Book Cliffs (North) limited-entry deer unit: draw, harvest and public land
Book Cliffs, North is a 2,288-square-mile limited-entry deer unit in DWR's Northeastern Region of Utah. Limited-entry deer hunters here took 117 bucks on 128 permits in 2025, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary). The unit is 60.1% public land open to hunting, most of it BLM (615,066 acres), measured from UGRC's statewide land ownership map (last edited 2023).
Data updated October 2026. Seasons: DWR's 2026 guidebook. Harvest: DWR's reports, 2014 to 2025. Draw: DWR's 2024 and 2025 results. Land: UGRC, 2023.
BLMState trust land (SITLA)DWR wildlife landNational wildlife refugeTribal land (tribe's rules)State sovereign land (lake and river beds)Other public land (highways, other state land)Book Cliffs, NorthNeighboring limited-entry deer unitsLake or riverHighway
| DWR region | Northeastern Region (Vernal office) |
|---|---|
| Size | 1,464,595 acres (2,288 square miles) |
| Public land | 60.1% (880,882 acres) |
| 2026 hunts on this unit | 1 (DWR guidebook) |
| Bucks harvested, 2025 | 117 on 128 permits |
| Harvest per 100 hunters, 2025 | 94 (from DWR's figures) |
| 2025 first-choice applicants | 2,454 residents, 628 nonresidents (123 drew) |
| Wildlife management areas | 4, 23,628 acres inside the unit |
| Towns in and near it | Green River, Ballard and Myton |
When are the 2026 limited-entry deer hunts on Book Cliffs, North?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 1 limited-entry deer hunt on this unit, shown here with the 2025 draw for the same hunt number where DWR used it.
| Hunt number | Hunt | 2026 season | 2025 first-choice applicants (residents) | 2025 permits drawn (residents) | 2025 first-choice applicants (nonresidents) | 2025 permits drawn (nonresidents) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1017 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | Oct. 17-Oct. 25 | 2,454 | 111 | 628 | 12 |
Source: 2026 Utah Big Game Application Guidebook, hunt tables, page 51; boundaries from DWR Hunt Planner hunt table. DWR can change a season during the year: check the Utah Hunt Planner before you go.
How many bucks are taken on Book Cliffs, North each year?
DWR's harvest reports cover Book Cliffs, North's limited-entry deer hunts in 12 years from 2014 to 2025. In 2025, 125 hunters afield took 117 bucks, 94 for every 100 hunters. In 2024: 91 from 100 hunters on 101 permits.
| Year | Hunt | Permits | Hunters afield | Bucks harvested | DWR's percent success | Average days | Satisfaction (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | DB1017 | 128 | 125 | 117 | 93.6% | 3.7 | 4.1 |
| 2024 | DB1017 | 101 | 100 | 91 | 90.6% | 4.5 | 3.6 |
| 2023 | DB1017 | 97 | 96 | 85 | 89% | 4.2 | 3.9 |
| 2022 | DB1017 | 95 | 94 | 86 | 91.4% | 4.5 | 3.9 |
| 2021 | DB1017 | 127 | 126 | 120 | 95% | 3.4 | 3.8 |
| 2020 | DB1017 | 167 | 167 | 140 | 83.8% | 4.8 | 3 |
| 2019 | DB1017 | 205 | 203 | 188 | 92.8% | 4.4 | 3.7 |
| 2018 | DB1017 | 199 | 197 | 188 | 95.7% | 4.1 | 3.6 |
| 2017 | DB1017 | 198 | 196 | 182 | 92.7% | 4.3 | 3.8 |
| 2016 | DB1017 | 199 | 199 | 191 | 95.8% | 3.7 | 4.1 |
| 2015 | DB1017 | 181 | 179 | 164 | 91.4% | 4.8 | 3.3 |
| 2014 | DB1015 | 199 | 199 | 172 | 86.5% | 4.8 |
Source: DWR harvest reports, 2014 to 2025, every limited-entry deer hunt DWR printed for this unit's name each year. CWMU, landowner, conservation and sportsman permits are not included. Harvest per 100 hunters is worked out from DWR's own two numbers.
Each 2025 hunt on Book Cliffs, North
| Hunt | Weapon | Permits | Hunters afield | Bucks harvested | DWR's percent success | Average days | Satisfaction (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1017 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | 128 | 125 | 117 | 93.6% | 3.7 | 4.1 |
Source: DWR 2025 harvest report (preliminary).
Book Cliffs, North by weapon, year by year
Bucks harvested of permits issued, by weapon, for each year DWR reported since 2018:
| Weapon | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle (any legal weapon) | 117 of 128 | 91 of 101 | 85 of 97 | 86 of 95 | 120 of 127 | 140 of 167 | 188 of 205 | 188 of 199 |
Source: DWR harvest reports, 2018 to 2025. An empty cell means DWR printed no hunt of that kind on this unit that year.
How many hunters apply for Book Cliffs, North limited-entry deer permits?
In DWR's 2025 draw, 2,454 residents put a Book Cliffs, North limited-entry deer hunt first and 111 drew a permit, 4.5% of them; 628 nonresidents applied first choice and 12 drew (1.9%). In 2024, 2,408 residents applied first choice and 86 drew. Limited-entry and once-in-a-lifetime permits are drawn on bonus points: DWR reserves half of each hunt's permits for the applicants with the most points and draws the rest at random (Utah Admin. Rule R657-62-8).
| Hunt | DWR's hunt name | Resident applicants | Residents drawn | Nonresident applicants | Nonresidents drawn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1017 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) buck deer | 2,454 | 111 | 628 | 12 |
| Hunt | Residents, reserved permits: points | Residents, random permits: points | Nonresidents, reserved permits: points | Nonresidents, random permits: points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1017 | 15 to 21 | 0 to 15 | 22 to 25 | 10 to 20 |
From DWR's 2025 drawing results, which list each point level's permits from the reserved half (most points first) and from the random half. A blank cell means no permit of that kind went to the group.
| Hunt | DWR's hunt name | Resident applicants | Residents drawn | Nonresident applicants | Nonresidents drawn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1017 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) buck deer | 2,408 | 86 | 719 | 9 |
Source: DWR 2025 drawing results and DWR 2024 drawing results, first-choice applications only, as DWR reports them; DWR leaves out second to fifth choices. The share who drew in a past year is not a forecast for the next draw. Deadlines and fees: Utah draw deadlines and fees.
How much of Book Cliffs, North is public land?
60.1% of the Book Cliffs, North limited-entry deer unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 880,882 of 1,464,595 acres. The largest share is BLM, 615,066 acres or 42% of the unit. 518,740 acres are tribal land, hunted only under the tribe's own rules.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Book Cliffs, North |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 615,066 | 42% |
| Tribal land (tribe's rules) | 518,740 | 35.4% |
| State trust land (SITLA) | 242,195 | 16.5% |
| DWR wildlife land | 23,621 | 1.6% |
| State sovereign land (lake and river beds) | 1,012 | 0.1% |
| Private and other land not shown | 63,961 | 4.4% |
Measured by FilledTag inside DWR's 2026 boundary from UGRC's statewide land ownership map (last edited 2023). State trust land (SITLA) is open to hunting where it can be reached legally; many sections touch no public road. A permit does not allow hunting on CWMUs, tribal land or national parks.
DWR wildlife management areas inside the unit: Two Waters WMA (10,897 acres), Book Cliffs Roadless WMA (6,824 acres), Willow Creek (Uintah/Grand) WMA (3,712 acres) and Bitter Creek WMA (2,195 acres).
What other hunts share the Book Cliffs, North limited-entry deer unit's ground?
Utah draws a separate map of units for each species and hunt type. These units cover part of the same ground, measured from DWR's 2026 boundaries:
| Unit | Hunt type | Share of Book Cliffs, North it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Book Cliffs, Bitter Creek/East | limited-entry bull elk | 96% |
| Book Cliffs, Bitter Creek/East | general-season spike elk (over the counter) | 96% |
| Book Cliffs, Bitter Creek | once-in-a-lifetime bison | 96% |
| Book Cliffs, Bitter Creek | limited-entry buck pronghorn | 96% |
| Nine Mile, Jack Creek | once-in-a-lifetime Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep | 61% |
| Book Cliffs, Little Creek Roadless | general-season spike elk (over the counter) | 4% |
| Book Cliffs, Little Creek Roadless | limited-entry bull elk | 4% |
How do you get to the Book Cliffs, North unit?
No numbered highway crosses the unit. Nearby: Green River (19 miles), Ballard (19 miles) and Myton (19 miles). Rivers: Green River (53 miles) and White River (40 miles).
Which limited-entry deer units border or overlap Book Cliffs, North?
| Unit | Square miles | Public land | Bucks harvested (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Book Cliffs | 3,579 | 72.9% | 96 (2025) |
| Book Cliffs, Floy Canyon | 438 | 92.4% | 7 (2025) |
| Book Cliffs, South | 1,291 | 95.4% | 31 (2025) |
| Nine Mile | 2,574 | 69.1% | 402 (2025) |
| Vernal/Bonanza | 2,062 | 72.8% | 634 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
When are the 2026 limited-entry deer hunts on Book Cliffs, North?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 1 limited-entry deer hunt on Book Cliffs, North: Rifle (any legal weapon) Oct. 17-Oct. 25 (DB1017).
How many bucks were harvested on Book Cliffs, North in 2025?
117, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary): 125 hunters afield on 128 permits, 94 bucks for every 100 hunters. In 2024 the count was 91.
How many people apply for Book Cliffs, North limited-entry deer permits?
2,454 residents and 628 nonresidents made a Book Cliffs, North hunt their first choice in DWR's 2025 draw; 111 residents and 12 nonresidents drew (DWR 2025 drawing results).
Is Book Cliffs, North mostly public land?
Yes. 60.1% of the unit is public land open to hunting, most of it BLM (615,066 acres), measured from UGRC's land ownership map.
What is the closest town to the Book Cliffs, North limited-entry deer unit?
No town is inside it. The nearest: Green River (19 miles), Ballard (19 miles) and Myton (19 miles).
DWR's boundary description for Book Cliffs, North
Grand and Uintah counties: Boundary begins at the Utah-Colorado state line and the White River; south along this state line to the Book Cliffs summit (north-south drainage divide); west along this summit and drainage divide to Diamond Ridge; southwest along Diamond Ridge and the Book Cliffs summit (north-south drainage divide) to the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation boundary (Hells Hole/head of Sego Canyon); west along this boundary to the Green River; north along the Green River to the White River; east along this river to the Utah-Colorado state line. EXCLUDING ALL NATIVE AMERICAN TRUST LAND WITHIN THIS BOUNDARY. USGS 1:100,000 Maps: Huntington, Vernal, Price, Westwater, Seep Ridge. Boundary questions? Call the Vernal Office, 435-781-9453.
From DWR's 2026 unit layer.
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Where these numbers come from
- Harvest, permits, hunters, days and satisfaction: DWR harvest reports, 2013 to 2025 (2025 preliminary).
- 2026 hunts and season dates: 2026 Utah Big Game Application Guidebook; boundary names: DWR Hunt Planner hunt table.
- Applicants and permits drawn: DWR drawing results, 2024 and 2025.
- Unit boundary: DWR 2026 hunt unit boundaries. Public land: UGRC's statewide land ownership map (last edited 2023). WMAs: DWR public access properties (WMAs). Walk-In Access: DWR Walk-In Access properties (December 17, 2025).
- Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Numbers are copied from DWR and the State of Utah, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
Utah hunting units Northeastern Region Utah draw deadlines Book Cliffs Book Cliffs, Floy Canyon Book Cliffs, South Nine Mile Vernal/Bonanza