Deseret CWMU Antlerless Elk
2025 Hunt Info
Please carefully read the guided antlerless elk hunt details, the non-guided antlerless elk hunt details, and the hunting rules, and review the FAQ.
If you are a Utah resident, you can obtain a Deseret CWMU Antlerless Elk (Cow Elk) permit by applying through the public drawing. If you are a NON-RESIDENT, you cannot apply for a CWMU permit through the public drawing. To learn more about Utah's CWMU program, click HERE.
If you have any additional questions, use the form below to contact the operator. The Deseret CWMU does not sell private antlerless elk tags to residents or non-residents. All the Deseret CWMU antlerless elk tags are state-drawn only. Please do not inquire about private tags, landowner tags, trespass fees, etc.
To ensure a quality hunting experience for all public hunters, all scheduling and inquiring must be done through the Deseret CWMU Operator. Individual guides are NOT permitted to schedule hunts or deviate from the information provided here.
If you draw the Deseret CWMU antlerless elk tag, the Deseret CWMU operator will contact you by mid to late July with detailed instructions on the steps we need you to take.
The Deseret CWMU offers two hunt options for the state antlerless elk hunt. There is a guided option and a non-guided option. Please read below.
Number of permits: four hundred (425)
Guided Antlerless Elk Hunt Details
This information is for the guided antlerless elk hunt. Scroll down to find information on the non-guided antlerless elk hunt.
We have limited slots for the guided antlerless hunt for the 2025 season. If you plan on doing the guided hunt, please come to the shooting class and book your hunt then, or plan on scheduling your hunt on August 10th or shortly after (if you choose guided option 2 please read below). Our guided options may fill up, and no more guided hunts will be available if you wait until later in the season to try to schedule your hunt.
Hunt Dates: Select days in November and December
Guided: 2 hunters to 1 guide
Guest: No
Unless the hunter (the individual with the Deseret CWMU Antlerless Elk Tag) is:
Youth (18 and younger)
Female
And/or disabled (you have a physical or mental condition that makes you unable to hunt without major assistance from another individual)
Meeting location: Main ranch check station in Woodruff, UT or Cryodon, UT (dependent on weather)
Meeting time: between 6:00 AM — 7:00 AM, depending on the hunt date
What is provided:
The hunter will ride with the guide in the guide’s vehicle while on the ranch.
The guide will locate elk and help the hunter to make a successful harvest.
The guide will field dress and pack out the elk.
No lodging is available for this hunt.
The number of hunt days: 2 days or until you have opportunities. Please note the days are not back to back. Over the past five years, every hunter who has done a guided hunt has shot an elk (note: some were wounded). Typically, most guided hunters harvest on the first day they come up. But in certain situations, a second day is required.
Cost
Guided Option 1 (Guided and hunter attends the shooting class)
We are offering a very informative shooting and gun training class (free of charge)
If you come to the shooting class, the hunt costs $525 (per hunter). This does not include a tip for your guide.
You must attend the shooting class and training to be guided at the $525 rate.
The class is on Saturday, August 9, 2025, from 7:00 AM-12:00 PM at the Main Ranch Check station in Woodruff, UT.
The first class begins at 7:00 AM, and the last will start at 11:30 AM. Classes start every half an hour. We have a limit of 10 hunters/shooters for each half-hour time slot. Most hunters can complete the shooting class in 30-60 minutes.
How to sign up for the class: If you draw the Deseret CWMU tag, you will receive an email and a mailed letter with instructions.
The shooting class is to help hunters become more comfortable with shooting, shooting position, and shooting quickness. This, hopefully, will help with stress on the elk, wounds, and loss. The guides teaching the class are highly educated in this field. The guides' knowledge can help any hunter become a better shot.
Our end goal with the class is to have the hunter be able to shoot from a shooting position (sitting on the ground while using shooting sticks) at 300 yards. There are 12-inch metal targets, and we want the hunter to be able to hit the target 2-3 times. If guns are not sighted in and scopes are not mounted correctly, we could use 40-50 rounds per hunter/rifle. This class could last as short as 10 minutes for some hunters or up to 2 hours. The length will depend on how much time we have to spend with the hunter and his/her rifle to hit the 300-yard target successfully.
Guided Option 2 Guided but did NOT attend the shooting class:
Option 2 is the same guided hunt as option 1. So, all information on Option 1 implies Option 2, in addition to the cost of the hunt.
If you decide not to attend the shooting class and want to do the guided cow elk hunt, the cost is $1,050 (per hunter). This does NOT include a tip for your guide. Guided option 2 will be available to schedule and purchase on Sunday, August 10, 2025, at 8 AM. We give all hunters who attend the August 9th shooting class first priority on dates.
How do I schedule my hunt? You will be notified by mail and email if you successfully draw for the hunt.
Tips: Guides use their vehicles and equipment. Although guide tips are not required, they are greatly appreciated.
If the hunter wants to bring a guest and the hunter is not a female, a youth (18 and under), or a disabled hunter, the guest fee is an additional $450 on top of the guide fee. This would make the guided option 1 cost $975 and the guided option 2 $1,500.
Please note that our management plan for the guided hunts to harvest the antlerless elk on the ranch includes non-hunting (sanctuary) areas. Guided hunts will not occur in the ranch's Blue Fork drainage. Non-guided hunters are allowed to hunt the Blue Fork, but it is walk-in access only, and NO vehicle access is allowed (even for animal retrieval).
Non-Guided Antlerless Elk Hunt Details
Guest:
Guest are allowed.
Only one vehicle is allowed per hunter and his/her guest. Guests CANNOT bring separate vehicles.
Guest cannot have their own vehicles on the property.
Guests must always stay with the hunter (Deseret permit holder). They must stay within normal conversation distance.
Vehicles: No ATVs, side-by-sides, horses, etc, are allowed (even street legal)
4x4 vehicles are highly recommended
Good tires and chains for your vehicle are highly recommended
Items to bring for the hunt:
Hunting clothing (Deseret is 15-20 degrees colder than Salt Lake City) or check Woodruff, UT, weather
Hunter orange hat is recommended (a vest is also highly recommended)
Food and drinks
Hunting tag
Rifle and ammunition
Hunting pack
Deseret antlerless elk tag
Number of hunt days for non-guided hunters: 10 days
You are welcome to hunt as few or as many days as you wish from the selected dates.
You DO NOT need to call or inform us which days you are coming.
Non-guided Hunt dates:
Ten (10) total days
November 11th-16th (Tuesday-Saturday)
November 18th-22nd (Tuesday-Saturday)
These are the ONLY dates for the non-guided cow elk hunt
We recommend you give yourself multiple days to try to harvest an antlerless elk
The meeting location: Main Ranch in Woodruff, UT or Lost Creek Reservior in Croydon, UT
Check-in time begins at 5:00 AM.
If hunters wish to be somewhere earlier on Deseret than 6:00AM meeting allows, then the hunter needs to plan on camping on the CWMU.
Camping: There are designated areas for trailers, camp trucks, and tents. We do not allow camping on the whole ranch, only in select areas.
Nights available for camping on Deseret
Novmeber 11th-15th (Tuesday-Friday) & November 18th-21st (Tuesday-Friday)
No overnight camping is allowed on the CWMU the day before each hunt week (Monday, November 10th and 17th). No one will be there to open the gates on November 10th and 17th.
No overnight camping is allowed on the last day of the hunt weeks (Saturday, November 16th and 22nd). If hunters bring tents, trailers, and campers and are hunting November 16th and plan to return November 18th-22nd, they can leave them on the ranch.
All campers must remove tents and trailers by November 22nd.
Every hunter is required to check in before they start hunting (unless they are camping; we will assume you are checked in and hunting). Every hunter is also required to check out before leaving. Even if an animal is not harvested, we must know you are off the CWMU. If you are camping you are still required to let us know you have made it safely back to your campsite.
Is a packing service provided: No
Physical recommendations: This hunt is not easy and is physical. A successful antlerless elk harvest is not guaranteed. The weather can be unpredictable this time of year, and roads can become impassable. This is not a road hunt; hunters should expect to pack harvested animals from 0.5 to 2 miles. The terrain is not flat, and hunters should be prepared for moderate hiking in uneven to steep terrain.
Maps: We provide a simple Deseret CWMU map showing borders, main roads, and roadless areas. We also recommend downloading offline mapping software such as Onxmaps. To download a map, CLICK HERE.
Deseret has hundreds of miles of main gravel, grated roads for hunters to drive, and hundreds more available two-tracks. That being said, Deseret also has roadless areas on the ranch. These roadless areas provide a sanctuary and great hunting opportunities for the antlerless elk. These areas will be marked on a map, and there are marked road blockages in these areas. These roadless areas are what has helped Deseret’s antlerless elk population flourish. These areas are roadless for vehicle traffic and packing out (no hunters are allowed to use them). Hunters are more than welcome to hunt these areas as they provide high success rates when hunters put in the effort.
Consider this when applying for the Deseret hunt and planning on doing the non-guided hunt.
These areas are also roadless to the guided hunters. The Blue Fork, the heart of the antlerless elk on Deseret, is not hunted by the hunters that select the guided option hunt. The management plan for the antlerless elk doesn’t allow for guides to hunt this area. However, non-guided hunters can hunt in this area (noting that it is walk-in access only, and NO vehicles are allowed, even for retrieval).
Deseret also closes roads for safety reasons. Some roads become extremely dangerous after the end of October.
Please make sure to study and understand the map for these roadless areas and know them before applying for the hunt and deciding to do the non-guided option.
Hunting Rules
Safety comes first.
Hunting
Take time to shoot and sight in your rifle before your hunt. Know your rifle and your limitations.
Hunters are allowed to shoot one, and only one, animal for which they have a permit. Once you hit an animal and/or draw blood, that is your animal. Please be aware of your animal and its surroundings, and pick your shots carefully.
All hunters must abide by Utah state laws regarding wildlife. Click HERE for Utah Wildlife Laws.
All hunters and guests must always wear a hunter-orange hat and vest while hunting.
Unload firearms when not used (shooting at the big game species) and leave the action open.
Most other wildlife species found on Deseret are protected by state law and/or require special licenses or permits to ‘take’ these animals. Hunting other wildlife species of any kind is prohibited. This includes but is not limited to: coyotes, badgers, ground squirrels, foxes, upland birds, grouse, and waterfowl.
No pre-seasons scouting
Follow basic gun safety
Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
Treat every rifle as loaded (even if you don’t think it is).
No ammunition in the rifle chamber while driving, hiking, in camp, etc. (ammunition can be left in the magazine/clip)
Only put ammunition in the chamber when attempting to make a shot at the big game animal you have the permit for (then quickly remove chamber bullets).
Be aware of your surroundings while shooting. Do not shoot toward vehicles, hunters, and guest(s).
Do not rely on the gun’s safety.
Be sure of your target, your line of fire, and what lies beyond your target and what is beyond it.
Vehicles/Driving & Roads etc
No ATVs, side-by-sides, snowmobiles, or other off-road vehicles are allowed on the ranch, even if they are street-legal (trucks/SUVs/cars only)
No horses, llamas, alpacas, goats, etc
We recommend a 4x4 vehicle with good off-road tires (chains are also highly recommended)
Hunters are not to drive off the main gravel roads or well-established two-tracks (these are marked)
No driving past any road blockages. These include, but are not limited to, posted reflectors, locked gates, wood logs across the road, etc. This will be discussed further when you check in for your hunt.
All gates are to remain ‘as they were’ when you approached them. If they are open, leave them open; if they are closed, close them.
Be safe and courteous while driving on the roads. Drive respectfully and cautiously.
Roads may be closed for safety reasons (Ie. extreme weather).
Care must be taken to avoid damage to Ranch roads.
No chasing, pursuing, pushing, herding, or harassing game with a vehicle.
The maximum driving speed is 25 mph.
Camping/Campsite & Guide services
Camping is allowed in designated areas (on the non-guided hunt)
State law prohibits the use of alcohol and any open alcoholic containers while hunting.
No open campfires.
No littering; hunters must remove all their casings, cans, trash, and debris from the premises.
Guest Policy
The non-guided antlerless elk hunt allows the hunter to bring two guests.
The guided antlerless elk hunt does not allow guests unless the hunter (the individual with the antlerless elk tag) is a youth, female, or disabled. The youth, female, or disabled hunter can bring one guest.
Only one vehicle is allowed per hunter/permit holder on all non-guided hunts. Two guests are allowed, but only one vehicle per hunter and their guest. Guests cannot have their own vehicle.
Guest must stay with the hunter at all times (within 100 feet).
The Ranch
State laws protect livestock on Deseret Land and Livestock (DLL). Do not harm, harass, or shoot livestock. DLL may file civil charges against anyone for harassing, shooting, or harming livestock.
No fishing on the streams or ponds.
No other outdoor recreational activities are offered on the property during the hunts.
Respect the property and employees.
Shed antlers and “dead heads” are Deseret's property. Hunters or guests cannot pick up or remove them from the ranch.
Hunters and guests are responsible for familiarizing themselves with and understanding the CWMU’s boundaries.
Deseret Antlerless Elk FAQ
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Guided hunt: No, unless the hunter (the individual with the Deseret permit) is a youth (21 and younger), female, or disabled (physically or mentally can’t hunt without help from another individual).
Non guided: You are allowed two guest on the antler less hunt, but only one vehicle. The guest can’t have their own vehicles. This applies for the non-guided hunt.
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Guided Hunt Dates: Select days in November and December
Non-Guided Hunt dates:
Eight (8) total days
November 11th-16th (Monday-Saturday)
November 22-23 (Friday-Saturday)
These are the ONLY dates for the non-guided cow elk hunt
We recommend you give yourself multiple days to try to harvest an antlerless elk
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Guided: is usually close to 100% success
Non-Guided: 50-75% success
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The UDWR will charge you for your tag from the state. Please refer to the UDWR for the cost.
The non-guided hunt doesn't cost you anything besides your fees to the UDWR
The guided options can range from $525-$1050, depending on if you attend the shooting class.
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No Fishing is allowed
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No, you are not allowed to hunt ducks, geese, upland birds, prairie dogs, ground squirrels, coyotes, etc.
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No,
No ATVs, side-by-sides, or other off-road vehicles are allowed on the ranch even if they are street legal (trucks/SUVs/cars only)
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No, If you are a NON-RESIDENT you cannot apply for a CWMU permit through the public drawing. To learn more about Utah's CWMU program CLICK HERE.
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Yes. These hunts are any legal weapon and will occur during a time frame when rifles can be use. But you are more than welcome to use a muzzleloader, crossbow, bow, or handgun. Please refer to the UDWR’s website for detailed info on TAKING BIG GAME (CLICK HERE).
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No scouting before the hunt.
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No, only if the hunter is a youth.
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Yes, we encourage and love the mentor program. All paper work for the mentor program has to be done through the UDWR. To learn more about the UDWR’s mentor program CLICK HERE.
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View the draw odds on the UDWR’s website by CLICKING HERE
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Visit the UDWR’s hunt planner on its website by CLICKING HERE
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Read the info on this page carefully to fully understand your hunt. The Deseret CWMU operator will contact you via email with further instructions typically by mid to late July.
