Hunting in Utah: Top Spots for Hunting in the Beehive State

Utah has long been considered a hunting paradise. Outdoor Life stated in 2013 that “Utah is a model of what [hunting and fishing] access should look like. Utah boasts some 37 million acres of publicly owned land. That’s about 70 percent of the entire state.”

Obviously, that kind of access means that hunters have a lot of places to choose from when deciding where to hunt — many of which are considered home to some of the best hunting and fishing in the U.S.

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Here are three places to consider next time you prepare for hunting in Utah:

1. Ashley National Forest

In 2014, Wide Open Spaces named Ashley National Forest one of the best places in America for hunting elk. The website explains, “With a herd of over 68,000, Utah is the place to kill an elk. It’s home to some of the best older bulls in the country and in 2008, a word record rack was taken from its public hunting grounds.” Wide Open Spaces also notes that a wide variety of other wildlife can be found in the area, too.

2. Uinta-Wastach-Cache National Forest

This forest gets its three names from three different places: Uinta means pine tree in Native American; Wasatch derived from the Ute Indian phrase low place in high mountains, and the French word cache describes the caves where trappers hid their furs. According to Utah.com, this area “is one of the most rewarding hunting areas in the state for deer, elk, and moose.”

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3. Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

For hunting waterfowl, it’s tough to beat Bear River. This refuge encompasses 74,000 acres and is comprised of plenty of marsh, uplands, mudflats and open water — all great places to find plenty of waterfowls and tons of fish. The area is also popular with visitors for its 12-mile auto tour.

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