Book Cliffs (South) Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep unit: draw, harvest and public land
Book Cliffs, South is a 1,291-square-mile once-in-a-lifetime Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep unit in DWR's Southeastern Region of Utah. Once-in-a-lifetime Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep hunters here took 6 sheep on 6 permits in 2025, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary). The unit is 95.4% public land open to hunting, most of it BLM (695,755 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.
BLMState trust land (SITLA)DWR wildlife landTribal 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)Book Cliffs, SouthNeighboring Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep unitsLake or riverHighway
| DWR region | Southeastern Region (Price office) |
|---|---|
| Size | 826,005 acres (1,291 square miles) |
| Public land | 95.4% (787,937 acres) |
| 2026 hunts on this unit | 1 (DWR guidebook) |
| Sheep harvested, 2025 | 6 on 6 permits |
| Harvest per 100 hunters, 2025 | 100 (from DWR's figures) |
| 2025 first-choice applicants | 985 residents, 5,536 nonresidents (6 drew) |
| Wildlife management areas | 2, 1,283 acres inside the unit |
| Towns in and near it | Thompson Springs and Green River |
When are the 2026 Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep hunts on Book Cliffs, South?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 1 once-in-a-lifetime Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep hunt 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RS6701 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | Oct. 31-Nov. 30 | 985 | 5 | 5,536 | 1 |
Source: 2026 Utah Big Game Application Guidebook, hunt tables, page 67; 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 sheep are taken on Book Cliffs, South each year?
DWR's harvest reports cover Book Cliffs, South's once-in-a-lifetime Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep hunts in 13 years from 2013 to 2025. In 2025, 6 hunters afield took 6 sheep, 100 for every 100 hunters. In 2024: 6 from 6 hunters on 6 permits.
| Year | Hunt | Permits | Hunters afield | Sheep harvested | DWR's percent success | Average days | Satisfaction (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | RS6701 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 100% | 8.3 | 4.2 |
| 2024 | RS6701 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 100% | 9.3 | 4.3 |
| 2023 | RS6701 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 100% | 8 | 5 |
| 2022 | RS6701 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 100% | 7.2 | 4.8 |
| 2021 | RS6701 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 100% | 10 | 5 |
| 2020 | RS6701 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 100% | 11.2 | 5 |
| 2019 | RS6701 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 83.3% | 4.5 | 4.8 |
| 2018 | RS6701 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 100% | 7.2 | 5 |
| 2017 | RS6701 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 100% | 5.4 | 4.8 |
| 2016 | RS6701 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 100% | 6.2 | 4.6 |
| 2015 | RS6701 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 80% | 5.8 | 4.2 |
| 2014 | RS6701 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 100% | 6 | |
| 2013 | RS6701 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 100% | 5.9 |
Source: DWR harvest reports, 2013 to 2025, every once-in-a-lifetime Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep hunt DWR printed for this unit's name each year. 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 Book Cliffs, South
| Hunt | Weapon | Permits | Hunters afield | Sheep harvested | DWR's percent success | Average days | Satisfaction (1 to 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RS6701 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 100% | 8.3 | 4.2 |
Source: DWR 2025 harvest report (preliminary).
Book Cliffs, South by weapon, year by year
Sheep harvested of permits issued, by weapon, for each year DWR reported since 2018:
| Weapon | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle (any legal weapon) | 6 of 6 | 6 of 6 | 5 of 5 | 5 of 5 | 5 of 5 | 5 of 5 | 5 of 6 | 5 of 5 |
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 Book Cliffs, South Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep permits?
In DWR's 2025 draw, 985 residents put a Book Cliffs, South Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep hunt first and 5 drew a permit, 0.5% of them; 5,536 nonresidents applied first choice and 1 drew (0%). In 2024, 1,063 residents applied first choice and 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RS6701 | Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep | 985 | 5 | 5,536 | 1 |
| Hunt | Residents, reserved permits: points | Residents, random permits: points | Nonresidents, reserved permits: points | Nonresidents, random permits: points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RS6701 | 25 to 26 | 16 to 18 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RS6701 | Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep | 1,063 | 5 | 6,931 | 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 Book Cliffs, South is public land?
95.4% of the Book Cliffs, South Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep unit is public land open to hunting: 787,937 of 826,005 acres, the largest share BLM (695,755 acres). DWR uses the same boundary for its limited-entry deer hunts; the land table by manager, the access notes and DWR's boundary description are on the Book Cliffs, South limited-entry 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 Book Cliffs, South Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep 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 Book Cliffs, South it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Book Cliffs, South | limited-entry deer | 100% |
| Book Cliffs, Little Creek/South | once-in-a-lifetime bison | 100% |
| Book Cliffs, South | limited-entry buck pronghorn | 100% |
| Book Cliffs | limited-entry deer | 100% |
| Book Cliffs, Bitter Creek/East | limited-entry bull elk | 66% |
| Book Cliffs, Bitter Creek/East | general-season spike elk (over the counter) | 66% |
| Book Cliffs, Floy Canyon | limited-entry deer | 34% |
| Book Cliffs, Floy Canyon | general-season any bull elk (over the counter) | 34% |
Which Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep units border or overlap Book Cliffs, South?
| Unit | Square miles | Public land | Sheep harvested (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nine Mile, Gray Canyon | 511 | 83.9% | 5 (2025) |
| Nine Mile, Jack Creek | 3,468 | 56% | 4 (2025) |
Questions hunters ask
When are the 2026 Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep hunts on Book Cliffs, South?
DWR's 2026 guidebook lists 1 once-in-a-lifetime Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep hunt on Book Cliffs, South: Rifle (any legal weapon) Oct. 31-Nov. 30 (RS6701).
How many sheep were harvested on Book Cliffs, South in 2025?
6, by DWR's 2025 harvest report (preliminary): 6 hunters afield on 6 permits, 100 sheep for every 100 hunters. In 2024 the count was 6.
How many people apply for Book Cliffs, South Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep permits?
985 residents and 5,536 nonresidents made a Book Cliffs, South hunt their first choice in DWR's 2025 draw; 5 residents and 1 nonresident drew (DWR 2025 drawing results).
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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 Southeastern Region Utah draw deadlines Nine Mile, Gray Canyon Nine Mile, Jack Creek