Desert Lake WMA: hunting, access and rules
Desert Lake WMA is a 2,801-acre waterfowl management area owned by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in Emery County, in DWR's Southeastern Region, managed for waterfowl, upland game. DWR's seasonal closure: Closed during nesting season. Within 3 miles of it, 43.5% of the land is public, mostly BLM.
Data updated October 2026. Property facts: DWR's public access properties layer. Units: DWR's 2026 boundaries. Land around it: UGRC, 2023.
BLMState trust land (SITLA)DWR wildlife landDesert Lake WMAGeneral-season deer unit lineLake or riverHighway
| Size | 2,801 acres (DWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Emery |
| DWR region | Southeastern Region |
| Managed for | Waterfowl, upland game |
| Seasonal closure | Closed during nesting season |
| Access | Legal Access, Public Access, Administrative Access |
| DWR property since | 2014 |
| Nearest towns | Elmo (next to it), Cleveland (2 mi) and Huntington (8 mi) |
| A point inside it | 39.3658, -110.7911 (latitude, longitude) |
What are the rules on Desert Lake WMA?
Seasonal closure: Closed during nesting season. Per R657-6, no dogs are allowed March 10 and August 31 annually. Lead-free ammunition only. DWR lists no license or digital access permit requirement for this WMA yet.
DWR runs Desert Lake under its habitat management plan.
What is allowed where on a WMA: DWR's WMA map.
Which hunt units is Desert Lake WMA in?
Desert Lake 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% |
| San Rafael, North | limited-entry buck pronghorn | 100% |
| San Rafael, North | once-in-a-lifetime desert bighorn sheep | 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 Desert Lake WMA?
Waterfowl, upland game, mule deer.
DWR's own words for the property's primary habitat and species.
What land surrounds Desert Lake WMA?
Within 3 miles of the WMA's boundary, 43.5% of the land is public land open to hunting, most of it BLM (14,972 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the 3-mile ring |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 14,972 | 40% |
| State trust land (SITLA) | 1,287 | 3.4% |
| DWR wildlife land | 15 | under 0.1% |
| Private and other land not shown | 21,114 | 56.5% |
Measured by FilledTag from UGRC's statewide land ownership map (last edited 2023).
What other WMAs are near Desert Lake WMA?
DWR's other wildlife management areas within 25 miles, as the crow flies from center to center: Huntington Game Farm WMA (324 acres, 9 miles west), Upper San Rafael River WMA (938 acres, 18 miles south) and Gordon Creek WMA (15,601 acres, 22 miles northwest).
How do you get to Desert Lake WMA?
No numbered highway within 8 miles. Nearest towns: Elmo (next to it), Cleveland (2 miles), Huntington (8 miles) and Wellington (11 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is Desert Lake WMA closed?
Closed during nesting season, by DWR's listing for the area. Per R657-6, no dogs are allowed March 10 and August 31 annually. Lead-free ammunition only.
Do you need a permit to enter Desert Lake WMA?
DWR lists no license or digital access permit requirement for this WMA yet, by DWR's 2026 listing for Emery County.
How much public land is around Desert Lake WMA?
43.5% of the land within 3 miles of the WMA is public land open to hunting, most of it BLM (14,972 acres), measured from UGRC's land ownership map.
Which deer and elk units is Desert Lake WMA in?
The Manti/San Rafael general-season deer 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.