Utah Dedicated Hunter Questions

hunter4fun · Jul 30, 2016

The dedicated hunter fees are for 3 years:
Adult
Residents: $195
Nonresidents: $1,047
plus 32 service hours

My questions:
1) Do those fees include the 3 years worth of deer tags or you have to pay for the deer tag too each year?
2) Can you apply in the same year for general deer if you don't draw a dedicated hunter tag? So effectively you can apply for a general tag first then apply for dedicated hunter if it doesn't work out or is it only one or the other?
3) Can you buy preference points while being on the dedicated hunter program? So you can build up 3 years with of points so if you get off the dedicated hunter you have a better chance of drawing?

jray · Jul 30, 2016

The $195 covers all three years. Some hours can be purchased for $20/hr. If you aren't yet in the program you can still apply for general units. They draw dedicated first, so if you don't draw dedicated, you have a chance at a general tag. Once you're in the program, you can't build general points but can still apply for LE. If you draw a LE tag, it counts for one of your 2 deer whether you kill or not. If you harvest deer your first 2 years in the program, you can't draw a tag the third year but you can still purchase a LE bonus point.

deerkiller · Jul 30, 2016

>The $195 covers all three years.
>Some hours can be purchased
>for $20/hr. If you aren't
>yet in the program you
>can still apply for general
>units. They draw dedicated first,
>so if you don't draw
>dedicated, you have a chance
>at a general tag. Once
>you're in the program, you
>can't build general points but
>can still apply for LE.
>If you draw a LE
>tag, it counts for one
>of your 2 deer whether
>you kill or not. If
>you harvest deer your first
>2 years in the program,
>you can't draw a tag
>the third year but you
>can still purchase a LE
>bonus point.

that is incorrect. if you draw a LE deer tag while enrolled in the dedicated program, it does not count as one of your 2 deer. it is a LE tag, which is a different tag all together. this is the only legal way you can legally kill 3 buck deer in utah while enrolled in the 3 year DH program.

jray · Jul 30, 2016

You are correct. Is that a recent change or did I just misread the rules 10 years ago when I first got in the program?

deerkiller · Jul 30, 2016

>You are correct. Is that a
>recent change or did I
>just misread the rules 10
>years ago when I first
>got in the program?

its been in effect as long as i can remember, and thats been awhile

travishunter3006 · Jul 30, 2016

Their "projects" are all crap. Unless you are willing to do bull crap work that usually has absolutely NOTHING to do with helping wildlife or pay $20/ hour (20X32=$640) then I wouldn't get into the program. I'm in in and will not be doing it again.

jray · Jul 30, 2016

I debate applying again every time my 3 years is up because how terrible the projects have gotten over the years. When I first started 10 years ago I could get a project lined up anytime. Now it's about impossible to get hours and the program is clearly just another source of revenue for the state.

Ncole · Aug 1, 2016

I drew a limited deer tag in 2008 which was my 3rd year in the program and it did count as one of my deer for the three year program so they must have made some changes.

Zeke · Aug 2, 2016

>Their "projects" are all crap. Unless
>you are willing to do
>bull crap work that usually
>has absolutely NOTHING to do
>with helping wildlife or pay
>$20/ hour (20X32=$640) then I
>wouldn't get into the program.
>I'm in in and will
>not be doing it again.
>

I'm sure there are "crap" projects out there but my son-in-law and his dad just spent 2 weekends installing guzzlers on the Wasatch front. That was a good project so there are some that will actually help deer.

Zeke

pushin_30 · Aug 3, 2016

+1 NCole

I had the same thing in 07. except mine was my first year and it counted also.

jray · Aug 4, 2016

I thought that's the way it was. I think it is a very recent change to the rule.

Ncole · Aug 4, 2016

Must be I'm glad they made the change though. I wasn't very happy about it but what do ya do

hossblur · Aug 8, 2016

Not sure where you are at, but I just painted the new outhouses at Farmington Bay, manager gave me the gate combo, let me do it on my own time, really easy to work with the guy. He was telling me they had a ton of work out there that needs to be done, including frag spraying all this month. He did say though that they(DWR) are super busy this time of year, and that all the dedicated guys wait until 2 weeks before the bow hunt and tear up his phone lines desperate for projects. All the Waterfowl areas are spraying frag now, shouldn't be too hard to find some hours.

"The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun"

RoadlessHunter · Aug 8, 2016

This is more proof that the dedicated hunter program is just legalized slavery. I'm sure that paint on that outhouse is growing a better deer herd. I think all projects should be directly related to mule deer.

out4elk · Aug 25, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Aug-25-16 AT 11:57AM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Aug-25-16 AT 11:56?AM (MST)

The LE Deer tag does count as one of your two allowed DH harvests. My 2015 LE buck marked me down as one DH harvest. This is a complete BS part of the DH program. Interested in a couple solutions?

The DWR collects 195.00 for three GEN tags, that turn to only two tags if you kill bucks, and then charges you 1 year of eligibility AND the LE Deer tag fee on top of it.

1. The easy one that will never happen: If I am a DH and draw a LE tag, treat that tag like a premium and let me hunt all three seasons on the LE unit.

2. The common sense plan: Pause the DH eligibility for one year. DH keeps his year and the DWR keeps their money!

3. If the DWR insists on crediting the DH for a harvest when a LE tag is draw, refund the DH $65.00 (one year DH cost).

My .02

GunCarver · Aug 25, 2016

+1 out4elk. My favorite is option #2.

hossblur · Aug 27, 2016

While I was painting guys were painting gates, trimming trees. The wardens were out spraying frag. I chose to go do the project out there because I am a waterfowl hunter about 70-80 days a year and i thought I would do something to support that. So yeah, its not directly helping deer, it was directly helping waterfowl. And soon the AI deer will be living there.

>This is more proof that the
>dedicated hunter program is just
>legalized slavery. I'm sure
>that paint on that outhouse
>is growing a better deer
>herd. I think all
>projects should be directly related
>to mule deer.

"The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun"

ELKOHOLIC · Aug 27, 2016

Outforelk. You sat out a year of hunting because you didn't know the rules. Sounds like a few others don't either. Oh well.

deerkiller · Aug 28, 2016

>LAST EDITED ON Aug-25-16
>AT 11:57?AM (MST)
>
>LAST EDITED ON Aug-25-16
>AT 11:56?AM (MST)
>
>The LE Deer tag does count
>as one of your two
>allowed DH harvests. My
>2015 LE buck marked me
>down as one DH harvest.
> This is a complete
>BS part of the DH
>program. Interested in a
>couple solutions?
>
>The DWR collects 195.00 for three
>GEN tags, that turn to
>only two tags if you
>kill bucks, and then charges
>you 1 year of eligibility
>AND the LE Deer tag
>fee on top of it.
>
>
>1. The easy one that
>will never happen: If
>I am a DH and
>draw a LE tag, treat
>that tag like a premium
>and let me hunt all
>three seasons on the LE
>unit.
>
>
>2. The common sense plan:
> Pause the DH eligibility
>for one year. DH
>keeps his year and the
>DWR keeps their money!
>
>3. If the DWR insists
>on crediting the DH for
>a harvest when a LE
>tag is draw, refund the
>DH $65.00 (one year DH
>cost).
>
>My .02

you obviously have no idea how it works if thats how you think it really is. you got screwed. too bad you didnt read into the program and how it works with LE tags cuz it cost you a year of hunting

travishunter3006 · Aug 29, 2016

THE LE tag absolutely DOES NOT COUNT toward your DH program harvests.

And I quote

"Answer: Yes, but you may only have one buck deer permit each year. If you draw a limited-entry buck deer permit in the big game drawing, your Dedicated Hunter permit won't be printed. You will forego that year of participation in the Dedicated Hunter program, but if you harvest during your limited-entry hunt, it will not count toward your harvest limit for the Dedicated Hunter program."

Here is the link to Wildlife.Utah.gov....

http://wildlife.utah.gov/common-dh-questions.html

Lets put this to rest. And never believe anything people on here tell you. Always look it up.

out4elk · Sep 1, 2016

Yep I misread the rule, sorry for the confusion.

It did not personally cost me a year. In 2015 I was on year 2 and my harvest count was 0. I still have my tag for this year. The DWR did charge me one harvest, a problem I am working out now.

The program does count the LE tag as one of your years of eligibility. If a DH is on year 3, has not killed 2 deer, and drew a LE deer tag, he is getting the raw end of the deal.

Does this problem effect all DHs the same, probably not. No matter what year a DH draws a LE tag, he pays for a LE and a DH tag and loses a DH year. He won't get charged for a DH harvest but if this all happens in his 3rd year he won't get any of it back.

My three options still apply and I personally would take option 2 any day.

Eagle_Eyes · Sep 1, 2016

Under Common Questions and Answers on the Dedicated Hunter website, this may answer why you have a harvest.

"Why does my account show a harvest when I haven't killed a deer?"

Answer: When your Dedicated Hunter permit is printed, a harvest is automatically credited to your account. If you did not harvest a deer, you can return your unused permit (with the attached tag) and the harvest will be removed from your account. You can return it to your local DWR office.

buckshot · Sep 1, 2016

OK a little rant about projects!! long time dedicated hunter.

Checked on project this year, it involved 2 hunters a truck and a trailer. picking up chairs at many locations in cache valley dropping off a set location. Picking them up next day and taking back to original location.

Asked about hour many hours credit. Was told credit for the hours worked (that's great). Asked about credit for truck n trailer used. Was told would be credited at $0.28 per mile. for truck. Was thinking about this and I was like, THAT is way low the standard IRS deduction for car use is $0.56 per mile. I couldn't do project had to travel for work.

Next project was cleaning ditches at Salt Creek WMA with an excavator. My step son has one Charges $90 per hour. Rental rate for this size hoe is $400 per day. I could never get an answer on the credit I would get for hoe. Anyway it was getting late in year and I had to do it. Was thinking could knock out my 32 hrs with this one project.

I got 8.5 hrs for hours worked. And 10 hrs for equipment used, or you could say $200 credit. When I asked about low credit was told this is the CONTRACTED RATE. I paid my son for use of his excavator and the cost to haul and fuel for it, cost me more that the credit!! SO BEWARE you will get about half of what you and I will pay for use of equipment!!

.28 for mileage and 200 for hoe. My last time in the program.