Unit 871 Southwest Desert, North
The northern half of Utah's vast, empty Southwest Desert — sky-island ranges, dry lakebeds and one of the state's premier pronghorn landscapes
West Desert Utah — House & Confusion Ranges (Sevier Desert) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
2,536
sq mi
Public land
90%
approx.
Elevation
4,500–9,678
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
This is the northern portion of Utah's sprawling Southwest Desert management unit, a vast, isolated stretch of Great Basin high desert west of Delta running to the Nevada line. Rugged sky-island ranges — most notably the House Range with its towering Notch Peak escarpment and Swasey Peak, plus the Confusion Range — rise out of sagebrush valleys, dry lakebeds and the dead-flat Sevier Lake basin. Big-game numbers are low relative to the enormous acreage, but the country is almost entirely public and lightly hunted, prized above all for pronghorn on the open flats, with mature mule deer, desert bighorn in the cliff ranges, and cougar rounding out the mix.
Terrain
Classic Great Basin basin-and-range: broad sagebrush valleys and playa flats (including the dry Sevier Lake bed and Tule Valley) broken by abrupt desert mountain ranges. The House Range tops out at Swasey Peak (~9,678 ft) and drops off in the sheer Notch Peak escarpment, one of the largest cliff faces in North America.
Cover: Great Basin shrub-steppe — sagebrush, shadscale, greasewood and grasses across the valleys, with pinyon-juniper on the range flanks and scattered bristlecone and limber pine, mountain mahogany and rock on the high peaks. Water is scarce and glassing is everything.
Landmarks: House Range · Notch Peak (~9,658 ft escarpment) · Swasey Peak (~9,678 ft) · Confusion Range · Sevier Lake (dry lakebed) · Tule Valley · Wheeler Amphitheater / Marjum Pass
Access
Almost entirely public BLM land with scattered SITLA state trust parcels (generally open to hunting) and very little private ground away from the Delta/Hinckley farm belt on the eastern edge. Access is by a network of graded and primitive BLM roads off US-6/50 west of Delta; interior travel is slow, and many spots are hours from the nearest town on rough two-tracks. High-clearance and self-sufficiency are essential.
Managers: BLM, SITLA, private
Access points: US-6/50 west of Delta · Notch Peak / Miller Canyon roads (House Range) · Marjum Pass Road (Old Lincoln Highway) · Tule Valley Road · Confusion Range BLM roads · Sevier Lake / Black Rock access from Delta
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityThe signature big-game draw of the Southwest Desert. The open sagebrush valleys and flats between the ranges hold good pronghorn and produce quality bucks; wide-open country and light pressure make this one of Utah's better antelope landscapes for a limited-entry tag.
- →Glass the broad sagebrush and shadscale flats between the ranges from high vantage points at first and last light
- →Locate a good buck from a distance, then use terrain folds, washes and rises to close the gap across open ground
- →Sit water sources and known trails during hot early-season weather
- →Cover country by vehicle to glass, then stalk on foot — bucks are scattered across huge basins
Mule Deer
limited qualityDeer numbers are low compared with other Utah general units, but the sheer size, isolation and light pressure of this desert country let some bucks reach full maturity. Deer concentrate on the ranges and their pinyon-juniper flanks rather than the open valleys.
- →Focus on the pinyon-juniper flanks, higher basins and mahogany pockets of the House and Confusion ranges
- →Glass at dawn and dusk near the limited water and greener draws
- →Hunt well away from roads and be prepared to cover big country for a single mature buck
- →Watch the transition between rock/cliff terrain and brush where desert bucks bed
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyThe steep, cliff-broken desert ranges — the House Range escarpment and Confusion country — provide classic desert bighorn habitat, managed as a once-in-a-lifetime species in Utah with very few permits.
- →Glass the cliff bands, rimrock and rockslides of the House Range and Notch Peak escarpment
- →Spend days behind a spotting scope locating and judging rams in the escape terrain
- →Hunt the edges where sheep feed off the crags early and late
- →Be prepared for extremely rugged, waterless terrain far from help
Cougar
common opportunityCougars work the desert ranges following deer and bighorn through the rock and pinyon-juniper. Populations are managed across the west desert.
- →Cut for tracks on range-flank roads after snow
- →Concentrate on deer and bighorn concentration areas in the House and Confusion ranges
Pro tips
- →This is a glassing unit — burn boot leather less and optics time more from high vantage points over the big basins
- →Map every reliable water source before the hunt; both game and access plans revolve around water
- →Carry far more fuel, water and recovery gear than a normal hunt — help can be hours away
- →Avoid clay/playa roads when rain threatens; they become impassable gumbo fast
- →Get miles from the maintained roads to find undisturbed pronghorn and the occasional mature buck
Watch out for
- !Extreme remoteness — long distances from any town, minimal traffic, no cell service
- !Scarce water for hunters and game alike
- !Playa and clay roads impassable when wet
- !Private farm ground and posted parcels on the Delta/Hinckley eastern edge
- !Low deer density — manage expectations and hunt for quality, not quantity
Logistics
Delta is the practical staging town — fuel, groceries, lodging and the last reliable services before the desert. Hinckley and Oak City add minor stops; Fillmore and Milford anchor the southeast and southwest edges. Once west of Delta you are on your own: carry extra fuel, plenty of water, full recovery and tire-repair gear, and paper maps/GPS. Distances are enormous and some country is literally hours from pavement. Cell service disappears quickly away from US-6/50.
Nearest towns: Delta, Hinckley, Oak City, Fillmore, Milford
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Utah sources:
Research sources: UDWR Deer Herd Unit Management Plan #20 — Southwest Desert · GOHUNT — Utah Southwest Desert Unit Profile · Avenza — Southwest Desert (N) Utah Hunting Unit Map with Land Ownership (HuntData)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 871 in Utah?
- Unit 871 (Southwest Desert, North) covers about 2,536 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,500 to 9,678 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 871?
- Approximately 90% 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 871?
- Pronghorn, Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Utah agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
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