Utah Elk Mule Deer

Unit Double Cone (Double Cone)

Utah Hunting Guide — Elk, Mule Deer

Double Cone is a central Utah CWMU elk hunt with 198 applicants and 3 public tags over 3 years — a tight-odds opportunity producing quality bulls (UDWR CWMU data, accessed 2026-04-17). Mixed conifer benches and aspen stringers support mature elk with low pressure.

View Draw Odds Utah Hunting Guide

Elk Hunting in Unit Double Cone

Where to Find Elk on Double Cone

Double Cone elk split between aspen bedding and ag-edge feeding.

Aspen Stringers

Mature bulls hold in aspen pockets on shaded aspects.

Conifer Benches

Mixed conifer benches provide thermal cover and travel routes.

Ranch Ag

Evening feed on ag pulls elk predictably.

How to Hunt Double Cone Elk

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Elk Success Rates

Rifle28%

CWMU bull elk success averages 75-95% per UDWR. Double Cone's low tag count means every tag holder gets focused operator attention and quality bull opportunities.

Elk Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Limited Entry	1	57	1.8%	3

Data from 2024 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Utah's weighted bonus-point lottery — 50% max-points, 50% weighted random. With 198 applicants and 3 public tags over 3 years, max-pool clearance typically requires double-digit points; random-pool is a longshot but real.

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit Double Cone

Double Cone is a limited-entry mule deer CWMU located in Garfield County, central-southern Utah — situated in the valley floor between the Plateau Boulder and Mt. Dutton elk units. The roughly 8,500-acre unit is composed primarily of agricultural hay fields and wet meadows, with adjacent juniper transitions that attract trophy-class mule deer bucks from the surrounding plateau country. Draw odds of approximately 10% for this unique lowland-to-high-country mule deer experience.

Where to Find Mule Deer on Double Cone

Double Cone's position between two major Utah elk plateau units creates a unique mule deer hunting environment — bucks use the CWMU's hay fields and meadows as a transition zone between the higher Plateau Boulder country and the Mt. Dutton area to the west.

Agricultural Fields and Wet Meadows

Mature bucks feed heavily in Double Cone's hay fields and wet meadows during the early morning and evening hours. These open areas provide exceptional visibility for observing deer from field edges or from elevated points overlooking the meadow complex. The richness of the irrigated forage draws bucks from the surrounding public land during fall feeding periods.

Juniper Transition and Field Edges

Bucks bed in the juniper trees fringing the meadows and fields during midday. Watch the field-juniper transition closely at first light — bucks often linger at the edge before fully committing to open fields. These transition strips are also excellent stand-hunting locations.

How to Hunt Mule Deer on Double Cone

Double Cone's combination of open meadows and adjacent juniper gives hunters multiple tactical options. The CWMU structure provides controlled access and virtually no competition within the unit boundaries.

Field Ambush at Agricultural Edges

Set up downwind of active hay fields 45 minutes before first light, positioned at the field edge or in a ground blind near an established deer trail. Bucks entering fields before sunrise offer exceptional shot opportunities. Glass the field from a concealed position rather than walking the edge, which pushes deer back to timber.

Juniper Glassing and Stalk

During midday, glass from elevated vantage points overlooking the juniper transition zone to locate bedded bucks. The relatively flat terrain around Double Cone allows stalks within the juniper without significant elevation challenge. Plan your approach using juniper contours to stay screened from the target buck's line of sight.

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Mule Deer Success Rates

Rifle25%

Double Cone mule deer hunters benefit from the CWMU's controlled access and the rich forage of its hay fields, which concentrate mature bucks. With only 1 public tag issued annually and no competing hunters within the unit boundary, success rates for drawn hunters are high. The valley-floor position between major plateau units means bucks using the CWMU have access to excellent summer range above and productive wintering meadows on the unit itself.

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Limited Entry	1	10	10.0%	0

Data from 2022 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Double Cone mule deer draws approximately 10 applicants for 1 tag annually — roughly 10% odds at zero bonus points for residents (2022 data). As a single-tag CWMU unit, the draw pool is small and odds are relatively stable year to year. Utah's weighted bonus-point system means even moderate point accumulation provides a clear advantage in this draw.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

⛺

Camp Sites

Operator-dependent

💧

Water

On-ranch water available

🛣️

Road Conditions

Ranch roads — operator controlled

🥾

Terrain Difficulty

Moderate

👥

Hunting Pressure

Low

🌦️

Weather

Fall cold, possible October snow

📱

Cell Service

Spotty

🏘️

Nearest Town

Fairview or Manti, UT

Note: Coordinate with the operator early — hunts can be date-specific.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Double Cone a good CWMU for first-time elk hunters?

Yes — operator-guided CWMU hunts structure the experience, and Double Cone's quality habitat means success rates stay high for tag holders of all experience levels.

Is Double Cone CWMU better for elk or mule deer?

Both species draw tags at Double Cone. The elk unit is the more historically documented draw, but the mule deer CWMU offers a unique opportunity to hunt trophy bucks in the valley meadows between the major plateau units — a type of hunt that is uncommon in Utah's otherwise high-elevation mule deer landscape.

What county is Double Cone CWMU in?

Double Cone is located in Garfield County, Utah, in the Grand Staircase–Escalante area between the Plateau Boulder and Mt. Dutton public-land units along the Escalante corridor of central-southern Utah.

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Sources & Verification

Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-18.

Utah CWMU Program — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Double Cone listed as CWMU hunt · accessed 2026-04-17
Utah Big Game Application Guidebook — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Tags allocated through weighted bonus-point draw · accessed 2026-04-17
Utah Hunt Boundary Interactive Map — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources — Hunt Planner · supports: Double Cone boundary polygon · accessed 2026-04-17

Unit Double Cone (Double Cone)

Elk Hunting in Unit Double Cone

Where to Find Elk on Double Cone

Aspen Stringers

Conifer Benches

Ranch Ag

How to Hunt Double Cone Elk

Dawn Bugling

Evening Field Glass

Still-Hunt Pockets

Elk Success Rates

Elk Draw Odds

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit Double Cone

Where to Find Mule Deer on Double Cone

Agricultural Fields and Wet Meadows

Juniper Transition and Field Edges

How to Hunt Mule Deer on Double Cone

Field Ambush at Agricultural Edges

Juniper Glassing and Stalk

Mule Deer Success Rates

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

Camp Sites

Water

Road Conditions

Terrain Difficulty

Hunting Pressure

Weather

Cell Service

Nearest Town

Frequently Asked Questions

Plan Your Hunt with ProHunt Pro+AI

Sources & Verification

Unit Double Cone (Double Cone)

Elk Hunting in Unit Double Cone

Where to Find Elk on Double Cone

Aspen Stringers

Conifer Benches

Ranch Ag

How to Hunt Double Cone Elk

Elk Success Rates

Elk Draw Odds

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit Double Cone

Where to Find Mule Deer on Double Cone

Agricultural Fields and Wet Meadows

Juniper Transition and Field Edges

How to Hunt Mule Deer on Double Cone

Mule Deer Success Rates

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Unit Logistics & Expectations

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Sources & Verification