Utah Bison Mule Deer Bighorn Sheep

Unit Henry Mtns (Henry Mountains)

Utah Hunting Guide — Bison, Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep

The Henry Mountains host one of Utah's flagship public bison hunts, managed by UDWR through the weighted-random bonus-point draw. It is widely considered a once-in-a-lifetime tag and draws applications from across the country.

View Draw Odds Utah Hunting Guide

Bison Hunting in Unit Henry Mtns

Where to Find Bison on the Henry Mountains

Confirm the Henry Mountains bison polygon on the UDWR Hunt Boundary Map before scouting. The herd uses a mix of high mountain basins and surrounding desert country on a seasonal cycle, so scouting strategy changes with season date.

How to Hunt the Henry Mountains

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Bison Success Rates

Rifle85%

Archery60%

Annual harvest information for Henry Mountains bison hunts is published on UDWR's Big Game Harvest Data page. Success rates have historically been strong for diligent hunters on this unit.

Bison Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Limited Entry	6	988	0.6%	15
Archery— Limited Entry	4	352	1.1%	19

Data from 2024 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Utah's weighted-random bonus-point draw governs Henry Mountains bison tags. Very high point totals are typical among successful applicants, but the random element means any qualified applicant has some statistical chance.

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit Henry Mtns

The Henry Mountains limited-entry mule deer unit is one of Utah's premier trophy deer hunts, managed by UDWR through the weighted-random bonus-point draw. Remote terrain and tight tag allocation keep pressure low and buck age classes high.

Where to Find Mule Deer on the Henry Mountains

Use the UDWR Hunt Boundary Map to confirm the Henry Mountains mule deer polygon. Deer cycle between high-country summer range and lower winter range; scouting timing matters.

How to Hunt Henry Mountains Mule Deer

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Mule Deer Success Rates

Archery16%

Rifle25%

Muzzleloader20%

UDWR's Big Game Harvest Data page publishes annual Henry Mountains mule deer harvest and classification summaries. As a limited-entry unit, year-over-year comparisons are meaningful.

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Archery— Limited Entry	9	482	1.9%	31
Rifle— Limited Entry	1	540	0.2%	17
Muzzleloader— Limited Entry	9	421	2.1%	19

Data from 2024 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Tags are issued through UDWR's weighted-random bonus-point draw. More bonus points improve statistical weight; no point total guarantees a tag.

Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit Henry Mtns

The Henry Mountains desert bighorn unit covers the isolated Henry Mountain range in Garfield and Wayne counties — a stand-alone set of laccolithic peaks rising 11,000+ feet out of the Colorado Plateau. The unit is almost entirely BLM-managed public land administered by the Richfield Field Office, with Mount Ellen and Mount Pennell forming the sheep-hunting core. The Henrys are legendary as one of the last-settled regions in the Lower 48, and their bighorn population is the source herd for desert bighorn reintroductions across the West.

Where to Find Henry Mtns Bighorn

Henry Mountains bighorn use the full elevation band from 5,000-foot desert canyons up to the 11,500-foot summit ridges of Mount Ellen and Mount Pennell.

Mount Ellen Ridge System

The Mount Ellen ridgeline — especially the South Summit and Bull Creek Pass country — holds the highest concentration of rams in the unit. Glass the exposed talus and cliff bands at dawn.

Mount Pennell and Straight Creek

Mount Pennell's north and west faces offer classic bighorn escape terrain. Rams frequently drop into the Straight Creek and Starr Spring drainages during storms.

Lower Desert Benches

The benches between the peaks and the surrounding desert hold wintering ewes and younger rams. Waterpocket Fold country and the Burr Trail corridor edge into the unit in the southwest.

How to Hunt Henry Mtns Bighorn

Planning a Henry Mountains sheep hunt is a multi-year project. The terrain, heat, and remoteness demand serious preparation.

Summer Scouting Trips

Make at least two scouting trips between July and September. Cross-reference UDWR classification surveys (published annually) with high-resolution imagery to identify rams. Many successful hunters identify a target ram weeks before the season.

Glass from Elevation

Set up above sheep terrain — not below it. The Henrys reward hunters willing to climb to 10,000+ feet at first light to glass down onto cliff bands. A tripod-mounted 85–95mm spotter with a 30–60x ocular is essential.

Multi-Day Stalk Logistics

Stalks often take 1–2 days. Plan water caches, sleeping gear, and food for extended backcountry stays. Temperatures swing from 80°F in sun to freezing at night at elevation.

Shot Expectations

Shots range from 150 to 600 yards across open talus and rimrock. Confirm rifle accuracy to 500+ yards and practice prone and tripod shooting off angled terrain.

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Bighorn Sheep Success Rates

Rifle72%

Henry Mountains desert bighorn success runs near 90–100% on any-legal-weapon hunts and 60–80% on archery hunts. Ram quality is exceptional — this unit consistently produces rams scoring 170–180+ B&C, with the occasional 185+ ram. UDWR carefully manages harvest to preserve age-class structure and maintain the herd's role as a source population for transplants.

Bighorn Sheep Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Limited Entry	2	367	0.5%	10

Data from 2024 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Henry Mountains bighorn is a once-in-a-lifetime Utah tag drawn under UDWR's weighted bonus-point system. Half the permits go through a random draw of all applicants and half through a bonus-point weighted draw where each point adds one chance. With roughly 1,190 applicants over three years and only 8 total tags issued (raw odds ~0.7%), this is one of the toughest sheep draws in the West. Most successful applicants hold 18+ bonus points. Nonresident allocation is capped at 10% — in practice, zero to one nonresident tag per year.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

💧

Water

Expect limited reliable water; pack drinking water and plan resupply.

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Road Conditions

Access is a mix of paved highway, unimproved forest and BLM roads, and high-clearance 4WD routes into the higher country.

🥾

Terrain Difficulty

Strenuous mountain-and-desert terrain with significant elevation relief.

👥

Hunting Pressure

Very low; tag numbers are tightly restricted.

🌦️

Weather

Snow can close high-country roads during late seasons; early seasons can be hot and dry.

📱

Cell Service

Unreliable off the highway. Carry a satellite communicator.

🏘️

Nearest Town

Services in this part of southern Utah are sparse; plan fuel and supply stops carefully.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does Utah's draw work for Henry Mountains bison?

UDWR runs a weighted-random bonus-point draw. More points improve your statistical odds but never guarantee a tag.

Is the Henry Mountains bison hunt once-in-a-lifetime?

Bison is typically managed as a once-in-a-lifetime species in Utah. Confirm the current rules in the UDWR Big Game Application Guidebook before applying.

How does Utah's draw work for Henry Mountains mule deer?

UDWR uses a weighted-random bonus-point draw. Each point improves your statistical weight but does not guarantee a tag.

Where can I see official boundaries?

The UDWR Hunt Boundary Map is the authoritative source for Utah unit polygons.

Can I hunt the Henry Mountains bighorn without a guide?

Residents are not required to hire a guide. Nonresidents are also not required to guide for bighorn in Utah, but nearly every successful tag holder works with a guide given the complexity and once-in-a-lifetime nature of the tag.

Is the Henry Mountains bison herd related to the bighorn hunt?

No — they are separate species managed on separate draws. The Henry Mountains is famous for both its free-ranging bison herd and its desert bighorn. A tag in one species does not affect the other.

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Sources & Verification

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

UDWR Big Game Application Guidebook — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Utah big game permits are issued through UDWR's weighted-random bonus-point draw, Guidebook documents season structure, unit boundaries, and permit types · accessed 2026-04-17
UDWR Hunt Boundary Map — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Authoritative GIS polygon viewer for Utah hunt unit boundaries · accessed 2026-04-17
UDWR Big Game Harvest Data — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Annual harvest statistics and post-season classification data for Utah big game units · accessed 2026-04-17
Utah Bighorn Sheep Statewide Management Plan — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Henry Mountains support a stable desert bighorn population of ~200–300 animals, Source herd for transplants to other Utah and regional bighorn ranges · accessed 2026-04-17
Henry Mountains Travel and Recreation Management — Bureau of Land Management — Richfield Field Office · supports: BLM Richfield administers nearly all of the Henry Mountains, Mount Ellen, Mount Pennell, and Mount Hillers are the primary peaks; primary vehicle access via Notom-Bullfrog Road and Sawmill Basin Road · accessed 2026-04-17