Box Elder (Grouse Creek) elk unit: draw, harvest and public land
Box Elder, Grouse Creek is an 876-square-mile limited-entry bull elk unit in DWR's Northern Region of Utah. Limited-entry bull elk hunters here took 19 bulls on 22 permits in 2025, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary). The unit is 50.5% public land open to hunting, most of it BLM (241,960 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)Box Elder, Grouse CreekNeighboring elk unitsLake or riverHighway
| DWR region | Northern Region (Ogden office) |
|---|---|
| Size | 560,807 acres (876 square miles) |
| Public land | 50.5% (282,980 acres) |
| 2026 hunts on this unit | 3 (DWR guidebook) |
| Bulls harvested, 2025 | 19 on 22 permits |
| Harvest per 100 hunters, 2025 | 86 (from DWR's figures) |
| 2025 first-choice applicants | 349 residents, 106 nonresidents (23 drew) |
| Towns in and near it | None within 20 miles |
When are the 2026 elk hunts on Box Elder, Grouse Creek?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 3 limited-entry bull elk 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB3147 | Early rifle | Sept. 16-Sept. 20 | 195 | 6 | 59 | 1 |
| EB3150 | Midseason rifle | Oct. 3-Oct. 15 | 138 | 12 | 31 | 1 |
| EB3153 | Muzzleloader | Sept. 21-Oct. 2 | 16 | 2 | 16 | 1 |
Source: 2026 Utah Big Game Application Guidebook, hunt tables, pages 56, 57 and 59; 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 bulls are taken on Box Elder, Grouse Creek each year?
DWR's harvest reports cover Box Elder, Grouse Creek's limited-entry bull elk hunts in 13 years from 2013 to 2025. In 2025, 22 hunters afield took 19 bulls, 86 for every 100 hunters. In 2024: 13 from 26 hunters on 26 permits.
| Year | Hunts reported | Permits | Hunters afield | Bulls harvested | Harvest per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 86 |
| 2024 | 3 | 26 | 26 | 13 | 50 |
| 2023 | 3 | 31 | 31 | 19 | 61 |
| 2022 | 4 | 33 | 33 | 20 | 61 |
| 2021 | 4 | 30 | 30 | 21 | 70 |
| 2020 | 4 | 29 | 28 | 17 | 61 |
| 2019 | 3 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 85 |
| 2018 | 3 | 23 | 23 | 14 | 61 |
| 2017 | 3 | 24 | 24 | 19 | 79 |
| 2016 | 3 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 85 |
| 2015 | 3 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 80 |
| 2014 | 3 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 71 |
| 2013 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 100 |
Source: DWR harvest reports, 2013 to 2025, every limited-entry bull elk 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 Box Elder, Grouse Creek
| Hunt | Weapon | Permits | Hunters afield | Bulls harvested | DWR's percent success | Average days | Satisfaction (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB3147 | Early rifle | 7 | 7 | 6 | 85.7% | 2.5 | 4.2 |
| EB3150 | Midseason rifle | 12 | 12 | 10 | 83.3% | 5.4 | 3.8 |
| EB3153 | Muzzleloader | 3 | 3 | 3 | 100% | 4.7 | 4 |
Source: DWR 2025 harvest report (preliminary).
Box Elder, Grouse Creek by weapon, year by year
Bulls harvested of permits issued, by weapon, for each year DWR reported since 2018:
| Weapon | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early rifle | 6 of 7 | 5 of 8 | 6 of 9 | 10 of 16 | 10 of 13 | |||
| Midseason rifle | 10 of 12 | 7 of 14 | 10 of 17 | 6 of 12 | 7 of 9 | 1 of 1 | ||
| Muzzleloader | 3 of 3 | 1 of 4 | 3 of 5 | 4 of 5 | 4 of 8 | 6 of 9 | 7 of 7 | 1 of 7 |
| Rifle (any legal weapon) | 10 of 19 | 10 of 13 | 13 of 16 |
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 Box Elder, Grouse Creek elk permits?
In DWR's 2025 draw, 349 residents put a Box Elder, Grouse Creek elk hunt first and 20 drew a permit, 5.7% of them; 106 nonresidents applied first choice and 3 drew (2.8%). In 2024, 305 residents applied first choice and 23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB3147 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) bull elk - early | 195 | 6 | 59 | 1 |
| EB3150 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) bull elk - mid | 138 | 12 | 31 | 1 |
| EB3153 | Limited-entry muzzleloader bull elk | 16 | 2 | 16 | 1 |
| Hunt | Residents, reserved permits: points | Residents, random permits: points | Nonresidents, reserved permits: points | Nonresidents, random permits: points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB3147 | 17 to 20 | 7 to 12 | 6 | |
| EB3150 | 12 to 21 | 2 to 10 | 23 | |
| EB3153 | 19 | 8 | 16 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB3147 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) bull elk - early | 168 | 7 | 59 | 1 |
| EB3150 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) bull elk - mid | 111 | 13 | 40 | 1 |
| EB3153 | Limited-entry muzzleloader bull elk | 26 | 3 | 19 | 1 |
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 Box Elder, Grouse Creek is public land?
50.5% of the Box Elder, Grouse Creek elk unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 282,980 of 560,807 acres. The largest share is BLM, 241,960 acres or 43.1% of the unit.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Box Elder, Grouse Creek |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 241,960 | 43.1% |
| State trust land (SITLA) | 41,019 | 7.3% |
| National forest | 1 | under 0.1% |
| Private and other land not shown | 277,827 | 49.5% |
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 Box Elder, Grouse Creek elk 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 Box Elder, Grouse Creek it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Box Elder | general-season deer | 100% |
| Box Elder | once-in-a-lifetime bull moose | 100% |
| Box Elder, West | limited-entry buck pronghorn | 100% |
| Box Elder, Grouse Creek | general-season spike elk (over the counter) | 100% |
How do you get to the Box Elder, Grouse Creek unit?
No numbered highway crosses the unit.
Which elk units border or overlap Box Elder, Grouse Creek?
| Unit | Square miles | Public land | Bulls harvested (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box Elder, Pilot Mountain | 1,339 | 57.2% | 9 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
When are the 2026 elk hunts on Box Elder, Grouse Creek?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 3 limited-entry bull elk hunts on Box Elder, Grouse Creek: Early rifle Sept. 16-Sept. 20 (EB3147), Midseason rifle Oct. 3-Oct. 15 (EB3150) and Muzzleloader Sept. 21-Oct. 2 (EB3153).
How many bulls were harvested on Box Elder, Grouse Creek in 2025?
19, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary): 22 hunters afield on 22 permits, 86 bulls for every 100 hunters. In 2024 the count was 13.
How many people apply for Box Elder, Grouse Creek elk permits?
349 residents and 106 nonresidents made a Box Elder, Grouse Creek hunt their first choice in DWR's 2025 draw; 20 residents and 3 nonresidents drew (DWR 2025 drawing results).
Is Box Elder, Grouse Creek mostly public land?
Yes. 50.5% of the unit is public land open to hunting, most of it BLM (241,960 acres), measured from UGRC's land ownership map. Most of the rest is private land.
What is the closest town to the Box Elder, Grouse Creek elk unit?
No incorporated town lies within 20 miles of the unit.
DWR's boundary description for Box Elder, Grouse Creek
Box Elder County: Boundary begins on the Utah-Idaho state line at the Lynn/Almo, Idaho road and the Utah-Idaho state line; southwest on this road through the Raft River Narrows to Lynn and the Lynn Valley road; south on this road to the Dove Creek road; southeast on this road over Dove Creek Pass to SR-30 near Rosette; south and west on SR-30 to the Utah-Nevada state line; north on this state line to the Utah-Idaho state line; east on this state line to the Lynn/Almo, Idaho road. This hunt is comprised of all or largely private property. Hunters should acquire written permission from the landowner before applying for this hunt. Excludes all CWMUs. USGS 1:100,000 Maps: Grouse Creek, Jackpot, Newfoundland Mountains, Wells. Boundary Questions? Call Ogden office, 801-476-2740.
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 Northern Region Utah draw deadlines Box Elder, Pilot Mountain