West Desert (Snake Valley) pronghorn unit: draw, harvest and public land
West Desert, Snake Valley is a 5,564-square-mile limited-entry buck pronghorn unit in DWR's Central Region of Utah. Limited-entry buck pronghorn hunters here took 94 bucks on 123 permits in 2025, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary). The unit is 68% public land open to hunting, most of it BLM (2,184,204 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 refugeTribal land (tribe's rules)Military land (closed)State park (park rules)State sovereign land (lake and river beds)West Desert, Snake ValleyNeighboring pronghorn unitsLake or riverHighway
| DWR region | Central Region (Springville office) |
|---|---|
| Size | 3,561,172 acres (5,564 square miles) |
| Public land | 68% (2,420,086 acres) |
| 2026 hunts on this unit | 2 (DWR guidebook) |
| Bucks harvested, 2025 | 94 on 123 permits |
| Harvest per 100 hunters, 2025 | 77 (from DWR's figures) |
| 2025 first-choice applicants | 320 residents, 246 nonresidents (120 drew) |
| Wildlife management areas | 2, 968 acres inside the unit |
| Towns in and near it | Wendover and Hinckley |
When are the 2026 pronghorn hunts on West Desert, Snake Valley?
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PB5021 | Archery | Aug. 15-Sept. 11 | 27 | 22 | 13 | 2 |
| PB5052 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | Sept. 12-Sept. 20 | 293 | 86 | 233 | 10 |
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, Snake Valley each year?
DWR's harvest reports cover West Desert, Snake Valley's limited-entry buck pronghorn hunts in 13 years from 2013 to 2025. In 2025, 122 hunters afield took 94 bucks, 77 for every 100 hunters. In 2024: 80 from 103 hunters on 104 permits.
| Year | Hunts reported | Permits | Hunters afield | Bucks harvested | Harvest per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 123 | 122 | 94 | 77 |
| 2024 | 2 | 104 | 103 | 80 | 78 |
| 2023 | 2 | 87 | 79 | 56 | 71 |
| 2022 | 2 | 69 | 65 | 47 | 72 |
| 2021 | 2 | 56 | 54 | 42 | 78 |
| 2020 | 2 | 48 | 47 | 43 | 91 |
| 2019 | 2 | 40 | 38 | 33 | 87 |
| 2018 | 2 | 31 | 31 | 29 | 94 |
| 2017 | 2 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 92 |
| 2016 | 2 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 89 |
| 2015 | 2 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 91 |
| 2014 | 2 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 100 |
| 2013 | 2 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 94 |
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, Snake Valley
| Hunt | Weapon | Permits | Hunters afield | Bucks harvested | DWR's percent success | Average days | Satisfaction (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PB5021 | Archery | 23 | 23 | 14 | 60.9% | 3.2 | 3.7 |
| PB5052 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | 100 | 99 | 80 | 80.8% | 2.6 | 3.8 |
Source: DWR 2025 harvest report (preliminary).
West Desert, Snake Valley 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 | 14 of 23 | 12 of 20 | 8 of 17 | 8 of 12 | 6 of 10 | 8 of 9 | 5 of 7 | 4 of 5 |
| Rifle (any legal weapon) | 80 of 100 | 68 of 84 | 48 of 70 | 39 of 57 | 36 of 46 | 35 of 39 | 28 of 33 | 25 of 26 |
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, Snake Valley pronghorn permits?
In DWR's 2025 draw, 320 residents put a West Desert, Snake Valley pronghorn hunt first and 108 drew a permit, 33.8% of them; 246 nonresidents applied first choice and 12 drew (4.9%). In 2024, 294 residents applied first choice and 91 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PB5021 | Limited-entry archery buck pronghorn | 27 | 22 | 13 | 2 |
| PB5052 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) buck pronghorn | 293 | 86 | 233 | 10 |
| Hunt | Residents, reserved permits: points | Residents, random permits: points | Nonresidents, reserved permits: points | Nonresidents, random permits: points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PB5021 | 1 to 8 | 0 to 1 | 12 | 11 |
| PB5052 | 5 to 9 | 0 to 5 | 16 | 5 to 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PB5021 | Limited-entry archery buck pronghorn | 43 | 18 | 17 | 2 |
| PB5052 | Limited-entry ALW (rifle) buck pronghorn | 251 | 73 | 195 | 8 |
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, Snake Valley is public land?
68% of the West Desert, Snake Valley pronghorn unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 2,420,086 of 3,561,172 acres. The largest share is BLM, 2,184,204 acres or 61.3% of the unit. 49,180 acres are tribal land, hunted only under the tribe's own rules.
| Manager | Acres | Share of West Desert, Snake Valley |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 2,184,204 | 61.3% |
| Military land (closed) | 980,125 | 27.5% |
| State trust land (SITLA) | 216,952 | 6.1% |
| Tribal land (tribe's rules) | 49,180 | 1.4% |
| National wildlife refuge | 17,962 | 0.5% |
| DWR wildlife land | 968 | under 0.1% |
| Other public land (highways, other state land) | 118 | under 0.1% |
| State park (park rules) | 4 | under 0.1% |
| Private and other land not shown | 111,659 | 3.1% |
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.
DWR wildlife management areas inside the unit: Leland Harris Springs WMA (742 acres) and Blue Lake WMA (226 acres).
What other hunts share the West Desert, Snake Valley 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, Snake Valley it covers |
|---|---|---|
| West Desert, Swasey | general-season deer | 100% |
| West Desert, Swasey | limited-entry deer | 100% |
| House/Tintic | general-season any bull elk (over the counter) | 88% |
| West Desert, Deep Creek | general-season spike elk (over the counter) | 12% |
| West Desert, Deep Creek | limited-entry bull elk | 12% |
How do you get to the West Desert, Snake Valley unit?
Highways through the unit: US 50 and US 6 (one road, about 45 miles inside it) and I-80 (about 28 miles inside it). Towns inside: Wendover. Nearby: Hinckley (16 miles).
Which pronghorn units border or overlap West Desert, Snake Valley?
| Unit | Square miles | Public land | Bucks harvested (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box Elder, West | 2,312 | 58.6% | 32 (2025) |
| Southwest Desert | 5,205 | 88.8% | 145 (2025) |
| West Desert, Riverbed | 3,665 | 72% | 91 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
When are the 2026 pronghorn hunts on West Desert, Snake Valley?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 2 limited-entry buck pronghorn hunts on West Desert, Snake Valley: Archery Aug. 15-Sept. 11 (PB5021) and Rifle (any legal weapon) Sept. 12-Sept. 20 (PB5052).
How many bucks were harvested on West Desert, Snake Valley in 2025?
94, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary): 122 hunters afield on 123 permits, 77 bucks for every 100 hunters. In 2024 the count was 80.
How many people apply for West Desert, Snake Valley pronghorn permits?
320 residents and 246 nonresidents made a West Desert, Snake Valley hunt their first choice in DWR's 2025 draw; 108 residents and 12 nonresidents drew (DWR 2025 drawing results).
Is West Desert, Snake Valley mostly public land?
Yes. 68% of the unit is public land open to hunting, most of it BLM (2,184,204 acres), measured from UGRC's land ownership map.
What is the closest town to the West Desert, Snake Valley pronghorn unit?
Wendover is inside the unit. Just outside: Hinckley (16 miles).
DWR's boundary description for West Desert, Snake Valley
Juab, Millard and Tooele counties: Boundary begins at Knolls on I-80; south cross country to the north end of the Dugway Mountains; south along the summits of the Dugway, Thomas, Big Drum and Little Drum mountains to US-6; west on US-6 to the Utah-Nevada state line; north along this state line to I-80; east on I-80 to Knolls. EXCLUDING ALL NATIVE AMERICAN TRUST LAND WITHIN THIS BOUNDARY. USGS 1:100,000 Maps: Bonneville Salt Flats, Delta, Ely, Fish Springs, Tule Valley, Wildcat Mountain. 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, West Southwest Desert West Desert, Riverbed