Unit 305 Pine Valley, Beaver Dam
One of Utah's largest general-deer units — high-desert vastness from Signal Peak's spruce down to Mojave-edge sagebrush
Southwest Utah — Pine Valley Mountains & Bull Valley · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
2,452
sq mi
Public land
90%
approx.
Elevation
3,000–10,365
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
The Pine Valley, Beaver Dam unit sprawls across the southwest corner of Utah, taking in the Pine Valley Mountains, Bull Valley, the Beaver Dam and Bumble Bee mountains, Ox Valley and the Harmony Mountains. It is one of the biggest deer units in the state and a general-season mule deer destination — not managed for trophies, though it has produced true giants, including a former state-record typical. Deer summer at 8,500-10,000 feet in the Pine Valley high country and winter on the desert foothills as low as 4,500 feet. Broad public access across the Dixie National Forest and surrounding BLM makes it a genuine DIY unit, with elk, cougar and bear filling out the roster.
Terrain
Enormous elevational spread — from Mojave-influenced desert benches around 3,000-4,500 ft up to Signal Peak (10,365 ft), the high point of the Pine Valley Mountains, a massive laccolith of exposed rock ringed by conifer. Bull Valley, Ox Valley and the Bumble Bee/Beaver Dam ranges to the west are dissected sage-and-juniper mid-elevation country.
Cover: Salt-desert scrub, blackbrush and Joshua-tree/creosote on the lowest west and south benches; pinyon-juniper and sagebrush across the mid-elevation valleys and mesas; ponderosa pine, aspen, and Engelmann spruce/fir capping the Pine Valley Mountains. Oakbrush and mountain mahogany thicken the transition zones deer favor.
Landmarks: Signal Peak (10,365 ft) · Pine Valley Mountains Wilderness · Bull Valley · Ox Valley · Bumble Bee Mountains · Beaver Dam Mountains · Harmony Mountains · Pine Valley town & reservoir · Gunlock
Access
Overwhelmingly public: the Pine Valley Mountains are Dixie National Forest (much of the core is designated wilderness — foot/horse only), wrapped by vast BLM lands across Bull Valley, Ox Valley and the western ranges, plus open SITLA state-trust sections. Maintained dirt roads have few travel restrictions and a network of approved ATV trails reaches good hunting, especially in the south. Note the Shivwits Paiute reservation west of Ivins is tribal land (not open general access), and there are private ranch inholdings in the valleys around Pine Valley, Central and Gunlock.
Managers: USFS Dixie NF (Pine Valley RD), BLM, SITLA, Shivwits Band of Paiutes (tribal), private
Access points: SR-18 corridor (St. George to Enterprise) with spurs to Pine Valley and Central · Pine Valley Recreation Area road · Gunlock / Bull Valley backroads · Old Highway 91 toward Shivwits/Beaver Dam Slope · New Harmony exit off I-15 for the Harmony Mountains · Numerous Dixie NF and BLM two-tracks and ATV trails
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityThe unit's identity: a large, huntable general-season deer herd spread across a huge cross-section of habitat. It's an opportunity/quality unit by design rather than a trophy tag, but the sheer size and productive transition country give it genuine upside — it has produced a former state-record typical buck.
- →Early hunts: glass the aspen/spruce edges and open parks high on the Pine Valley Mountains near 9,000-10,000 ft
- →As weather cools, drop to the pinyon-juniper and oakbrush transition benches of Bull Valley and Ox Valley where bucks concentrate
- →Late season, hunt the desert winter range on the west and south foothills (4,500-6,000 ft) where deer bunch up
- →Use the extensive ATV trail network in the south to cover ground and glass multiple drainages per day
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityA resident elk herd uses the Pine Valley Mountains and adjacent timbered country, offering a solid secondary big-game opportunity across the forested high ground.
- →Bugle and glass the conifer/aspen stringers and meadow edges high in the Pine Valley Mountains during the rut
- →Work the dark timber pockets midday and the parks at first and last light
- →Water sources on the drier flanks concentrate elk in warm, early conditions
Cougar
common opportunityStrong deer numbers support a healthy cougar population across the broken country, hunted mainly as a winter pursuit.
- →Cut tracks on snowy forest and BLM roads in the pinyon-juniper and rimrock country
- →Focus effort on the deer winter range where lions follow the herds
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bears occupy the higher timbered and oakbrush portions of the Pine Valley Mountains, with opportunity tied to Utah's controlled bear seasons.
- →Hunt oakbrush and mountain-mahogany draws and berry patches when mast ripens
- →Glass open timber and avalanche paths high on the Pine Valley Mountains at dawn
Pro tips
- →Match your elevation to the calendar: high in the Pine Valley Mountains early, transition benches midseason, desert winter range late
- →The southern ATV trail network lets you glass a lot of country fast — hunt with optics, not boots, across the mid-elevation valleys
- →Early-season heat means water is everything; pattern the springs and guzzlers on the dry western flanks
- →Respect the boundary of the Shivwits Paiute reservation and private inholdings around Pine Valley, Central and Gunlock
- →Bumble Bee Mountains and Ox Valley in the Dixie NF are perennial producers worth scouting
Watch out for
- !Pine Valley Mountains Wilderness core is foot/horse access only
- !Shivwits Band of Paiutes reservation is tribal land — not open to general public hunting
- !Private ranch inholdings in the Pine Valley, Central and Gunlock valleys
- !Extreme early-season heat and scarce water on the desert benches
- !Clay backroads in the western valleys become impassable when wet
- !Sheer size of the unit — plan and scout, or you'll burn the hunt driving
Logistics
St. George is a large regional hub with full services, an airport and hospital, and it flanks the southeast side of the unit. Enterprise, Central, Veyo and Pine Valley put you closer to the mountain and forest access on the north and west. Fuel and supplies thin out fast once you leave the SR-18 corridor for Bull Valley and the western ranges — top off and carry extra water. Cell coverage is good near St. George and SR-18 but unreliable in the backcountry valleys.
Nearest towns: St. George, Enterprise, Central, Pine Valley, Veyo, Gunlock, New Harmony, Ivins
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: GOHUNT — Utah Pine Valley Mule Deer General Unit Profile · UDWR Hunt Planner (Pine Valley deer boundary DB1555) · UDWR Utah Wildlife Board deer management plan news · BLM Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area
FAQ
- How big is Unit 305 in Utah?
- Unit 305 (Pine Valley, Beaver Dam) covers about 2,452 square miles, ranging from roughly 3,000 to 10,365 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 305?
- Approximately 90% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Dixie NF (Pine Valley RD), BLM, SITLA, Shivwits Band of Paiutes (tribal), private. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 305?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Cougar, Black Bear. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Utah agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 305 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.