Zion deer unit: harvest, draw and public land
Zion is a 1,724-square-mile general-season deer unit in DWR's Southern Region of Utah. Hunters on its general-season buck deer hunts took 1,272 bucks in 2025, with 2,423 hunters afield across 4 hunts, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary). The unit is 50.7% public land open to hunting, most of it BLM (436,573 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)Tribal land (tribe's rules)State park (park rules)Other public land (highways, other state land)ZionNeighboring deer unitsLake or riverHighway
| DWR region | Southern Region (Cedar City office) |
|---|---|
| Size | 1,103,078 acres (1,724 square miles) |
| Public land | 50.7% (559,298 acres) |
| 2026 hunts on this unit | 4 general-season, plus 1 limited-entry (DWR guidebook) |
| Bucks harvested, 2025 | 1,272 (2,423 hunters afield) |
| Harvest per 100 hunters, 2025 | 52 (from DWR's figures) |
| 2025 first-choice applicants | 4,057 residents, 573 nonresidents (1,924 drew) |
| Towns in and near it | St. George, Hurricane, Apple Valley, Kanab, Orderville and Cedar City |
When are the 2026 deer hunts on Zion?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 4 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1529 | Archery | Aug. 15-Sept. 11 | 496 | 373 | 99 | 42 |
| DB1559 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | Oct. 17-Oct. 25 | 2,414 | 627 | 308 | 70 |
| DB1589 | Muzzleloader | Sept. 23-Oct. 1 | 398 | 368 | 61 | 41 |
| DB1597 | Early rifle | Oct. 7-Oct. 11 | 749 | 362 | 105 | 41 |
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 Zion deer unit?
DWR's harvest reports for the Zion general-season deer hunts, by weapon: bucks harvested, with hunters afield in brackets. In 2024, hunters took 1,201 bucks here.
| Year | Archery: bucks (hunters) | Muzzleloader: bucks (hunters) | Early rifle: bucks (hunters) | Rifle: bucks (hunters) | All these hunts: bucks | All these hunts: hunters afield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 157 (405) | 185 (423) | 236 (479) | 694 (1,116) | 1,272 | 2,423 |
| 2024 | 186 (542) | 159 (511) | 245 (526) | 611 (1,111) | 1,201 | 2,690 |
| 2023 | 127 (361) | 201 (380) | 159 (309) | 320 (606) | 807 | 1,656 |
| 2022 | 113 (394) | 219 (387) | 118 (300) | 465 (840) | 915 | 1,921 |
| 2021 | 167 (452) | 195 (471) | 162 (380) | 378 (835) | 902 | 2,138 |
| 2020 | 173 (608) | 229 (604) | 173 (462) | 362 (1,009) | 937 | 2,683 |
| 2019 | 169 (574) | 257 (620) | 250 (463) | 497 (983) | 1,173 | 2,640 |
| 2018 | 182 (580) | 283 (597) | 200 (457) | 517 (951) | 1,182 | 2,585 |
| 2017 | 255 (613) | 291 (615) | 673 (1,246) | 1,219 | 2,474 | |
| 2016 | 231 (614) | 307 (588) | 681 (1,269) | 1,219 | 2,471 | |
| 2015 | 213 (558) | 212 (502) | 741 (1,370) | 1,166 | 2,430 | |
| 2014 | 154 (506) | 195 (503) | 643 (1,362) | 992 | 2,371 | |
| 2013 | 143 (524) | 256 (520) | 626 (1,267) | 1,025 | 2,311 |
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 Zion
| Hunt | Weapon | Permits | Hunters afield | Bucks harvested | DWR's percent success | Average days | Satisfaction (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1529 | Archery | 458 | 405 | 157 | 38.8% | 7.6 | 3.6 |
| DB1559 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | 1,191 | 1,116 | 694 | 62.2% | 4.3 | 3.7 |
| DB1589 | Muzzleloader | 489 | 423 | 185 | 43.7% | 3.8 | 3.5 |
| DB1597 | Early rifle | 535 | 479 | 236 | 49.3% | 3.5 | 3.6 |
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 Zion?
Yes. DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 1 limited-entry buck deer hunt on the Zion unit, drawn on bonus points. In 2025, those hunts had 15 permits and hunters took 7 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1043 | Muzzleloader | Oct. 28-Nov. 5 | 78 | 12 | 36 | 2 |
| Hunt | Weapon | Permits | Hunters afield | Bucks harvested | DWR's percent success | Average days | Satisfaction (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1043 | Muzzleloader | 15 | 15 | 7 | 46.7% | 6.4 | 2.8 |
Sources: 2026 Utah Big Game Application Guidebook; DWR 2025 drawing results; DWR 2025 harvest report (preliminary).
How many hunters apply for Zion deer permits?
In DWR's 2025 draw, 4,057 residents put a Zion deer hunt first and 1,730 drew a permit, 42.6% of them; 573 nonresidents applied first choice and 194 drew (33.9%). In 2024, 4,435 residents applied first choice and 1,957 drew. General-season buck deer permits are drawn on preference points.
| Hunt | DWR's hunt name | Resident applicants | Residents drawn | Nonresident applicants | Nonresidents drawn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1529 | General season, archery | 496 | 373 | 99 | 42 |
| DB1559 | General season, any legal weapon | 2,414 | 627 | 308 | 70 |
| DB1589 | General season, muzzleloader | 398 | 368 | 61 | 41 |
| DB1597 | General season, any legal weapon | 749 | 362 | 105 | 41 |
| Hunt | DWR's hunt name | Resident applicants | Residents drawn | Nonresident applicants | Nonresidents drawn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB1529 | General season, archery | 529 | 480 | 134 | 54 |
| DB1559 | General season, any legal weapon | 2,660 | 698 | 338 | 78 |
| DB1589 | General season, muzzleloader | 403 | 391 | 84 | 53 |
| DB1597 | General season, any legal weapon | 843 | 388 | 119 | 44 |
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 Zion is public land?
50.7% of the Zion deer unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 559,298 of 1,103,078 acres. The largest share is BLM, 436,573 acres or 39.6% of the unit. 2,405 acres are tribal land, hunted only under the tribe's own rules. 144,954 acres are National Park Service land, closed to hunting.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Zion |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 436,573 | 39.6% |
| National park or monument (NPS, no hunting) | 144,954 | 13.1% |
| National forest | 62,038 | 5.6% |
| State trust land (SITLA) | 60,586 | 5.5% |
| State park (park rules) | 5,397 | 0.5% |
| Tribal land (tribe's rules) | 2,405 | 0.2% |
| Other public land (highways, other state land) | 440 | under 0.1% |
| DWR wildlife land | 101 | under 0.1% |
| Military land (closed) | 68 | under 0.1% |
| Private and other land not shown | 390,516 | 35.4% |
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's Walk-In Access program has 3 active hunting properties on private land in the unit, about 1,024 acres. Each has its own rules: DWR Walk-In Access.
What other hunts share the Zion 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 Zion it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Zion | once-in-a-lifetime desert bighorn sheep | 100% |
| Zion | general-season any bull elk (over the counter) | 100% |
How do you get to the Zion unit?
Highways through the unit: I-15 (about 32 miles inside it) and US 89 (about 18 miles inside it). Towns inside: St. George, Hurricane, Apple Valley, Washington, Toquerville and La Verkin. Nearby: Kanab (on the line), Orderville (on the line), Cedar City (on the line) and Alton (2 miles). Rivers: Virgin River (44 miles).
Which deer units border or overlap Zion?
| Unit | Square miles | Public land | Bucks harvested (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panguitch Lake | 882 | 77.9% | 941 (2025) |
| Pine Valley | 2,606 | 71% | 817 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
When are the 2026 deer hunts on Zion?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 4 general-season hunts on Zion: Archery Aug. 15-Sept. 11 (DB1529), Rifle (any legal weapon) Oct. 17-Oct. 25 (DB1559), Muzzleloader Sept. 23-Oct. 1 (DB1589) and Early rifle Oct. 7-Oct. 11 (DB1597).
How many bucks were harvested on Zion in 2025?
1,272, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary): 2,423 hunters afield, 52 bucks for every 100 hunters. In 2024 the count was 1,201.
How many people apply for Zion deer permits?
4,057 residents and 573 nonresidents made a Zion hunt their first choice in DWR's 2025 draw; 1,730 residents and 194 nonresidents drew (DWR 2025 drawing results).
Is Zion mostly public land?
Yes. 50.7% of the unit is public land open to hunting, most of it BLM (436,573 acres), measured from UGRC's land ownership map. Most of the rest is private land.
What is the closest town to the Zion deer unit?
St. George, Hurricane and Apple Valley are inside the unit. Just outside: Kanab (on the line), Orderville (on the line) and Cedar City (on the line).
DWR's boundary description for Zion
Iron, Kane and Washington counties: Boundary begins at the Utah-Arizona state line and I-15; north on I-15 to SR-14; east on SR-14 to US-89; south on US-89 to US-89A; south on US-89A to the Utah-Arizona state line; west on this state line to I-15. This hunt is comprised of all or largely private property. Excludes Zion National Park. EXCLUDES ALL NATIVE AMERICAN TRUST LANDS WITHIN THIS BOUNDARY. Excludes all CWMUs. USGS 1:100,000 Maps: Cedar City, Kanab, Panguitch, Saint George. 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 Panguitch Lake Pine Valley