzzleloader and rifle hunts can be drawn with relatively few points. The quality of general season units is quite good. If you have time to scout and get to know a unit well the opportunity to harvest a 160”+ plus buck is good. Almost every general season unit will produce a few bucks every year that are 180”+. Study the trophy potentials, buck:doe ratios, harvest success and unit profiles to determine what units might offer a better chance at a great buck. Consider habitat conditions, recent burns, more remote and less pressured terrain and hunting pressure. There are some very good options.

Dedicated Hunter Deer Hunts

The dedicated hunter program is a unique opportunity that allows a hunter to hunt all seasons (archery, muzzleloader, rifle) and harvest two bucks in a three year period. Dedicated hunter units are the same as the general season units. You can apply for both general season and dedicated hunter hunts, but be aware that there are special requirements to participate in the dedicated hunter program. The dedicated hunter license is a very good opportunity to hunt and harvest a mature buck on a general season unit if you have time to scout and hunt with all three weapons.

B&c Entry Trends for Utah Mule Deer

Units listed below may not have a current hunt for this species. Units in this table are included if any part of the unit is found within the county. Data provided below courtesy of the Boone and Crockett Club.

Hit List Units for Trophy Utah Mule Deer in 2020

Find your draw odds

The Bonus Point Race

LIMITED ENTRY DEER BONUS POINTS

2020 maximum bonus points for Limited Entry deer: 26

GENERAL SEASON DEER PREFERENCE POINTS

2020 maximum preference points for general season deer: 20

DEDICATED HUNTER DEER PREFERENCE POINTS

2020 maximum preference points for dedicated hunter general season deer: 8

I Have 0 Deer Points. What Can I Expect?

Limited Entry

Utah allocates half of their permits for each hunt through the random draw so, although the odds are low, as long as there is one permit available you have a chance. Within that, applicants can adopt a couple of different strategies. One strategy would be to apply for the best hunts available and, should you draw, then have the opportunity to experience a once-in-a-lifetime type of hunt. The other strategy would be to review the odds and find the best odds for hunts that still meet your trophy objectives.

There is one hunt — the rifle hunt for the North Slope, Summit — that had 46% odds with zero points for residents and 14% for nonresidents. It’s worth noting that this hunt occurs on a general season unit and is sandwiched between the general muzzleloader and rifle seasons.

Find your resident deer limited entry draw odds with 0 points here

Find your nonresident deer limited entry draw odds with 0 points here

General

Residents

Residents have many options with no points; there were 11 archery hunts with 90% or greater odds. Many other archery hunts have odds of 70% or better. The muzzleloader hunts have slightly lower odds, but there are many hunts that have good odds. Rifle hunts are much the same: if you simply want to go on a hunt there are areas that have great odds with no points. The better units — most of them located in the central to southern portion of the state — will likely require one or two points. Use Filtering 2.0, draw odds and buck:ratio tools to find the hunt that suits you best.

Nonresidents

Nonresidents also have options if they just want to hunt. Besides the more well-known central and southern units, many of the archery hunts in the state are available. Rifle hunts are similar; the best units will take some points, but, if you want to hunt, you can. Consider your objectives, review the odds, unit profiles and apply accordingly.

Find your resident general deer draw odds with 0 points here

Find your nonresident general deer draw odds with 0 points here

Dedicated Hunter

The dedicated hunter program is a good option for a resident or nonresident if they have the time and means to complete the 32 service hours or can purchase those hours at a rate of $20 per hour. Be aware that if you enter into this program then you are locked into the same unit for three years. You can draw some of the units with zero points, but a lot of the units may take one or two points.

What Can I Do with 3 or 4 Deer Points?

Limited Entry

Residents

There were no limited entry deer hunts that had 100% odds at the three or four point level except for the North Slope, Summit hunt, which is likely not worth those points. At the five to seven point level, the late muzzleloader hunt on Nine Mile had 100% odds. Moving to the eight point level, Mt Dutton Late muzzleloader and a handful of those late hunts that occur on general season units were available. Those can be tough hunts so it’s important to do some research before you apply. At the 10 point level, there were some intriguing archery hunts, including the Book Cliffs, La Sal, Dolores Triangle and West Desert, Vernon. Several of the late muzzleloader hunts that occur on the general season units had 100% odds with 10 points. One of the most interesting hunts that had 100% odds at that level is the November rifle management deer hunt on the Paunsaugunt. That hunt limits you to a 3 point buck or less on at least one side, but it’s a neat opportunity to hunt a world renowned unit.

Nonresidents

Nonresidents, if you want to draw a permit look toward the late muzzleloader hunts on general season units. Once again, be aware of those hunts; local knowledge or a guide would help immensely. It’s important that your expectations are within the realm of what those hunts typically produce, which most often is an average buck. The best hunts still have very low odds. The November rifle management deer hunt on the Paunsaugunt did have 29% odds with 10 points.

Find your resident deer limited entry draw odds with 4 points here

Find your nonresident deer limited entry draw odds with 4 points here

General

Residents

Residents could have drawn any general season archery, muzzleloader or rifle permit with three points except for the Plateau/Thousand Lakes rifle tag. If you are within this range, do the research, pick a hunt and go hunting. Building more points is probably not worth it. Draw a tag, go hunting and get back into the system. Use the draw odds, trophy potential, buck:doe ratios, public land percentage and harvest success filters and find a hunt that works for you.

Something to consider if you have built up six or more points is that you can apply with someone who has no points and they will average your points. This would give you the opportunity to take someone new or a hunter with no points hunting.

Nonresidents

With four points, every archery, muzzleloader and rifle permit could have been drawn, except for the two Pine Valley rifle hunts that required five points and the Plateau, Thousand Lakes, which required nine points. If you are within this range, do the research, pick a hunt and go hunting. Also, if you have built up a pile of points, consider that you can apply as a group and possibly bring a new hunter along with you.

Find your resident general deer draw odds with 4 points here

Find your nonresident general deer draw odds with 4 points here

What Can I Expect with 10 or 11 Deer Points?

Limited Entry

Residents:

At the 11 point level, the archery Book Cliffs, La Sal, Dolores Triangle and West Desert, Vernon are all good options. Almost all of the late muzzleloader hunts on general season units are available. The management buck hunts on the Paunsaugunt are also worth review at the 11 or 12 point range.

With 12 or 13 points, take a look at the South Slope, Diamond Mtn and management archery buck hunts. The Book Cliffs and West Desert, Vernon and Paunsaugunt management muzzleloader hunts also had 100% odds with 13 points. The late muzzleloader hunt on the Plateau, Thousand Lakes is also an intriguing option.

For rifle hunts, look into the Book Cliffs, North and South, South Slope, Diamond Mtn, and West Desert, Vernon hunts. There are also three multi-season hunts that can be drawn within this range.

Nonresidents

The archery hunts on the Book Cliffs, South Slope, Diamond Mtn, and West Desert Vernon are available as are the West Desert, Vernon and South Slope, Diamond Mtn muzzleloader permits. Rifle hunters should review the Book Cliffs hunts and the South Slope, Diamond Mtn, and West Desert, Vernon.

Find your resident deer limited entry draw odds with 11 points here

Find your nonresident deer limited entry draw odds with 11 points here

What Can I Expect with 16 or 20 deer Points?

Limited Entry

Residents

The archery hunts on the Fillmore, Oak Creek and Paunsaugunt are great options at the 17 or 18 point level. Henry's archery hunt required 19 points. Muzzleloader Fillmore, Oak Creek, Paunsaugunt and San Juan, Elk Ridge all fall within this range. For rifle hunters, you should look into the Fillmore, Oak Creek, La Sal, Dolores Triangle and Paunsaugunt. There are also good multi-season hunts within this range for residents, including West Desert, Vernon and San Juan, Elk Ridge.

Nonresidents

The archery hunts on the Book Cliffs, South Slope, Diamond Mtn, and West Desert, Vernon are available as are the West Desert, Vernon and South Slope, Diamond Mtn muzzleloader permits. Rifle hunters should review the Book Cliffs hunts and the South Slope, Diamond Mtn, and West Desert, Vernon.

Find your resident deer limited entry draw odds with 16 points here

Find your nonresident deer limited entry draw odds with 16 points here

What Can I Expect With 20 plus Deer points?

Limited Entry

Residents

Almost every hunt can be drawn with 20 or more points. The most notable hunts are the Henry’s muzzleloader and rifle hunt that requires 22 points. The multi-season hunt for the Henry’s took 24 points; the Paunsaugunt required 22 pts. The Antelope Island permit is randomly allocated and odds are likely less than 2% through the maximum point level.

Nonresidents

The Paunsaugunt archery required 23 points while the muzzleloader hunt took 25 points. Fillmore, Oak Creek rifle required 24 points and Henry's rifle required 25 points. Other notable rifle hunts that are worth some research if you fall within this range are the Paunsaugunt and San Juan, Elk Ridge.

Find your resident deer limited entry draw odds with 20 points here

Find your nonresident deer limited entry draw odds with 20 points here

If you need help looking up your bonus points, go here.