Antelope Island, Utah

The island stretches roughly 15 miles north-to-south and 5 miles east-to-west. Elevation ranges from approximately 4,190 feet at the Great Salt Lake shoreline to 6,596 feet at Frary Peak, the island's high point. Terrain varies from flat alluvial plains and sandy beaches on the north, east, and south shores to a rugged, steeply ridged central mountain spine composed of ancient Precambrian rock. The relief from lake level to Frary Peak is roughly 2,400 vertical feet.

The sole vehicle access is Interstate 15 Exit 332 (Syracuse/Antelope Island exit), then west on Antelope Drive approximately 7 miles to the park entrance gate, followed by the Davis County Causeway (Antelope Island Road) — a narrow two-lane road spanning an additional 7 miles to the island. There is no access via the old South Causeway. The park operates daily 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Hunters who draw an Antelope Island bison permit must complete a pre-hunt orientation course administered by Utah State Parks before receiving their permit; extra park-entry fees apply to all island hunts (contact 801-725-9263). No CWMUs exist on the island. The entire 28,022 acres is Utah State Park — 100% publicly accessible through the single causeway entrance. Rideshare services do not operate at the park; personal vehicle access is required.

The island is dominated by native dry grassland and sagebrush steppe; long-term management objectives aim to restore blue bunch wheatgrass/sagebrush communities characteristic of the Great Basin. Alluvial plains on the northern, eastern, and southern portions support open prairie grassland. The mountainous interior contains denser shrub communities and rugged slopes. Approximately 40 freshwater springs are distributed across the island. Invasive weed encroachment is an ongoing management concern; habitat improvement projects include noxious weed control and native vegetation planting (40-60 acres annually).

The island supports four primary big-game species. The American bison herd ranges from 550 to 700 animals and is one of the largest publicly owned herds in North America; the herd is rounded up annually for health screening and herd-size management. Pronghorn number approximately 200; present on the island but not currently subject to hunting. Mule deer number approximately 250, with a historically high buck-to-doe ratio; the population experienced a significant decline after a translocation of roughly 200 deer in 2014 and ongoing coyote predation on fawns. Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep number approximately 200 following repopulation in 2020 (25 sheep from Montana) and 2022 (27 from Arizona) after the original herd was removed in 2019 due to a severe respiratory disease outbreak in 2018; rams are actively managed to reduce disease transmission risk and prevent attempted dispersal off the island. Coyotes, bobcats, badgers, and porcupines are also present. Over 250 bird species utilize the island and adjacent lake shoreline.

1. CLOSED TO ALL STATEWIDE PERMITS: Antelope Island is explicitly excluded from all Utah general-season, sportsman, and CWMU permits (2026 guidebook footnote: 'Antelope Island is not an open unit'). Only the Antelope Island-specific permits (DB1002, DB1121, BI6500, RS6700) authorize hunting on the island. Pronghorn are present but not hunted. 2. RESIDENT-ONLY: Bison (BI6500) is confirmed resident-only (nonresident fee listed as n/a in 2026 guidebook). DB1002 Premium LE deer and DB1121 Management Buck deer — residency status unclear from PDF text extraction (guidebook uses blue text for resident-only, not reproducible in text); bison is the only hunt with an explicit n/a nonresident fee. RS6700 bighorn sheep has a nonresident fee ($3,988) confirming nonresident eligibility. 3. DEER QUOTA: DWR factsheet states deer hunting is limited to 2 bucks per year (1 conservation/auction + 1 public draw); the 2026 guidebook added DB1121 as a new management buck hunt, which may increase total harvest going forward. 4. BIGHORN HISTORY: Original herd decimated by respiratory disease 2018; remaining sheep removed 2019; repopulation with 25 Montana sheep January 2020 and 27 Arizona sheep October 2022 (Wikipedia). Hunt RS6700 first offered fall 2025 per DWR factsheet. 5. SEASON DATES: 2026 dates confirmed from 2026 UDWR Big Game Application Guidebook. 6. HARVEST STATS: No unit-specific hunter success rates or reported harvest totals available; null used. 7. NO ARCHERY OR MUZZLELOADER SEASONS: All Antelope Island hunts are any-legal-weapon only.