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Utah Mule Deer Elk

Unit Heaston East (Heaston East)

Utah Hunting Guide — Mule Deer, Elk

The Heaston East mule deer hunt is a small, intensively managed limited-entry opportunity in central-western Utah. With only a handful of tags issued each year, the hunt offers a high-quality, low-pressure mule deer experience on a mix of private and adjoining public lands. Buck quality is the focus, with UDWR and landowners coordinating on age-class objectives that keep mature bucks on the landscape.

View Draw Odds Utah Hunting Guide

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit Heaston East

The Heaston East mule deer hunt is a small, intensively managed limited-entry opportunity in central-western Utah. With only a handful of tags issued each year, the hunt offers a high-quality, low-pressure mule deer experience on a mix of private and adjoining public lands. Buck quality is the focus, with UDWR and landowners coordinating on age-class objectives that keep mature bucks on the landscape.

Where to Find Mule Deer on Heaston East

Heaston East mule deer use a classic Great Basin mosaic — sagebrush, pinyon-juniper, and mountain brush — with bucks rotating between cover and feed.

Pinyon-Juniper Benches

Mature bucks bed in dense PJ during the day, particularly on north-facing slopes. Glass the cover edges at first and last light.

Mountain Brush Pockets

Higher elevation mountain brush — oak, serviceberry, and mahogany — holds bucks during the rut and provides thermal cover through October.

Water and Feed Corridors

Stock tanks and small springs concentrate deer during warm early-season hunts. Scout these water sources ahead of time.

How to Hunt Mule Deer on Heaston East

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Mule Deer Success Rates

Rifle25%
Heaston East mule deer success is typically 70-90% given the small permit pool and intensive management. Buck quality leans mature — most harvested bucks are 4+ years old with scores commonly in the 170-195 range and occasional standouts above 200.

Mule Deer Draw Odds

SeasonTagsApplicantsDraw %Pts Req
Rifle— Limited Entry21081.9% 2

Data from 2024 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine
Utah UDWR uses a weighted bonus-point lottery for limited-entry mule deer: 50% of tags go to the max-points pool and 50% through a random weighted draw where each bonus point acts as an additional chance. With only about 6 tags over the last 3 years against 313 applicants, overall odds sit near 1.9% per year. Residents with high point totals dominate the max-points pool.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Heaston East a private-land hunt?
The Heaston East hunt involves coordinated access on private and adjoining public ground. Public draw tag holders should contact the landowner or affiliated outfitter as soon as they draw to confirm access windows and logistics.
How hard is it to draw Heaston East?
With about 6 tags over the last 3 years against 313 applicants, overall odds sit near 1.9% per year. Utah's weighted bonus-point lottery favors high-point residents in the max-points pool, but zero-point applicants still have a chance through the random side.
Does Heaston East hunt during the rut?
Most CWMU elk hunts span the rut and into rifle season — check with the operator for exact dates before applying.

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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. Utah Big Game Application Guidebook — Limited Entry Mule Deer — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Heaston East listed among Utah's limited-entry mule deer hunts, Tags issued through UDWR's weighted bonus-point lottery · accessed 2026-04-17
  2. Utah Hunt Boundary Interactive Map — Heaston East — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources — Hunt Planner · supports: Authoritative GIS polygon for the Heaston East mule deer hunt area · accessed 2026-04-17
  3. Utah CWMU and Limited Entry Hunt Framework — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Small-acreage limited-entry hunts are coordinated between UDWR and participating landowners, Public draw tag holders gain access to otherwise private ground · accessed 2026-04-17
  4. Utah CWMU Program — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Heaston East CWMU · accessed 2026-04-17