Utah Mule Deer Elk

Unit Minnie Maud Ridge (Minnie Maud Ridge)

Utah Hunting Guide — Mule Deer, Elk

We cover Minnie Maud Ridge as a Range Creek-adjacent limited-entry mule deer hunt on central Utah's Tavaputs Plateau. Over the last three seasons we counted roughly 133 applicants against 15 tags (UDWR draw summaries, 2023-2025). Public land is a mix of SITLA, BLM, and USFS, and we scout the unit around pinyon-juniper ridges, sage benches, and aspen draws.

View Draw Odds Utah Hunting Guide

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit Minnie Maud Ridge

Where to Find Mule Deer on Minnie Maud Ridge

Minnie Maud holds classic plateau-country bucks using PJ ridges and aspen pockets.

PJ Ridges

Older bucks bed in thick pinyon-juniper at 7,000-8,000 feet. Glass the PJ edges and cattle trails that cross them.

Sage Benches

Sage benches and cheatgrass flats between ridges pull feeding bucks at dawn and dusk.

Aspen Heads

Aspen draws at the top of the ridge network hold rutting bucks in late October.

How We Hunt Minnie Maud Ridge Mule Deer

The plateau is built for glassing — we spend most of our day behind optics.

Long-Range Glassing

We set up on high PJ points with 15x and 20x binos, quartering canyon walls across long distances.

Rut Loops

Late October, we loop aspen heads and sage benches where does concentrate, pushing through only at midday when bucks are cruising.

ATV Legality

We check motorized restrictions on every road — some two-tracks inside the unit are foot/horse only during season.

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Mule Deer Success Rates

Rifle25%

Tavaputs limited-entry units typically run 45-65% rifle success and 15-25% archery. Minnie Maud Ridge has posted within that range over the past three seasons per UDWR's harvest dashboard.

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Limited Entry	5	44	11.4%	2

Data from 2024 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Minnie Maud Ridge moves under Utah's 50% max-points / 50% weighted-random structure. With ~133 applicants against 15 tags over the last three seasons, it's one of the more drawable Tavaputs limited-entry options — still multi-year point building, but not a decade-long wait.

Elk Hunting in Unit Minnie Maud Ridge

Minnie Maud Ridge elk is a limited-entry bull elk unit on central Utah's Tavaputs Plateau, covering the same ridge and canyon terrain that produces the unit's mule deer. The Minnie Maud Ridge area spans the Carbon-Duchesne County boundary, with aspen parks, pinyon-juniper benches, and sage flats that hold quality bulls under UDWR's limited-entry management. With roughly 120-200 applicants and a small tag count, this is a moderately accessible central Utah elk draw with excellent terrain and low hunting pressure.

Where to Find Elk on Minnie Maud Ridge

Minnie Maud Ridge elk use the Tavaputs Plateau's ridge and canyon system through the fall hunting season.

Ridge-Top Aspen Parks

Bulls summer in and around aspen parks on the ridge tops, feeding park edges at dawn and bedding in adjacent timber during midday. Glass opposing ridges at first light for the best early-season success.

Pinyon-Juniper Canyon Rims

The canyon rims and P-J terrain below the main ridge hold elk during the October transition. Elk move from aspen parks to lower P-J and sage terrain as temperatures drop.

Sage Benches and Drainages

Lower sage benches and the drainages feeding into Minnie Maud Creek concentrate elk during the rut and in late season. Elk bunch up in these areas when winter range pressure builds.

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How to Hunt Minnie Maud Ridge Elk

The Tavaputs Plateau's ridge topography rewards hunters who understand how elk use the terrain between high aspen habitat and lower canyon country.

Ridge-Top Glass Before Dawn

Drive BLM or USFS roads to ridge-top positions before dawn and glass aspen parks in both the Carbon and Duchesne County drainages. The ridge's elevation gives panoramic coverage of multiple elk habitat zones.

Calling in Canyon Drainages

September rut elk in the canyon drainages below the ridge respond well to bugles and cow calls. Set up at canyon confluences and call into the timber above for aggressive bull responses.

Late-Season Concentration Hunting

After the rut, elk concentrate on lower sage and mountain-brush terrain before winter. Work these areas systematically in late October and November when elk group up and become predictable again.

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Elk Success Rates

Rifle28%

Minnie Maud Ridge limited-entry bull elk tags produce 60-75% success rates for rifle and 25-40% for archery, consistent with Tavaputs Plateau limited-entry elk units per UDWR data. Bulls average 270-310 inches with the managed tag structure allowing mature 6x6 bulls to develop over time.

Elk Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Limited Entry	5	30	16.7%	1

Data from 2024 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

With 120-200 applicants and a small tag allocation, Minnie Maud Ridge elk is a moderately accessible central Utah elk draw. Mid-point applicants draw in the random-weighted half with some regularity. The unit's relative obscurity compared to more famous Utah elk areas helps keep applicant numbers lower. Expect a 7-12 year build timeline from zero points.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

⛺

Camp Sites

Dispersed camping across BLM and USFS. No developed campgrounds inside the unit.

💧

Water

Thin on top of the plateau; reliable in major drainages.

🛣️

Road Conditions

Gravel and improved dirt to the plateau; interior two-track needs high-clearance 4WD.

🥾

Terrain Difficulty

Moderate. Rolling PJ ridges, steep aspen draws, and long walking distances.

👥

Hunting Pressure

Moderate for a Utah limited-entry unit.

🌦️

Weather

Warm days, cold nights through October; early snow common.

📱

Cell Service

None to very limited — plan on a sat device.

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Nearest Town

Price and Duchesne — both 60-90 minutes from primary access.

Note: We plan water caches in advance — resupply is a multi-hour round trip off the plateau.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does Minnie Maud compare to Book Cliffs?

Minnie Maud is more drawable and the terrain is less extreme than the Book Cliffs, but trophy potential is a notch below. We consider it a strong 'draw-in-your-lifetime' unit rather than a pure trophy unit.

Can I use an ATV for the whole hunt?

Not across the whole unit. Several roads inside the boundary revert to foot or horse access during season, so plan to walk from key trailheads.

Does Minnie Maud Ridge have both elk and deer tags?

Yes. Minnie Maud Ridge is a named Utah limited-entry sub-unit with separate tag allocations for both bull elk and buck deer. The two species use overlapping ridge-top habitat — a single pre-season scouting trip can evaluate both elk and deer populations efficiently.

How remote is the Minnie Maud Ridge hunting area?

Minnie Maud Ridge on the Tavaputs Plateau is genuinely remote — expect 1-2 hours of driving on BLM roads from Price or Vernal to reach hunt terrain. This remoteness is part of what keeps pressure low and elk quality high. A reliable 4WD vehicle and satellite communication are essential.

What is the Minnie Maud Creek drainage like for elk?

Minnie Maud Creek and its tributaries drain from the Tavaputs Plateau north toward the Green River corridor. The drainages provide water, riparian browse, and travel corridors that concentrate elk during the rut. Canyon sections are rugged and require careful navigation but hold predictable elk throughout the season.

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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 Big Game Application Guidebook and Field Regulations — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Minnie Maud Ridge 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 Minnie Maud Ridge boundary on the Tavaputs · accessed 2026-04-17
Utah Big Game Harvest & Survey Data Index — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Annual Tavaputs mule deer classification and harvest summaries · accessed 2026-04-17