Unit 668 Fillmore, Oak Creek (cougar)
A compact, cliff-broken central-Utah range that grows some of the state's best limited-entry bucks and quality Pahvant bulls.
Central Utah — Pavant Range / Oak Creek Mountains · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
2,053
sq mi
Public land
71%
approx.
Elevation
5,000–9,717
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
The Fillmore, Oak Creek unit rises west and north of Fillmore in Millard County, built around the Pavant Range, the Oak Creek Mountains above Oak City, and the Canyon Mountains, then falls away into desert benches toward Interstate 15 and the west valleys. It is best known as a premier limited-entry mule deer unit — small in acreage but capable of producing mature, heavy-antlered bucks — and it carries a quality-managed Pahvant/Oak Creek elk herd as well. The 2012 Clay Springs Fire burned well over 100,000 acres here, opening rugged country and improving browse and glassing. Terrain is steep and physical, with sheer cliffs, rocky drainages and semi-arid slopes rewarding patient long-range glassing.
Terrain
Steep, rocky, cliff-broken mountain cores (Pavant Range, Oak Creek Mtns, Canyon Mountains) topping out near 9,700 ft, dropping through juniper benches and rocky drainages into sagebrush desert flats along the I-15 corridor and the west valleys. Physically demanding country with abrupt relief.
Cover: Pinyon-juniper and mountain mahogany on mid slopes, oakbrush and bitterbrush browse, aspen and scattered spruce-fir pockets on the high north faces, sagebrush and cheatgrass on the desert benches. Large post-2012 Clay Springs Fire burn scars now carry regenerating browse.
Landmarks: Pavant Range · Oak Creek Mountains / Oak City · Canyon Mountains · Clay Springs Fire burn (2012) · Chalk Creek and Corn Creek drainages · Fillmore / I-15 corridor
Access
Roughly 180 sq mi of the mountain core is Fishlake National Forest, wrapped by BLM desert and scattered SITLA parcels — SITLA is open to dispersed hunting in Utah. Private ground and irrigated valley floor cluster around Fillmore, Oak City, Kanosh and Corn Creek. Two-wheel-drive roads reach many trailheads in dry weather, but 4x4 and chains are needed when storms hit and much of the high, roadless core requires significant hiking. Verify boundaries on the Hunt Planner before hunting the limited-entry core.
Managers: USFS Fishlake NF, BLM, SITLA, private
Access points: Chalk Creek Road west of Fillmore · Corn Creek / Kanosh canyon access · Oak City Canyon into the Oak Creek Mtns · Pioneer / Meadow area BLM roads · I-15 exits at Fillmore, Kanosh and Meadow
Species notes
Mule Deer
common trophyA sought-after limited-entry buck unit that produces mature, well-developed bucks off a relatively small footprint. The rugged cliff country and post-fire browse concentrate deer where hunters willing to hike and glass hard find them. A separate general-season desert portion offers lower-density opportunity for any-ability hunters.
- →Long-range glass from tripods across cliff ledges and rocky drainages where browse concentrates
- →Work the edges of the Clay Springs burn where regenerating brush pulls bucks
- →Hunt the high north-facing aspen and mahogany pockets in the Pavant and Oak Creek cores
- →Be prepared for steep, physical days and poor road access in bad weather
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityThe Pahvant/Oak Creek elk herd is quality-managed and holds mature bulls in the timbered high country of the Pavant Range and Canyon Mountains. Elk favor aspen-conifer benches and burn-edge meadows, shifting with pressure and water.
- →Locate bulls in aspen-conifer stringers and burn meadows high in the Pavant Range
- →Glass early and late from ridgelines over the Chalk Creek and Corn Creek heads
- →Follow elk toward reliable water on the drier benches during warm, dry spells
Pronghorn
limited opportunityPronghorn use the sagebrush desert benches and valley flats on the west and lower margins of the unit toward the Pavant Valley, at modest densities.
- →Glass the open sage flats and benches west of the mountain core
- →Set up near water and two-track junctions in the desert valleys
Cougar
common opportunityCougars follow the strong deer numbers through the cliff breaks and juniper canyons of the Pavant and Oak Creek country — a solid houndsman opportunity where deer winter.
- →Cut tracks after fresh snow on the forest and BLM roads ringing the cliffs
- →Focus on deer-wintering canyon breaks and juniper benches
Pro tips
- →This is a glassing unit — quality optics on a tripod matter more than covering miles on foot
- →Scout the Clay Springs Fire burn edges; regenerating browse concentrates deer
- →The high mountain core is roadless and steep — earn it, and expect competition on the coveted LE tag
- →Confirm the limited-entry vs general-season boundary on the Hunt Planner before you hunt
- →Carry chains and expect greasy clay roads after any rain
Watch out for
- !Steep, cliff-broken terrain — physical hunt with real fall exposure
- !Roads turn to slick clay in wet weather; high roads can close with early snow
- !Private irrigated ground around Fillmore, Oak City and Kanosh is intermingled with public — verify lines
- !Water is scarce on the desert benches; pack your own
- !Fire-scarred slopes carry standing dead timber and cheatgrass fire risk
Logistics
Base out of Fillmore for full services and quick I-15 access to the whole east face, or Oak City/Delta for the northern Oak Creek approaches. Fuel, groceries and lodging are easy along I-15; dispersed camping is available on the Fishlake NF and surrounding BLM. Carry water when hunting the desert benches.
Nearest towns: Fillmore, Oak City, Kanosh, Meadow, Delta
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: UDWR Mule Deer Herd Unit Management Plan #21A Fillmore, Oak Creek · UDWR Elk Unit Management Plan #21 Fillmore, Pahvant/Oak Creek · GOHUNT Utah Fillmore, Oak Creek LE deer unit profile · UDWR Hunt Planner boundary tool
FAQ
- How big is Unit 668 in Utah?
- Unit 668 (Fillmore, Oak Creek (cougar)) covers about 2,053 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,000 to 9,717 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 668?
- Approximately 71% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Fishlake NF, BLM, SITLA, private. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 668?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, 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 668 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.