Is Drone Deer Recovery Legal in Utah? (2026 Rules)
Not clearly. Utah bans using a drone to locate, or try to observe or locate, any protected wildlife from July 31 through January 31. The rule doesn’t specifically mention recovery. What it says and the blood-trailing dog option.
2026-11-03
Not clearly. Utah bans using a drone to locate, or even try to observe or locate, any protected wildlife from July 31 through January 31, which covers the hunting seasons. The rule doesn’t specifically mention recovering a wounded or dead deer. Here’s what it says.
What Utah’s rule says
From the 2026 Utah Big Game Field Regulations (Utah Code § 23A-5-309 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-5-14):
“You are prohibited from using any type of aircraft, drone or other airborne vehicle or device—between July 31 and Jan. 31—to locate, or attempt to observe or locate, any protected wildlife.”
Utah also says you may not use a drone to take protected wildlife, and you may not take wildlife that’s being chased, harassed, herded, or moved by an aircraft.
In Utah, “protected wildlife” includes deer and other big game. The regulations define big game as “species of hoofed protected wildlife.”
The rule doesn’t mention recovery or make an exception for it.
Which animals does this cover?
Utah’s rule covers any protected wildlife. In Utah, that includes mule deer, elk, pronghorn (antelope), moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, and bison.
How Utah defines hunting
Utah law defines “hunting” as:
“to take or pursue a reptile, amphibian, bird, or mammal by any means.”
What you can do instead
One leashed blood-trailing dog. Utah allows one blood-trailing dog, controlled by leash, to track wounded animals and aid in recovery, within 72 hours of shooting a big game animal and during lawful hunting hours.
Finding a pilot
Drone Deer Tracker is adding pilots in the West. Check the map for the closest pilot to your hunt. Are you a thermal drone pilot in Utah? Apply to be listed.
Other states: see drone deer recovery laws by state.
Verify before you fly
Drone rules change, and how they apply can depend on your situation. Before any drone recovery, contact the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to confirm it’s allowed.
Last checked November 2026 against the 2026 Utah Big Game Field Regulations (Utah Code § 23A-5-309, R657-5-14, R657-5-15). Rules can change, so check with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources before you hunt. This article is general information, not legal advice.