If putting locally sourced, nutritious meat on the table while enjoying Utah's beautiful outdoors sounds good to you, take note that the application period for Utah's 2026 antlerless hunts opens soon!
Depending on the age, a cow elk can provide between 120 to nearly 200 pounds of boneless meat. That meat can then be eaten in a variety of ways, including hamburger, roasts, steaks, stews, stir-fry or in fajitas. A doe deer will provide approximately 40 pounds of boneless meat.
"The antlerless big game hunts are a great opportunity to not only harvest meat and make some great memories outdoors, but they also help manage wildlife populations and maintain healthy herds and landscapes," Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Administrative Services Assistant Chief Lindy Varney said. "There are only a few doe deer hunts in Utah, and all of them are designed to be very targeted to address localized areas of specific concern, conflicts or public safety considerations."
Beginning on Tuesday, June 9 at 8 a.m. MDT, you can apply for a permit to hunt Utah's antlerless big game animals, including:
- Antlerless deer
- Antlerless elk
- Antlerless moose
- Doe pronghorn
- Ewe bighorn sheep (Reminder: You cannot apply for both an antlerless moose permit and a ewe bighorn sheep permit in the same year — you must pick one or the other.)
You must submit your application no later than 11 p.m. MDT on Tuesday, June 23 to be included in the drawing for hunting permits.
You can also apply for a 2026 antlerless permit — or a bonus point or preference point for either antlered or antlerless species — during the antlerless application period, but you must be at least 12 years old by your hunt date and have a valid Utah hunting or combination license. You can buy a license online, by calling the nearest DWR office or by visiting a license agent.
To be included in the drawing for antlerless hunts, you can apply through several different options, including:
- Online
- Over the phone by calling the nearest DWR office
- By calling the hunt-drawing helpline at 855-UTDRAWS (855-883-7297)
You can find details about the different hunting units — including boundary descriptions, biologists' notes, and population and harvest statistics — on the Utah Hunt Planner.
The drawing results will be available on or before Wednesday, July 8. If any antlerless permits are available after the drawing, you can purchase them beginning at 8 a.m. MDT on Tuesday, July 28. Check the online 2026 Utah Antlerless Application Guidebook for details. You can find all of the regulations for hunting both antlered and antlerless big game in the 2026 Utah Big Game Field Regulations Guidebook.
The DWR issues antlerless permits for big game species in Utah for several reasons:
- To manage population size to the approved population objectives
- For herd health, including reducing disease concerns in certain parts of the state
- To improve the health of the habitat (and to avoid overutilization)
- To reduce conflicts on private property, including depredation issues
- To reduce the number of animals on busy roads or within city/town limits, and address public safety concerns
Updates for 2026
Hunters should also be aware of a few changes for the 2026 antlerless hunts, including:
- Hunters should note that there is a new Utah draw application system, so the website and contractor are different from previous application periods. Visit the DWR website to learn more about the new system features.
- New this year, the Utah Antlerless Application Guidebook will be digitally available in a PDF format, rather than as a webpage on the DWR website. As a result of the update, the guidebook will be available in the Utah Hunting & Fishing app, as well as on the DWR website.
- The Utah Wildlife Board approved some relief options for permit holders in areas where natural disasters prevent hunters from being able to hunt.
If you have questions about applying for an antlerless permit, call 855-883-7297 or the nearest DWR office.