Utah Bighorn Sheep

Unit Nine Mile, Jack Creek (Nine Mile, Jack Creek)

Utah Hunting Guide — Bighorn Sheep

The Nine Mile, Jack Creek bighorn sheep unit covers the Nine Mile Canyon corridor and the Jack Creek drainage in Carbon and Duchesne counties, central eastern Utah. Desert bighorn sheep inhabit the dramatic canyon walls, rocky ledges, and talus slopes of this classic canyon country terrain. Nine Mile Canyon — famous for its concentration of ancient rock art — provides iconic desert bighorn habitat where sheep have lived for centuries. UDWR manages this population with a once-in-a-lifetime limited-entry permit structure.

View Draw Odds Utah Hunting Guide

Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit Nine Mile, Jack Creek

Where to Find Bighorn Sheep in Nine Mile, Jack Creek

Desert bighorn sheep in the Nine Mile Canyon system use the vertical canyon walls, rocky ledges, and talus slopes characteristic of this deeply incised canyon terrain. The canyon road (nine miles of pavement followed by gravel) provides a vehicle-accessible corridor for glassing canyon walls from below — sheep can often be spotted on cliff faces visible from the road.

Jack Creek drainage provides additional habitat away from the main canyon, with more rugged and remote terrain where mature rams hold. Glass cliff systems at first light and focus on water sources including seeps and springs in canyon bottom areas. Sheep follow established ledge-system travel routes through the canyon walls — learning these routes through pre-season observation dramatically improves hunt success.

How to Hunt Nine Mile, Jack Creek Bighorn Sheep

Nine Mile Canyon's accessible road system makes pre-season scouting straightforward — drive the canyon road with a good spotting scope mounted on a window rest to inventory sheep before the season. Mark GPS coordinates of rams you observe and study their patterns over multiple visits.

During the hunt, approach canyon wall sheep from the rimrock above when terrain permits. This requires hiking to the canyon rim and descending ledge systems — study topographic maps carefully before attempting rim-access stalks. Water hole ambushes at known springs are effective throughout the season, particularly during warm early fall conditions. The Jack Creek portion of the unit offers more remote hunting away from the public road corridor of the main canyon.

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Bighorn Sheep Success Rates

Rifle72%

Utah desert bighorn hunters across all canyon country units achieve high success rates of 80–95%. The Nine Mile Canyon unit's accessible scouting corridor via the canyon road allows permit holders to thoroughly inventory rams before the season, often resulting in a specific target animal being identified. This pre-hunt intelligence dramatically improves harvest success rates.

Bighorn Sheep Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Limited Entry	4	470	0.9%	13

Data from 2024 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

The Nine Mile, Jack Creek desert bighorn permit is one of Utah's most coveted limited-entry tags. Very few permits are issued — typically 1–5 per season — against a large pool of hopeful applicants. Plan on 15–20+ bonus points for a realistic draw opportunity. The relatively accessible scouting (via canyon road) makes this an appealing unit for hunters who research their options, which may increase applicant competition somewhat.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

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Terrain Difficulty

Very difficult — vertical canyon walls, ledge systems, loose rock; requires route-finding skills for rim access

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Hunting Pressure

Extremely low — once-in-a-lifetime permit with very few tags

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Nearest Town

Price, UT (Carbon County seat, approx. 25–30 mi south via Nine Mile Canyon road); Wellington, UT (approx. 20 mi south)

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Permit Notes

Once-in-a-lifetime desert bighorn sheep tag. Apply through UDWR annually. BLM manages the Nine Mile Canyon area — contact the BLM Price Field Office for current access and road condition information. Nine Mile Canyon road is maintained gravel suitable for most high-clearance vehicles.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I scout the Nine Mile Canyon bighorn sheep unit before drawing a tag?

Yes — Nine Mile Canyon has a public road (BLM-maintained) that runs through the canyon, providing excellent vehicle-based scouting access. Non-hunters, hikers, and sightseers use this road regularly to view the famous rock art sites. You do not need a hunting permit to drive or hike the canyon — only to hunt. Pre-season scouting is highly recommended to locate resident rams before your season opens.

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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: Nine Mile Jack Creek permit structure, Once-in-a-lifetime rules, Tag quotas, Season dates · accessed 2026-04-17
UDWR Hunt Boundary Interactive Map — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Unit boundary in Nine Mile Canyon and Jack Creek drainages, BLM road access · accessed 2026-04-17
UDWR Big Game Harvest Data — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: Desert bighorn harvest statistics, Ram quality records · accessed 2026-04-17
BLM Nine Mile Canyon Area Resource Management — Bureau of Land Management — Price Field Office · supports: Nine Mile Canyon BLM land management, Access road conditions · accessed 2026-04-17