Book Cliffs (South) limited-entry deer unit: draw, harvest and public land
Book Cliffs, South is a 1,291-square-mile limited-entry deer unit in DWR's Southeastern Region of Utah. Limited-entry deer hunters here took 31 bucks on 31 permits in 2025, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary). The unit is 95.4% public land open to hunting, most of it BLM (695,755 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 landTribal land (tribe's rules)Military land (closed)State park (park rules)State sovereign land (lake and river beds)Other public land (highways, other state land)Book Cliffs, SouthNeighboring limited-entry deer unitsLake or riverHighway
| DWR region | Southeastern Region (Price office) |
|---|---|
| Size | 826,005 acres (1,291 square miles) |
| Public land | 95.4% (787,937 acres) |
| 2026 hunts on this unit | 1 (DWR guidebook) |
| Bucks harvested, 2025 | 31 on 31 permits |
| Harvest per 100 hunters, 2025 | 100 (from DWR's figures) |
| 2025 first-choice applicants | 679 residents, 260 nonresidents (29 drew) |
| Wildlife management areas | 2, 1,283 acres inside the unit |
| Towns in and near it | Thompson Springs and Green River |
When are the 2026 limited-entry deer hunts on Book Cliffs, South?
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1018 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | Oct. 17-Oct. 25 | 679 | 27 | 260 | 2 |
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, South each year?
DWR's harvest reports cover Book Cliffs, South's limited-entry deer hunts in 12 years from 2014 to 2025. In 2025, 31 hunters afield took 31 bucks, 100 for every 100 hunters. In 2024: 22 from 26 hunters on 26 permits.
| Year | Hunt | Permits | Hunters afield | Bucks harvested | DWR's percent success | Average days | Satisfaction (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | DB1018 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 100% | 3.7 | 4.5 |
| 2024 | DB1018 | 26 | 26 | 22 | 84.6% | 4.8 | 3.5 |
| 2023 | DB1018 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 100% | 3.9 | 4.1 |
| 2022 | DB1018 | 25 | 24 | 20 | 85.7% | 4 | 3.8 |
| 2021 | DB1018 | 33 | 32 | 29 | 90.6% | 5.3 | 3.7 |
| 2020 | DB1018 | 39 | 39 | 30 | 76.9% | 5.3 | 3.1 |
| 2019 | DB1018 | 50 | 49 | 43 | 88.9% | 4.4 | 3.4 |
| 2018 | DB1018 | 48 | 48 | 44 | 91.1% | 5 | 3.4 |
| 2017 | DB1018 | 47 | 47 | 46 | 97.7% | 4.4 | 4.1 |
| 2016 | DB1018 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 100% | 3.2 | 4.4 |
| 2015 | DB1018 | 63 | 61 | 45 | 73.2% | 4.9 | 2.8 |
| 2014 | DB1016 | 60 | 60 | 53 | 88.3% | 3.9 |
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, South
| Hunt | Weapon | Permits | Hunters afield | Bucks harvested | DWR's percent success | Average days | Satisfaction (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1018 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | 31 | 31 | 31 | 100% | 3.7 | 4.5 |
Source: DWR 2025 harvest report (preliminary).
Book Cliffs, South 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) | 31 of 31 | 22 of 26 | 26 of 26 | 20 of 25 | 29 of 33 | 30 of 39 | 43 of 50 | 44 of 48 |
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, South limited-entry deer permits?
In DWR's 2025 draw, 679 residents put a Book Cliffs, South limited-entry deer hunt first and 27 drew a permit, 4% of them; 260 nonresidents applied first choice and 2 drew (0.8%). In 2024, 725 residents applied first choice and 21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1018 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) buck deer | 679 | 27 | 260 | 2 |
| Hunt | Residents, reserved permits: points | Residents, random permits: points | Nonresidents, reserved permits: points | Nonresidents, random permits: points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1018 | 16 to 17 | 5 to 15 | 24 | 8 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1018 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) buck deer | 725 | 21 | 271 | 2 |
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, South is public land?
95.4% of the Book Cliffs, South limited-entry deer unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 787,937 of 826,005 acres. The largest share is BLM, 695,755 acres or 84.2% of the unit. 100 acres are tribal land, hunted only under the tribe's own rules.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Book Cliffs, South |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 695,755 | 84.2% |
| State trust land (SITLA) | 90,890 | 11% |
| DWR wildlife land | 1,292 | 0.2% |
| Other public land (highways, other state land) | 827 | 0.1% |
| Military land (closed) | 566 | 0.1% |
| Tribal land (tribe's rules) | 100 | under 0.1% |
| State sovereign land (lake and river beds) | 21 | under 0.1% |
| Private and other land not shown | 36,554 | 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: Nash Wash WMA (1,178 acres) and Book Cliffs Roadless WMA (105 acres).
What other hunts share the Book Cliffs, South 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, South it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Book Cliffs, South | once-in-a-lifetime Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep | 100% |
| Book Cliffs, Little Creek/South | once-in-a-lifetime bison | 100% |
| Book Cliffs, South | limited-entry buck pronghorn | 100% |
| Book Cliffs, Bitter Creek/East | limited-entry bull elk | 66% |
| Book Cliffs, Bitter Creek/East | general-season spike elk (over the counter) | 66% |
| Book Cliffs, Floy Canyon | general-season any bull elk (over the counter) | 34% |
How do you get to the Book Cliffs, South unit?
Highways through the unit: US 50, I-70 and US 6 (one road, about 102 miles inside it) and US 191 (about 29 miles inside it). Towns inside: Thompson Springs. Nearby: Green River (2 miles). Rivers: Green River (7 miles).
Which limited-entry deer units border or overlap Book Cliffs, South?
| 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, North | 2,288 | 60.1% | 117 (2025) |
| La Sal Mountains | 2,477 | 78.4% | 673 (2025) |
| Nine Mile | 2,574 | 69.1% | 402 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
When are the 2026 limited-entry deer hunts on Book Cliffs, South?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 1 limited-entry deer hunt on Book Cliffs, South: Rifle (any legal weapon) Oct. 17-Oct. 25 (DB1018).
How many bucks were harvested on Book Cliffs, South in 2025?
31, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary): 31 hunters afield on 31 permits, 100 bucks for every 100 hunters. In 2024 the count was 22.
How many people apply for Book Cliffs, South limited-entry deer permits?
679 residents and 260 nonresidents made a Book Cliffs, South hunt their first choice in DWR's 2025 draw; 27 residents and 2 nonresidents drew (DWR 2025 drawing results).
Is Book Cliffs, South mostly public land?
Yes. 95.4% of the unit is public land open to hunting, most of it BLM (695,755 acres), measured from UGRC's land ownership map.
What is the closest town to the Book Cliffs, South limited-entry deer unit?
Thompson Springs is inside the unit. Just outside: Green River (2 miles).
DWR's boundary description for Book Cliffs, South
Grand County: Boundary begins at the Utah-Colorado state line and the summit and drainage divide of the Book Cliffs; 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; south along this river to Swasey’s Boat Ramp and the Hastings Road; south on this road to SR-19; south and east on SR-19 to Exit 164 on 1-70 near the town of Green River; east along I-70 to the Utah-Colorado state line; north along this state line to the summit and drainage divide of the Book Cliffs. EXCLUDES ALL NATIVE AMERICAN TRUST LAND WITHIN THE BOUNDARY. USGS 1:100,000 Maps: Huntington, Moab, Westwater. Boundary questions? Call the Price office, 435-613-3700.
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 Southeastern Region Utah draw deadlines Book Cliffs Book Cliffs, Floy Canyon Book Cliffs, North La Sal Mountains Nine Mile