Panguitch Lake, Utah

Elevation ranges from approximately 6,500 feet in the lower desert basins and the Parowan Valley/I-15 corridor to roughly 11,000 feet on the high Markagunt Plateau. The western portion is mountainous with steep-sided canyons, buttes, and broad basins; the eastern portion transitions to high-desert terrain with moderately sloping basins and bowls. Cedar Breaks National Monument occupies the extreme western edge of the plateau at roughly 10,000+ feet and is excluded from the hunt boundary (all National Parks excluded per UDWR boundary description). The southern boundary is formed by SR-14 (Cedar Canyon), which cuts through dramatic red-rock canyon terrain before climbing onto the plateau.

Primary paved access: SR-143 (Brian Head–Panguitch Lake Scenic Byway) bisects the unit north-south; SR-14 (Cedar Canyon Road) forms the southern boundary from Cedar City to US-89; US-89 is the eastern boundary running north from Kanab through Panguitch to SR-20; SR-20 forms the northern boundary west to I-15; I-15 is the western boundary. The Forest Service Cedar City Ranger District manages the core public land. Numerous two-track and graded Forest Service roads radiate from these highways providing four-wheel-drive access into basins and ridges. Bear Valley (off SR-20) is a noted northern access corridor. Public land is dominated by Dixie National Forest (53–75% by range type), with BLM land concentrated at lower elevations (5–33% by range type), UDWR-managed wildlife management areas (Yankee Meadow WMA, South Summit WMA), and SITLA state trust parcels interspersed. Private land blocks exist primarily in the Panguitch Creek valley, Parowan Valley, and along the unit's lower fringes; private is approximately 5–15% depending on range type. No CWMU areas identified within the core Panguitch Lake general deer or elk boundaries.

Vegetation varies sharply with elevation. Lower elevations (roughly 6,500–7,500 ft) support pinyon-juniper woodland, mountain mahogany, rabbitbrush, and sagebrush steppe. Mid-elevations (7,500–9,000 ft) transition to ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, bitterbrush, and scattered aspen. The high plateau (9,000–11,000 ft) is characterized by large aspen stands subject to conifer encroachment, with active chaining and restoration projects underway; mixed conifer (spruce-fir, Douglas-fir including areas recovering from spruce bark beetle epidemic); and extensive meadow/sagebrush openings. Panguitch Lake and its inlet streams and Panguitch Creek below the dam provide riparian corridors of willows, cottonwood, and wet meadow. Habitat restoration since 2016 has treated over 87,765 acres within the elk herd unit.

Mule deer are the most numerous big game; resident bucks are distributed throughout the unit, with higher concentrations in the eastern high-desert portion and post-rut movement to lower elevations. Total 2024 general-season buck harvest was 942 across all weapons (archery 121, muzzleloader 132, early ALW 161, any legal weapon 410, dedicated hunter 118). Elk numbers are managed between 1,000–1,500 wintering animals, with aerial survey estimates of 1,395 (2019) and 1,000 (2022); the 2023 plan advisory committee reaffirmed a 1,000–1,500 range and discussed a future target of 1,300–1,600. Bull elk use deep conifer timber and large sagebrush openings on the Markagunt Plateau during summer and early fall; winter concentrations occur on the Parowan Front below 7,000 ft (actively managed to reduce deer range conflict and vehicle collisions). Black bears are present and described as increasing; the Panguitch Lake/Zion bear unit covers a larger area. Mountain lions are present across the plateau. Wild turkeys are documented in the Dixie National Forest. Pronghorn are present in lower-elevation areas covered by the adjacent Panguitch Lake/Zion North pronghorn boundary. Panguitch Lake and its tributaries support healthy trout fisheries.

1. Boundary confirmed from UDWR Elk Plan #28 (2023): Garfield, Iron, and Kane counties; US-89/SR-14/SR-20/I-15; EXCLUDES ALL NATIVE AMERICAN TRUST LANDS and EXCLUDES ALL NATIONAL PARKS. 2. Deer harvest (2024): archery 121 (33.4%), muzzleloader 132 (40.5%), early ALW 161 (48.2%), any legal weapon 410 (56.6%), dedicated hunter 118 (49.3%); total general-season buck harvest = 942. 3. LE deer DB1083 muzzleloader: 8 permits, 7 afield, 4 harvest, 57.1% success in 2024. 4. LE elk 2024 combined: 74 total permits across 7 seasons; 47 total harvest; ~63.5% combined success. Hunt codes: EB3015 archery 18p/50%, EB3056 early ALW 9p/66.7%, EB3057 late ALW 10p/100%, EB3093 muzzleloader 10p/90%, EB3117 multiseason 3p/50%, EB3188 late archery 5p/20%, EB3189 mid ALW 19p/52.6%. 5. Elk population objective 1,000–1,500 wintering animals (reaffirmed 2023 plan); aerial surveys 1,395 (Feb 2019) and 1,000 (2022). 6. Habitat restoration 2016–2023: 87,765 acres confirmed from elk plan. 7. Season dates from 2026 UDWR Big Game Field Regulations Guidebook. 8. Public land pct 80% from GoHunt; UDWR elk plan shows USFS 53–75% + BLM 5–33% + SITLA 2–8% + UDWR 0–1% by range type. 9. Pronghorn data (PB5041/5054/5061) pertains to the larger Panguitch Lake/Zion North boundary.