Utah uses two different point systems for deer. General-season buck permits use preference points, where the most points draw first. Limited-entry and premium limited-entry permits use bonus points, where half the permits go to top point holders and the rest are drawn at random. You apply for both in the same spring window. Here’s how it works.
Key dates
These are the Utah DWR’s dates for the 2026 draw. The 2027 dates will be in next year’s guidebook, but the pattern is consistent.
| Step | 2026 date |
|---|---|
| Applications open | March 19, 8 a.m. MDT |
| Application, edit, and withdrawal deadline | April 23, 11 p.m. MDT |
| Draw results | By May 31 |
| Second chance to buy a point | June 9–23 |
| Remaining permits on sale | July 7 |
Apply at utahdraws.com, by phone at 855-883-7297, or at a DWR office.
Step 1: Get your license
You need a Utah hunting or combination license to apply for a permit or a point. Anyone born after December 31, 1965, must have hunter education.
| License (2026, ages 18–64) | Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| Hunting | $40 | $144 |
| Combination | $44 | $190 |
Step 2: Decide which hunt type to apply for
| Deer permit (2026) | Resident | Nonresident | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| General-season buck deer | $46 | $599 | Preference points |
| Limited-entry buck deer | $94 | $1,070 | Bonus points |
| Premium limited-entry buck deer | $185 | $1,398 | Bonus points |
| Premium multiseason | $336 | $2,330 | Bonus points |
| CWMU buck deer (residents in the draw) | $94 | $1,070 | Bonus points |
| Dedicated Hunter (adult, three years) | $215 | $1,248 | Separate application |
Nonresidents can apply for all limited-entry and once-in-a-lifetime species plus one general-season species. If you want a general-season deer permit and a general-season elk permit, note that general elk permits are sold over the counter, not drawn.
Step 3: General-season deer and preference points
- You choose general-season hunts by unit and weapon: archery, muzzleloader, any legal weapon (rifle), and in some units early any legal weapon or restricted weapons.
- The applicants with the most preference points draw first.
- Every time you apply for a general buck deer permit and don’t draw, you get a preference point. You lose your points when you draw.
- Youth get 20% of the general-season buck deer permits.
Draw odds vary widely by unit and weapon. Rifle hunts in popular units often take more points than archery hunts or less popular units. Check past draw results in the Utah Hunt Planner.
Step 4: Limited-entry and premium deer and bonus points
- Half of the permits in each hunt go to the applicants with the most bonus points who listed it first.
- The other half are drawn at random, with one extra entry for each bonus point.
- Your bonus points reset when you draw.
- Waiting period: After you draw a limited-entry buck deer permit, you must wait five seasons before applying again.
Premium units, the Henry Mountains and Paunsaugunt, are among the hardest deer permits in the West to draw.
Step 5: Dedicated Hunter program
Dedicated Hunters sign up for three years on a unit and can hunt general-season buck deer during all seasons (archery, muzzleloader, and rifle) on that unit. You complete a conservation ethics course and at least 32 hours of volunteer service over the three years, and you can take a deer in two of the three years. Applications are taken in the same March–April window.
Step 6: Groups
Up to four hunters can apply together for general-season deer and limited-entry deer. Everyone draws together or not at all.
Step 7: Pay
You pay a nonrefundable application fee ($10 resident, $21 nonresident, plus a 2.2% transaction fee) when you apply. You’re not charged the permit fee unless you draw.
What it costs (nonresident general-season example, 2026)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Hunting license | $144 |
| Application fee (plus 2.2%) | $21 |
| Due when you apply | about $165 |
| General-season buck deer permit, if drawn | $599 |
Point rules at a glance
- Two systems: General-season buck deer is a straight preference-point draw: the most points draw first. Limited-entry and premium buck deer use bonus points, with half to the top point holders and half random.
- Nonresident share: Set hunt by hunt. Nonresidents got about 7% of general-season deer permits in 2025, and can apply for only one general-season species.
- You lose your points if: you get a permit of that type (general or limited-entry), or surrender one less than 30 days before the season. Skipping years doesn’t cost points.
- Waiting period: 5 years after a limited-entry, management or CWMU buck deer permit. None after a general-season permit.
- Groups: Up to 4, with points averaged and rounded down.
- Point only: Code GDR for a general deer preference point, DEE for a limited-entry bonus point.
Full breakdown: how the draw works, with examples · check last year’s odds for every hunt
Didn’t draw?
- You earn a point for next year.
- Remaining permits go on sale in July. See how general-season permits work.
- Book a CWMU hunt through an operator.
Plan your application
Find Utah deer outfitters
Many outfitters will tell you which units they guide and how many points those hunts take.
Related: How Utah draw points work · Draw odds by unit · Utah Deer Hunting Guide · Season dates · General-season deer permits · Cost of a Utah deer 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.