Monroe Elk Hunting, Utah
Utah hunt unit · 690 sq mi
Elite — 20+ points
The easiest of the main limited-entry hunts here (Archery) for a Utah resident, by the bonus points that drew reliably. The other main hunts take more. The late archery hunt, a specialty hunt with few applicants, draws far easier: Very hard — 6–9 points. 6 limited-entry hunts, plus a multiseason permit; 3 of them during the September rut.
What hunting Monroe is like
The Monroe unit runs from valley floors around 5,200 feet up to peaks near 11,200 feet, and the ground itself is rolling to moderately steep rather than a wall of cliffs — most of the acreage is gentle to moderate slope, with only a small share qualifying as steep or rugged. That makes for a unit where a hunter can cover a lot of country on foot or with a vehicle, glassing sagebrush flats at the lower elevations and working up into conifer, aspen and grass at the higher benches. The 2025 Monroe Canyon fire burned roughly 74,000 acres on the unit's northeast side, and this fall that ground is in its first year of recovery — elk displaced by the burn are likely favoring patches of unburned timber and water nearby, though they may filter back through the burned ground itself. Hunters working that side of the unit should check for current fire closures and restrictions before heading in.
Access is a strong point here: roughly three-quarters of the unit is open to public hunting through National Forest, BLM, State Trust Land and Wildlife Management Area ground, with most of the state trust parcels covered by a standing access agreement, though individual parcels can still be leased or restricted. The road network is extensive — road #068 reaches the north side out of Annabella or Glenwood and continues to the south end near Kingston, #076 and #069 come in from the east through Koosharem and Greenwich, Pole Canyon road #072 reaches the south end near Angle, and Dry Creek road #071 and Monroe Canyon road #078 cover the west side. Most of these roads and the ATV trail system are managed under the Forest Service's travel plans, and while early-season travel is generally easy, snow in the later hunts can slow things down considerably.
Elk range across the entire unit through the fall, with winter range covering over a third of the unit and crucial winter range close behind it, while summer range and its crucial subset cover smaller shares — reflecting how elk shift ground as the seasons turn rather than staying put.
Limited-entry bull elk (2026)
Limited entry is Utah's drawn bull hunt, managed for older bulls, with far fewer permits than the general season. It is drawn with bonus points: half the permits go to the applicants holding the most points, and the other half are drawn at random with one extra entry for every point held — so applicants below the reliable level do draw. A Utah resident may apply for only one limited-entry species a year.
| Season | Dates | Legal elk | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | August 15 – September 15 | Bull | Late Summer / Velvet, Pre-Rut Transition, Rut Onset, Primary Rut |
| Early Rifle (any legal weapon) | September 16 – September 20 | Bull | Primary Rut |
| Muzzleloader | September 21 – October 2 | Bull | Primary Rut, Late Rut / Early Post-Rut |
| Mid-season Rifle (any legal weapon) | October 3 – October 15 | Bull | Late Rut / Early Post-Rut |
| Late Rifle (any legal weapon) | November 7 – November 15 | Bull | Migration Transition |
| Late Archery | November 28 – December 13 | Bull | Migration Transition, Winter |
| Multiseason Usable in this unit's limited-entry archery, early rifle, muzzleloader, mid-season rifle and late rifle hunts; the dates span all of them. Not valid in the late archery hunt. | August 15 – November 15 | Bull | — |
This band describes the easiest of the unit's main limited-entry bull hunts (Archery) for a Utah resident in the 2026 draw: the lowest bonus-point level that drew reliably. The late archery hunt, a specialty hunt with few applicants, draws far easier (Very hard — 6–9 points). Half of Utah's limited-entry permits go to the applicants with the most bonus points and half are drawn at random, with an extra entry for each point, so applicants below this level can draw. Other weapons and seasons, and nonresidents, can take substantially more points. The band says nothing about the general-season over-the-counter hunt, which needs no points.
Archery · August 15 – September 15
Limited-entry archery opens in mid-August while bulls are still finishing out their velvet in the Late Summer phase, and it runs through the Pre-Rut Transition, Rut Onset and into the Primary Rut. Early on, bulls tend to hold in bachelor groups near water in the cooler canyons and stay concentrated around the aspen and conifer habitat above 8,000 feet, so scouting those areas ahead of the opener pays off since elk aren't vocal yet. As the season progresses toward the rut, bulls start following cow herds and become more vocal, which makes locating them considerably easier in the back half of the hunt. Sitting water sources or glassing for spot-and-stalk chances works well throughout, especially before the rut kicks in.
Early Rifle (any legal weapon) · September 16 – September 20
This short late-September window falls squarely in the Primary Rut, when bull activity is at its peak across the unit. Elk are managed here for an older-age-class bull, and the compressed five-day season means hunters need to be ready to move on animals quickly once located. With the rut in full swing, bulls are more likely to be vocal and traveling with cows, which helps narrow down where to focus glassing effort.
Muzzleloader · September 21 – October 2
Limited-entry muzzleloader spans the tail end of the Primary Rut into the Late Rut / Early Post-Rut phase, and bulls are typically still very vocal, especially in early morning hours. By this point some elk have shifted into mid-elevation habitats as rut activity and hunting pressure build, and a good number of animals have begun moving toward the southern part of the unit, which sees increased elk numbers during this stretch. Most bulls remain with or near cow herds, so following the herds is often more productive than searching for lone bulls.
Mid-season Rifle (any legal weapon) · October 3 – October 15
Mid-season rifle runs through the Late Rut / Early Post-Rut phase in early October, after the peak vocal activity of the primary rut has passed but while bulls may still be loosely associated with cows. The unit continues to be managed for an older age class of bull, and hunters should expect elk to be a bit more settled and less actively rutting than in the muzzleloader hunt just before it. Covering ground methodically and glassing rather than relying on calling response is the more dependable approach this time of year.
Late Rifle (any legal weapon) · November 7 – November 15
By the time late rifle opens in early November, elk are in the Migration Transition phase, and cold has firmly set in with highs around 48°F, lows near 22°F, and measurable snowfall for the month. That combination often pushes elk to begin shifting off summer ground, and early or heavy snow can make some roads and trails harder to travel, so checking road conditions before heading out matters more in this hunt than earlier ones. This late-season permit still targets any bull, and the older-age-class management philosophy carries through to this hunt.
Late Archery · November 28 – December 13
Late archery, opening the last week of November and running into mid-December, spans the Migration Transition and Winter phases, placing it well after the rut and into the coldest, snowiest stretch the unit sees. November's cold — highs near 48°F, lows around 22°F, with snowfall averaging over 5 inches for the month — means travel and access can be considerably tougher, and elk are likely to be responding to that weather by shifting range. This is a specialty hunt managed for a slightly younger age class than the other limited-entry seasons, and archers hunting it should be prepared for winter conditions rather than fall ones.
General-season spike elk — over the counter (2026)
This is a general-season spike-only unit. General-season bull elk permits in Utah are sold over the counter — no application, no draw and no points. There is no general-season elk point bank at all. Spike permits go on sale July 16; a rifle or muzzleloader hunter may take only a bull whose antlers do not branch. The general archery permit goes on sale July 7 and is not capped. It is hunter's choice: on this spike-only unit an archer may take a spike bull or an antlerless elk. A branch-antlered bull here needs a separate limited-entry permit.
| Season | Dates | Legal elk |
|---|---|---|
| Archery On a spike-only unit the general archery permit allows a spike bull or an antlerless elk — not a branch-antlered bull. | August 15 – September 4 | Spike bull or an antlerless elk |
| Any Legal Weapon | October 3 – October 15 | Spike bull only |
| Muzzleloader | October 28 – November 5 | Spike bull only |
Archery · August 15 – September 4
General archery runs from mid-August to early September, covering the Late Summer/Velvet, Pre-Rut Transition and Rut Onset phases. Bulls are still finishing out velvet and holding close to their summer haunts in the season's first couple of weeks, making sitting water sources or glassing for spot-and-stalk opportunities a solid approach before things shift toward the rut. This is a spike-only unit, so the general archery permit is hunter's choice between a spike bull and an antlerless elk — a branch-antlered bull is off limits without a separate limited-entry tag.
Any Legal Weapon · October 3 – October 15
The general any-legal-weapon hunt runs in early October, landing in the Late Rut / Early Post-Rut phase after peak rut activity has settled. Only a spike bull is legal on this permit, so hunters need to be able to judge antler conformation quickly rather than simply looking for the first bull encountered. With bulls past the most vocal stretch of the rut, more ground-covering and glassing tends to be needed to locate legal animals.
Muzzleloader · October 28 – November 5
General muzzleloader falls in late October into early November, spanning the Post-Rut Recovery and Migration Transition phases, and it's the coldest of the general hunts — November brings highs near 48°F, lows around 22°F, and over 5 inches of snowfall for the month. That kind of weather can start pushing elk to shift range and can make some travel routes tougher going. As with the other general rifle-season hunt, only a spike bull is legal, so careful identification is essential before taking a shot.
Cow elk hunts are also offered on this unit (any legal weapon October 3 – October 15). They are drawn separately, in Utah's antlerless draw, using preference points — a different point bank from limited-entry bonus points.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,200–11,200 ft, typically around 7,200 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 47% gentle · 37% moderate · 15% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~520 sq mi
Habitat & cover
What grows here, by elevation. Each band adds to 100% on its own — these are shares of that band, not of the unit.
Lower elevations
- Sagebrush57%
- Other cover31%
- Conifer10%
- Grass and meadow2%
Mid elevations
- Conifer51%
- Sagebrush42%
- Other cover4%
- Grass and meadow3%
Higher elevations
- Conifer51%
- Sagebrush28%
- Aspen12%
- Grass and meadow8%
- Other cover2%
Cover classes from the USGS National Land Cover Database. “Other cover” is the remainder — bare ground, water, agriculture and developed land — left unnamed rather than guessed at.
Recent fires
Wildfires in the last several seasons that burned a meaningful share of Monroe. Fire perimeters show where a fire burned, not how hot — and closures change through the year, so check current fire closures and restrictions before you go.
- Monroe Canyon fire, 2025 — about 74,000 acres in the unit (17%), mostly on its northeast side.
Fire perimeters from the National Interagency Fire Center.
Land & access
About 75% of Monroe is public land a hunter can generally count on — National Forest, BLM, State Trust Land and Wildlife Management Areas.
- National Forest37%
- BLM32%
- State Trust Land5%
- Wildlife Management Areas1%
- tribal land<1%
- Private24%
Most Utah State Trust Land is open to hunting under a standing state access agreement. Individual parcels can be leased or restricted, so check the parcel before planning around it.
Tribal land requires the tribe's own permission and licence — a state elk permit is not valid there.
Where elk live in the unit
Utah's statewide elk habitat mapping, by layer: how much of Monroe each one covers. The layers overlap, so they do not add to 100%, and a layer that is small or missing here says nothing on its own about where elk are.
- Winter Range36%used in winter
- Crucial Winter Range32%the part of Winter Range considered essential to the herd — inside Winter Range, not added to it
- Summer Range19%used in summer
- Crucial Summer Range13%the part of Summer Range considered essential to the herd — inside Summer Range, not added to it
Fall weather
- September — highs around 73°F, lows around 41°F
- October — highs around 60°F, lows around 31°F, about 0.3 in of snowfall
- November — highs around 48°F, lows around 22°F, about 5.2 in of snowfall
Monroe elk hunting FAQ
Do I need points to hunt elk on the Monroe unit?
Not for the general season — spike and general archery permits are bought over the counter with no application or points involved. Points only come into play for the separate limited-entry bull hunt, which uses bonus points, and for antlerless hunts, which use a different preference-point bank. Even for limited entry, bonus points aren't required to apply; half of permits are drawn at random each year with an extra entry per point held, so applicants at any point level can draw.
What's the difference between the general season and limited-entry elk hunts on Monroe?
The general season is bought over the counter with no draw, but it's spike-only for rifle and muzzleloader hunters, meaning only a bull with unbranched antlers is legal. Limited entry is a separate drawn hunt on the same ground with far fewer permits, managed for an older age class of bull, and the legal animal is any bull. The two hunts run on different dates and should never be confused as one permit.
What can a general archery hunter legally take on the Monroe unit?
Because Monroe is a spike-only unit, the general archery permit is hunter's choice between a spike bull and an antlerless elk. A branch-antlered bull is not legal on a general archery tag here. Taking a branch-antlered bull requires drawing the separate limited-entry permit.
Which Monroe elk seasons fall during the September rut?
General-season Archery, Limited-entry Archery, Limited-entry Early Rifle and Limited-entry Muzzleloader all fall within the Rut Onset or Primary Rut window. General-season Any Legal Weapon, General-season Muzzleloader, Limited-entry Mid-season Rifle, Limited-entry Late Rifle and Limited-entry Late Archery all fall outside that window. Timing a hunt around the rut versus after it changes how elk behave and how they're best located.
How much of the Monroe unit is public land?
About 75 percent of the unit, roughly 520 square miles, is generally open to public hunting through National Forest, BLM, State Trust Land and Wildlife Management Area ground. Most state trust parcels are covered by a standing access agreement, though some individual parcels can still be leased or restricted. The remaining roughly 24 percent is private land.
How difficult is it to draw the Monroe limited-entry bull elk tag?
The easiest of the main limited-entry hunts — archery — falls in the Elite band, meaning resident applicants have historically needed 20 or more bonus points to draw reliably. The other main limited-entry hunts (early rifle and muzzleloader) take considerably more points than archery. The late archery hunt is a separate specialty hunt that draws far easier, in the Very Hard band of roughly 6 to 9 points, and applicants below any of these levels can still draw through the random half of the process, just not reliably.
Data sources & methodology
- Utah Division of Wildlife Resources — Big game hunting — general-season, limited-entry and antlerless elk permits
- Utah DWR — What hunters should know for the 2026 deer and elk hunts — 2026 general-season elk dates, including the split any-bull rifle hunt
- Utah DWR — Big Game Application Guidebook — how bonus points and the limited-entry draw work
- Utah DWR — Hunt Planner — unit boundaries, and the DWR's unit and biologist notes the written guide draws on
- Utah DWR — Elk (elk habitat mapping) — elk seasonal range
- Utah Trust Lands Administration — Trust Lands & You — the hunter access agreement that opens most state trust land
- USGS / MRLC — National Land Cover Database — habitat and cover classes by elevation band
- USGS PAD-US — Protected Areas Database of the United States — land ownership and access
- Daymet daily climate, 1991–2020 (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) — fall weather
- National Interagency Fire Center — wildfire perimeters — recent fires, their size and where they burned
Limited-entry draw difficulty is a qualitative band, not published odds — the note under the limited-entry seasons states exactly which hunt it describes. Land shares are separate, non-overlapping categories. Confirm current dates and rules in the Utah Big Game Field Regulations guidebook before you hunt. Unit data last updated September 28, 2026.