Utah, quite simply, has some of the best hunting you'll find in the U.S. You'll find a wide range of species to hunt — from deer to elk, cougar, black bear, and waterfowl.
Plus, the state offers plenty of resources to help you plan your hunt, follow the rules, stay safe, and bring home the large or small game you're after.
So, what do you need to know to plan your Utah hunting seasons? We've compiled an overview of the state's season dates, hunting license information, bag limits, and more. HuntWise can also help you find the best public hunt areas (or private land) and plan a successful hunt!
Updated May 28, 2025
Why Do Hunters Hunt in Utah?
Hunters in Utah appreciate the range of game available to hunt, from turkeys to elk, deer, black bears, and more. The state also offers once-in-a-lifetime hunts for bison, bighorn sheep, bull moose, and mountain goats — so if you're hoping for a trophy hunt, consider a hunt in Utah!
Plus, it's a beautiful place to hunt and enjoy the outdoors. Depending on what and when you hunt, you could trek through snow-covered mountain peaks to woods, salt lakes, deserts, or plateaus.
The state offers about 23 million acres of public land for hunting, so you have plenty of places to explore and track animals in the Beehive State.
Where Should I Hunt?
In addition to the millions of acres of public-access land, Utah also partners with landowners through the Walk-in Access program. You'll need to work with the Department of Wildlife to get an authorization number for access to these lands, but it can be worth it to find lower-pressure areas for hunting.
Just make sure you understand the rules of hunting land (private and public) before planning your hunt.
No matter which type of land you hunt or where, HuntWise helps you scout to find the best hunt areas for every hunt. The app shows land boundary lines and landowner contact information. You can also use various map layers (including LiDAR) to visualize hunt areas and mark things of interest with in-app markers.
When Can I Hunt in Utah?
When is the deer hunt in Utah? Let's take a look at the season dates so you can plan your year!
Note that the season information we provide here is the latest available from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR). As the state publishes new dates, we'll also update this guide.
We also recommend confirming the latest season dates, bag limits, and other details on the state's website to catch information that might have changed before heading out for a hunt.
Deer Season in Utah
Youth Hunts
Archery: August 16 – September 12, 2025
Muzzleloader: September 24 – October 2, 2025
Early Any Legal Weapon: October 8 – 12, 2025
Any Legal Weapon Season: October 18 – 26, 2025
General Hunts (Buck Deer)
Archery:
General Season: August 16 – September 12, 2025
Extended Either-Sex (Nine Mile, Green River Valley, Sanpete Valley, South Wasatch): September 13 – October 15, 2025
Extended Either-sex (Box Elder, West Bear River,Herriman South Valley, Ogden, Uintah Basin, Utah Lake, Wasatch Front, West Cache): September 13 – November 30, 2025
Muzzleloader:
General: September 24 – October 2, 2025
Late: November 8 – November 23, 2025 or December 24 – December 2, 2025
General:
Early (Specific Units Only): October 8 – 12, 2025
Any Legal Weapon (Rifle): October 18 – 26, 2025
HAMSS (Handgun-Archery-Muzzleloader-Shotgun-Straight Walled Rifle): November 8 – 30, 2025
Utah also offers limited antlerless deer hunts. Check with the UDWR for dates and regulations.
Turkey
Youth Hunt: April 25 – 27, 2025
Spring Seasons:
Limited Entry: April 12 – 24, 2025
General: April 28 – May 31, 2025
Fall: October 1 – February 28, 2025
Upland Game
Sharp-tailed Grouse: September 28 – October 20
White-tailed Ptarmigan: September 2 – October 31
Partridge (Chukar & Hungarian):
General: September 28 – February 15, 2025
Youth Hunt: September 21 – 23
Ring-necked Pheasant:
General: November 2 – December 1
Youth Hunt: October 26 – 31
Quail (California & Gambel's Only):
General: November 2 – December 31
Youth Hunt: October 26 – 28
Sandhill Crane:
Cache & Rich Counties: September 7 – 15
East Box Elder County: September 7 – November 5
Uintah Basin: September 28 – October 17, October 18 – November 6, and November 7 – 26
Rabbit:
Cottontail: September 2 – February 28, 2025
Jackrabbit: Open year-round
Snowshoe Hare: September 2 – March 15, 2025
Pigeon: September 2 – 14
Collared Dove: Open year-round
Mourning & White-winged Dove: September 2 – October 30
Elk
Youth Hunts
Archery (Any Bull Units): August 16 – September 17, 2025
Archery (Spike-Only Units): August 16 – September 5, 2025
Any Legal Weapon/Hunter's Choice (Any Bull Units): September 3 – 13, 2025
Early Any Legal Weapon (Any Bull Units): October 4 – 10, 2025
Late Any Legal Weapon (Any Bull Units): October 11 – 17, 2025
Any Legal Weapon (Spike-Only Units): October 4 – 16, 2025
Muzzleloader (Any Bull & Spike-Only Units): October 29 – November 6, 2025
General (Bull)
Archery:
General (any bull elk): August 16 – September 17, 2025
General (any spike elk): August 16 – September 5, 2025
Extended (Specific Units Only): August 17 – December 15
Any Legal Weapon (Rifle)
Early: October 4 – 10, 2025
Late: October 11 – 17, 2025
Muzzleloader: October 29 – November 6, 2025
HAMSS (Limited Units Only): November 8 – 30, 2025 and December 20 – 28, 2025 (East Canyon)
Utah also offers limited antlerless elk and multisason spike bull hunts. Refer to the UDWR for dates and regulations.
Cougar
Open year-round
Pronghorn
Limited Entry Buck
Archery: August 16 – September 12, 2025
Any Legal Weapon (Rifle): September 13 – 21, 2025
The state also offers limited doe pronghorn hunts. Check the UDWR website for dates and regulations.
Black Bear
Summer Limited-Entry Hunts
Any Legal Weapon (No Bait): March 29 – May 26, 2025
Any Legal Weapon (No Dogs): May 26 – June 29, 2025
Fall Limited-Entry Hunts
Any Legal Weapon (No Bait): August 1 – 31, 2025 and November 3 – 9, 2025
Spot-and-Stalk: September 1 – November 9, 2025
Multiseason Limited-Entry (Any Legal Weapon): All Open Seasons
Restricted Pursuit Limited-Entry Units:
Spring Season: March 29 – May 26, 2025
Early Summer Season: July 5 – 16, 2025
Late Summer Season: July 19 – 31, 2025
Fall Season: August 1 – 31, 2025 and November 3 – 9, 2025
Harvest-Objective Hunts: Dates vary based on the hunt unit
Waterfowl
Ducks, Mergansers, & Coots:
Northern Zone: October 5 – January 18, 2025
Southern Zone: October 12 – January 25, 2025
Scaup:
Northern Zone: October 5 – December 29
Southern Zone: November 1 – January 25, 2025
Dark Geese:
Eastern Box Elder Goose Area: October 5 – January 18, 2025
Northern Goose Area: October 5 – 12 and October 26 – January 31, 2025
Southern Goose Area: October 12 – January 25, 2025
Wasatch Front Goose Area: October 5 – 12 and November 11 – February 15, 2025
White-fronted Geese:
Eastern Box Elder Goose Area: October 5 – January 18, 2025
Northern Goose Area: October 5 – 12 and October 26 – January 31, 2025
Southern Goose Area: October 12 – January 25, 2025
Wasatch Front Goose Area: October 5 – 12 and November 11 – February 15, 2025
Light Geese:
Eastern Box Elder, Northern, and Wasatch: October 15 – December 22 and February 1, 2025 – March 10, 2025
Southern Goose Area: October 25 – December 25 and January 15 – March 10
Rails: No open season
Snipe:
Northern Zone: October 5 – January 18, 2025
Southern Zone: October 12 – January 25, 2025
Tundra Swan: October 5 – December 8
Youth Waterfowl Hunts:
Northern Zone: September 21
Southern Zone: September 28
Once-In-a-Lifetime Hunts
These hunts include Bison, Bull Moose, Bighorn Sheep, and Mountain Goats.
Moose: September 13 – October 31, 2025
Bison:
Any Legal Weapon: Dates vary by hunt name starting September 13, 2025 and running through January 31, 2026
Any Legal Weapon (Bull only): December 1 – 3, 2025
Any Legal Weapon (Cow Only): Dates vary by hunt name October 18, 2025 through January 13, 2026
Archery: August 16 – September 12, 2025 and January 14 – 31, 2026
Desert Bighorn Sheep:
Any Legal Weapon: September 13 – November 10, 2025 or October 25 – December 26, 2025
Archery: November 11 – December 17, 2025
Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep:
Any Legal Weapon: Dates vary by hunt name September 14 – November 30, 3035
Archery: November 15 – December 7, 2025
Mountain Goat:
Any Legal Weapon: Dates vary based on hunt name September 6 – November 26, 2025
Archery: November 15 – 24, 2025 or September 17 – 26, 2025
Hunts are permit only based on drawings. Check with the UDWR for application, drawing, season dates, and regulations for hunting these species.
Sportsman and Statewide Conservation Permit Hunts
Open only to Utah residents.
Deer, Elk, Pronghorn (Archery): August 16 – 31, 2025
Deer and Elk (Any Legal Weapon): September 1, 2025 – January 15, 2026
Pronghorn (Any Legal Weapon): September 1 – November 15, 2025
Bighorn Sheep and Mountain Goat (Any Legal Weapon): September 1 ≠ December 31, 2025
Bison (Any Legal Weapon): August 1, 2025 – January 31, 2026
Moose (Any Legal Weapon): September 1 – November 15, 2025
What Do I Need to Know About Hunting Laws in Utah?
If you were born after December 31, 1965, you must pass an approved hunter education course before getting your license. If you take an online course, you must also take an in-person field day to complete the education requirements.
Additionally, for some big game and tundra swan hunts, you must take an orientation course before your hunt.
With proof of your hunter education certification and any required orientation courses, you can get your hunting license through the state's online system. Costs vary based on different licenses and permits depending on what you hunt.
What are the Bag Limits?
How many deer, elk, or turkeys can you bring home this year? To comply with the rules for the Utah hunting seasons, make sure you understand the bag limits for every animal you hunt.
Deer
1 buck (General-season Archery, Muzzleloader, Any Legal Weapon, HAMSS seasons)
Whether you're excited about the Utah elk hunting season or you're planning your annual turkey hunt with your buddies, you need the right gear! Successful hunts require the right clothing (whether you prefer to hunt in the early season or enjoy colder late-season hunts), a sharp hunting knife, and a good pair of binoculars or a scope for glassing.
As you gear up, remember that HuntWise Pro and Elite subscribers can save hundreds on the best gear! Use exclusive discounts from our partners to save on gear.
Have Your Best Utah Hunting Seasons Yet with HuntWise
We hope the information we provided helps you plan your Utah hunting seasons this year! Make sure you also check the state's official resources for the latest information.
Ready to start planning? Download the HuntWise hunting app first! With forecasting features for weather animal movement and plenty of map layers and markers to scout and plan, you'll have the best advantage over other hunters and the game you hunt.
Plus, Pro and Elite subscribers get access to more tools — including up to 15 days of animal activity and weather forecasting and exclusive access to our FieldGuide+ video collections from the pros.
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