Unit 33 Cache, Meadowville
A limited-entry bull-elk unit on the west side of Bear Lake — good bulls, but a private-land access puzzle that defines the hunt
Northern Utah — Bear Lake (Meadowville / Rich County) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
286
sq mi
Public land
55%
approx.
Elevation
5,900–9,000
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
The Cache, Meadowville subunit sits on the west and south sides of Bear Lake in Rich County, taking in the Meadowville, Laketown and Round Valley country below the Bear River Range. It is managed as a limited-entry unit with healthy elk numbers and some genuinely trophy-class bulls, but it is a difficult hunt for one reason: the unit is largely private ranch and agricultural land, and its boundaries deliberately exclude the adjacent national forest (a separate hunt). The public ground is mostly BLM fringe habitat that holds scattered elk, so the hunters who do best are those who secure private-land access before the season. Draw odds stay relatively favorable precisely because the access challenge scares people off.
Terrain
From the Bear Lake shoreline near 5,900 ft up through agricultural valleys and sagebrush benches to rugged foothills and canyons on the flanks of the Bear River Range. Broken, rolling terrain with limited visibility in the brushy draws.
Cover: Irrigated valley agriculture and pasture near the lake, sagebrush and grassland benches, mountain brush and mahogany in the draws, with aspen and conifer pockets on the higher fringes. Elk shuttle between crop-and-pasture feed and brushy cover.
Landmarks: Bear Lake · Meadowville · Laketown · Round Valley · Bear River Range (excluded national forest boundary)
Access
Roughly 55% public on paper, but the huntable elk ground skews heavily private — the unit is dominated by ranch and agricultural land, and its boundary specifically excludes the national forest to the west, which is a separate hunt. Public land is largely BLM fringe habitat that holds only scattered, sporadic elk. Securing private-land permission before the season is the single biggest factor in success. Boundaries are poorly marked and hunters have been cited for taking elk on the wrong side of a fence, so a detailed ownership map and GPS are mandatory.
Managers: private, BLM, SITLA
Access points: SR-30 around Bear Lake · Laketown / Round Valley county roads · Meadowville area roads · BLM parcels on the unit fringe
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common trophyThe marquee species and the reason for the tag. The unit carries healthy elk numbers and produces some trophy-class bulls, but most of the herd lives on private ranch ground; public-land hunters find only scattered, sporadic elk on BLM fringe habitat. Hunters who lock up private access ahead of the season have a shot at a genuine trophy bull, which is why draw odds stay relatively favorable.
- →Line up private-land access well before the season — it is the difference-maker on this unit
- →If hunting public, focus on the BLM fringe where small herds spill off private feed, especially early and late in the day
- →Glass the ag-and-pasture edges and brushy draws where elk transition between feed and cover
- →Carry a GPS ownership map and watch fence lines closely — citations for wrong-side kills are common here
- →Hunt as much of the season as possible to catch elk moving between private and huntable ground
Mule Deer
common qualityMule deer share the Bear Lake benches, valleys and foothills across this Cache-unit country. Deer are a solid secondary opportunity, subject to the same private-land access reality as the elk.
- →Glass sagebrush benches and brushy draws at first and last light
- →Work the ag-cover transitions where bucks bed near feed
- →Secure access to private ground for the best deer country
Pronghorn
limited opportunityPronghorn use the open sagebrush and grassland flats of the Bear Lake valley and surrounding Rich County rangeland, an incidental part of the local fauna.
- →Glass open sage-grassland flats
- →Use terrain folds to close distance on exposed benches
Pro tips
- →Solve the access problem first: knock on ranch doors and secure private permission months before the hunt
- →Do not assume the 55% 'public' figure means easy hunting — most elk are on private ground
- →Carry a GPS ownership map and hunt fence lines carefully; wrong-side citations are a known problem here
- →The national forest to the west is a different hunt — do not stray across the unit boundary
- →Scout to find the one or two public-land herds that spill off private feed
Watch out for
- !Unit is dominated by private ranch land — public-land elk are scattered and sporadic
- !Poorly marked boundaries; hunters have been cited for killing elk on the wrong side of a fence
- !The adjacent national forest is excluded from the unit — a separate hunt
- !Muddy back roads and cold, snowy late-fall weather
- !Limited services once you leave the Bear Lake corridor
Logistics
Base out of Garden City or Laketown on Bear Lake for the closest lodging and services, with Randolph, Montpelier (Idaho) and Logan as larger supply towns. The Bear Lake corridor has decent services in season, but plan fuel and groceries ahead. Cell coverage is fair near the lake and spotty in the foothills. Late fall here is cold and can turn snowy; bring cold-weather gear and expect muddy back roads.
Nearest towns: Laketown, Garden City, Randolph, Montpelier (ID), Logan
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: GOHUNT — Utah Cache, Meadowville Elk Unit Profile · UDWR Cache Deer Herd Unit Management Plan (#2) · UDWR Hunt Planner · Utah Wildlife Forum — Bull Elk Cache Meadowville
FAQ
- How big is Unit 33 in Utah?
- Unit 33 (Cache, Meadowville) covers about 286 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,900 to 9,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 33?
- Approximately 55% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private, BLM, SITLA. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 33?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Utah agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 33 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.