Unit 614 Vernal/Bonanza
Ashley Creek and Diamond Mountain foothills above Vernal falling away to the Green River and the Bonanza oil-shale badlands — general-season deer and elk with pronghorn on the desert flats.
Northeastern Utah — Uintah Basin & Bonanza Desert · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
2,066
sq mi
Public land
65%
approx.
Elevation
4,700–10,000
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
South Slope, Vernal/Bonanza wraps the eastern Uintah Basin around Vernal, spanning the Ashley Creek and Dry Fork canyons and Diamond Mountain plateau on the north down through the Green River corridor and Dinosaur country to the Bonanza and Bitter Creek oil-shale desert on the southeast toward the Colorado line. It is a huge unit of sharp contrasts — timbered Ashley National Forest and juniper foothills at the top, a broad farmed valley through the middle, and rolling sagebrush and badland desert cut by canyons at the bottom. Hunted general-season for deer and elk, the open desert also supports pronghorn, while a large share of the low country sits on Ute tribal and private ground.
Terrain
Steps down from the south face of the Uintas and the Diamond Mountain plateau through the Vernal farm valley and Green River canyons to the wide sagebrush and eroded oil-shale desert of the Bonanza and Bitter Creek country.
Cover: Aspen and conifer on the high Ashley NF slopes, pinyon-juniper and mountain brush on the foothills and Diamond Mountain, sagebrush and grass across the benches, and greasewood, shadscale and salt-desert shrub on the badland flats.
Landmarks: Diamond Mountain plateau · Ashley Creek / Dry Fork Canyon · Marsh Peak (Ashley NF) · Red Fleet Reservoir · Green River corridor · Bonanza / Bitter Creek desert · Book Cliffs north rim · Dinosaur National Monument (closed to hunting)
Access
Vast BLM and SITLA acreage across the Diamond Mountain plateau and the Bonanza desert is generally open, and the Ashley National Forest anchors the high north end via the Dry Fork and Ashley Creek canyons. Ute tribal reservation and private farm and ranch ground dominate the valley floor and stretches of the low desert — much tribal land is closed without a tribal permit — so confirm status before hunting off obvious public ground. An extensive oil-and-gas road network laces the Bonanza country, giving broad but confusing motorized access.
Managers: BLM, USFS Ashley NF, Ute Indian Tribe (Uintah & Ouray Reservation), SITLA, private
Access points: US-191 north from Vernal to Diamond Mountain / Ashley NF · Dry Fork and Ashley Creek canyon roads · Red Fleet / Steinaker area · SR-45 / Bonanza Highway southeast of Vernal · Bitter Creek and oil-field roads in the desert
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityGeneral-season mule deer unit spanning forest, foothill and desert. Deer summer on Diamond Mountain and the Ashley NF high country and winter down on the juniper foothills and desert benches; the Bonanza and Diamond country hold scattered deer in the breaks.
- →Glass Diamond Mountain aspen-and-brush edges and canyon rims early
- →Hunt pinyon-juniper transition and sage benches on migration as storms hit
- →Work the roughest juniper and rimrock breaks where mature bucks hide
- →Cover ground in the desert to locate deer in the canyon systems
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityGeneral any-bull elk on the north end — elk use the Ashley NF timber, Diamond Mountain and the brushy canyon country, dropping to lower juniper and desert edges with weather.
- →Locate bugling bulls in the Ashley NF timber and Diamond Mountain parks during the rut
- →Hunt meadow-timber edges at first and last light
- →Get off the oil-field and forest roads into quieter drainages
- →Check water and feed in the juniper-desert transition
Pronghorn
common qualityPronghorn range the open sage of the Diamond Mountain plateau and the Bonanza desert flats; a limited-entry buck opportunity on the wide, rolling grasslands.
- →Glass open sage benches and flats from high points at first light
- →Spot-and-stalk using washes and terrain rolls to close on bedded bucks
- →Watch water sources and stock tanks in the dry desert early season
- →Judge horn mass and prong length carefully on a limited-entry tag
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bears inhabit the timbered Ashley NF slopes and Diamond Mountain brush on the north end of the unit; hunted on the limited-entry side.
- →Focus on aspen benches, oakbrush and berry feed in the high country
- →Check riparian corridors and spring greenup in the canyons
- →Glass open feed slopes at dawn and dusk
Cougar
common opportunityMountain lions follow the deer through the canyons, juniper foothills and desert breaks; hunted, typically with snow for tracking.
- →Cut tracks on canyon and desert roads after fresh snow
- →Concentrate where deer winter on the foothills and breaks
- →Work canyon and rimrock travel corridors
Pro tips
- →Verify land status carefully — Ute tribal ground closes much of the valley and low desert without a tribal permit
- →Use the dense oil-field road network in the Bonanza country to cover ground, but carry recovery gear for clay roads
- →Hunt Diamond Mountain and Ashley NF high country early, then follow deer down the juniper as storms build
- →Glass the open Diamond Mountain and desert flats for pronghorn from high points at first light
- →Water is scarce in the desert — glass tanks and springs, and pack plenty for yourself
Watch out for
- !Ute tribal reservation covers much of the low country — closed without a tribal permit
- !Dinosaur National Monument is closed to hunting
- !Clay desert roads become impassable when wet
- !Water is scarce across the Bonanza flats
- !SITLA and private parcels scattered through the valley — confirm boundaries
Logistics
Vernal is the regional hub with full services, fuel, motels and outfitters, and sits central to the whole unit; Naples, Jensen and Maeser put you toward the Green River and desert. US-191 climbs north to Diamond Mountain and the Ashley NF, while SR-45 and a dense oil-field road grid open the Bonanza desert to the southeast. Desert roads turn to greasy, impassable clay when wet, so watch the weather.
Nearest towns: Vernal, Naples, Jensen, Maeser, Roosevelt
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: UDWR South Slope Deer Herd Unit Management Plan (#9) · UDWR Utah Hunt Planner — Big Game Boundaries · UDWR Utah Big Game Application Guidebook 2026
FAQ
- How big is Unit 614 in Utah?
- Unit 614 (Vernal/Bonanza) covers about 2,066 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,700 to 10,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 614?
- Approximately 65% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM, USFS Ashley NF, Ute Indian Tribe (Uintah & Ouray Reservation), SITLA, private. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 614?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Pronghorn, Black Bear, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Utah agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 614 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.