Unit 282 Wasatch Front Extended Archery Area
An urban-edge extended archery hunt in the canyons above the Salt Lake–Ogden corridor, where a long bow-only season runs deep into the rut
Northern Utah — Wasatch Front (Draper to Ogden) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
696
sq mi
Public land
30%
approx.
Elevation
4,300–10,250
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
The Wasatch Front Extended Archery Area is a bow-only management zone draped across the steep western face of the Wasatch Range where it towers over the state's most populous corridor, from Draper north through Salt Lake and Davis counties to Ogden. It exists to give general archery hunters a much longer season — stretching from late summer into the rut and early winter — in the foothills and canyons right behind town. Mule deer are the marquee quarry (either-sex on the extended tag), and general-season archery elk hunters may also pursue elk here during the extended dates. This is an opportunity and access play, not a trophy destination: expect other bowhunters, a mandatory ethics/orientation course, and hunting hemmed in by houses, trailheads, and closed watershed.
Terrain
The abrupt western wall of the Wasatch Range, rising thousands of feet in just a few horizontal miles from the valley floor (~4,300 ft) to alpine peaks over 10,000 ft. Steep, brushy canyons and knife-edge ridges break the front, with the terrain getting rugged and rocky fast above the foothills.
Cover: Oak brush, maple, and serviceberry choke the lower foothills and canyon mouths, giving way to Gambel oak thickets, aspen pockets, and conifer stringers higher up, with sage and grass on south-facing benches. Dense low-elevation cover holds deer close to the urban edge; open ridges and aspen parks hold them higher.
Landmarks: Mount Olympus · Lone Peak · Grandeur Peak · Ben Lomond · City Creek Canyon · Farmington Canyon · Millcreek Canyon
Access
Public land is a minority of the unit and is fragmented against a dense band of private foothill development and protected municipal watershed. The Cottonwood canyons and City Creek are closed watershed with hunting/access restrictions, and much of the lower front is subdivisions and private benches — respect posted boundaries and no-discharge rules near homes. Forest Service ground on the upper mountain is the reliable public option, reached via canyon roads and established trailheads. A mandatory extended-archery orientation/ethics course is required before hunting here.
Managers: USFS Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF, private, SITLA, municipal watershed
Access points: Millcreek Canyon road and trailheads · Farmington Canyon road · City Creek Canyon (restrictions apply) · Ben Lomond / North Ogden Divide · Bonneville Shoreline Trail access points
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityThe primary draw. Deer live at the interface between the mountain and the city, using the brushy foothills for security cover. The value here is the length of the extended archery season — running into the rut and early winter — plus easy access from town, not antler size. Either-sex opportunity on the extended tag.
- →Hunt the oak-brush and maple pockets on the lower front early and late in the day where deer bed near cover
- →Lean on the late portion of the extended season when the rut and early snow push bucks lower and get them moving
- →Glass canyon sidehills and aspen edges at first and last light, then still-hunt the thick stuff midday
- →Learn the exact public/private and watershed boundaries before you hunt — legal ground is a patchwork here
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited opportunityElk use the higher basins, timber, and upper ridges of the front and are legal for general-season archery elk permit holders during the extended dates. Numbers are modest and pressure is real, but the extended window gives persistent bowhunters extra rut-season time in familiar country close to home.
- →Push above 8,000 feet into the timber and high basins where elk hold away from the urban edge
- →Work the rut with calls in the upper drainages during the extended September dates
- →Focus on north-facing timber and aspen pockets that hold elk during warm early-season weather
Pro tips
- →The late portion of the extended season is the real prize — cold and rut activity concentrate deer in the lower foothills within easy reach of trailheads
- →Scout on foot in summer to map the exact public-land, watershed, and private lines; getting caught on the wrong side of the fence is the biggest risk here
- →Hunt weekday mornings to dodge the recreation crowds that flood these canyons on weekends
- →Keep shots and setups well away from homes and trails — no-discharge zones and public perception matter in an urban-edge hunt
- →Glass from the Bonneville Shoreline bench at dawn to locate deer, then plan a stalk up into the oak brush
Watch out for
- !Extensive private foothill development and posted subdivisions along the entire lower front
- !Closed municipal watershed in the Cottonwood canyons and City Creek — access and discharge restrictions
- !Heavy recreation and hunter crowding at trailheads
- !Mandatory orientation/ethics course required before hunting
- !Steep, loose, brushy terrain and early-season fire danger
Logistics
This is the most convenient big-game hunt in Utah — full services, lodging, and gear are minutes from any trailhead along the Wasatch Front, and cell coverage is excellent. Most hunters run this as a day-hunt from home, driving up a canyon before light. The trade-off is people: hikers, bikers, and other bowhunters share every trailhead, and access is boxed in by private land and watershed closures. Complete the required orientation course before your first hunt.
Nearest towns: Salt Lake City, Ogden, Bountiful, Layton, Draper
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: UDWR Utah Hunt Planner — Extended Archery Deer · GOHUNT — Utah Wasatch Front Extended Archery Unit Profile · UDWR Maps
FAQ
- How big is Unit 282 in Utah?
- Unit 282 (Wasatch Front Extended Archery Area) covers about 696 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,300 to 10,250 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 282?
- Approximately 30% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF, private, SITLA, municipal watershed. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 282?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Utah agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 282 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.