Utah’s 2025 Big Game Hunting Season: Key Permit Application Dates You Need To Know
Utah hunters looking to harvest their own deer or elk meat this fall should mark their calendars for the upcoming big game hunting permit application period. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) has announced that applications for the 2025 big game hunts will open on March 20 at 8 a.m. MDT and close on April 24 at 11 p.m. MDT. Hunters can apply online or by calling their nearest DWR regional office.
“We don’t have the data from the winter big game captures, the previous fall hunt harvest rates, and other big game surveys until March each year,” said DWR Wildlife Licensing Coordinator Lindy Varney in a press release. “After we receive that data, we put together the permit recommendations for the upcoming fall big game hunting seasons. In 2023, due to public request, we shifted the application dates from January to March so that hunters will have information about the proposed permit numbers prior to applying. Hunters can access the proposed permit numbers for each hunt unit beginning in April on the Utah Hunt Planner. The final permit numbers will be approved by the Utah Wildlife Board during their public board meeting on May 1.”
The results of the drawing will be released on May 15. Applicants will be notified via email, but they can also check results online or by calling 800-221-0659. Utah offers big game hunts for bighorn sheep, bison, elk, moose, mountain goat, mule deer, and pronghorn.
Hunters should also be aware of recent changes to certain hunting units, which will remain in effect until 2028. The Utah Wildlife Board has approved restricted muzzleloader and restricted rifle general-season buck deer hunts on the Beaver, West; Boulder/Kaiparowits; and Cache units. Additionally, the Thousand Lakes hunting unit will have restricted archery, muzzleloader, and rifle limited-entry buck deer hunts, imposing limitations on ignition systems, sight types, and bow designs.
Applications for most big game hunts will be accepted starting March 20, but permits for the general-season bull elk hunts will not be available until July. Those permits will be sold online, at all DWR offices, and at license agent locations, with specific sales dates for different types of elk hunts.
Hunters interested in maximizing their opportunities may also consider joining the Dedicated Hunter program, which allows participants to hunt all weapon seasons for a particular hunting unit. More information on this program, as well as the Utah Hunt Planner—an interactive online map with hunt details—can be found on the DWR website.
For those not planning to hunt in 2025, the option to apply for a bonus or preference point remains available. Doing so increases the likelihood of drawing a permit in future years. Applications for these points must be submitted by April 24, with another opportunity available during the antlerless application period from June 4-18.
More details, including permit information and application guidelines, are available in the 2025 Utah Big Game Application Guidebook or by contacting the nearest DWR office.
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