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Utah Mule Deer

Unit North Slope (North Slope)

Utah Hunting Guide — Mule Deer

The North Slope mule deer unit covers the northern drainages of the Uinta Mountains in Summit and Daggett counties. We cover this unit because it pairs high-country basin hunting with the dense timber and willow bottoms of the Green River headwaters. Public land is dominated by Ashley and Wasatch-Cache National Forest, with a working Limited Entry quota that keeps pressure manageable on mature bucks (UDWR Big Game Guidebook, accessed 2026-04-17).

View Draw Odds Utah Hunting Guide

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit North Slope

The North Slope mule deer unit covers the northern drainages of the Uinta Mountains in Summit and Daggett counties. We cover this unit because it pairs high-country basin hunting with the dense timber and willow bottoms of the Green River headwaters. Public land is dominated by Ashley and Wasatch-Cache National Forest, with a working Limited Entry quota that keeps pressure manageable on mature bucks (UDWR Big Game Guidebook, accessed 2026-04-17).

Where to Find Mule Deer on the North Slope

The North Slope drops off the Uinta crest and feeds into the Green River — the country is a mix of alpine basins, aspen benches, and willow-lined creek bottoms.

High Basins (10,500–12,000 ft)

Early-season bucks hold in the cirque basins above timberline. We glass the heads of Henry's Fork, Beaver Creek, and the Smiths Fork drainages at first light, looking for bachelor groups feeding on alpine forbs.

Aspen and Mixed Conifer Benches

Mid-elevation benches between 8,500 and 10,000 feet are where bucks move as weather pushes them off the top. Old burn pockets in the North Slope hold surprising numbers of deer.

Willow Bottoms

The willow-choked headwater creeks are late-rut magnets — bucks cruise doe groups through these corridors, and a patient sit at a pinch point pays off.

How to Hunt North Slope Mule Deer

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Mule Deer Success Rates

Muzzleloader20%
North Slope limited-entry rifle success typically runs 45-60% on mature bucks per UDWR harvest summaries. Archery sits in the 20-30% range. We plan for a 5-7 day hunt and budget for weather days — an early storm can pull deer off the top quickly.

Mule Deer Draw Odds

SeasonTagsApplicantsDraw %Pts Req
Muzzleloader— Limited Entry115320.8% 1

Data from 2024 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine
Utah runs a weighted bonus-point lottery — 50% of tags go to the highest point-holders and 50% go to a weighted random draw where each applicant's bonus points add weight to their odds. Max-pool draws for North Slope mule deer typically clear in the upper single digits to low teens of points; random-pool pulls happen at lower points with real luck. Nonresident allocation is capped, so we build points steadily.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is North Slope a limited-entry deer unit in Utah?
Yes — the North Slope is listed as a Limited Entry mule deer unit in the UDWR Big Game Guidebook, with tags allocated through Utah's weighted bonus-point draw.
When is the best time to hunt North Slope mule deer?
Late October into early November once the high country starts to push deer lower is our preferred window — timing overlaps the pre-rut and makes bucks easier to locate.

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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 (current year) — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources · supports: North Slope listed as Limited Entry mule deer unit, Tag allocation split between resident and nonresident pools · accessed 2026-04-17
  2. Utah Hunt Boundary Interactive Map — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources — Hunt Planner · supports: Authoritative GIS polygon for the North Slope deer unit · accessed 2026-04-17
  3. Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest — Motor Vehicle Use Map — USDA Forest Service · supports: Road and trail designations for the North Slope drainages · accessed 2026-04-17