Utah’s limited-entry elk units hold some of the biggest bulls in the West, and the draw is built to reward patience. Here’s how it works, from buying your license to what happens after you draw.

Key dates

These are the Utah DWR’s dates for the 2026 big game draw. The 2027 dates will be in next year’s application guidebook, but the timing is similar every year.

Step	2026 date
Applications open	March 19, 8 a.m. MDT
Application, edit, and withdrawal deadline	April 23, 11 p.m. MDT
Wildlife Board approves permit numbers	April 30
Draw results	By May 31
Second chance to buy a bonus point	June 9–23 (during the antlerless application period)
Remaining limited-entry permits on sale	July 7

Apply online at utahdraws.com, by phone at 855-883-7297, or at a DWR office. 2026 was the first year of the new draw system and website.

Step 1: Get hunter education and a hunting license

Anyone born after December 31, 1965, must complete hunter education. You need a valid Utah hunting or combination license to apply for a permit or a bonus point.

License (2026, ages 18–64)	Resident	Nonresident
Hunting	$40	$144
Combination (hunting and fishing)	$44	$190

Step 2: Choose your hunts

Limited-entry bull elk hunts are listed by unit and weapon: archery, any legal weapon (rifle), muzzleloader, and multiseason, plus a few special hunts. The Utah Hunt Planner (hunt.utah.gov) shows boundaries, permit numbers, and past draw odds.

Some hunts are resident-only and are marked that way in the guidebook. Nonresidents can apply for all limited-entry and once-in-a-lifetime species plus one general-season species.

Step 3: Understand bonus points

• Earning points. Every unsuccessful limited-entry elk application earns a bonus point. You can also apply for a point only, without hunting.
• The split. In each hunt, half of the permits go to the applicants with the most bonus points. The other half are drawn at random among everyone else.
• Extra chances. In the random half, you get one entry for your application plus one more for each bonus point.
• Losing points. Your elk bonus points go to zero when you draw a limited-entry bull elk permit.

Top limited-entry units take many years to draw, especially for nonresidents, who compete for a much smaller share of permits than residents. Check past draw odds in the Hunt Planner before you choose.

Step 4: Know the waiting period

If you draw a limited-entry bull elk permit (or a CWMU or management bull elk permit), you must wait five seasons before you can apply again. Plan your point strategy around it.

Step 5: Apply alone or as a group

Up to four hunters can apply together for limited-entry elk, and the group draws together or not at all. Groups are not accepted for some hunt types, such as management bull elk and once-in-a-lifetime species. Before you join a group, ask how it affects the point-holder with the most points.

Step 6: Pay

You pay a nonrefundable application fee when you apply ($10 resident, $21 nonresident, plus a 2.2% transaction fee). You are not charged the permit fee unless you draw.

Limited-entry elk (2026)	Resident	Nonresident
Limited-entry bull elk permit	$314	$1,950
CWMU bull elk permit	$314	$1,950

What it costs to apply (nonresident example, 2026)

Item	Cost
Hunting license	$144
Application fee (plus 2.2%)	$21
Due when you apply	about $165
Limited-entry bull elk permit, if drawn	$1,950

CWMU permits in the draw

Residents can apply for CWMU elk permits in the draw. Nonresidents cannot apply for CWMU permits in the drawing, but they can get a voucher directly from the CWMU operator or landowner. That’s usually how nonresidents hunt CWMUs, through a guided hunt.

Point rules at a glance

• System: Limited-entry bull elk uses bonus points: half of each hunt’s permits go to the applicants with the most points, and the other half are drawn at random with one extra entry per point. General-season any-bull and spike permits are sold over the counter.
• Nonresident share: Set hunt by hunt, about 10% of limited-entry bull elk permits in 2026.
• You lose your points if: you get a limited-entry, management or CWMU bull elk permit through the draw or after it, or surrender a permit less than 30 days before the season. Skipping years doesn’t cost points.
• Waiting period: 5 years after a limited-entry, management or CWMU bull elk permit.
• Groups: Up to 4, with points averaged and rounded down.
• Point only: Apply for a bonus point only during the main window or the June second window.

Full breakdown: how the draw works, with examples · check last year’s odds for every hunt

Didn’t draw?

• You earn a bonus point toward next year.
• Hunt a general-season unit on an over-the-counter any-bull or spike permit. See how it works.
• Check remaining permits when they go on sale in July.
• Book a CWMU hunt. These are guaranteed and don’t use points.

Let an outfitter help

Utah outfitters know which units match your points and how hunts have drawn in past years. Some run application services for clients.

Related: How Utah draw points work · Draw odds by unit · Utah Elk Hunting Guide · Season dates · General-season elk permits · Cost of a Utah elk hunt

Fees and dates are from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources’ 2026 Big Game Application Guidebook. Always confirm in the current guidebook before you apply.