West Desert (Riverbed) pronghorn unit: draw, harvest and public land
West Desert, Riverbed is a 3,665-square-mile limited-entry buck pronghorn unit in DWR's Central Region of Utah. Limited-entry buck pronghorn hunters here took 91 bucks on 96 permits in 2025, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary). The unit is 72% public land open to hunting, most of it BLM (1,453,396 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 wildlife refugeBureau of ReclamationTribal 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)West Desert, RiverbedNeighboring pronghorn unitsLake or riverHighway
| DWR region | Central Region (Springville office) |
|---|---|
| Size | 2,345,612 acres (3,665 square miles) |
| Public land | 72% (1,687,952 acres) |
| 2026 hunts on this unit | 2 (DWR guidebook) |
| Bucks harvested, 2025 | 91 on 96 permits |
| Harvest per 100 hunters, 2025 | 95 (from DWR's figures) |
| 2025 first-choice applicants | 723 residents, 237 nonresidents (91 drew) |
| Wildlife management areas | 1, 4,155 acres inside the unit |
| Towns in and near it | Hinckley, Lynndyl, Dugway, Delta, Eureka and Leamington |
When are the 2026 pronghorn hunts on West Desert, Riverbed?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 2 limited-entry buck pronghorn 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PB5019 | Archery | Aug. 15-Sept. 11 | 76 | 16 | 25 | 2 |
| PB5050 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | Sept. 12-Sept. 20 | 647 | 66 | 212 | 7 |
Source: 2026 Utah Big Game Application Guidebook, hunt tables, pages 62 and 64; 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 West Desert, Riverbed each year?
DWR's harvest reports cover West Desert, Riverbed's limited-entry buck pronghorn hunts in 13 years from 2013 to 2025. In 2025, 96 hunters afield took 91 bucks, 95 for every 100 hunters. In 2024: 79 from 81 hunters on 84 permits.
| Year | Hunts reported | Permits | Hunters afield | Bucks harvested | Harvest per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 96 | 96 | 91 | 95 |
| 2024 | 2 | 84 | 81 | 79 | 98 |
| 2023 | 2 | 72 | 71 | 71 | 100 |
| 2022 | 2 | 58 | 57 | 54 | 95 |
| 2021 | 2 | 47 | 46 | 45 | 98 |
| 2020 | 2 | 36 | 36 | 35 | 97 |
| 2019 | 2 | 33 | 31 | 29 | 94 |
| 2018 | 2 | 30 | 28 | 26 | 93 |
| 2017 | 2 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 96 |
| 2016 | 2 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 95 |
| 2015 | 2 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 95 |
| 2014 | 2 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 93 |
| 2013 | 2 | 34 | 34 | 31 | 91 |
Source: DWR harvest reports, 2013 to 2025, every limited-entry buck pronghorn 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 West Desert, Riverbed
| Hunt | Weapon | Permits | Hunters afield | Bucks harvested | DWR's percent success | Average days | Satisfaction (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PB5019 | Archery | 18 | 18 | 17 | 94.4% | 2.6 | 4.5 |
| PB5050 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | 78 | 78 | 74 | 94.9% | 2.1 | 4.5 |
Source: DWR 2025 harvest report (preliminary).
West Desert, Riverbed by weapon, year by year
Bucks 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 18 | 15 of 16 | 13 of 14 | 10 of 11 | 8 of 9 | 7 of 7 | 5 of 6 | 5 of 6 |
| Rifle (any legal weapon) | 74 of 78 | 64 of 68 | 58 of 58 | 44 of 47 | 37 of 38 | 28 of 29 | 24 of 27 | 21 of 24 |
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 West Desert, Riverbed pronghorn permits?
In DWR's 2025 draw, 723 residents put a West Desert, Riverbed pronghorn hunt first and 82 drew a permit, 11.3% of them; 237 nonresidents applied first choice and 9 drew (3.8%). In 2024, 658 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PB5019 | Limited-entry archery buck pronghorn | 76 | 16 | 25 | 2 |
| PB5050 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) buck pronghorn | 647 | 66 | 212 | 7 |
| Hunt | Residents, reserved permits: points | Residents, random permits: points | Nonresidents, reserved permits: points | Nonresidents, random permits: points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PB5019 | 4 to 10 | 1 to 4 | 12 | 9 |
| PB5050 | 9 to 13 | 0 to 8 | 16 to 17 | 9 to 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PB5019 | Limited-entry archery buck pronghorn | 44 | 15 | 22 | 2 |
| PB5050 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) buck pronghorn | 614 | 59 | 194 | 7 |
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 West Desert, Riverbed is public land?
72% of the West Desert, Riverbed pronghorn unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 1,687,952 of 2,345,612 acres. The largest share is BLM, 1,453,396 acres or 62% of the unit. 17,610 acres are tribal land, hunted only under the tribe's own rules.
| Manager | Acres | Share of West Desert, Riverbed |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 1,453,396 | 62% |
| Military land (closed) | 396,177 | 16.9% |
| State trust land (SITLA) | 172,620 | 7.4% |
| National forest | 57,781 | 2.5% |
| Tribal land (tribe's rules) | 17,610 | 0.8% |
| DWR wildlife land | 4,155 | 0.2% |
| State park (park rules) | 435 | under 0.1% |
| Other public land (highways, other state land) | 149 | under 0.1% |
| State sovereign land (lake and river beds) | 40 | under 0.1% |
| Private and other land not shown | 243,249 | 10.4% |
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 wildlife management area inside the unit: Topaz Slough WMA (4,155 acres).
What other hunts share the West Desert, Riverbed pronghorn 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 West Desert, Riverbed it covers |
|---|---|---|
| House/Tintic | general-season any bull elk (over the counter) | 52% |
| Cedar/Stansbury | limited-entry deer | 48% |
| Cedar/Stansbury | general-season deer | 48% |
| Cedar/Stansbury | general-season any bull elk (over the counter) | 48% |
| West Desert, Vernon | limited-entry deer | 36% |
| West Desert, Swasey | general-season deer | 16% |
| West Desert, Swasey | limited-entry deer | 16% |
How do you get to the West Desert, Riverbed unit?
Highways through the unit: US 6 (about 38 miles inside it), I-80 (about 26 miles inside it) and US 50 (about 15 miles inside it). Towns inside: Hinckley, Lynndyl, Dugway and Sutherland. Nearby: Delta (on the line), Eureka (3 miles), Leamington (4 miles) and Vernon (6 miles). Rivers: Sevier River (18 miles).
Which pronghorn units border or overlap West Desert, Riverbed?
| Unit | Square miles | Public land | Bucks harvested (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box Elder, Puddle Valley | 452 | 87.4% | 17 (2025) |
| Fillmore, Oak Creek South | 1,478 | 67.5% | 70 (2025) |
| Southwest Desert | 5,205 | 88.8% | 145 (2025) |
| West Desert, Rush Valley | 2,833 | 37.7% | 42 (2025) |
| West Desert, Snake Valley | 5,564 | 68% | 94 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
When are the 2026 pronghorn hunts on West Desert, Riverbed?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 2 limited-entry buck pronghorn hunts on West Desert, Riverbed: Archery Aug. 15-Sept. 11 (PB5019) and Rifle (any legal weapon) Sept. 12-Sept. 20 (PB5050).
How many bucks were harvested on West Desert, Riverbed in 2025?
91, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary): 96 hunters afield on 96 permits, 95 bucks for every 100 hunters. In 2024 the count was 79.
How many people apply for West Desert, Riverbed pronghorn permits?
723 residents and 237 nonresidents made a West Desert, Riverbed hunt their first choice in DWR's 2025 draw; 82 residents and 9 nonresidents drew (DWR 2025 drawing results).
Is West Desert, Riverbed mostly public land?
Yes. 72% of the unit is public land open to hunting, most of it BLM (1,453,396 acres), measured from UGRC's land ownership map.
What is the closest town to the West Desert, Riverbed pronghorn unit?
Hinckley, Lynndyl and Dugway are inside the unit. Just outside: Delta (on the line), Eureka (3 miles) and Leamington (4 miles).
DWR's boundary description for West Desert, Riverbed
Juab, Millard and Tooele counties: Boundary begins at the junction of I-80 and the north end of the Stansbury Mountains; south along the summits of the Stansbury, Onaqui and Sheeprock mountains to the Vernon Creek-Cherry Creek-Death Canyon road junction; east on the Death Canyon road to SR-36; south on SR-36 to US-6; southwest on US-6 to a point due south of the Little Drum mountains; north along the summits of the Little Drum, Big Drum, Thomas and Dugway mountains to the north end of the Dugway Range; north cross country to Knolls on I-80; east on I-80 to the north end of the Stansbury Mountains. EXCLUDING ALL NATIVE AMERICAN TRUST LAND WITHIN THIS BOUNDARY. USGS 1:100,000 Maps: Delta, Fish Springs, Wildcat Mountain, Bonneville Salt Flats, Lynndyl, Rush Valley, Tooele. Boundary questions? Call the Springville office, 801-491-5678.
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 Central Region Utah draw deadlines Box Elder, Puddle Valley Fillmore, Oak Creek South Southwest Desert West Desert, Rush Valley West Desert, Snake Valley