Nebo/San Pitch Mountains elk unit: draw, harvest and public land
Nebo/San Pitch Mountains is a 965-square-mile limited-entry bull elk unit in DWR's Central Region of Utah. Limited-entry bull elk hunters here took 64 bulls on 103 permits in 2025, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary). The unit is 50.9% public land open to hunting, most of it national forest (190,406 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, 2023 to 2025. Draw: DWR's 2024 and 2025 results. Land: UGRC, 2023.
National forestBLMState trust land (SITLA)DWR wildlife landBureau of ReclamationMilitary land (closed)State park (park rules)State sovereign land (lake and river beds)Nebo/San Pitch MountainsNeighboring elk unitsLake or riverHighway
| DWR region | Central Region (Springville office) |
|---|---|
| Size | 617,457 acres (965 square miles) |
| Public land | 50.9% (314,272 acres) |
| 2026 hunts on this unit | 7 (DWR guidebook) |
| Bulls harvested, 2025 | 64 on 103 permits |
| Harvest per 100 hunters, 2025 | 62 (from DWR's figures) |
| 2025 first-choice applicants | 1,764 residents, 255 nonresidents (102 drew) |
| Wildlife management areas | 11, 39,196 acres inside the unit |
| Towns in and near it | Spanish Fork, Payson, Salem, Ephraim, Manti and Sterling |
When are the 2026 elk hunts on Nebo/San Pitch 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB3173 | Archery | Aug. 15-Sept. 15 | 220 | 21 | 50 | 2 |
| EB3174 | Late archery | Nov. 28-Dec. 13 | 19 | 9 | 3 | 1 |
| EB3175 | Early rifle | Sept. 16-Sept. 20 | 663 | 8 | 77 | 1 |
| EB3176 | Late rifle | Nov. 7-Nov. 15 | 212 | 14 | 40 | 2 |
| EB3177 | Midseason rifle | Oct. 3-Oct. 15 | 405 | 24 | 54 | 3 |
| EB3178 | Multiseason | Limited-entry seasons | 103 | 3 | ||
| EB3179 | Muzzleloader | Sept. 21-Oct. 2 | 142 | 13 | 31 | 1 |
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 Nebo/San Pitch Mountains each year?
DWR's harvest reports cover Nebo/San Pitch Mountains' limited-entry bull elk hunts in 3 years from 2023 to 2025. In 2025, 103 hunters afield took 64 bulls, 62 for every 100 hunters. In 2024: 53 from 84 hunters on 85 permits.
| Year | Hunts reported | Permits | Hunters afield | Bulls harvested | Harvest per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | 103 | 103 | 64 | 62 |
| 2024 | 7 | 85 | 84 | 53 | 63 |
| 2023 | 7 | 83 | 83 | 58 | 70 |
Source: DWR harvest reports, 2023 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 Nebo/San Pitch Mountains
| Hunt | Weapon | Permits | Hunters afield | Bulls harvested | DWR's percent success | Average days | Satisfaction (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB3173 | Archery | 25 | 25 | 6 | 24% | 15.3 | 3.5 |
| EB3174 | Late archery | 8 | 8 | 5 | 62.5% | 8.4 | 3.3 |
| EB3175 | Early rifle | 9 | 9 | 6 | 66.7% | 3.3 | 4.1 |
| EB3176 | Late rifle | 18 | 18 | 13 | 72.2% | 5 | 4.1 |
| EB3177 | Midseason rifle | 27 | 27 | 22 | 81.5% | 6.1 | 3.5 |
| EB3178 | Multiseason | 4 | 4 | 3 | 75% | 43.7 | 2.3 |
| EB3179 | Muzzleloader | 12 | 12 | 9 | 75% | 6.3 | 3.3 |
Source: DWR 2025 harvest report (preliminary).
Nebo/San Pitch Mountains by weapon, year by year
Bulls harvested of permits issued, by weapon, for each year DWR reported since 2023:
| Weapon | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 6 of 25 | 5 of 19 | 9 of 19 |
| Early rifle | 6 of 9 | 8 of 9 | 8 of 8 |
| Late archery | 5 of 8 | 1 of 5 | 0 of 5 |
| Late rifle | 13 of 18 | 9 of 14 | 12 of 14 |
| Midseason rifle | 22 of 27 | 19 of 24 | 18 of 23 |
| Multiseason | 3 of 4 | 2 of 2 | 2 of 2 |
| Muzzleloader | 9 of 12 | 9 of 12 | 9 of 12 |
Source: DWR harvest reports, 2023 to 2025. An empty cell means DWR printed no hunt of that kind on this unit that year.
How many hunters apply for Nebo/San Pitch Mountains elk permits?
In DWR's 2025 draw, 1,764 residents put a Nebo/San Pitch Mountains elk hunt first and 92 drew a permit, 5.2% of them; 255 nonresidents applied first choice and 10 drew (3.9%). In 2024, 1,752 residents applied first choice and 74 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB3173 | Limited-entry archery bull elk | 220 | 21 | 50 | 2 |
| EB3174 | Limited-entry archery bull elk - late | 19 | 9 | 3 | 1 |
| EB3175 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) bull elk - early | 663 | 8 | 77 | 1 |
| EB3176 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) bull elk - late | 212 | 14 | 40 | 2 |
| EB3177 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) bull elk - mid | 405 | 24 | 54 | 3 |
| EB3178 | Limited-entry multi-season bull elk | 103 | 3 | ||
| EB3179 | Limited-entry muzzleloader bull elk | 142 | 13 | 31 | 1 |
| Hunt | Residents, reserved permits: points | Residents, random permits: points | Nonresidents, reserved permits: points | Nonresidents, random permits: points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB3173 | 10 to 15 | 0 to 7 | 21 | 0 |
| EB3174 | 4 to 8 | 2 to 3 | 3 | |
| EB3175 | 21 to 25 | 4 to 21 | 4 | |
| EB3176 | 15 to 17 | 3 to 10 | 13 | 12 |
| EB3177 | 16 to 21 | 2 to 15 | 24 to 26 | 7 |
| EB3178 | 25 to 29 | 10 | ||
| EB3179 | 16 to 20 | 4 to 14 | 19 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB3173 | Limited-entry archery bull elk | 210 | 17 | 48 | 2 |
| EB3174 | Limited-entry archery bull elk - late | 13 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| EB3175 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) bull elk - early | 680 | 6 | 77 | 1 |
| EB3176 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) bull elk - late | 249 | 13 | 44 | 1 |
| EB3177 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) bull elk - mid | 348 | 21 | 54 | 2 |
| EB3178 | Limited-entry multi-season bull elk | 118 | 2 | ||
| EB3179 | Limited-entry muzzleloader bull elk | 134 | 11 | 35 | 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 Nebo/San Pitch Mountains is public land?
50.9% of the Nebo/San Pitch Mountains elk unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 314,272 of 617,457 acres. The largest share is national forest, 190,406 acres or 30.8% of the unit.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Nebo/San Pitch Mountains |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 190,406 | 30.8% |
| BLM | 67,895 | 11% |
| DWR wildlife land | 37,417 | 6.1% |
| State trust land (SITLA) | 18,554 | 3% |
| Military land (closed) | 678 | 0.1% |
| Other public land (highways, other state land) | 19 | under 0.1% |
| Private and other land not shown | 302,488 | 49% |
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: Loafer Mountain WMA (14,301 acres), Spencer Fork WMA (7,365 acres), Santaquin WMA (4,836 acres), Triangle Ranch WMA (2,840 acres), Levan WMA (2,197 acres), Nephi Canyon WMA (2,118 acres), Mona Bench WMA (2,076 acres), Deep Creek WMA (1,200 acres), Maple Canyon WMA (1,169 acres) and Big Hollow WMA (760 acres), and 1 more.
What other hunts share the Nebo/San Pitch 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 Nebo/San Pitch Mountains it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Wasatch Mountains/Central Mountains | once-in-a-lifetime bull moose | 100% |
| Nebo | general-season deer, with its limited-entry hunts | 100% |
| Nebo | once-in-a-lifetime Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep | 100% |
| Nebo | once-in-a-lifetime mountain goat | 100% |
| Nebo/San Pitch Mountains | general-season spike elk (over the counter) | 100% |
How do you get to the Nebo/San Pitch Mountains unit?
Highways through the unit: US 89 (about 32 miles inside it), US 6 (about 21 miles inside it), I-15 (about 15 miles inside it), UT 147 (about 3 miles inside it), UT 115 (about 3 miles inside it) and UT 164 (about 3 miles inside it). Towns inside: Spanish Fork, Payson, Salem, Mount Pleasant, Elk Ridge and Woodland Hills. Nearby: Ephraim (on the line), Manti (on the line), Sterling (on the line) and Moroni (on the line).
Which elk units border or overlap Nebo/San Pitch Mountains?
| Unit | Square miles | Public land | Bulls harvested (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manti | 2,561 | 73.5% | 439 (2025) |
| Wasatch Mountains | 2,568 | 57.6% | 417 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
When are the 2026 elk hunts on Nebo/San Pitch Mountains?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 7 limited-entry bull elk hunts on Nebo/San Pitch Mountains: Archery Aug. 15-Sept. 15 (EB3173), Late archery Nov. 28-Dec. 13 (EB3174), Early rifle Sept. 16-Sept. 20 (EB3175), Late rifle Nov. 7-Nov. 15 (EB3176), Midseason rifle Oct. 3-Oct. 15 (EB3177) and Multiseason Limited-entry seasons (EB3178), and 1 more in the table above.
How many bulls were harvested on Nebo/San Pitch Mountains in 2025?
64, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary): 103 hunters afield on 103 permits, 62 bulls for every 100 hunters. In 2024 the count was 53.
How many people apply for Nebo/San Pitch Mountains elk permits?
1,764 residents and 255 nonresidents made a Nebo/San Pitch Mountains hunt their first choice in DWR's 2025 draw; 92 residents and 10 nonresidents drew (DWR 2025 drawing results).
Is Nebo/San Pitch Mountains mostly public land?
Yes. 50.9% of the unit is public land open to hunting, most of it national forest (190,406 acres), measured from UGRC's land ownership map. Most of the rest is private land.
What is the closest town to the Nebo/San Pitch Mountains elk unit?
Spanish Fork, Payson and Salem are inside the unit. Just outside: Ephraim (on the line), Manti (on the line) and Sterling (on the line).
DWR's boundary description for Nebo/San Pitch Mountains
Juab, Millard, Sanpete, Sevier and Utah counties: Boundary begins at US-6 and I-15 at Spanish Fork; southeast on US-6 to US-89 near Thistle; south on US-89 to Big Hollow Rd; west on Big Hollow Rd to SR-132 in Fountain Green; South on SR-132 to Main St (SR-116) in Moroni; East on SR-116 to US-89 in Mount Pleasant; south on US-89 to SR-28 in Gunnison; north on SR-28 to I-15 in Nephi; north on I-15 to US-6 at Spanish Fork. Excludes all CWMUs. USGS 1:100,000 Maps: Maps: Delta, Manti, Nephi, Provo, Salina. Boundary questions? Call the Springville office, 801-491-5678.
From DWR's 2026 unit layer.
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 Central Region Utah draw deadlines Manti Wasatch Mountains