Unit 38 Cache, Rich
Rich County's Bear River ranch country — a general-season mule deer unit of sage hills, farm bottoms and Cache forest edges east of Bear Lake
Northern Utah — Rich County / Bear Lake · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
746
sq mi
Public land
50%
approx.
Elevation
5,900–8,500
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
The Rich subunit of Utah's Cache deer herd covers the ranch and range country of Rich County — the Bear River bottoms and irrigated valley floor around Randolph and Woodruff, the low arid hills running east to the Wyoming line, and the higher summer range on the Cache National Forest and Crawford Mountain rims. It hunts as a general-season, over-the-counter-style mule deer unit rather than a trophy draw: expect younger age structure, plenty of open country and a hard public/private puzzle, since much of the productive winter range and river bottom is deeded ranch land. The upside is accessible forest and BLM ground on the flanks, migratory deer that pour off the mountain with the first hard weather, and a genuine, do-it-yourself Utah general hunt.
Terrain
Broad sagebrush valley floor and river bottoms around 6,000 ft rising through juniper foothills to timbered ridges and the Crawford Mountain / Cache Forest crest near 8,500 ft along the Wyoming line.
Cover: Sagebrush and grassland benches, irrigated farm and hay ground in the river bottoms, piñon-juniper and mountain-brush on the foothills, and aspen with mixed conifer and mountain mahogany on the higher summer range.
Landmarks: Bear River bottoms · Randolph / Woodruff valley · Crawford Mountain · Bear Lake (west edge) · Cache National Forest crest · Wyoming state line
Access
A true public/private mosaic. The valley floor, Bear River bottoms and much of the crucial winter range are deeded ranch ground, while accessible public land sits on the Cache Forest crest to the west and BLM/SITLA parcels on the hills toward Wyoming. Main access runs off SR-16 and SR-30 through Randolph and Woodruff onto forest and canyon roads; Crawford Mountain roads, Rabbit Creek and South Eden Canyon reach the higher ground. Carry a land-ownership map — trespass lines are the whole game here.
Managers: private, USFS Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF, BLM, SITLA
Access points: SR-16 / SR-30 through Randolph and Woodruff · Crawford Mountain roads · South Eden Canyon (off Bear Lake) · Rabbit Creek drainage · Cache NF and BLM roads toward the Wyoming line
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityThe marquee species — a general-season mule deer unit with migratory herds that summer high on the Cache Forest and Crawford rims and winter down onto the Rich County benches. Younger age structure than the limited-entry units, but honest general-hunt opportunity for hunters who sort out the private ground.
- →Glass sage benches and juniper-brush foothill edges at first and last light
- →Hunt the transition between forest summer range and lower winter range — deer stack up as weather moves them
- →A hard early storm is your friend; migratory bucks pour off the high country onto accessible benches
- →Nail down public/private boundaries before opening morning — the bottoms are mostly deeded
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited opportunityElk use the unit but numbers are scattered and lean toward the farm ground and mountain fringes; most bulls taken are spikes or raghorns, and a branch-antlered bull is a genuine prize on this ground.
- →Work the timber-and-farm interface at dawn and dusk where elk feed
- →Glass the mountain benches and canyon heads away from private
- →Focus on the Crawford/Cache high country pockets during archery
- →Landowner permission unlocks the valley-floor feed where elk concentrate
Moose
limited qualityShiras moose inhabit the wetter drainages and willow bottoms of the Cache country — a once-in-a-lifetime draw in Utah rather than a general opportunity, but a real presence on the higher, wetter ground.
- →Glass willow-choked creek bottoms and aspen-meadow edges at first light
- →Work riparian stringers and beaver-pond complexes on the forest
- →Move slowly and glass — moose hold tight in the willows
Pronghorn
limited opportunityPronghorn use the open sage flats and grasslands of the Rich County valley — a limited, scattered presence on the more open ground rather than a marquee draw.
- →Glass the open sage and grass valleys from high ground
- →Use terrain rolls and fence lines to close the distance in open country
- →Pattern bucks around water and alfalfa edges
Cougar
common opportunityMountain lions follow the deer herds through the juniper foothills and forest canyons — a tracking-snow pursuit opportunity in the broken country.
- →Cut tracks on foothill and canyon roads after fresh snow
- →Focus on deer wintering concentrations and rim travel routes
- →Work the juniper-forest interface where cats move
Pro tips
- →This unit needs snow — a hard storm moves migratory bucks off the Cache high country onto the Rich County benches where you can reach them.
- →The Bear River bottoms and valley floor are mostly deeded ranch ground; map ownership and hunt the forest/BLM flanks or knock on doors.
- →SITLA state trust parcels are open to hunting in Utah and add accessible ground on the hills toward Wyoming.
- →Garden City and Bear Lake are the amenity base on the west edge; fuel up in Randolph before working the canyons.
- →Treat any branch-antlered elk here as a trophy — most bulls are spikes and raghorns.
Watch out for
- !Extensive private ranch ground interlocked with public — trespass risk is real; verify boundaries
- !Limited fuel and services in Rich County — resupply before heading out
- !Spotty cell coverage off the highways — carry a satellite communicator
- !Dirt and canyon roads rut and soften when wet or snowy
- !Open-range cattle throughout — mind stock and close gates
Logistics
Stage from Randolph or Garden City (Bear Lake) for the east side; Logan over the mountain to the west is the full-service regional hub. Fuel and basic supplies are limited in Rich County — top off before heading up the canyons. Dispersed camping is available on the Cache Forest and BLM ground; expect open-range cattle and long dirt drives to reach huntable parcels. Cell coverage is spotty off the highways.
Nearest towns: Randolph, Woodruff, Garden City, Laketown, Logan
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: UDWR Cache Deer Herd Unit Management Plan #2 (Rich subunit geography, winter range, buck:doe ratios) · GOHUNT — Utah Cache, East Rich elk unit profile (54% public, elevation 5,920–7,700, Bear River bottoms, spike/raghorn bulls) · GOHUNT — Utah Cache, Crawford Mtn deer unit profile (migratory bucks, needs snow, Garden City / Bear Lake) · UDWR Utah Hunt Planner (unit boundaries)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 38 in Utah?
- Unit 38 (Cache, Rich) covers about 746 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,900 to 8,500 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 38?
- Approximately 50% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private, USFS Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF, BLM, SITLA. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 38?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Moose, Pronghorn, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Utah agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 38 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.