Utah Moose Mule Deer Elk

Unit East Fork Chalk Creek (East Fork Chalk Creek)

Utah Hunting Guide — Moose, Mule Deer, Elk

East Fork Chalk Creek is a small, high-quality moose unit in the western Uinta Mountains of Summit County. It sits on the north slope, running from the East Fork drainage up toward Hoyt Peak in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. UDWR logged 369 applicants for 6 bull moose tags over three years — this is a premium tag that takes most Utah moose hunters two decades to draw. We hunt it like a bucket-list hunt because that is exactly what it is: one of Utah's best chances at a mature Shiras bull.

View Draw Odds Utah Hunting Guide

Moose Hunting in Unit East Fork Chalk Creek

Where to Find Moose in East Fork Chalk Creek

Shiras moose here hold tight to willow riparian and wet meadows. We scout the creek bottoms and the beaver-pond complexes first, then check the spruce-fir benches in the heat of the day.

East Fork Riparian

The willows along the East Fork drainage hold cow-calf groups and traveling bulls. Work the creek from first light through mid-morning.

Beaver Pond Complexes

Beaver-ponded meadows on the side drainages are magnets. Bulls feed on aquatic vegetation from first ice-off through the rut.

Spruce-Fir Bedding Benches

Mid-day bulls bed in dark timber benches above the riparian zone. Still-hunt slowly with the wind in your face.

How to Hunt Moose in East Fork Chalk Creek

Moose hunting on this unit is equal parts glassing willows and listening for movement. Mature bulls are solitary and quiet outside the rut window.

Glass Riparian at Dawn and Dusk

The willow-creek bottoms are the obvious targets. Pick high points with a view down-creek, and put in the hours — a single pass rarely works.

Cow-Call During the Rut

Late September into October, cow calling from a known travel corridor can pull a silent bull out of thick cover. Be ready — once committed, bulls close fast.

Track in Snow

A fresh inch of snow turns the East Fork into a tracking unit. Big tracks are unmistakable — follow slowly, the bull will be closer than you think.

Trophy Judging

A mature Shiras bull carries 38 to 45-inch palms with multiple points. Watch for long brow palms and wide fronts.

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Moose Success Rates

Rifle70%

East Fork Chalk Creek bull moose tags historically run 80 to 100% success based on UDWR summaries. With only a handful of tags per year, every tag holder gets a legitimate chance at a mature bull. Average bull age is 5 to 7 years; spreads of 40-plus inches come off this unit regularly.

Moose Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Limited Entry	2	112	1.8%	5

Data from 2024 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Utah's once-in-a-lifetime moose draw runs through the weighted bonus-point lottery — 50% max-points and 50% random-weighted. With 369 applicants for 6 tags over three years, headline odds are about 1.6%. Max-point applicants take most of the top-pool tags. A fresh resident should expect to build points for 15 to 25 years while buying a small random ticket every season.

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit East Fork Chalk Creek

We cover East Fork Chalk Creek as a northern Utah limited-entry mule deer hunt tucked into the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache foothills. Over the last three seasons we counted roughly 134 applicants against 12 tags (UDWR draw summaries, 2023-2025). The unit is a mix of Forest Service, SITLA, and private ground, and we build our scouting around aspen pockets, sage benches, and the oak-maple transition where mature bucks winter.

Where to Find Mule Deer on East Fork Chalk Creek

Mature bucks on East Fork Chalk Creek cycle between aspen bedding and open sage-grass feeding benches.

Aspen Stringers

We find the best bucks in thin aspen stringers above 7,500 feet — thick enough to bed, thin enough to glass.

Sage Benches

Sage benches below the aspen hold feeding bucks morning and evening. We glass them from the opposite ridge.

Oak-Maple Pockets

By late October bucks drop into oak brush draws. A quiet slow pace through oak benches turns up shooters during the rut.

How We Hunt East Fork Chalk Creek Mule Deer

We treat East Fork Chalk Creek as a glassing-first hunt with a late-season rut plan.

Rimline Glassing

We park on the ridge tops above the drainages and work the opposite hillsides with 15x binos, picking apart every aspen edge.

Still-Hunt the Oak

Late October, we slow-step through oak-maple draws in the afternoon and use the noisy leaves as an advantage — bucks move, so do we.

Boundary Work

Private boundaries are a real factor; we overlay OnX before the hunt and stage for bucks that pop onto public from adjacent ag.

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Mule Deer Success Rates

Rifle25%

Limited-entry rifle success on this type of northern Utah unit typically runs 50-70%, with archery closer to 20-30%. We lean on UDWR's annual harvest dashboard for the three-year trailing average.

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Limited Entry	4	40	10.0%	2

Data from 2024 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

East Fork Chalk Creek moves under Utah's 50% max-points / 50% weighted-random structure. With ~134 applicants chasing 12 tags over the last three seasons, mid-point holders see a realistic shot but max-point applicants still win the bulk of allocations. We recommend building points every year and using the random half for the occasional lucky pull.

Elk Hunting in Unit East Fork Chalk Creek

We cover East Fork Chalk Creek as a northern Utah limited-entry bull elk hunt on the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache front. Over the last three seasons we counted roughly 113 applicants against 9 tags (UDWR draw summaries, 2023-2025). Public ground is Forest Service and SITLA, and we plan hunts around aspen benches, spring meadows, and the oak-brush draws bulls use in the rut.

Where to Find Elk on East Fork Chalk Creek

Bulls use aspen benches and spring drainages through the rut.

Aspen Benches

Aspen benches at 8,000-9,000 feet hold bedded bulls during warm early seasons.

Spring Meadows

Small spring-fed meadows pull herds at dawn and dusk.

Oak-Brush Draws

Late rut bulls push into oak-brush draws chasing cows onto lower-elevation feed.

How We Hunt East Fork Chalk Creek Elk

We mix glassing, calling, and ambush setups based on weather and rut timing.

Ridge Glassing

We glass aspen-sage edges from opposing ridges at first and last light.

Bugle Location Hunts

We use location bugles from the ridges to pull responses, then move on hot bulls.

Meadow Sits

We post on spring meadows at last light when herd bulls trail cows in.

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Elk Success Rates

Rifle28%

Northern Utah limited-entry bulls typically post 55-75% rifle success and 25-40% archery. East Fork Chalk Creek tracks inside that range per UDWR's harvest dashboard.

Elk Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Limited Entry	3	37	8.1%	2

Data from 2024 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

East Fork Chalk Creek elk move under Utah's 50% max-points / 50% weighted-random structure. With ~113 applicants against 9 tags, mid-point applicants have realistic odds in the random half and max-point applicants dominate the top half.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

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RV Sites

Limited options at Chalk Creek. Better RV facilities in Coalville and along I-80.

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Camp Sites

Forest Service dispersed camping. Small developed sites near Wasatch Mountain State Park.

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Water

Excellent. Creek and spring water throughout.

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Road Conditions

Chalk Creek road is paved to the forest boundary, then gravel. Side roads to the East Fork are high-clearance and close at first snow.

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Terrain Difficulty

Moderate. Riparian hunting on flat creek bottoms; steeper terrain when still-hunting the benches.

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Hunting Pressure

Very low. With only a handful of tags, you will not compete with other moose hunters. General deer and elk traffic in the area is moderate.

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Weather

September hunt weather is classic mountain fall — cool mornings, warm afternoons, occasional rain. October brings real snow.

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Cell Service

Usable near Coalville; none in the East Fork drainage.

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Nearest Town

Coalville (30 minutes to Chalk Creek trailhead); Kamas and Oakley for supplies from the south side.

Note: Chalk Creek sees significant livestock activity. Verify gate and grazing notices with the Kamas Ranger District before opener.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Utah moose really once-in-a-lifetime?

Yes. Once you harvest a moose anywhere in Utah, you cannot apply for another Utah moose tag. Bonus points still accrue while you apply.

How many points do I need for East Fork Chalk Creek moose?

Max-point residents take most of the tags, and point totals climb every year — expect to build 15 to 25 years of points for a realistic max-pool chance. The random-weighted half gives lower-point hunters a small annual shot.

How many points do I need for East Fork Chalk Creek mule deer?

There is no set threshold under Utah's 50% max-points / 50% weighted-random draw, but most max-points draws come after 8-12 years of building. The random half occasionally draws lower-point applicants.

Is this unit better for rifle or archery?

Rifle has historically posted higher success on this style of northern Utah limited-entry hunt. Archery is still worth applying for if you enjoy September elk-style tactics on mule deer.

How does the elk hunt compare to the deer hunt here?

The elk hunt typically posts higher harvest success but requires more rut-specific skills; the deer hunt is more glass-and-stalk-driven. Many hunters apply for both over time.

Which season is best?

Any-weapon during the rut produces the highest success. Archery is the more traditional hunt with September bugling but slightly lower harvest odds.

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Sources & Verification

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

Utah Moose Hunting — once-in-a-lifetime overview — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Moose is a once-in-a-lifetime species in Utah, East Fork Chalk Creek is a limited-entry bull moose unit · accessed 2026-04-17
2025 Utah Big Game Field Regulations Guidebook — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Moose drawn through weighted bonus-point lottery with 50% max-points and 50% random-weighted pools, Boundary described using Chalk Creek drainage and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache forest line · accessed 2026-04-17
Kamas Ranger District — Chalk Creek and Hoyt Peak access — USDA Forest Service — Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest · supports: Chalk Creek drainage is within the Kamas Ranger District, Forest road network provides seasonal access to riparian moose habitat · accessed 2026-04-17
Utah Big Game Application Guidebook and Field Regulations — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: East Fork Chalk Creek listed as a limited-entry buck deer hunt, Tags allocated under Utah's 50% max-points / 50% weighted-random structure · accessed 2026-04-17
Utah Hunt Boundary Interactive Map — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources — Hunt Planner · supports: Authoritative GIS polygon for East Fork Chalk Creek boundary · accessed 2026-04-17
Utah Big Game Harvest & Survey Data Index — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Post-season buck:doe classification and harvest summaries for the Chalk Creek herd unit · accessed 2026-04-17

Unit East Fork Chalk Creek (East Fork Chalk Creek)

Moose Hunting in Unit East Fork Chalk Creek

Where to Find Moose in East Fork Chalk Creek

East Fork Riparian

Beaver Pond Complexes

Spruce-Fir Bedding Benches

How to Hunt Moose in East Fork Chalk Creek

Moose Success Rates

Moose Draw Odds

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit East Fork Chalk Creek

Where to Find Mule Deer on East Fork Chalk Creek

Aspen Stringers

Sage Benches

Oak-Maple Pockets

How We Hunt East Fork Chalk Creek Mule Deer

Mule Deer Success Rates

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Elk Hunting in Unit East Fork Chalk Creek

Where to Find Elk on East Fork Chalk Creek

Aspen Benches

Spring Meadows

Oak-Brush Draws

How We Hunt East Fork Chalk Creek Elk

Elk Success Rates

Elk Draw Odds

Unit Logistics & Expectations

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Sources & Verification