Unit 682 Box Elder, Pilot Mtn
A remote, water-driven desert island range north of Wendover that carries a quality limited-entry bull elk herd co-managed with Nevada.
Northwest Utah — Pilot Range / West Desert (Utah–Nevada line) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,339
sq mi
Public land
73%
approx.
Elevation
4,200–10,716
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Box Elder, Pilot Mtn sits in the far northwest corner of Utah, built around the Pilot Range — an isolated, sky-island mountain rising abruptly from the salt-desert basins north of Wendover on the Utah–Nevada state line. It is best known as a limited-entry bull elk unit managed for mature bulls (average harvest age around 5.5–6 years), and it is co-managed with Nevada under an interstate agreement that ties it to Nevada's Unit 091, so a tag can be valid across the state line. Elk numbers and locations swing hard with water: in drought years bulls migrate to find it. The unit also offers general-season desert mule deer and open-basin pronghorn. Terrain is stark desert-mountain country with big relief and long drives between water.
Terrain
An abrupt desert sky-island: the Pilot Range crest (Pilot Peak near 10,700 ft) towering over salt-desert and sagebrush basins around 4,200–5,000 ft. Rocky, arid slopes with limited water; the Bonneville Salt Flats spread to the south.
Cover: Salt desert scrub and greasewood on the basin floors, sagebrush and cheatgrass on the benches, pinyon-juniper (with heavy juniper encroachment) on the flanks, and pockets of mountain mahogany, aspen and limber pine near the high Pilot crest. Scarce, degrading natural water sources are a defining feature.
Landmarks: Pilot Range / Pilot Peak · Bonneville Salt Flats · Utah–Nevada state line · Pilot Creek Valley · I-80 corridor (to the south, via Wendover)
Access
Predominantly BLM desert with SITLA parcels (open to dispersed hunting in Utah) and blocks of private ranch ground in the valleys and around water. Well-maintained dirt roads ring the range and lead onto rougher 4x4 tracks and ATV trails toward the higher country and Pilot Creek Valley; there is road access on essentially all sides, but the interior high range demands hiking. The interstate agreement links access to Nevada's Unit 091 across the state line.
Managers: BLM, SITLA, private
Access points: Pilot Creek Valley Road (Nevada side / SR-233 approach) · BLM desert roads north off I-80 from Wendover · State-line and Pilot Range base roads · SR-30 to the north toward the Grouse Creek country
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common trophyA limited-entry bull elk unit managed for mature bulls (target harvest age roughly 5.5–6 years), co-managed with Nevada under an interstate agreement tied to Unit 091. Bull numbers and locations are highly water-dependent; in dry years elk shift long distances to reliable water and across the state line.
- →Find and glass reliable water sources — guzzlers, springs and stock tanks — then pattern bulls to and from them
- →Work the high Pilot crest and its aspen/mahogany pockets and timbered draws for summer/early-season bulls
- →Be ready to hunt both sides of the state line under the interstate agreement as elk move for water
- →Scout thoroughly and stay mobile — bull distribution changes year to year with drought
Mule Deer
common opportunityGeneral-season desert mule deer use the Pilot Range flanks and juniper benches at modest densities, holding good bucks in a big, low-pressure country that rewards knowing where water and browse concentrate.
- →Glass the juniper-mahogany draws and rocky rims of the Pilot Range at dawn and dusk
- →Key on browse near the scarce water sources in dry years
- →Cover ground on the road network, then still-hunt the high pockets
Pronghorn
common opportunityPronghorn range the open sagebrush and salt-desert basins that surround the Pilot Range — classic wide-open west-desert antelope ground.
- →Glass the big open flats and valley bottoms from height, then stalk using terrain rolls
- →Watch water and any green feed in the arid basins
Cougar
limited opportunityCougars occur where deer concentrate in the Pilot Range rocks and canyons; a limited desert houndsman opportunity given the isolated range and scarce prey water.
- →Cut tracks after snow on the Pilot Range base and access roads
- →Focus on deer-holding canyons and rocky draws near water
Pro tips
- →Inventory every reliable water source before the hunt — it dictates where the bulls will be
- →The interstate agreement means a Pilot Mtn tag can hunt across into Nevada's Unit 091 — use both sides
- →This is a sky-island: glass the abrupt Pilot Range from the basins, then commit to the climb
- →Go fully self-sufficient — no services north of Wendover, long dirt drives, scarce water
- →Juniper encroachment and cheatgrass have degraded habitat; focus on the better mahogany/aspen pockets high on the range
Watch out for
- !Extreme water scarcity — carry all your own; sources are few and degrading
- !Very remote — long dirt drives, no services beyond Wendover, come prepared to self-recover
- !Elk distribution swings wildly with drought; bulls may be across the state line
- !Private ranch ground clusters around valley water — verify boundaries before hunting near it
- !Desert roads turn slick and impassable after rain
Logistics
Wendover, at the I-80 state line, is the practical base for fuel, food and lodging before heading north into the desert — services essentially vanish beyond it. This is remote, self-sufficient country: carry all your water, extra fuel, recovery gear and spare tires, and plan long drives on dirt. Dispersed camping is unrestricted across the BLM ground.
Nearest towns: Wendover, Montello, NV, Tremonton, Snowville
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: UDWR Elk Herd Unit Management Plan #1 Box Elder (2023) — Pilot Mountain subunit 1c, interstate agreement, ownership · GOHUNT Utah Box Elder, Pilot Mtn LE elk unit profile · UDWR Hunt Planner boundary tool
FAQ
- How big is Unit 682 in Utah?
- Unit 682 (Box Elder, Pilot Mtn) covers about 1,339 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,200 to 10,716 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 682?
- Approximately 73% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM, SITLA, private. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 682?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, 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 682 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.