Southwest Desert (North) elk unit: draw, harvest and public land
Southwest Desert, North is a 2,534-square-mile limited-entry bull elk unit in DWR's Southern Region of Utah. Limited-entry bull elk hunters here took 21 bulls on 37 permits in 2025, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary). The unit is 93.9% public land open to hunting, most of it BLM (1,332,456 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, 2021 to 2025. Draw: DWR's 2024 and 2025 results. Land: UGRC, 2023.
National forestBLMState trust land (SITLA)DWR wildlife landTribal land (tribe's rules)Southwest Desert, NorthNeighboring elk unitsLake or riverHighway
| DWR region | Southern Region (Cedar City office) |
|---|---|
| Size | 1,621,668 acres (2,534 square miles) |
| Public land | 93.9% (1,522,852 acres) |
| 2026 hunts on this unit | 2 (DWR guidebook) |
| Bulls harvested, 2025 | 21 on 37 permits |
| Harvest per 100 hunters, 2025 | 57 (from DWR's figures) |
| 2025 first-choice applicants | 170 residents, 94 nonresidents (36 drew) |
| Towns in and near it | Milford, Hinckley and Delta |
When are the 2026 elk hunts on Southwest Desert, North?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 2 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB3136 | September archery | Sept. 1-Sept. 30 | 93 | 16 | 81 | 2 |
| EB3143 | HAMSS | Nov. 7-Nov. 30 | 77 | 16 | 13 | 2 |
Source: 2026 Utah Big Game Application Guidebook, hunt tables, pages 55 and 61; 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 Southwest Desert, North each year?
DWR's harvest reports cover Southwest Desert, North's limited-entry bull elk hunts in 5 years from 2021 to 2025. In 2025, 37 hunters afield took 21 bulls, 57 for every 100 hunters. In 2024: 19 from 24 hunters on 24 permits.
| Year | Hunts reported | Permits | Hunters afield | Bulls harvested | Harvest per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 37 | 37 | 21 | 57 |
| 2024 | 2 | 24 | 24 | 19 | 79 |
| 2023 | 2 | 20 | 20 | 13 | 65 |
| 2022 | 2 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 87 |
| 2021 | 2 | 17 | 16 | 11 | 69 |
Source: DWR harvest reports, 2021 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 Southwest Desert, North
| Hunt | Weapon | Permits | Hunters afield | Bulls harvested | DWR's percent success | Average days | Satisfaction (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB3136 | September archery | 19 | 19 | 8 | 42.1% | 12.9 | 3.3 |
| EB3143 | HAMSS | 18 | 18 | 13 | 72.2% | 9.5 | 2.9 |
Source: DWR 2025 harvest report (preliminary).
Southwest Desert, North by weapon, year by year
Bulls harvested of permits issued, by weapon, for each year DWR reported since 2021:
| Weapon | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HAMSS | 13 of 18 | 10 of 13 | 4 of 10 | 8 of 8 | 3 of 8 |
| September archery | 8 of 19 | 9 of 11 | 9 of 10 | 5 of 8 | 8 of 9 |
Source: DWR harvest reports, 2021 to 2025. An empty cell means DWR printed no hunt of that kind on this unit that year.
How many hunters apply for Southwest Desert, North elk permits?
In DWR's 2025 draw, 170 residents put a Southwest Desert, North elk hunt first and 32 drew a permit, 18.8% of them; 94 nonresidents applied first choice and 4 drew (4.3%). In 2024, 186 residents applied first choice and 24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB3136 | Limited-entry september archery bull elk | 93 | 16 | 81 | 2 |
| EB3143 | Limited-entry HAMSS bull elk | 77 | 16 | 13 | 2 |
| Hunt | Residents, reserved permits: points | Residents, random permits: points | Nonresidents, reserved permits: points | Nonresidents, random permits: points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB3136 | 9 to 14 | 3 to 8 | 20 | 7 |
| EB3143 | 8 to 14 | 0 to 6 | 14 | 5 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB3136 | Limited-entry september archery bull elk | 98 | 12 | 85 | 1 |
| EB3143 | Limited-entry HAMSS bull elk | 88 | 12 | 18 | 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 Southwest Desert, North is public land?
93.9% of the Southwest Desert, North elk unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 1,522,852 of 1,621,668 acres. The largest share is BLM, 1,332,456 acres or 82.2% of the unit.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Southwest Desert, North |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 1,332,456 | 82.2% |
| State trust land (SITLA) | 138,451 | 8.5% |
| National forest | 51,945 | 3.2% |
| Other public land (highways, other state land) | 170 | under 0.1% |
| State park (park rules) | 10 | under 0.1% |
| Private and other land not shown | 98,636 | 6.1% |
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 Southwest Desert, North 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 Southwest Desert, North it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest Desert | limited-entry buck pronghorn | 100% |
| Southwest Desert | general-season spike elk (over the counter) | 100% |
| Southwest Desert | general-season deer, with its limited-entry hunts | 100% |
How do you get to the Southwest Desert, North unit?
Highways through the unit: US 50 and US 6 (one road, about 27 miles inside it). Nearby: Milford (on the line), Hinckley (on the line), Delta (6 miles) and Minersville (10 miles). Rivers: Sevier River (52 miles) and Beaver River (36 miles).
Which elk units border or overlap Southwest Desert, North?
| Unit | Square miles | Public land | Bulls harvested (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Desert, South | 2,671 | 83.9% | 120 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
When are the 2026 elk hunts on Southwest Desert, North?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 2 limited-entry bull elk hunts on Southwest Desert, North: September archery Sept. 1-Sept. 30 (EB3136) and HAMSS Nov. 7-Nov. 30 (EB3143).
How many bulls were harvested on Southwest Desert, North in 2025?
21, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary): 37 hunters afield on 37 permits, 57 bulls for every 100 hunters. In 2024 the count was 19.
How many people apply for Southwest Desert, North elk permits?
170 residents and 94 nonresidents made a Southwest Desert, North hunt their first choice in DWR's 2025 draw; 32 residents and 4 nonresidents drew (DWR 2025 drawing results).
Is Southwest Desert, North mostly public land?
Yes. 93.9% of the unit is public land open to hunting, most of it BLM (1,332,456 acres), measured from UGRC's land ownership map.
What is the closest town to the Southwest Desert, North elk unit?
No town is inside it. The nearest: Milford (on the line), Hinckley (on the line) and Delta (6 miles).
DWR's boundary description for Southwest Desert, North
Beaver, Iron and Millard counties: Boundary begins at the Utah-Nevada state line and US-6/50; east on US-6/50 to SR-257; south on SR-257 to SR-21; west on SR-21 to the Utah-Nevada state line. Excludes all CWMUs. USGS 1:100,000 Maps: Beaver, Delta, Garrison, Richfield, Tule Valley, Wah Wah Mountains North, Wah Wah Mountains South, Wilson Creek Range. 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 Southwest Desert, South