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Utah Hunting Season Dates 2026–27

Season openers, closers, and tag requirements by species. Always confirm against Utah Division of Wildlife Resources before you hunt. Dates can change.

License: resident $34 · nonresident $65. Species tags and permits are extra. See each section below.

Mule Deer (general-season buck deer) Season Dates

SeasonOpensClosesTag
General-season archery buck deer, statewideAug 15, 2026Sep 11, 2026General-season archery buck deer permit
Extended archery, either sex - short group: Extended Archery Deer Areas - short groupSep 12, 2026Oct 15, 2026Any 2026 archery buck deer permit, or the extended-archery-only permit DB0008, plus completed ethics course
Extended archery, either sex - long group: Extended Archery Deer Areas - long groupSep 12, 2026Nov 30, 2026Any 2026 archery buck deer permit, or the extended-archery-only permit DB0008, plus completed ethics course
General-season muzzleloader buck deer, statewideSep 23, 2026Oct 1, 2026General-season muzzleloader or restricted muzzleloader buck deer permit
Early general-season any legal weapon buck deer (twelve units only): Early Any Legal Weapon Buck Deer UnitsOct 7, 2026Oct 11, 2026Early any legal weapon general-season buck deer permit
General-season any legal weapon (rifle) buck deer, statewideOct 17, 2026Oct 25, 2026General-season any legal weapon or restricted rifle buck deer permit
Late-season limited-entry muzzleloader deer (all general-season units)Oct 28, 2026Nov 5, 2026Limited-entry late-season muzzleloader deer permit (costs bonus points plus a five-year waiting period)
HAMSS limited-entry buck deer (four units only): HAMSS Buck Deer UnitsNov 7, 2026Nov 30, 2026HAMSS limited-entry buck deer permit

Wild Turkey Season Dates

SeasonOpensClosesTag
Fall management harvest huntsOct 1, 2026Feb 28, 2027Fall turkey management harvest permit, available from Sept. 10, 2026
Spring limited-entryApr 10, 2027Apr 29, 2027Limited-entry spring turkey permit (applications open Dec. 15, 2026, deadline Dec. 29, 2026, results Jan. 7, 2027)
Youth spring general seasonApr 30, 2027May 2, 2027Youth turkey permit; 1 bird
Spring general seasonMay 3, 2027May 31, 2027General-season spring turkey permit

Black Bear Season Dates

SeasonOpensClosesTag
Spring limited-entry, any legal weapon, no baitMar 28, 2026May 25, 2026Spring limited-entry black bear permit (BR70xx), drawn
Summer limited-entry, any legal weapon, no dogsMay 25, 2026Jun 28, 2026Summer limited-entry black bear permit (BR71xx), drawn
Fall limited-entry, any legal weapon, no bait (first segment)Aug 1, 2026Aug 31, 2026Fall limited-entry black bear permit (BR72xx), drawn
Fall limited-entry, any legal weapon, no bait (second segment)Nov 2, 2026Nov 8, 2026Fall limited-entry black bear permit (BR72xx), drawn
Fall limited-entry, Book Cliffs Bitter Creek/South only (first segment)Aug 1, 2026Aug 14, 2026Fall limited-entry black bear permit BR7201, drawn
Fall limited-entry, Book Cliffs Bitter Creek/South only (second segment)Oct 2, 2026Nov 8, 2026Fall limited-entry black bear permit BR7201, drawn
Limited-entry spot-and-stalk, Book Cliffs Little Creek Roadless onlySep 1, 2026Nov 8, 2026Limited-entry spot-and-stalk black bear permit BR7225, drawn
Harvest-objective, any legal weapon, no bait and no dogs (main window)Sep 1, 2026Oct 25, 2026Harvest-objective black bear permit; unit closes when the harvest quota is met
Harvest-objective, any legal weapon, no bait and no dogs (early summer window, some units)Jul 6, 2026Jul 31, 2026Harvest-objective black bear permit; unit closes when the harvest quota is met

Rocky Mountain Elk Season Dates

SeasonOpensClosesTag
General-season archery, any bull units: Any Bull Elk UnitsAug 15, 2026Sep 16, 2026General-season archery bull elk permit (over the counter)
General-season archery, spike units: Spike Bull Elk UnitsAug 15, 2026Sep 4, 2026General-season archery bull elk permit (over the counter)
Extended archery elk - Uinta Basin and Wasatch Front: Extended Archery Elk Areas - Uinta Basin and Wasatch FrontAug 15, 2026Dec 15, 2026Any 2026 archery bull elk permit plus completed ethics course
Extended archery elk - West Cache: Extended Archery Elk Area - West CacheAug 15, 2026Jan 31, 2027Any 2026 archery bull elk permit plus completed ethics course
Draw-only youth any bull / hunter's choice elk: Any Bull Elk UnitsSep 12, 2026Sep 22, 2026Draw-only youth any bull / hunter's choice permit. Holders of the over-the-counter general-season youth elk permit may NOT hunt these dates.
Early general-season any legal weapon, any bull units: Any Bull Elk UnitsOct 3, 2026Oct 9, 2026General-season any legal weapon any-bull elk permit
Late general-season any legal weapon, any bull units: Any Bull Elk UnitsOct 10, 2026Oct 16, 2026General-season any legal weapon any-bull elk permit (unlimited over-the-counter late-season permits were still available in 2026)
General-season any legal weapon, spike units: Spike Bull Elk UnitsOct 3, 2026Oct 15, 2026General-season any legal weapon spike bull elk permit
General-season muzzleloader, any bull and spike unitsOct 28, 2026Nov 5, 2026General-season muzzleloader elk permit
Youth any legal weapon, Uinta Basin private lands onlyAug 1, 2026Nov 15, 2026General-season youth elk permit (over the counter), valid on Uinta Basin private lands only

Band-tailed Pigeon Season Dates

SeasonOpensClosesTag
Regular, statewideSep 1, 2026Sep 14, 2026Utah hunting or combination license + permit + HIP registration

American Crow Season Dates

SeasonOpensClosesTag
First segment, statewideSep 1, 2026Sep 30, 2026Utah hunting or combination license + HIP registration
Second segment, statewideDec 1, 2026Feb 28, 2027Utah hunting or combination license + HIP registration

Mourning Dove and White-winged Dove Season Dates

SeasonOpensClosesTag
Regular, statewide (single segment)Sep 1, 2026Oct 30, 2026Utah hunting or combination license + HIP registration

Furbearers (badger, fox, ringtail, skunk, weasel, beaver, mink, bobcat, marten) Season Dates

SeasonOpensClosesTag
Badger, gray fox, kit fox, ringtail, spotted skunk and weaselSep 15, 2026Mar 1, 2027Furbearer license + trap registration license
Beaver and minkSep 15, 2026Apr 1, 2027Furbearer license + trap registration license
MartenSep 15, 2026Mar 1, 2027Furbearer license + marten permit (available Aug. 27, 2026 - March 1, 2027); permanent marten tags available Sept. 15, 2026 - March 5, 2027
BobcatNov 18, 2026Mar 1, 2027Furbearer license + bobcat permit and temporary possession tags (available Oct. 1-31, 2026); permanent bobcat tags available Nov. 18, 2026 - March 5, 2027

Grouse and Ptarmigan Season Dates

SeasonOpensClosesTag
Dusky (blue) and ruffed grouse, statewideSep 1, 2026Dec 31, 2026Utah hunting or combination license; no permit required
White-tailed ptarmigan, statewideSep 1, 2026Oct 31, 2026Utah hunting or combination license + ptarmigan permit
Greater sage-grouseSep 26, 2026Oct 18, 2026Utah hunting or combination license + limited-entry greater sage-grouse permit
Sharp-tailed grouseSep 26, 2026Oct 18, 2026Utah hunting or combination license + limited-entry sharp-tailed grouse permit

Cougar (Mountain Lion) Season Dates

SeasonOpensClosesTag
Cougar pursuit and hunting - restricted pursuit units only: Restricted Pursuit Units (cougar and bear)Mar 28, 2026Nov 1, 2026Cougar permit. No dogs allowed on these units except for hunters holding a valid bear permit.

Mule Deer Season Dates

SeasonOpensClosesTag
General-season archery buck deer, statewideAug 15, 2026Sep 11, 2026General-season archery buck deer permit
General-season muzzleloader buck deer, statewideSep 23, 2026Oct 1, 2026General-season muzzleloader buck deer permit
General-season any legal weapon (rifle) buck deer, statewideOct 17, 2026Oct 25, 2026General-season any legal weapon buck deer permit

Ring-necked Pheasant Season Dates

SeasonOpensClosesTag
Youth hunt, statewideOct 31, 2026Nov 5, 2026Utah hunting or combination license; 2 male birds daily, 6 in possession
Regular, statewideNov 7, 2026Dec 6, 2026Utah hunting or combination license; no permit required

Pronghorn (buck pronghorn) Season Dates

SeasonOpensClosesTag
Limited-entry buck pronghorn, archeryAug 15, 2026Sep 11, 2026Limited-entry archery buck pronghorn permit (PB50xx), drawn
Limited-entry buck pronghorn, any legal weapon (rifle)Sep 12, 2026Sep 20, 2026Limited-entry any legal weapon buck pronghorn permit (PB50xx), drawn
Limited-entry buck pronghorn, muzzleloaderSep 23, 2026Oct 1, 2026Limited-entry muzzleloader buck pronghorn permit (PB50xx), drawn

California and Gambel's Quail Season Dates

SeasonOpensClosesTag
Youth hunt, statewideOct 31, 2026Nov 2, 2026Utah hunting or combination license; 5 birds daily, 15 in possession
Regular, statewideNov 7, 2026Dec 31, 2026Utah hunting or combination license; no permit required

Cottontail Rabbit and Snowshoe Hare Season Dates

SeasonOpensClosesTag
Cottontail rabbit, statewideSep 1, 2026Feb 28, 2027Utah hunting or combination license; no permit required
Snowshoe hare, statewideSep 1, 2026Mar 15, 2027Utah hunting or combination license; no permit required

Chukar and Gray (Hungarian) Partridge Season Dates

SeasonOpensClosesTag
Youth hunt, statewideSep 19, 2026Sep 21, 2026Utah hunting or combination license; 5 birds daily, 15 in possession
Regular, statewideSep 26, 2026Feb 15, 2027Utah hunting or combination license; no permit required

Tundra Swan Season Dates

SeasonOpensClosesTag
Regular, statewideOct 3, 2026Dec 13, 2026Limited-entry tundra swan permit + federal duck stamp + HIP
Youth hunt - Northern Zone only: Waterfowl Northern ZoneSep 19, 2026Sep 19, 2026Limited-entry tundra swan permit + federal duck stamp + HIP; 1 bird

Ducks, Mergansers, Coots, Snipe, Scaup and Geese Season Dates

SeasonOpensClosesTag
Duck, merganser, coot and snipe - Northern Zone: Waterfowl Northern ZoneOct 3, 2026Jan 16, 2027Utah hunting or combination license + federal duck stamp (16 and older) + HIP
Duck, merganser, coot and snipe - Southern Zone: Waterfowl Southern ZoneOct 10, 2026Jan 23, 2027Utah hunting or combination license + federal duck stamp (16 and older) + HIP
Scaup - Northern Zone: Waterfowl Northern ZoneOct 3, 2026Dec 27, 2026Utah hunting or combination license + federal duck stamp + HIP
Scaup - Southern Zone: Waterfowl Southern ZoneOct 30, 2026Jan 23, 2027Utah hunting or combination license + federal duck stamp + HIP
Dark and white-fronted geese - Eastern Box Elder goose area: Eastern Box Elder Goose AreaOct 3, 2026Jan 16, 2027Utah hunting or combination license + federal duck stamp + HIP
Dark and white-fronted geese (first segment) - Northern goose area: Northern Goose AreaOct 3, 2026Oct 10, 2026Utah hunting or combination license + federal duck stamp + HIP
Dark and white-fronted geese (second segment) - Northern goose area: Northern Goose AreaOct 26, 2026Jan 31, 2027Utah hunting or combination license + federal duck stamp + HIP
Dark and white-fronted geese - Southern goose area: Southern Goose AreaOct 10, 2026Jan 23, 2027Utah hunting or combination license + federal duck stamp + HIP
Dark and white-fronted geese (first segment) - Wasatch Front goose area: Wasatch Front Goose AreaOct 3, 2026Oct 10, 2026Utah hunting or combination license + federal duck stamp + HIP
Dark and white-fronted geese (second segment) - Wasatch Front goose area: Wasatch Front Goose AreaNov 10, 2026Feb 15, 2027Utah hunting or combination license + federal duck stamp + HIP
Light geese (first segment) - Eastern Box Elder, Northern and Wasatch Front goose areasOct 15, 2026Dec 22, 2026Utah hunting or combination license + federal duck stamp + HIP
Light geese (second segment) - Eastern Box Elder, Northern and Wasatch Front goose areasFeb 1, 2027Mar 10, 2027Utah hunting or combination license + federal duck stamp + HIP
Light geese (first segment) - Southern goose area: Southern Goose AreaOct 26, 2026Dec 15, 2026Utah hunting or combination license + federal duck stamp + HIP
Light geese (second segment) - Southern goose area: Southern Goose AreaJan 15, 2027Mar 10, 2027Utah hunting or combination license + federal duck stamp + HIP
Youth, veteran and active military waterfowl day - Northern Zone: Waterfowl Northern ZoneSep 19, 2026Sep 19, 2026Licensed youth 17 or younger; federal duck stamp if 16 or older; HIP required regardless of age
Youth, veteran and active military waterfowl day - Southern Zone: Waterfowl Southern ZoneSep 26, 2026Sep 26, 2026Licensed youth 17 or younger; federal duck stamp if 16 or older; HIP required regardless of age
Verify before you hunt. These dates are compiled for planning and can change between when they're published and when the season opens, and many states vary dates by unit, zone, or WMU. Always confirm with Utah Division of Wildlife Resources before heading out. Nothing here is legal advice.
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