Big Changes in Store for Utah Deer Hunting

[nebo12000]

The 5 day hunt season along with the 3 day hunt season on units under 15 bucks/100 does is just the beginning. The RACs and especially the Wildlife Board will be implementing some major changes designed to start the process of increasing deer herd numbers where appropriate.
This will include things like continued habitat enhancement in partnership with SFW, RMEF, MDF, federal and state agencies.

There will be a concerted effort to move toward forming smaller geographical management units that will be managed individually both for quality and quantity.

Limiting the number of tags and length of seasons within each of those smaller management units will be implemented as deemed appropriate.

Predator management will get more attention - including wolves, which seemed posed to begin making a huge impact on big game numbers especially in the NE part of the state.

There will be a big push to establish a funding mechanism to provide funds for big game fencing along all major highways and the appropriate structures needed so that big game can migrate and access critical winter ranges.

This will require sacrifice on the part of all hunters and sportsmen but I believe it is necessary.

 

[fatherofthree]

I love hunting deer and elk, but personally I don't think it's a coincidence that the elk continue to thrive and deer continue to decline.

 

[Packout]

If a unit is currently at its buck to doe objective then what would be accomplished by making it a smaller unit?

 

[huntindudley]

Most of that sounds good to me. I'm just glad that they are trying something, because something is better that doing nothing. I'm really glad to hear that they are starting to admit that there is a wolf problem in NE Utah. I know that they don't want to come out and say it, but they KNOW that there are wolves in the Uintas and North of Vernal.

 

[treedagain]

when are the CWMU's going to take a hit on there hunt dates???

 

[why]

why we shorten hunt for rifle yet we still extended archrey during the rut and to add insult to injury dont get a buck shoot last breeding doe if going to save any deer we need get rid of all extended archrey units so deer have a winter range to survive i quit hunting archery when they made extended archery in basin because it put have the state in vernal just like the so called elk hunt.why fish game manage for money not big game why. why why.

 

[hikenhunt]

There are so few animals taken on the extended archery hunts they make no impact on animal numbers. They could make the season twice as long as it is now and the archery harvest would still be significantly less than the rifle harvest.

 

[Daxter]

Sounds interesting Nebo. I am curious to see how things shake out. I think we can increase quality of buck hunting by limiting permit numbers, but I guess just don't understand how that is going to grow us more deer. I hope the habitat work and highway fencing happens/continues happening, and that those efforts start to show some results.

I am curious about the wolf problem in NE Utah, what is happening with wolves out there?

Dax

 

[nebo12000]

Dax, there is currently a movement to legislatively to have an open season on wolves in Utah. It will be crafted in such a way as to keep the Feds out of it. It will no doubt end up in court and I am afraid the losers will be us and the other wildlife.

 

[Packout]

Well said Dax.