Southwest Desert Elk Draw Odds (Utah)
Limited-entry bull elk hunts on the Southwest Desert unit. In 2026, 2,486 residents applied for 212 resident permits and 705 nonresidents for 21 nonresident permits across 9 hunts.
Southwest Desert elk draw: key facts, 2026
- Southwest Desert elk hunts drew 2,486 resident applications in 2026, the 9th most of 23 limited-entry elk units.
- Southwest Desert elk averaged 11.7 resident applicants per resident permit, the 7th lowest of 23 limited-entry elk units with permits.
- Southwest Desert elk resident odds ranged from 1 in 1.2 (EB3197, archery) to 1 in 52.7 (EB3149, rifle) in 2026.
- Nonresidents were 22% of Southwest Desert elk applicants (705 of 3,191) and drew 21 of 233 permits in 2026.
Computed from Utah DWR draw odds (utahdraws.com/drawodds, 2026) and earlier DWR drawing odds reports. Past draws do not predict future ones.
Odds by weapon
All Southwest Desert elk hunts
| Hunt | Code | Weapon | 2026 season | Res. applicants | Res. permits | Res. odds 2026 | Nonres. permits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North, September | EB3136 | Archery | Sept. 1 to Sept. 30 | 84 | 21 | 1 in 4.0 | 2 |
| South | EB3146 | Archery | Aug. 15 to Sept. 15 | 213 | 39 | 1 in 5.5 | 3 |
| South, late season | EB3197 | Archery | Nov. 28 to Dec. 13 | 21 | 18 | 1 in 1.2 | 2 |
| South | EB3155 | Muzzleloader | Sept. 21 to Oct. 2 | 200 | 23 | 1 in 8.7 | 3 |
| South, early season | EB3149 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | Sept. 16 to Sept. 20 | 790 | 15 | 1 in 52.7 | 2 |
| South, mid season | EB3198 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | Oct. 3 to Oct. 15 | 521 | 45 | 1 in 11.6 | 4 |
| South, late season | EB3152 | Rifle (any legal weapon) | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15 | 412 | 25 | 1 in 16.5 | 3 |
| South | EB3157 | Multiseason | Limited-entry seasons | 137 | 5 | 1 in 27.4 | 0 |
| North | EB3143 | HAMSS | Nov. 7 to Nov. 30 | 108 | 21 | 1 in 5.1 | 2 |
Southwest Desert elk hunt map
Boundary data: Utah DWR, 2026 hunt boundaries. For reference only, simplified for display. Legal boundary on the DWR Hunt Planner.
Southwest Desert elk point creep
Resident applicants by bonus points held, each year, on this unit's current hunt codes. The median bonus points held by resident applicants on Southwest Desert elk hunts was 4 in both 2023 and 2026; the 90th percentile went from 14 to 13 (same 9 hunt codes both years).
| Year | Hunt codes | Res. applicants | Median points | 90th percentile | Top level | 0 to 4 pts | 5 to 9 pts | 10 to 14 pts | 15 to 19 pts | 20+ pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 9 | 2,486 | 4 | 13 | 27 | 1,281 | 736 | 285 | 125 | 59 |
| 2025 | 9 | 2,371 | 4 | 13 | 26 | 1,253 | 677 | 256 | 120 | 65 |
| 2024 | 9 | 2,372 | 5 | 14 | 27 | 1,180 | 696 | 278 | 148 | 70 |
| 2023 | 9 | 2,180 | 4 | 14 | 26 | 1,091 | 624 | 248 | 155 | 62 |
| 2022 | 7 | 1,889 | 4 | 14 | 28 | 970 | 504 | 243 | 129 | 43 |
| 2021 | 7 | 2,147 | 4 | 14 | 27 | 1,178 | 513 | 277 | 146 | 33 |
Hunting Southwest Desert with a guide?
No outfitters are listed for Southwest Desert yet. You can send a quote request now and we pass it to outfitters who list this unit.
Questions about Southwest Desert elk draw odds
How many Southwest Desert elk hunts are there?
DWR's 2026 draw odds list 9 hunts for Southwest Desert elk: North, September archery (EB3136); South archery (EB3146); South, late season archery (EB3197); South muzzleloader (EB3155); South, early season rifle (any legal weapon) (EB3149); South, mid season rifle (any legal weapon) (EB3198); South, late season rifle (any legal weapon) (EB3152); South multiseason (EB3157); North hamss (EB3143).
Which Southwest Desert elk hunt had the best resident odds in 2026?
South, late season archery (EB3197) at 1 in 1.2 (21 residents for 18 permits). The longest odds were South, early season rifle (any legal weapon) (EB3149) at 1 in 52.7. Odds change every year.
When are the Southwest Desert elk seasons?
2026 seasons from the DWR guidebook: EB3136 Sept. 1 to Sept. 30; EB3146 Aug. 15 to Sept. 15; EB3197 Nov. 28 to Dec. 13; EB3155 Sept. 21 to Oct. 2; EB3149 Sept. 16 to Sept. 20; EB3198 Oct. 3 to Oct. 15; EB3152 Nov. 7 to Nov. 15; EB3157 Limited-entry seasons; EB3143 Nov. 7 to Nov. 30. 2027 dates post when DWR publishes the 2027 guidebook.
Get the 2027 deadline
We plan to email when DWR announces the next application dates and before the deadline. Delete any time via [email protected].
Odds: Utah DWR draw odds, utahdraws.com/drawodds (2026). utahdraws.com/drawodds. History from the 2018 to 2025 DWR reports, linked year by year in the history tables.
Season dates: Utah DWR 2026 Big Game Application Guidebook. Boundary data: Utah DWR, 2026.
Page built Sept. 24, 2026. Found an error? [email protected]. Verify all dates and rules with DWR before applying.