La Sal Mountains elk unit: draw, harvest and public land
La Sal Mountains is a 2,477-square-mile limited-entry bull elk unit in DWR's Southeastern Region of Utah. Limited-entry bull elk hunters here took 86 bulls on 174 permits in 2025, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary). The unit is 78.4% public land open to hunting, most of it BLM (940,254 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)Military land (closed)State park (park rules)State sovereign land (lake and river beds)Other public land (highways, other state land)La Sal MountainsNeighboring elk unitsLake or riverHighway
| DWR region | Southeastern Region (Price office) |
|---|---|
| Size | 1,585,236 acres (2,477 square miles) |
| Public land | 78.4% (1,243,026 acres) |
| 2026 hunts on this unit | 7 (DWR guidebook) |
| Bulls harvested, 2025 | 86 on 174 permits |
| Harvest per 100 hunters, 2025 | 50 (from DWR's figures) |
| 2025 first-choice applicants | 1,368 residents, 501 nonresidents (162 drew) |
| Wildlife management areas | 1, 426 acres inside the unit |
| Towns in and near it | Castle Valley, Moab, La Sal, Green River and Monticello |
When are the 2026 elk hunts on La Sal Mountains?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 7 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB3009 | Archery | Aug. 15-Sept. 15 | 170 | 35 | 131 | 4 |
| EB3045 | Early rifle | Sept. 16-Sept. 20 | 473 | 13 | 172 | 2 |
| EB3046 | Late rifle | Nov. 7-Nov. 15 | 214 | 24 | 41 | 2 |
| EB3087 | Muzzleloader | Sept. 21-Oct. 2 | 144 | 22 | 59 | 2 |
| EB3111 | Multiseason | Limited-entry seasons | 79 | 5 | ||
| EB3182 | Late archery | Nov. 28-Dec. 13 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 1 |
| EB3183 | Midseason rifle | Oct. 3-Oct. 15 | 281 | 41 | 93 | 4 |
Source: 2026 Utah Big Game Application Guidebook, hunt tables, pages 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59 and 60; 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 La Sal Mountains each year?
DWR's harvest reports cover La Sal Mountains' limited-entry bull elk hunts in 13 years from 2013 to 2025. In 2025, 171 hunters afield took 86 bulls, 50 for every 100 hunters. In 2024: 88 from 162 hunters on 169 permits.
| Year | Hunts reported | Permits | Hunters afield | Bulls harvested | Harvest per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | 174 | 171 | 86 | 50 |
| 2024 | 7 | 169 | 162 | 88 | 54 |
| 2023 | 7 | 156 | 153 | 82 | 54 |
| 2022 | 5 | 137 | 137 | 84 | 61 |
| 2021 | 5 | 136 | 134 | 80 | 60 |
| 2020 | 5 | 135 | 135 | 75 | 56 |
| 2019 | 5 | 134 | 132 | 69 | 52 |
| 2018 | 5 | 135 | 133 | 77 | 58 |
| 2017 | 5 | 128 | 128 | 80 | 63 |
| 2016 | 5 | 115 | 115 | 79 | 69 |
| 2015 | 5 | 114 | 114 | 78 | 68 |
| 2014 | 5 | 103 | 101 | 77 | 76 |
| 2013 | 5 | 96 | 94 | 63 | 67 |
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 La Sal Mountains
| Hunt | Weapon | Permits | Hunters afield | Bulls harvested | DWR's percent success | Average days | Satisfaction (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB3009 | Archery | 42 | 41 | 17 | 41.5% | 11.4 | 3.6 |
| EB3045 | Early rifle | 17 | 17 | 8 | 47.1% | 3.9 | 4 |
| EB3046 | Late rifle | 28 | 28 | 12 | 42.9% | 5.5 | 3.8 |
| EB3087 | Muzzleloader | 24 | 24 | 14 | 58.3% | 5.9 | 3.9 |
| EB3111 | Multiseason | 7 | 7 | 7 | 100% | 10.4 | 4.7 |
| EB3182 | Late archery | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0% | 8.7 | 3.3 |
| EB3183 | Midseason rifle | 48 | 47 | 28 | 59.6% | 6.5 | 3.6 |
Source: DWR 2025 harvest report (preliminary).
La Sal Mountains 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 17 of 42 | 11 of 41 | 12 of 38 | 10 of 32 | 14 of 34 | 8 of 33 | 8 of 33 | 8 of 32 |
| Early rifle | 8 of 17 | 15 of 19 | 16 of 18 | 38 of 48 | ||||
| Late archery | 0 of 8 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 5 | |||||
| Late rifle | 12 of 28 | 15 of 27 | 12 of 24 | 17 of 30 | ||||
| Midseason rifle | 28 of 48 | 26 of 48 | 22 of 43 | |||||
| Multiseason | 7 of 7 | 4 of 7 | 3 of 5 | 5 of 6 | 4 of 6 | 2 of 6 | 6 of 6 | 3 of 5 |
| Muzzleloader | 14 of 24 | 17 of 25 | 17 of 23 | 14 of 21 | 14 of 20 | 17 of 21 | 11 of 18 | 13 of 21 |
| Rifle (any legal weapon) | 48 of 76 | 48 of 75 | 44 of 77 | 53 of 77 |
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 La Sal Mountains elk permits?
In DWR's 2025 draw, 1,368 residents put a La Sal Mountains elk hunt first and 147 drew a permit, 10.7% of them; 501 nonresidents applied first choice and 15 drew (3%). In 2024, 1,403 residents applied first choice and 144 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB3009 | Limited-entry archery bull elk | 170 | 35 | 131 | 4 |
| EB3045 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) bull elk - early | 473 | 13 | 172 | 2 |
| EB3046 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) bull elk - late | 214 | 24 | 41 | 2 |
| EB3087 | Limited-entry muzzleloader bull elk | 144 | 22 | 59 | 2 |
| EB3111 | Limited-entry multi-season bull elk | 79 | 5 | ||
| EB3182 | Limited-entry archery bull elk - late | 7 | 7 | 5 | 1 |
| EB3183 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) bull elk - mid | 281 | 41 | 93 | 4 |
| Hunt | Residents, reserved permits: points | Residents, random permits: points | Nonresidents, reserved permits: points | Nonresidents, random permits: points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB3009 | 6 to 8 | 1 to 6 | 15 | 5 to 14 |
| EB3045 | 16 to 18 | 2 to 14 | 26 | 4 |
| EB3046 | 10 to 13 | 0 to 9 | 20 | 13 |
| EB3087 | 10 to 15 | 1 to 9 | 22 | 19 |
| EB3111 | 21 to 22 | 5 to 16 | ||
| EB3182 | 2 to 15 | 0 to 1 | 1 | |
| EB3183 | 8 to 14 | 0 to 8 | 20 | 15 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB3009 | Limited-entry archery bull elk | 188 | 35 | 138 | 4 |
| EB3045 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) bull elk - early | 494 | 13 | 183 | 1 |
| EB3046 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) bull elk - late | 163 | 24 | 73 | 2 |
| EB3087 | Limited-entry muzzleloader bull elk | 150 | 22 | 65 | 2 |
| EB3111 | Limited-entry multi-season bull elk | 84 | 5 | ||
| EB3182 | Limited-entry archery bull elk - late | 8 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| EB3183 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) bull elk - mid | 316 | 41 | 87 | 5 |
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 La Sal Mountains is public land?
78.4% of the La Sal Mountains elk unit is public land open to hunting: 1,243,026 of 1,585,236 acres, the largest share BLM (940,254 acres). DWR uses the same boundary for its general-season deer hunts; the land table by manager, the access notes and DWR's boundary description are on the La Sal Mountains deer page.
Measured by FilledTag inside DWR's 2026 boundary from UGRC's statewide land ownership map (last edited 2023).
What other hunts share the La Sal Mountains 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 La Sal Mountains it covers |
|---|---|---|
| La Sal Mountains | general-season deer, with its limited-entry hunts | 100% |
| La Sal Mountains | once-in-a-lifetime mountain goat | 100% |
| La Sal Mountains | general-season spike elk (over the counter) | 100% |
| La Sal, Potash/South Cisco | once-in-a-lifetime desert bighorn sheep | 59% |
| La Sal, Potash/South Cisco | limited-entry buck pronghorn | 59% |
| San Juan, Hatch Point | limited-entry buck pronghorn | 13% |
| Castle Valley | limited-entry deer | 4% |
| Moab Valley | limited-entry deer | 3% |
Which elk units border or overlap La Sal Mountains?
| Unit | Square miles | Public land | Bulls harvested (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Book Cliffs, Bitter Creek/East | 3,052 | 69.3% | 62 (2025) |
| Dolores Triangle | 183 | 95.6% | 6 (2025) |
| San Juan | 4,365 | 76.8% | 94 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
When are the 2026 elk hunts on La Sal Mountains?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 7 limited-entry bull elk hunts on La Sal Mountains: Archery Aug. 15-Sept. 15 (EB3009), Early rifle Sept. 16-Sept. 20 (EB3045), Late rifle Nov. 7-Nov. 15 (EB3046), Muzzleloader Sept. 21-Oct. 2 (EB3087), Multiseason Limited-entry seasons (EB3111) and Late archery Nov. 28-Dec. 13 (EB3182), and 1 more in the table above.
How many bulls were harvested on La Sal Mountains in 2025?
86, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary): 171 hunters afield on 174 permits, 50 bulls for every 100 hunters. In 2024 the count was 88.
How many people apply for La Sal Mountains elk permits?
1,368 residents and 501 nonresidents made a La Sal Mountains hunt their first choice in DWR's 2025 draw; 147 residents and 15 nonresidents drew (DWR 2025 drawing results).
Get a Utah hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Utah are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Utah included.
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, Bitter Creek/East Dolores Triangle San Juan