Utah Elk Mule Deer Black Bear

Unit Monroe (Monroe)

Utah Hunting Guide — Elk, Mule Deer, Black Bear

Monroe is a limited-entry elk hunt in south-central Utah, managed by UDWR through the weighted-random bonus-point draw.

Elk Hunting in Unit Monroe

Monroe is a limited-entry elk hunt in south-central Utah, managed by UDWR through the weighted-random bonus-point draw.

Where to Find Elk on the Monroe Unit

Confirm the Monroe polygon on the UDWR Hunt Boundary Map. Elk use mountain timber and meadow edges with seasonal migration.

How to Hunt Monroe

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Elk Success Rates

Rifle28%

Muzzleloader22%

Archery18%

UDWR publishes Monroe elk success rates annually on the Big Game Harvest Data page.

Elk Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Limited Entry	20	461	4.3%	11
Muzzleloader— Limited Entry	10	163	6.1%	11
Archery— Limited Entry	4	15	26.7%	1

Data from 2024 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

UDWR's weighted-random bonus-point draw issues these tags.

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit Monroe

The Monroe sub-unit covers the Monroe Mountain area of the Fishlake Plateau, with 15 tags against 138 applicants across three years (ProHunt draw database). We cover it because it is a high-country unit with aspen and conifer habitat consistently producing mature bucks.

Where to Find Mule Deer on Monroe

Monroe deer use aspen ridges, dark timber, and sage parks.

Aspen Benches

Mature bucks bed in aspen on Monroe Mountain's east slope.

Conifer Stringers

Dark timber benches for midday rest.

Sage Parks

Evening feeding in upper sage parks.

How We Hunt Monroe Mule Deer

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Mule Deer Success Rates

Muzzleloader20%

Rifle success 55-70%. Archery 25-35%. Good mature age structure.

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Muzzleloader— Limited Entry	4	40	10.0%	1

Data from 2024 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Monroe runs through Utah's 50% max-points / 50% weighted-random lottery. With 15 tags against 138 applicants, we plan for 6-9 bonus points in the max-points half.

Black Bear Hunting in Unit Monroe

The Monroe unit in Sevier County encompasses the Monroe Mountain plateau and the surrounding terrain of the Fishlake National Forest, rising to 11,000 feet from the surrounding high-desert valleys. Dense aspen, spruce-fir, and Gambel oak on this isolated plateau support a productive black bear population fueled by excellent mast crops and abundant berry-producing shrubs. UDWR issues limited bear permits annually, maintaining a quality population with a proportion of mature boars that is exceptional for central Utah.

Where to Find Black Bear on Monroe Mountain

Monroe Mountain bears follow predictable food source patterns driven by the rich plateau vegetation.

Gambel Oak Stands (Fall Hyperphagia)

The Gambel oak thickets on the plateau edges and south-facing slopes produce heavy acorn crops in good years, triggering intense bear use from August through October. Fresh diggings, claw-marked trees, and acorn-filled scat indicate active bear use.

Berry-Producing Shrub Fields

Service berry, chokecherry, and wild raspberry patches draw bears through July and August. These patches are highly productive for early-season permit holders with spring or summer bear tags.

Plateau Meadows and Aspen Parks

Bears feed extensively in the lush plateau meadows on forbs and grasses, especially in spring and early summer. Glass these meadows at first and last light from the plateau edge for the highest encounter rates.

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How to Hunt Black Bear on Monroe Mountain

Monroe Mountain bear hunting combines oak-stand surveillance with methodical forest road glassing.

Oak Stand Glassing at Dawn

Set up on high ground overlooking major oak thickets before first light and glass the canopy and ground below the trees. Bears feeding in oaks in the canopy are visible from 300-plus yards at first light — a spotting scope is essential for evaluating bear quality from distance.

Driving Plateau Forest Roads

The USFS road network on Monroe Mountain allows systematic coverage of the plateau by vehicle. Drive slowly at dawn and dusk, stopping frequently to glass the meadow edges, berry patches, and forest openings. Many Monroe bears are spotted from vehicles before a foot stalk begins.

Calling and Bait (Where Legal)

Over-the-counter bait is not permitted in Utah. Calling with a predator call — especially distress sounds near berry patches — can attract curious bears for close encounters.

Pro Members Only

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Black Bear Success Rates

Monroe bear tags produce 30 to 45 percent overall success depending heavily on the year's mast and berry crop conditions. Strong acorn years significantly elevate success as bears concentrate predictably in oak stands. Patient glassing hunters who invest multiple days achieve success rates well above the unit average.

Black Bear Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Limited Entry	1	30	3.3%	5

Data from 2024 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Monroe bear permits are competitive relative to many other Utah units due to the plateau's reputation and accessibility. Residents typically draw within 2 to 4 years with consistent annual applications. Utah bear tags do not use the standard bonus-point accumulation of deer and elk tags — odds reset each year based purely on the applicant pool.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

💧

Water

Adequate in higher country.

🛣️

Road Conditions

Paved highway with forest roads reaching higher country.

🥾

Terrain Difficulty

Moderate mountain terrain.

👥

Hunting Pressure

Low due to limited-entry caps.

🌦️

Weather

Snow possible at elevation in later seasons.

📱

Cell Service

Spotty off main corridors.

🏘️

Nearest Town

Richfield and surrounding towns provide services.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does Utah's elk draw work?

UDWR uses a weighted-random bonus-point draw.

Where are the official boundaries?

The UDWR Hunt Boundary Map is the authoritative polygon source.

How many points for Monroe mule deer?

We plan for 6-9 bonus points in Utah's max-points half.

Is Monroe a trophy unit?

Solid quality — 170-185 class mature bucks with occasional outliers.

How does Monroe Mountain compare to the Paunsaugunt for black bear?

Monroe Mountain produces slightly smaller bears on average than the Paunsaugunt but offers more accessible terrain and potentially easier draw odds. The plateau road network makes self-guided hunting straightforward and the terrain allows efficient glassing coverage. Both units produce legitimate trophy-quality boars in good mast years.

What is a realistic trophy expectation for a Monroe black bear?

Mature boars on Monroe Mountain typically weigh 200 to 350 lbs with skull measurements of 17 to 19 inches. Exceptional boars scoring 19 to 20-plus inches are taken in most seasons, particularly in the heavy oak stands on the plateau edges in strong acorn years.

Can I combine a Monroe bear hunt with other hunting opportunities?

Yes — the Fishlake NF area surrounding Monroe Mountain offers general deer, general elk, and turkey opportunities. A Monroe bear permit can anchor a multi-species fall camp with Richfield and Salina as convenient service hubs.

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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

Unit Monroe (Monroe)

Elk Hunting in Unit Monroe

Where to Find Elk on the Monroe Unit

How to Hunt Monroe

Elk Success Rates

Elk Draw Odds

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit Monroe

Where to Find Mule Deer on Monroe

Aspen Benches

Conifer Stringers

Sage Parks

How We Hunt Monroe Mule Deer

Dawn Ridge Glass

Stalk Aspen Pockets

Rifle Weather Moves

Mule Deer Success Rates

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Black Bear Hunting in Unit Monroe

Where to Find Black Bear on Monroe Mountain

Gambel Oak Stands (Fall Hyperphagia)

Berry-Producing Shrub Fields

Plateau Meadows and Aspen Parks

How to Hunt Black Bear on Monroe Mountain

Oak Stand Glassing at Dawn

Driving Plateau Forest Roads

Calling and Bait (Where Legal)

Black Bear Success Rates

Black Bear Draw Odds

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

Water

Road Conditions

Terrain Difficulty

Hunting Pressure

Weather

Cell Service

Nearest Town

Frequently Asked Questions

Plan Your Hunt with ProHunt Pro+AI

Sources & Verification