Wasatch Mountains (West) deer unit: harvest, draw and public land
Wasatch Mountains, West is a 1,220-square-mile general-season deer unit in DWR's Central Region of Utah. Hunters on its general-season buck deer hunts took 1,175 bucks in 2025, with 4,775 hunters afield across 3 hunts, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary). The unit is 59% public land open to hunting, most of it national forest (442,156 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 landBureau of ReclamationNational park or monument (NPS, no hunting)Tribal 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)Wasatch Mountains, WestNeighboring deer unitsLake or riverHighway
| DWR region | Central Region (Springville office) |
|---|---|
| Size | 780,889 acres (1,220 square miles) |
| Public land | 59% (461,107 acres) |
| 2026 hunts on this unit | 3 general-season, plus 1 limited-entry (DWR guidebook) |
| Bucks harvested, 2025 | 1,175 (4,775 hunters afield) |
| Harvest per 100 hunters, 2025 | 25 (from DWR's figures) |
| 2025 first-choice applicants | 4,672 residents, 163 nonresidents (4,249 drew) |
| Wildlife management areas | 7, 16,495 acres inside the unit |
| Towns in and near it | Provo, Lehi, Draper, Spanish Fork, Independence and Heber |
When are the 2026 deer hunts on Wasatch Mountains, West?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 3 general-season buck 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1526 | Archery | Aug. 15-Sept. 11 | 1,124 | 1,020 | 65 | 65 |
| DB1556 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | Oct. 17-Oct. 25 | 3,063 | 2,593 | 89 | 85 |
| DB1586 | Muzzleloader | Sept. 23-Oct. 1 | 485 | 477 | 9 | 9 |
Source: 2026 Utah Big Game Application Guidebook, hunt tables, pages 44, 45 and 47; 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 the Wasatch Mountains, West deer unit?
DWR's harvest reports for the Wasatch Mountains, West general-season deer hunts, by weapon: bucks harvested, with hunters afield in brackets. In 2024, hunters took 731 bucks here.
| Year | Archery: bucks (hunters) | Muzzleloader: bucks (hunters) | Rifle: bucks (hunters) | All these hunts: bucks | All these hunts: hunters afield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 163 (900) | 187 (947) | 825 (2,928) | 1,175 | 4,775 |
| 2024 | 159 (895) | 98 (938) | 474 (2,756) | 731 | 4,589 |
| 2023 | 79 (950) | 107 (1,073) | 322 (2,481) | 508 | 4,504 |
| 2022 | 182 (1,128) | 285 (1,212) | 1,152 (3,535) | 1,619 | 5,875 |
| 2021 | 161 (1,118) | 324 (1,196) | 724 (2,884) | 1,209 | 5,198 |
| 2020 | 170 (1,187) | 319 (1,322) | 583 (2,997) | 1,072 | 5,506 |
| 2019 | 103 (1,055) | 243 (1,237) | 555 (2,814) | 901 | 5,106 |
| 2018 | 181 (1,192) | 398 (1,212) | 848 (2,907) | 1,427 | 5,311 |
| 2017 | 122 (1,116) | 208 (1,281) | 593 (2,889) | 923 | 5,286 |
| 2016 | 178 (1,137) | 396 (1,268) | 805 (2,986) | 1,379 | 5,391 |
| 2015 | 226 (1,281) | 337 (1,330) | 1,012 (3,096) | 1,575 | 5,707 |
| 2014 | 165 (1,158) | 330 (1,266) | 819 (2,857) | 1,314 | 5,281 |
| 2013 | 143 (1,081) | 288 (1,224) | 807 (2,863) | 1,238 | 5,168 |
Source: DWR harvest reports, 2013 to 2025. "All these hunts" adds DWR's archery, muzzleloader, early rifle and rifle rows (restricted muzzleloader and restricted rifle hunts in those columns); youth and Dedicated Hunter rows and extended archery are not in these tables. 2025 is DWR's preliminary report.
Each 2025 hunt on Wasatch Mountains, West
| Hunt | Weapon | Permits | Hunters afield | Bucks harvested | DWR's percent success | Average days | Satisfaction (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1526 | Archery | 1,164 | 900 | 163 | 18.1% | 8.4 | 3.4 |
| DB1556 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | 3,471 | 2,928 | 825 | 28.2% | 3.7 | 3.2 |
| DB1586 | Muzzleloader | 1,129 | 947 | 187 | 19.7% | 4 | 3.1 |
Source: DWR 2025 harvest report (preliminary). DWR works out percent success from its survey answers, so it can differ a little from harvest divided by hunters.
Are there limited-entry deer hunts on Wasatch Mountains, West?
Yes. DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 1 limited-entry buck deer hunt on the Wasatch Mountains, West unit, drawn on bonus points. In 2025, those hunts had 32 permits and hunters took 20 bucks (DWR).
| Hunt number | Hunt | 2026 season | 2025 first-choice applicants (residents) | 2025 permits drawn (residents) | 2025 first-choice applicants (nonresidents) | 2025 permits drawn (nonresidents) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1087 | Muzzleloader | Oct. 28-Nov. 5 | 69 | 29 | 8 | 3 |
| Hunt | Weapon | Permits | Hunters afield | Bucks harvested | DWR's percent success | Average days | Satisfaction (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1087 | Muzzleloader | 32 | 30 | 20 | 66.7% | 5 | 3.4 |
Sources: 2026 Utah Big Game Application Guidebook; DWR 2025 drawing results; DWR 2025 harvest report (preliminary).
How many hunters apply for Wasatch Mountains, West deer permits?
In DWR's 2025 draw, 4,672 residents put a Wasatch Mountains, West deer hunt first and 4,090 drew a permit, 87.5% of them; 163 nonresidents applied first choice and 159 drew (97.5%). In 2024, 5,166 residents applied first choice and 3,897 drew. General-season buck deer permits are drawn on preference points.
| Hunt | DWR's hunt name | Resident applicants | Residents drawn | Nonresident applicants | Nonresidents drawn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1526 | General season, archery | 1,124 | 1,020 | 65 | 65 |
| DB1556 | General season, any legal weapon | 3,063 | 2,593 | 89 | 85 |
| DB1586 | General season, muzzleloader | 485 | 477 | 9 | 9 |
| Hunt | DWR's hunt name | Resident applicants | Residents drawn | Nonresident applicants | Nonresidents drawn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1526 | General season, archery | 1,332 | 930 | 61 | 58 |
| DB1556 | General season, any legal weapon | 3,277 | 2,423 | 93 | 89 |
| DB1586 | General season, muzzleloader | 557 | 544 | 16 | 16 |
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 Wasatch Mountains, West is public land?
59% of the Wasatch Mountains, West deer unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 461,107 of 780,889 acres. The largest share is national forest, 442,156 acres or 56.6% of the unit. 254 acres are National Park Service land, closed to hunting.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Wasatch Mountains, West |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 442,156 | 56.6% |
| State park (park rules) | 25,426 | 3.3% |
| DWR wildlife land | 15,817 | 2% |
| State trust land (SITLA) | 1,424 | 0.2% |
| BLM | 1,368 | 0.2% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 342 | under 0.1% |
| National park or monument (NPS, no hunting) | 254 | under 0.1% |
| State sovereign land (lake and river beds) | 172 | under 0.1% |
| Other public land (highways, other state land) | 161 | under 0.1% |
| Military land (closed) | 24 | under 0.1% |
| Private and other land not shown | 293,745 | 37.6% |
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: Wallsburg WMA (13,145 acres), Timpanogos WMA (2,347 acres), Hobble Creek WMA (517 acres), Loafer Mountain WMA (192 acres), Diamond Fork WMA (170 acres), Provo Peak WMA (82 acres) and Dairy Fork WMA (42 acres).
What other hunts share the Wasatch Mountains, West 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 Wasatch Mountains, West it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Wasatch Mountains/Central Mountains | once-in-a-lifetime bull moose | 100% |
| Wasatch Mountains, West | once-in-a-lifetime Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep | 100% |
| Wasatch Mountains | general-season spike elk (over the counter) | 77% |
| Wasatch Mountains | limited-entry bull elk | 77% |
| Wasatch Mountains, North | general-season spike elk (over the counter) | 23% |
| Wasatch Mountains, Lone Peak | once-in-a-lifetime mountain goat | 20% |
| Wasatch Mountains, Provo Peak | once-in-a-lifetime mountain goat | 17% |
| Wasatch Mountains, Timpanogos | once-in-a-lifetime mountain goat | 8% |
| Wasatch Mountains, Box Elder Peak | once-in-a-lifetime mountain goat | 6% |
How do you get to the Wasatch Mountains, West unit?
Highways through the unit: US 89 (about 52 miles inside it), US 189 (about 42 miles inside it), US 40 and I-215 (one road, about 22 miles inside it), I-15 (about 19 miles inside it) and I-80 (about 14 miles inside it). Towns inside: Provo, Lehi, Draper, Sandy, Park City and Orem. Nearby: Spanish Fork (on the line), Independence (on the line), Heber (on the line) and Vineyard (2 miles). Rivers: Provo River (31 miles) and Strawberry River (5 miles).
Which deer units border or overlap Wasatch Mountains, West?
| Unit | Square miles | Public land | Bucks harvested (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Canyon | 631 | 18.7% | 325 (2025) |
| Kamas | 343 | 59.1% | 199 (2025) |
| Manti/San Rafael | 7,649 | 81.5% | 2,518 (2025) |
| Nebo | 1,472 | 49.1% | 1,417 (2025) |
| Oquirrh/Tintic | 2,164 | 33.4% | 796 (2025) |
| Wasatch Mountains, East | 1,631 | 54.2% | 1,658 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
When are the 2026 deer hunts on Wasatch Mountains, West?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 3 general-season hunts on Wasatch Mountains, West: Archery Aug. 15-Sept. 11 (DB1526), Rifle (any legal weapon) Oct. 17-Oct. 25 (DB1556) and Muzzleloader Sept. 23-Oct. 1 (DB1586).
How many bucks were harvested on Wasatch Mountains, West in 2025?
1,175, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary): 4,775 hunters afield, 25 bucks for every 100 hunters. In 2024 the count was 731.
How many people apply for Wasatch Mountains, West deer permits?
4,672 residents and 163 nonresidents made a Wasatch Mountains, West hunt their first choice in DWR's 2025 draw; 4,090 residents and 159 nonresidents drew (DWR 2025 drawing results).
Is Wasatch Mountains, West mostly public land?
Yes. 59% of the unit is public land open to hunting, most of it national forest (442,156 acres), measured from UGRC's land ownership map. Most of the rest is private land.
What is the closest town to the Wasatch Mountains, West deer unit?
Provo, Lehi and Draper are inside the unit. Just outside: Spanish Fork (on the line), Independence (on the line) and Heber (on the line).
DWR's boundary description for Wasatch Mountains, West
Salt Lake, Summit, Utah and Wasatch counties: Boundary begins at I-80 and I-15 in Salt Lake City; east on I-80 to US-40; south on US-40 to the Strawberry Bay Marina road; south on this road to USFS Road 042 (Indian Creek road); south and west on this road to USFS Road 051; south on this road to US-6; west on US-6 to US-89; northwest on US-6 to I-15; north on I-15 to I-80 in Salt Lake City. Excludes all CWMUs. USGS 1:100,000 Maps: Nephi, Provo, Salt Lake City. Boundary questions? Call the Springville office, 801-491-5678.
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 Central Region Utah draw deadlines East Canyon Kamas Manti/San Rafael Nebo Wasatch Mountains, East