Paunsaugunt limited-entry deer unit: draw, harvest and public land
Paunsaugunt is a 1,495-square-mile limited-entry deer unit in DWR's Southern Region of Utah. Limited-entry deer hunters here took 181 bucks on 235 permits in 2025, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary). The unit is 80.4% public land open to hunting, most of it BLM (608,844 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, 2013 to 2025. Draw: DWR's 2024 and 2025 results. Land: UGRC, 2023.
National forestBLMState trust land (SITLA)DWR wildlife landNational park or monument (NPS, no hunting)State park (park rules)PaunsauguntNeighboring limited-entry deer unitsLake or riverHighway
| DWR region | Southern Region (Cedar City office) |
|---|---|
| Size | 956,819 acres (1,495 square miles) |
| Public land | 80.4% (769,735 acres) |
| 2026 hunts on this unit | 8 (DWR guidebook) |
| Bucks harvested, 2025 | 181 on 235 permits |
| Harvest per 100 hunters, 2025 | 78 (from DWR's figures) |
| 2025 first-choice applicants | 6,580 residents, 5,508 nonresidents (214 drew) |
| Towns in and near it | Kanab, Orderville, Tropic, Hatch, Glendale and Henrieville |
When are the 2026 limited-entry deer hunts on Paunsaugunt?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 8 limited-entry deer hunts 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1001 | Archery | Aug. 15-Sept. 11 | 760 | 25 | 910 | 3 |
| DB1004 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | Oct. 17-Oct. 31 | 3,871 | 73 | 3,492 | 7 |
| DB1006 | Muzzleloader | Sept. 23-Oct. 1 | 517 | 25 | 406 | 3 |
| DB1008 | Multiseason | See DB1001, DB1004 and DB1006 | 570 | 3 | 374 | 1 |
| DB1010 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | Nov. 2-Nov. 20 | 617 | 23 | 222 | 3 |
| DB1058 | Nov. 2-Nov. 20 | 132 | 27 | 64 | 3 | |
| DB1073 | Archery | Aug. 15-Sept. 11 | 60 | 8 | 26 | 1 |
| DB1074 | Muzzleloader | Sept. 23-Oct. 1 | 53 | 8 | 14 | 1 |
Source: 2026 Utah Big Game Application Guidebook, hunt tables, pages 49 and 50; 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 Paunsaugunt each year?
DWR's harvest reports cover Paunsaugunt's limited-entry deer hunts in 13 years from 2013 to 2025. In 2025, 231 hunters afield took 181 bucks, 78 for every 100 hunters. In 2024: 157 from 212 hunters on 214 permits.
| Year | Hunts reported | Permits | Hunters afield | Bucks harvested | Harvest per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | 235 | 231 | 181 | 78 |
| 2024 | 8 | 214 | 212 | 157 | 74 |
| 2023 | 8 | 208 | 206 | 159 | 77 |
| 2022 | 8 | 205 | 201 | 164 | 82 |
| 2021 | 8 | 202 | 198 | 153 | 77 |
| 2020 | 8 | 226 | 224 | 191 | 85 |
| 2019 | 8 | 215 | 212 | 164 | 77 |
| 2018 | 6 | 190 | 189 | 161 | 85 |
| 2017 | 5 | 189 | 187 | 146 | 78 |
| 2016 | 5 | 185 | 182 | 149 | 82 |
| 2015 | 5 | 170 | 169 | 131 | 78 |
| 2014 | 4 | 164 | 163 | 136 | 83 |
| 2013 | 4 | 183 | 182 | 147 | 81 |
Source: DWR harvest reports, 2013 to 2025, every limited-entry deer hunt DWR printed for this unit's name each year, added up by FilledTag. 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 Paunsaugunt
| Hunt | Weapon | Permits | Hunters afield | Bucks harvested | DWR's percent success | Average days | Satisfaction (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1001 | Archery | 34 | 34 | 23 | 67.6% | 12.1 | 3.8 |
| DB1004 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | 90 | 88 | 82 | 93.2% | 6.7 | 4.1 |
| DB1006 | Muzzleloader | 30 | 30 | 21 | 70% | 5.7 | 3.9 |
| DB1008 | Multiseason | 6 | 6 | 6 | 100% | 22 | 4.7 |
| DB1010 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | 29 | 28 | 26 | 92.9% | 4.9 | 4.6 |
| DB1058 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | 28 | 27 | 10 | 37% | 8.3 | 2.8 |
| DB1073 | Archery | 9 | 9 | 8 | 88.9% | 7.2 | 5 |
| DB1074 | Muzzleloader | 9 | 9 | 5 | 55.6% | 6.3 | 3.9 |
Source: DWR 2025 harvest report (preliminary).
Paunsaugunt 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 31 of 43 | 24 of 40 | 28 of 43 | 32 of 41 | 31 of 40 | 38 of 49 | 35 of 43 | 26 of 34 |
| Multiseason | 6 of 6 | 4 of 4 | 4 of 4 | 3 of 4 | 4 of 4 | 4 of 4 | 3 of 4 | 4 of 4 |
| Muzzleloader | 26 of 39 | 25 of 33 | 31 of 34 | 32 of 36 | 48 of 66 | 50 of 68 | 37 of 63 | 35 of 41 |
| Rifle (any legal weapon) | 118 of 147 | 104 of 137 | 96 of 127 | 97 of 124 | 70 of 92 | 99 of 105 | 89 of 105 | 96 of 111 |
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 Paunsaugunt limited-entry deer permits?
In DWR's 2025 draw, 6,580 residents put a Paunsaugunt limited-entry deer hunt first and 192 drew a permit, 2.9% of them; 5,508 nonresidents applied first choice and 22 drew (0.4%). In 2024, 6,586 residents applied first choice and 169 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1001 | Premium LE archery buck deer | 760 | 25 | 910 | 3 |
| DB1004 | Premium LE ALW (rifle) buck deer | 3,871 | 73 | 3,492 | 7 |
| DB1006 | Premium LE muzzleloader buck deer | 517 | 25 | 406 | 3 |
| DB1008 | Multi-season premium limited-entry buck deer | 570 | 3 | 374 | 1 |
| DB1010 | Management ALW (rifle) buck deer | 617 | 23 | 222 | 3 |
| DB1058 | Alw (rifle) cactus buck deer | 132 | 27 | 64 | 3 |
| DB1073 | Management archery buck deer | 60 | 8 | 26 | 1 |
| DB1074 | Management muzzleloader buck deer | 53 | 8 | 14 | 1 |
| Hunt | Residents, reserved permits: points | Residents, random permits: points | Nonresidents, reserved permits: points | Nonresidents, random permits: points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1001 | 20 to 22 | 3 to 19 | 26 | 15 |
| DB1004 | 22 to 26 | 3 to 22 | 28 to 29 | 16 to 25 |
| DB1006 | 22 to 23 | 5 to 20 | 26 to 27 | 21 |
| DB1008 | 27 | 14 | 1 | |
| DB1010 | 17 to 19 | 0 to 16 | 23 | 20 |
| DB1058 | 9 to 15 | 0 to 9 | 18 | 5 |
| DB1073 | 14 to 16 | 0 to 9 | 9 | |
| DB1074 | 15 to 18 | 5 to 15 | 6 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1001 | Premium LE archery buck deer | 734 | 23 | 884 | 3 |
| DB1004 | Premium LE ALW (rifle) buck deer | 4,004 | 67 | 3,566 | 7 |
| DB1006 | Premium LE muzzleloader buck deer | 575 | 23 | 383 | 3 |
| DB1008 | Multi-season premium limited-entry buck deer | 518 | 4 | ||
| DB1010 | Management ALW (rifle) buck deer | 496 | 17 | 205 | 2 |
| DB1058 | Alw (rifle) cactus buck deer | 136 | 27 | 51 | 3 |
| DB1073 | Management archery buck deer | 56 | 4 | ||
| DB1074 | Management muzzleloader buck deer | 67 | 4 |
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 Paunsaugunt is public land?
80.4% of the Paunsaugunt limited-entry deer unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 769,735 of 956,819 acres. The largest share is BLM, 608,844 acres or 63.6% of the unit. 32,723 acres are National Park Service land, closed to hunting.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Paunsaugunt |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 608,844 | 63.6% |
| National forest | 131,191 | 13.7% |
| National park or monument (NPS, no hunting) | 32,723 | 3.4% |
| State trust land (SITLA) | 29,700 | 3.1% |
| Other public land (highways, other state land) | 66 | under 0.1% |
| Private and other land not shown | 154,295 | 16.1% |
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.
What other hunts share the Paunsaugunt 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 Paunsaugunt it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Paunsaugunt | general-season any bull elk (over the counter) | 100% |
| Mt Dutton/Paunsaugunt | limited-entry buck pronghorn | 100% |
| Kaiparowits, West | once-in-a-lifetime desert bighorn sheep | 35% |
How do you get to the Paunsaugunt unit?
Highways through the unit: US 89 (about 81 miles inside it). Towns inside: Kanab, Orderville, Tropic, Cannonville, Bryce Canyon City and Alton. Nearby: Hatch (on the line), Glendale (on the line), Henrieville (2 miles) and Panguitch (6 miles). Rivers: Paria River (33 miles) and Sevier River (25 miles).
Which limited-entry deer units border or overlap Paunsaugunt?
| Unit | Square miles | Public land | Bucks harvested (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder/Kaiparowits | 5,344 | 75.7% | 693 (2025) |
| Kaiparowits HAMSS | 3,148 | 67.9% | |
| Mt Dutton | 659 | 87.6% | 141 (2025) |
| Panguitch Lake | 882 | 77.9% | 941 (2025) |
| Zion | 1,724 | 50.7% | 1,272 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
When are the 2026 limited-entry deer hunts on Paunsaugunt?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 8 limited-entry deer hunts on Paunsaugunt: Archery Aug. 15-Sept. 11 (DB1001), Rifle (any legal weapon) Oct. 17-Oct. 31 (DB1004), Muzzleloader Sept. 23-Oct. 1 (DB1006), Multiseason See DB1001, DB1004 and DB1006 (DB1008), Rifle (any legal weapon) Nov. 2-Nov. 20 (DB1010) and Nov. 2-Nov. 20 (DB1058), and 2 more in the table above.
How many bucks were harvested on Paunsaugunt in 2025?
181, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary): 231 hunters afield on 235 permits, 78 bucks for every 100 hunters. In 2024 the count was 157.
How many people apply for Paunsaugunt limited-entry deer permits?
6,580 residents and 5,508 nonresidents made a Paunsaugunt hunt their first choice in DWR's 2025 draw; 192 residents and 22 nonresidents drew (DWR 2025 drawing results).
Is Paunsaugunt mostly public land?
Yes. 80.4% of the unit is public land open to hunting, most of it BLM (608,844 acres), measured from UGRC's land ownership map.
What is the closest town to the Paunsaugunt limited-entry deer unit?
Kanab, Orderville and Tropic are inside the unit. Just outside: Hatch (on the line), Glendale (on the line) and Henrieville (2 miles).
DWR's boundary description for Paunsaugunt
Garfield and Kane counties: Boundary begins at US-89A and the Utah-Arizona state line; north on US-89A to US-89; north on US-89 to SR-12; east on SR-12 to the Paria River; south along the Paria River to the Utah-Arizona state line; west along this state line to US-89A. USGS 1:100,000 Maps: Kanab, Panguitch. Boundary questions? Call the Cedar City office, 435-865-6100.
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 Southern Region Utah draw deadlines Boulder/Kaiparowits Mt Dutton Panguitch Lake Zion