Prairie Dogs May Not Be Hunted

Season reopens June 16

Many hunters may not be aware that they cannot hunt prairie dogs in Utah right now. This news may come as a shock to sport shooters, who often target prairie dogs this time of the year.

Just like game animals, prairie dogs now have “open” and “closed” seasons.

From April 1 to June 15, prairie dog hunting is prohibited across Utah.
This law doesn’t apply to landowners, who need to control prairie dogs on their private property.

Protecting prairie dogs during their breeding season encourages successful reproduction and rearing of young.
After June 15, hunting is allowed only for the whitetailed and Gunnison’s prairie dog species. The threatened Utah prairie dog, found in southwestern Utah, is protected throughout the year by the Endangered Species Act.

The population of whitetails that reside in Coyote Basin in northeastern Utah are also protected throughout the year and may not be hunted. The whitetails in Coyote Basin are a prey base for black-footed ferrets, another federally-protected species that live in the area.

Gunnison’s prairie dogs are found in areas east of the Colorado River. Whitetailed prairie dogs are found in other parts of eastern Utah.