Utah Unit North Slope, Three Corners/West Daggett Moose Hunting Guide

Utah's North Slope, Three Corners/West Daggett unit sits in the northeastern corner of the state along the Wyoming border, spanning 395,599 acres with an elevation range of 5,361 to 12,670 feet. For moose hunters, this unit represents one of the most compelling draws in Utah's limited-entry system — a vast, high-elevation landscape with 91% public land and a harvest record that speaks for itself. Whether hunters are evaluating their first application or deep into a long-term point strategy, understanding what this unit actually produces is the first step in making a smart investment.

The unit encompasses rugged terrain characteristic of the Uinta Mountains region, with dramatic elevation swings that push moose through a variety of habitat types — from lower riparian corridors and sagebrush flats to dense timber and subalpine basins. With just 2% designated wilderness, the vast majority of the unit's public land is accessible without mandatory guide requirements, giving both resident and nonresident hunters genuine DIY options across most of the landscape. That combination of access, public land density, and consistent harvest performance makes this unit worth a serious look.

Data compiled by HuntPilot confirms what many Utah moose hunters already suspect: the North Slope, Three Corners/West Daggett unit is a high-quality, low-pressure draw hunt with a tag pool intentionally kept small to protect herd health and trophy quality.

Harvest Success Rates

The harvest record for this unit over the past four years is exceptional by any objective measure.

In 2025, 8 hunters pursued moose in this unit and all 8 harvested — a 100% success rate. The 2024 season produced identical results: 9 hunters, 9 harvested, 100% success. Going back to 2022, another 8 hunters entered the field and all 8 tagged out, again achieving perfect success. The only departure from perfection came in 2023, when 7 of 8 hunters were successful — an 88% success rate that still ranks elite by any comparison standard.

Averaging across all four years tracked (2022–2025), this unit produced a 97% aggregate success rate across 33 total hunters. That figure is not a statistical quirk — it reflects a combination of limited permit numbers, quality habitat, and a tag structure designed to keep harvest consistent with what the population can sustain.

A few key observations hunters should draw from this data:

• Tag numbers are intentionally small. With 8–9 hunters per year, this is a precision-managed hunt. Each permit holder has a high probability of success, but competition in the draw is correspondingly intense.
• The 2023 season's 88% success rate is the floor, not the ceiling. One unharvested tag in a year does not signal a decline — it's statistical noise at this sample size.
• Consistency matters. Four consecutive years of 88–100% success indicates a stable, accessible population rather than boom-and-bust dynamics.

For hunters accustomed to species with 40–60% success rates, these numbers reframe what a "quality" moose hunt looks like in Utah.

Trophy Quality

Based on available trophy records, this unit carries strong trophy potential for Shiras' moose. The area has a meaningful history of producing trophy-class bulls, and that production appears consistent across recent decades rather than being tied to a single exceptional year or a historical high-water mark.

Shiras' moose are the smallest of the three North American moose subspecies, but mature Utah bulls are still impressive animals. The unit's elevation range — topping out above 12,000 feet with extensive mid-elevation timber and wetland habitat in between — supports the kind of bull development that serious moose hunters pursue. Hunters targeting this unit should understand that trophy Shiras' moose are measured against subspecies-appropriate benchmarks, and this unit has demonstrated the ability to produce animals that meet that standard.

Herd Health & Population Trends

With only 8–9 permits issued annually, Utah's wildlife managers are deliberately conservative in how they allocate tags on this unit. That restraint is itself a data point about herd management philosophy — Utah protects units with proven bull quality by keeping harvest pressure minimal.

The consistency in permit numbers year-over-year (8 in 2022, 8 in 2023, 9 in 2024, 8 in 2025) suggests the herd is being managed within a stable quota framework rather than showing signs of expansion or contraction that would prompt major allocation changes. Hunters can take some confidence from the fact that permit counts have held steady — agencies typically reduce permits when populations are under stress and increase them when populations can support additional harvest.

The unit's 91% public land base also reduces the habitat fragmentation pressures common in units with significant private land. Moose in this landscape can move between elevation bands and habitat types without being concentrated by land ownership boundaries, which generally supports healthier age structure and more dispersed bull distribution.

Access & Terrain

At 395,599 total acres with 91% classified as public land, this unit gives hunters one of the most accessible public land footprints of any Utah moose unit. There is no meaningful barrier to DIY access from a land ownership standpoint — the majority of the landscape is open to hunters who are willing to put in the legwork.

The 2% wilderness designation means guide requirements are not a significant factor here. Unlike Wyoming wilderness units where nonresidents must hire a licensed outfitter for wilderness travel, Utah does not impose guide requirements based on wilderness designation. Both resident and nonresident hunters can pursue moose throughout this unit independently.

That said, the terrain demands respect. An elevation range spanning from 5,361 to 12,670 feet means hunters may encounter everything from open sagebrush and creek bottoms in the lower zones to demanding alpine approaches near the summit. Moose in this landscape are not always found at convenient elevations, and field-dressing plus packing out a mature bull from steep country is a serious physical undertaking. Hunters should plan logistics accordingly — this is a unit where preparation for a remote, multi-day effort is appropriate even with road-accessible terrain in portions of the area.

The unit's position along the Utah-Wyoming border gives it a character that straddles high-desert foothills and true Uinta-adjacent mountain terrain. Hunters familiar with northeastern Utah will recognize the transition zones between lower drainage systems and upper-elevation timber as prime moose habitat — and this unit has those transition zones in abundance.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is This Unit Worth Applying For?

For serious Utah moose hunters, the North Slope, Three Corners/West Daggett unit is among the most compelling options in the state.

The case is straightforward: near-perfect harvest success rates over four consecutive seasons, strong trophy history, 91% public land, and a manageable terrain profile that supports both DIY and guided approaches. Utah's moose draw is competitive statewide regardless of unit, but this particular unit delivers the kind of outcomes that justify long-term point accumulation.

The honest caveat is that Utah operates a hybrid draw system — 20% of tags go to the highest point holders while 80% are distributed through a weighted random draw. This means accumulating points meaningfully improves a hunter's probability, but does not guarantee a tag at any specific point threshold. Hunters should not plan around a specific "draw year" — instead, they should apply consistently, understand the system's probabilistic nature, and be genuinely prepared to hunt when the tag arrives.

For residents, the combination of a $10 application fee, a $34 license requirement, and a $454 tag fee makes this an accessible investment even if it takes multiple application cycles. For nonresidents, the $144 license requirement plus $10 application fee is a modest annual cost to stay active in the draw, with the $2,244 tag fee payable only upon drawing.

The data supports applying. Four years of 97% aggregate success, strong trophy potential, and 91% public land is a combination that is difficult to find in western big game hunting. Hunters who skip this unit due to perceived draw difficulty are leaving one of Utah's most productive moose tags on the table.

How to Apply

Utah's big game draw runs on a unified application calendar. For the 2026 season, the application window opens March 19, 2026, and closes on April 23, 2026. Draw results are announced May 31, 2026.

2026 Resident Costs:

• Application fee: $10
• License fee (required to apply): $34.00
• Tag fee (if drawn): $454

2026 Nonresident Costs:

• Application fee: $10
• License fee (required to apply): $144.00
• Tag fee (if drawn): $2,244

A critical detail that catches first-time applicants off guard: Utah requires hunters to purchase a valid hunting license before submitting a big game draw application. The license fee is not optional — it is a prerequisite for the application to be processed. Budget the license cost as part of your annual application expense regardless of whether you draw.

Utah's hybrid point system means every application cycle has value. Even low-point applicants have a statistical chance through the weighted random component, while accumulated points steadily improve odds over time. The worst outcome of applying is gaining a preference point for the following year.

For current draw odds broken down by point level and residency, visit HuntPilot's Utah draw page at huntpilot.ai/states/ut.

Dates and fees are subject to change. Always verify current application details at the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources website before applying.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terrain like in the Utah North Slope, Three Corners/West Daggett unit?

The unit covers 395,599 acres with elevations ranging from 5,361 to 12,670 feet, creating a diverse mix of habitat types. Lower elevations include sagebrush flats and riparian drainages, while mid-elevation terrain transitions into dense timber and wetland areas ideal for moose. Upper reaches push into subalpine and alpine terrain. The unit sits along the Utah-Wyoming border in the northeastern part of the state. With 91% public land and only 2% wilderness designation, access is broadly available and DIY-friendly throughout most of the unit.

What is the harvest success rate for moose in this unit?

Harvest success in this unit is among the best documented anywhere in Utah's moose draw. From 2022 through 2025, the unit posted success rates of 100%, 88%, 100%, and 100% respectively — an aggregate of 97% across 33 total hunters over four seasons. The 2023 season's 88% rate represents the only exception in recent years, with 7 of 8 hunters successful.

How big are the moose in the North Slope, Three Corners/West Daggett unit?

Based on available trophy records, this unit has a strong history of producing trophy-class Shiras' moose. While Shiras' are the smallest North American moose subspecies, mature bulls from quality Utah habitat can be impressive animals. This unit's combination of elevation variation, extensive timber, and riparian habitat supports bull development consistent with the unit's strong trophy history. Hunters targeting a trophy-class Shiras' bull should consider this unit among Utah's better options.

Is the North Slope, Three Corners/West Daggett moose unit worth applying for?

Yes — the data makes a compelling case. Near-perfect harvest success across four consecutive years, strong trophy potential, 91% public land, and a terrain profile that supports DIY hunters collectively make this one of Utah's top moose draw investments. The draw is competitive, as all Utah limited-entry moose tags are, but the annual application cost is modest relative to the potential payoff. Hunters who apply consistently and prepare properly for the hunt itself are well-positioned to have an exceptional experience when they draw.

Do nonresident hunters need a guide for this unit?

No. Utah does not impose mandatory guide requirements based on wilderness designation, and this unit's 2% wilderness footprint is minimal regardless. Both resident and nonresident hunters can pursue moose independently across the vast majority of the unit's 395,599 acres. That said, packing out a mature bull from steep, high-elevation country is a serious undertaking — hunters unfamiliar with western backcountry conditions may benefit from a guide for logistical reasons even without a legal requirement.