Black Hill WMA: hunting, access and rules
Black Hill WMA is a 2,159-acre wildlife management area owned by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in Sanpete County, in DWR's Central Region, managed for big game, winter range. DWR lists no seasonal closure dates for it. Within 3 miles of it, 38.6% of the land is public, mostly national forest.
Data updated October 2026. Property facts: DWR's public access properties layer. Units: DWR's 2026 boundaries. Land around it: UGRC, 2023.
National forestDWR wildlife landBlack Hill WMAGeneral-season deer unit lineLake or riverHighway
| Size | 2,159 acres (DWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Sanpete |
| DWR region | Central Region |
| Managed for | Big game, winter range |
| Seasonal closure | None listed by DWR |
| Access | Legal Access, Public Access |
| DWR property since | 1980 |
| Nearest towns | Ephraim (next to it), Spring City (6 mi) and Wales (8 mi) |
| A point inside it | 39.3756, -111.5447 (latitude, longitude) |
What are the rules on Black Hill WMA?
DWR lists no seasonal closure dates. Motorized vehicle use is restricted to existing roads. DWR lists no license or digital access permit requirement for this WMA yet.
DWR runs Black Hill under its habitat management plan of 2025.
What is allowed where on a WMA: DWR's WMA map.
Which hunt units is Black Hill WMA in?
Black Hill WMA lies in 3 units with a page of their own; on the Manti/San Rafael general-season deer unit as a whole, hunters took 2,518 bucks in 2025 (DWR):
| Unit | Hunt type | Share of the WMA in it |
|---|---|---|
| Manti/San Rafael | general-season deer | 100% |
| Manti | limited-entry bull elk | 100% |
| Wasatch Mountains/Central Mountains | once-in-a-lifetime bull moose | 100% |
Shares measured by FilledTag from DWR's 2026 unit boundaries and the WMA boundary. Harvest: DWR harvest reports, 2013 to 2025; each unit's page has it year by year.
What wildlife does DWR list for Black Hill WMA?
Mule deer, elk, black bear, mountain lion, furbearers (bobcat, etc), upland game, raptors, neotropical migratory birds and small mammals.
DWR's own words for the property's primary habitat and species.
What land surrounds Black Hill WMA?
Within 3 miles of the WMA's boundary, 38.6% of the land is public land open to hunting, most of it national forest (10,530 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the 3-mile ring |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 10,530 | 29.7% |
| DWR wildlife land | 3,160 | 8.9% |
| Private and other land not shown | 21,772 | 61.4% |
Measured by FilledTag from UGRC's statewide land ownership map (last edited 2023).
What other WMAs are near Black Hill WMA?
DWR's other wildlife management areas within 25 miles, as the crow flies from center to center: Bald Mountain WMA (2,562 acres, 3 miles south), White Hill WMA (1,597 acres, 4 miles north), Manti Face WMA (2,536 acres, 7 miles south), Maple Canyon WMA (1,160 acres, 11 miles southwest), Six Mile WMA (2,782 acres, 12 miles southwest) and Manti Meadows WMA (469 acres, 12 miles southwest).
How do you get to Black Hill WMA?
Highways within 8 miles: US 89. Nearest towns: Ephraim (next to it), Spring City (6 miles), Wales (8 miles) and Manti (8 miles). DWR also lists it under the older names Pigeon Hollow WMA, Cane Valley WMA.
Questions hunters ask
When is Black Hill WMA closed?
DWR lists no seasonal closure dates for Black Hill WMA. Its rules: Motorized vehicle use is restricted to existing roads.
Do you need a permit to enter Black Hill WMA?
DWR lists no license or digital access permit requirement for this WMA yet, by DWR's 2026 listing for Sanpete County.
How much public land is around Black Hill WMA?
38.6% of the land within 3 miles of the WMA is public land open to hunting, most of it national forest (10,530 acres), measured from UGRC's land ownership map.
Which deer and elk units is Black Hill WMA in?
The Manti/San Rafael general-season deer unit and the Manti limited-entry elk unit, by DWR's 2026 boundaries. Hunting on the WMA follows that unit's seasons and DWR's rules for the property.
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.
Sources: DWR property data, DWR's WMA page, DWR unit boundaries, UGRC's statewide land ownership map (last edited 2023). FilledTag is not part of DWR.