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Utah Elk

Unit Book Cliffs, Bitter Creek/east

Utah Hunting Guide — Elk

The Book Cliffs Bitter Creek/east subunit is a Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) managed hunt area on the eastern flank of the Book Cliffs in northeastern Utah. Limited-entry elk permits are drawn through UDWR's weighted-random bonus-point system. The unit is remote, primarily BLM and SITLA ground, and produces quality bulls on low-pressure terrain.

View Draw Odds Utah Hunting Guide
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64%
Public Land

Elk Hunting in Unit Book Cliffs, Bitter Creek/east

The Book Cliffs Bitter Creek/east subunit is a Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) managed hunt area on the eastern flank of the Book Cliffs in northeastern Utah. Limited-entry elk permits are drawn through UDWR's weighted-random bonus-point system. The unit is remote, primarily BLM and SITLA ground, and produces quality bulls on low-pressure terrain.

Where to Find Elk in Bitter Creek/east

Elk on the eastern Book Cliffs occupy canyon country and high mesa benches.

Water Sources

Springs and stock tanks concentrate elk in this dry landscape, especially early season.

Pinyon-Juniper Benches

Bulls bed in shaded PJ on mid-elevation benches during midday.

High Ridge Rut Zones

Mature bulls move to high ridges and mountain brush during the rut.

How to Hunt Elk in Bitter Creek/east

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Elk Success Rates

Archery18%
Rifle28%
Muzzleloader22%
Bitter Creek/east limited-entry elk success rates are typically strong — frequently 40-55% for rifle hunts. Low pressure and motivated permit holders drive success.

Elk Draw Odds

SeasonTagsApplicantsDraw %Pts Req
Archery — Limited Entry bull/buck only (resident) 41428.6% 6
Archery — Limited Entry bull/buck only (nonresident) 1520.0% 6
Rifle — Limited Entry bull/buck only (resident) 31502.0% 12
Rifle — Limited Entry bull/buck only (nonresident) 2972.1% 11
Muzzleloader — Limited Entry bull/buck only (resident) 121846.5% 20
Muzzleloader — Limited Entry bull/buck only (nonresident) 1402.5% 20
Any Legal Weapon — Limited Entry bull/buck only (resident) 233955.8% 20
Any Legal Weapon — Limited Entry bull/buck only (nonresident) 2792.5% 20
Any Legal Weapon — Multi-season bull/buck only (resident) 31112.7% 25
Any Legal Weapon — Multi-season bull/buck only (nonresident) 000.0% 25

Data from 2025 draw results. Each row is one residency pool — read the label before the number.

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Utah limited-entry elk permits are drawn through UDWR's weighted-random bonus-point system. Each bonus point grants one additional chance — more points help, but nothing is guaranteed.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many points do Utah Book Cliffs limited-entry elk tags typically require?
Utah's weighted-random draw has no guaranteed threshold — but hunters with high point totals draw far more often than zero-point applicants.
Is Book Cliffs elk a premium limited-entry tag?
The Book Cliffs carries premium limited-entry status for certain bull elk hunts in Utah — verify the specific hunt number in the current UDWR guidebook.

Free Hunt Planning Tools

🎰 Utah Draw Odds Unit-level tag success rates 📅 Application Timeline Deadlines for all 9 states 🦌 Rut Forecast Peak rut timing by species 💰 Hunt Cost Calculator Budget your entire hunt

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Sources & Verification

Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-17.

  1. UDWR Big Game Application Guidebook — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Book Cliffs Bitter Creek/east listed in UDWR Big Game Application Guidebook for limited-entry elk · accessed 2026-04-17
  2. UDWR Hunt Boundary Map — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Authoritative GIS boundary polygon for Bitter Creek/east · accessed 2026-04-17
  3. UDWR Big Game Harvest Data — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Annual limited-entry elk harvest and survey data · accessed 2026-04-17