Archery buck deer permits sold out

Northern Region permits going fast too

Utah buck deer permits are selling fast this summer.

Permits to hunt buck deer during Utah's general archery hunt sold out July 23. That's three weeks sooner than last year and almost one month before the season starts on Aug. 18.

"That's the fastest archery buck deer permits have ever sold out," says Kenny Johnson, licensing specialist for the Division of Wildlife Resources. "And Northern Region rifle and muzzleloader permits are selling fast too."

About 5,800 Northern Region rifle and muzzleloader permits were still available on the morning of July 23. You can buy a Northern Region permit at the DWR's Web site, from more than 350 license agents across Utah or at any DWR office.

All of the other deer permits in Utah are already sold out.

For more information, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR's Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.

Hunters as young as 12 can hunt big game in Utah this fall

It’s hard to believe, but the start of Utah’s general archery buck deer hunt is less than two months away.

As the season approaches, the Division of Wildlife Resources has good news for youngsters who would like to hunt buck deer, or any wildlife species in Utah this fall: the minimum age to hunt big game has been lowered to 12 years of age. And hunters of any age can hunt small game.

One requirement hasn’t changed, though: young hunters must pass the DWR’s Hunter Education course before they can hunt. A list of Hunter Education classes is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/huntereducation
or by calling the nearest DWR office.

After completing the Hunter Education course, hunters will receive a free hunting license. The hunting license allows the holder to hunt small game and also allows them to buy a big game hunting permit.

“We’re excited about this change. It will give young people a chance to connect with nature by getting outdoors and hunting with their parents at an earlier age,” says Lenny Rees, hunter education coordinator for the DWR.

For more information, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR’s Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.

Some big changes await big game hunters in Utah

Deer and Elk Permits:
Should You Buy One Before July 1 or Wait?

Deer and elk permits go on sale June 14; fees change July 1

Starting July 1, you may have to pay more — or less — to hunt deer and elk in Utah.

Utah general season elk hunting permits for this fall’s hunts, and buck deer permits not taken in this year’s big game draw, go on sale at 8 a.m. on June 14.

Advice

§ If you have a 365-day small game or combination license that’s
valid after July 1, you’ll save money by waiting until after July 1 to buy your deer or elk permit.

§ If you don’t have a small game or combination license that’s
valid after July 1, you’ll save money by buying your deer or elk permit before July 1.

Why?

Starting July 1, hunters who don’t have a valid 365-day small game or combination license must buy a hunting (small game) license or a combination license before they can buy a hunting permit.

If you buy your deer or elk permit before July 1, this requirement won’t pertain to you.

On the other hand, if you have a small game or combination license that’s valid after July 1, you should wait to buy your permit. The cost for a general deer and elk permit will be reduced on July 1, and you’ll save money by waiting.

Based on the number of permits that are still available, Division of Wildlife Resources officials do not believe all of the permits will sell out before July 1. (About 23,000 general bull elk, 12,000 Northern Region general buck deer and 8,300 statewide general archery buck deer will go on sale June 14.)

Note: Lifetime license holders are exempt from having to buy a hunting or combination license because their license is valid through their lifetime.


Starting July 1, the following Utah hunting fees will be reduced:


Before July 1 After July 1

Resident deer permit $40 $35

Resident elk permit $65 $45
(anterless/any bull/spike)

Resident combination license $34 $30
(allows the holder to hunt and fish)

Nonresident combination Not available $80
(allows the holder to hunt and fish)


Starting July 1, the following fees will increase:

Before July 1 After July 1

Resident small game (hunting license) $17 $26

Nonresident small game (hunting license) $45 $65


For more information, contact the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR’s Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.

Buy Buck Deer Permits Starting June 14

Two pronghorn permits available two days earlier

If you haven’t obtained a permit to hunt buck deer in Utah this fall, your next chance to get one begins June 14. That’s when permits not taken in this year’s big game draw go on sale.

Most of Utah’s buck deer permits were taken in the draw, but more than 12,000 Northern Region rifle and muzzleloader, and 8,300 statewide general archery permits, are still available.

Permits to hunt bull elk on general season any bull elk and spike bull elk units also go on sale June 14.

June 12

In addition to the deer and elk permits, two pronghorn antelope permits will be available on June 12, two days before the deer and elk permits go on sale.

Both of the pronghorn permits are archery permits. One of the permits is for the Box Elder, Promontory unit in northwestern Utah. The other permit is for the Pine Valley unit in southwestern Utah.

Permits - Where to Buy Them

The deer, elk and pronghorn permits will be available at the DWR’s Web site (www.wildlife.utah.gov) and from DWR offices and more than 350 hunting license agents across the state.

Time When You Can Buy a Permit Varies

The time when you can buy a permit on June 12 and on June 14 varies.

Beginning at 8 a.m., you can buy a permit at the DWR’s Web site or a DWR office.

License agents cannot sell permits earlier than 8 a.m. on June 12 or on June 14, but some of them may not be open for business until later in the morning.

“If you plan on buying a permit from a license agent, I’d encourage you to contact the agent in advance to learn when they’ll open for business on the day you’ll be visiting them,” says Judi Tutorow, wildlife licensing coordinator for the DWR.

A list of agents who sell Utah hunting licenses is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/licenses.

Save Time - Visit the Web Site or a License Agent

Tutorow says when permits have gone on sale in the past, long lines have formed at some of the DWR offices. To save time, she encourages hunters to visit the DWR’s Web site or a hunting license agent.

“You need a major credit card to buy a permit at the Web site, but if you have one, the Web site is a great option,” she says. “Hunting license agents are also a good choice. In addition to weekdays, most of them are open on weekends and evenings, and they may be closer to your home than a DWR office.”

For more information, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR’s Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.

Hunters must apply online

More antlerless deer, elk and moose permits available

SALT LAKE CITY — If you want to apply for an antlerless deer, elk, pronghorn or moose permit for hunts in Utah this fall, you'll have to use a computer.

For the first time ever, the Division of Wildlife Resources will not accept paper applications for antlerless permits.

You'll also have more permits to apply for. At their April 26 meeting in Salt Lake City, members of the Utah Wildlife Board raised the number of doe deer, cow elk and cow moose permits that will be available for hunts this fall.

12- and 13-year-olds

This year will also be the first year that 12- and 13-year-olds can apply for an antlerless deer, elk or pronghorn permit (cow moose permits are considered limited entry permits, and 12- and 13-year-olds may not apply for them).

Hunters who are 11 years old, but who will turn 12 by Dec. 31, 2007, can also apply for an antlerless permit. They may not hunt until the day they turn 12, however.

Application period

Hunters can start applying for antlerless permits at 8 a.m. on May 23.

Applications must be received through the DWR's Web site (wildlife.utah.gov) no later than 11 p.m. on June 19.

Change will benefit hunters

Judi Tutorow, wildlife licensing coordinator for the DWR, says applying online provides hunters with several benefits.

"Receiving applications only through the Internet will allow us to process the applications faster," she said. "And that means we can let hunters know sooner if they drew a permit."

Hunters will know by June 29 whether they drew a permit. That's only 10 days after the end of the application period and almost a month earlier than last year.

Receiving applications online will also allow the DWR to get permits into the hands of hunters before the hunts start.

Some of the antlerless hunts begin on Aug. 1. In the past, the time it took to process paper applications meant the DWR couldn't post the results until the end of July. Because of the late posting date, the agency couldn't offer permits that weren't taken in the draw until the first week in August. By then, some of the hunts had already started.

"This change will allow us to start selling permits on July 26, before any of the hunts begin," Tutorow said.

Applying online also helps hunters two additional ways: it's almost impossible to make a mistake on the online application, and hunters won't have to wait for a refund because a $5 nonrefundable handling fee is the only fee they'll have to pay when they apply.

The DWR received more than 28,500 antlerless applications last year. Of those, about 2,900 were paper applications. "Every year, fewer and fewer hunters are applying with a paper application," Tutorow said.

If you have questions about applying online, please visit the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office. Computers are available at each office, and the staff at each office can help you through the process.

You can also receive assistance by calling the DWR's Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.

Antlerless permits

The number of antlerless permits available in 2006, and the number the board approved for 2007, are as follows:
2006 2007
Doe deer 1,080 1,705
Cow elk 4,999 7,881
Cow moose 63 89
Doe pronghorn 587 347

Anis Aoude, big game coordinator for the DWR, said good weather and intense habitat improvement projects over the past few years are starting to pay off for Utah's big game herds. "The state's big game animals are doing well," he said.

"Over the past few years, much of the state has enjoyed mild winters and wet springs and summers. These conditions really help animals."

Aoude said during a mild winter, fewer animals die. And a wet spring provides good vegetation for does and cows.

"Good vegetation in the spring helps does and cows produce more milk for their young. That helps them raise strong and healthy fawns and calves," Aoude said. "Good summer rains also provide plenty of vegetation for the fawns and calves, which helps them grow quicker before fall and winter arrive."

For more information, call the nearest DWR office or the DWR's Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.

More Hunters Will Be Hunting Big Game in Utah This Fall

Salt Lake City -- More hunters will have a chance to take a big bull elk or a big bison in Utah this fall.

At their April 5 meeting, members of the Utah Wildlife Board raised the number of hunting permits for most of Utah’s big game animals.
Permits for elk and bison were increased the most.

It won’t be long before hunters learn whether they drew a permit in this year’s Utah Big Game Draw. Draw results will be available by April 27.

More Elk Permits

Some record-sized bull elk have been taken in Utah over the past few years, but there are still plenty of big bulls in Utah for hunters to take.

Biologists manage each of Utah’s limited entry bull elk units so the average age of the bulls taken by hunters falls within a certain age category.

The age of the bulls that hunters took on 26 of Utah’s 28 units during the 2006 season was higher than the age objective for those units. That means the animals were older than the objective called for on those units.

The age of the bulls taken on two units was at the objective for those units. None of Utah’s limited entry units were under the age objective.

“This means more hunters can be allowed in the field and plenty of big bulls will still be left for hunters to take in years to come,”
said Craig McLaughlin, Wildlife Section chief for the DWR.

With that in mind, board members approved 2,169 limited entry bull elk permits for this fall’s hunts. A total of 79 of those permits are management bull elk permits. These permits allow hunters to take bull elk that have five or less antler points on at least one side.

Management permits are being offered for the first time to reduce the number of smaller bull elk on four of Utah’s best limited entry units.
All of these units have extremely high bull to cow ratios.

More Bison Permits

Board members also approved more hunter’s choice and cow bison permits for the Henry Mountains in southeastern Utah. Bison permits for the Henry Mountains jumped from 23 in 2006 to 75 this year.

“In 2005, our biologists flew two aerial surveys of the Henry Mountains,” McLaughlin said. “They didn’t see many bison during either survey.”

Even though bison are big animals, McLaughlin says they tend to gather in small groups and are effective at hiding under pinyon/juniper trees.

“Bison are strong animals, and we were pretty sure that the herd had not experienced a big die-off,” he said. “We guessed that the bison had probably moved into thicker cover where it was harder for us to spot them.”

DWR biologists decided to be cautious, however, and hunting permits were cut in 2006.

“Our biologists flew another survey this past August, and this time they spotted the bison,” McLaughlin said. “They saw lots of bison.

“We’ve confirmed that the herd is doing really well. That’s why we recommended that the board raise the number of bison permits available for the Henry Mountains this fall.”

Buck Deer Permits Will Stay at 95,000

General season buck deer permits were one group of permits that board members decided not to increase. The total number of Utah general season buck deer permits will stay at 95,000 in 2007.

In 2005, general season buck deer permits in the Central and Northeastern regions were cut by 1,000 permits each. The permits were cut because the three-year buck to doe ratio in each region had fallen below the minimum of 15 bucks per 100 does called for in Utah’s Deer Management Plan. As a result, the total number of Utah general season buck deer permits was reduced from 97,000 (the level where permits had been since 1994) to 95,000 permits.

Surveys conducted by DWR biologists after the 2005 and 2006 hunts found that the three-year buck-to-doe average in the Northeastern Region had increased to 15 bucks per 100 does. That number meets the objective called for in the state’s deer management plan.

In the Central Region, the three-year average had fallen slightly to 13 bucks per 100 does.

Based on the findings, the DWR recommended returning 1,000 permits to the Northeastern Region.

Citizens representing the Northeastern Regional Advisory Council (RAC) voted against the DWR recommendation, however. They expressed concerns that allowing 1,000 additional hunters in the region could cause the buck to doe ratio to fall back under 15 bucks per 100 does.

Board members agreed with the RAC and voted not to return the 1,000 permits to the region.

Permits for 2007

Permit numbers for 2006, and the number of permits the board approved for 2007, are listed below:

2006 2007

General season buck deer 95,000
95,000

Limited entry
deer 999 1,014

Limited entry bull elk 1,835 2,169

Pronghorn
antelope 855 833

Moose 138 151

Bison 29 81

* (these bison totals include permits for the Henry Mountains and Antelope Island)

Rocky Mountain goat 79 90

Desert bighorn sheep 36 39

Rocky Mountain bighorn
sheep 15 18


A list showing the total permits for each unit in the state will be available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/hunting/2007permits by April 9.

DWR Recommends More Antlerless Deer, Elk and Moose Permits

After another mild winter, Utah’s big game animals are in great shape.

How well the animals are doing is reflected in the Division of Wildlife Resources’ 2007 antlerless hunting recommendations. Taking female animals is the main tool biologists have to keep big game animals from increasing past the number their habitat can sustain.

This year the DWR is asking for an increase in antlerless deer, elk and moose permits. Pronghorn antelope permits would decrease by about 250 permits.

You can learn more about the proposals, and provide DWR biologists with your input and suggestions, at any of five public meetings. The meetings will be held April 17.

Citizen Regional Advisory Council representatives will take the public input received at the meetings to the Utah Wildlife Board when it meets April 26 in Salt Lake City to approve Utah’s 2007 Antlerless Addendum.

The April 17 meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. You can participate and provide your input at any of the following locations:

Northern Region
Brigham City Community Center
24 N. 300 W.
Brigham City

Central Region
Springville Junior High School
165 S. 700 E.
Springville

Northeastern Region
Western Park, Rm. #2
302 E. 200 S.
Vernal

Southeastern Region
John Wesley Powell Museum
885 E. Main St.
Green River

Southern Region
Snow College South
Administration Building
800 W. 200 S.
Richfield

Antlerless Permit Recommendations

The number of antlerless permits available in 2006, and the number the DWR is recommending for 2007, are as follows:

2006 2007

Doe Deer 1,080 1,705

Cow Elk 4,999 8,031

Cow Moose 63 89

Doe Pronghorn 587 347

Deer

Utah’s Deer Management Plan calls for 411,300 deer after the hunting seasons are over in 2010.

To reach that goal, the plan also sets a benchmark: 320,000 deer in Utah by 2008.

DWR biologists are happy to report that the 320,000 deer benchmark has almost been reached two years early.

“Based on computer modeling we did after the 2006 hunting seasons were over, we estimate that more than 318,000 deer were in Utah last winter,” says Anis Aoude, big game coordinator for the DWR.

The DWR wants to increase the number of doe deer permits, but not for areas where most of Utah’s deer are found. “We want the state’s deer herds to keep growing,” Aoude says.

Instead, the DWR is recommending more permits for deer herds that live in low-elevation valleys and don’t migrate. Many of these deer are causing depredation and nuisance problems in the areas where they live.

Hunts for these deer are usually held in August and September, before deer from other areas migrate into these low-elevation areas to spend the winter.

Elk

Utah’s elk populations are also doing well.

After last fall’s hunts, DWR biologists estimated the state’s elk population at more than 63,800. That’s less than 5,000 animals away from a statewide goal of 68,200 elk.

“Elk herds on many of the state’s units are actually over the population objective for those units,” Aoude says.

The DWR wants to increase cow elk permits to bring these herds back to the number their habitat can sustain.

On units where elk are approaching the population objective, taking some cow elk will help ensure the herds don’t grow too fast. “If a herd overshoots its population objective, then we have to recommend a lot of cow elk permits the following year,” Aoude says. “That’s something we don’t want to do.”

Moose

Moose populations in northern Utah are also doing well. In fact, populations near Ogden are doing so well that a new cow moose hunt has been created. The DWR is recommending 10 permits for the new hunt.

“There are so many moose in northern Utah that the moose are actually starting to damage their habitat,” Aoude says. “In addition to creating the new Ogden moose unit, we’re also recommending more permits for some of the other units.”

Pronghorn

Utah’s largest pronghorn antelope herd lives on the Parker Mountains in southwestern Utah.

During the past two years, doe pronghorn permits have been increased to try and bring the area’s pronghorn population back to its objective.
Biologists have also taken pronghorns off the Parker Mountains and transplanted them to other areas in Utah and outside the state.

“Our objective is to count 1,500 pronghorns on the unit after the hunts are over,” Aoude says. “We’re getting close to that objective. That’s why we’re recommending a decrease in doe pronghorn permits this year.”

A Good Time for Big Game

Aoude says good weather and intense habitat improvement projects over the past few years are starting to pay off. “All of Utah’s big game animals are doing really well,” he says.

“Over the past few years, much of the state has enjoyed mild winters and wet springs and summers,” Aoude says. “All of these conditions help animals.”

Aoude says fewer animals die during a mild winter. And a wet spring provides good vegetation for does and cows.

“Good vegetation in the spring helps does and cows produce more milk for their young. That results in strong, young animals,” Aoude says.
“Good summer rains also provide plenty of vegetation for the fawns and calves, which helps them grow to a good size before fall and winter arrive.”

For more information about the April 17 meetings, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR’s Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.

More Big Game Permits Recommended for 2007

Utah*s hunters might have more elk, pronghorn and bison permits to draw for this year.

The Division of Wildlife Resources is recommending raising permit numbers for all of Utah*s big game animals. Permits for elk, pronghorn and bison would increase the most.

The DWR is also recommending adding an additional 1,000 general season buck deer permits to the Northeastern Region.

You can learn more about the recommendations and share your suggestions at a series of upcoming meetings. Citizens representing Utah*s public Regional Advisory Councils will take the input received to the Utah Wildlife Board when it meets April 5 in Salt Lake City to approve big game hunting permits for this fall*s hunts.

Meeting dates, times and locations are as follows:

Southern Region
March 13
7 p.m.
Beaver High School
195 E. Center St.
Beaver

Southeastern Region
March 14
6:30 p.m.
John Wesley Powell Museum
885 E. Main St.
Green River

Northeastern Region
March 15
6:30 p.m.
Western Park, Rm. #2
302 E. 200 S.
Vernal

Central Region
March 20
6:30 p.m.
Springville Junior High School
165 S. 700 E.
Springville

Northern Region
March 21
6 p.m.
Brigham City Community Center
24 N. 300 W.
Brigham City

More Elk Permits

Some record-sized bull elk have been taken in Utah over the past few years, but there are still plenty of big bulls out there for hunters to take.

Biologists manage each of Utah*s limited entry bull elk units so the average age of the bulls taken by hunters falls within a certain age category.

The bulls that hunters took on 24 of Utah*s 28 units was higher than the age objective for those units. That means the animals were older than what the objective for those units calls for.

The age of the bulls taken on four units was at the objective for those units. None of Utah*s limited entry units was under the age objective.

*This means we can allow more hunters in the field and still leave plenty of big bulls for hunters to take in years to come,* says Craig McLaughlin, Wildlife Section chief for the DWR.

With that in mind, the DWR is recommending 2,190 limited entry bull elk permits for this fall*s hunts. A total of 79 of those permits would be management bull elk permits. These permits allow hunters to take bull elk that have five or less antler points on at least one side.

Management permits are being offered for the first time to reduce the number of smaller bull elk on four of Utah*s best limited entry units.
All of these units have extremely high bull to cow ratios.

More Pronghorn Permits

Pronghorn antelope permits would also increase under DWR recommendations.

The agency is recommending 1,067 pronghorn permits for this fall*s hunts. A total of 855 were available in 2006.

Most of the permits would be issued for the Parker Mountains in southwestern Utah.

*The objective for the Parker Mountains is to maintain 40 bucks per 100 does,* McLaughlin says. *Right now, the unit has 78 bucks per 100 does. Hunters who draw a permit for the Parker Mountains should see plenty of bucks, and they should have a great hunt.*

More Bison Permits

Hunter*s choice and cow bison permits for the Henry Mountains in southeastern Utah would also increase under DWR proposals.

Under the proposals, permits would jump from 18 in 2006 to either 47 or
71 permits in 2007.

The final bison permit numbers will be determined later this spring, when the Henry Mountains Bison Working Group finishes revising a management plan for the bison on the Henry*s.

*In 2005, our biologists flew two aerial surveys of the Henry
Mountains,* McLaughlin says. *They didn*t see many bison during either survey.*

Even though bison are big animals, McLaughlin says they tend to gather in small groups and are effective at hiding under pinyon/juniper trees.

*Bison are strong animals, and we were pretty sure that the herd had not experienced a big die-off,* he says. *We guessed that the bison had probably moved into thicker cover where it was harder for us to spot
them.*

DWR biologists decided to be cautious, however, and hunting permits were cut in 2006.

*Our biologists flew another survey this past August, and this time they spotted the bison,* McLaughlin says. *They saw lots of bison.

*We*ve confirmed that the herd is doing really well, and that*s why we*re recommending more bison permits for this fall*s hunts.*

More Deer Permits

Under DWR recommendations, the number of general season buck deer permits would begin moving back to the 97,000 permit cap that began in Utah in 1994.

In 2005, general season buck deer permits in the Central and Northeastern regions were cut by 1,000 permits each. The permits were cut because the three-year buck-to-doe ratio in each region had fallen below the minimum of 15 bucks per 100 does called for in Utah*s Deer Management Plan.

As a result, the statewide permit cap was reduced from 97,000 permits to 95,000 permits.

Surveys conducted by DWR biologists after the 2005 and 2006 hunts found that the three-year buck-to-doe average in the Northeastern Region had increased to 15 bucks per 100 does. That number meets the objective called for in the state*s deer management plan.

In the Central Region, the three-year average has fallen slightly to 13 bucks per 100 does.

*Based on the findings, we*re recommending that 1,000 permits be added to the Northeastern Region for this fall*s hunt,* McLaughlin says. *Adding 1,000 permits would increase the total number of general season buck deer permits in Utah to 96,000.*

Permit Recommendations

Permit numbers for 2006, and the number of permits the DWR is recommending for 2007, are listed below:

2006 2007

General season buck deer 95,000 96,000

Limited entry deer 999 1,019

Limited entry bull elk 1,835 2,190

Pronghorn antelope 855 1,067

Moose 138 152

Bison 24 53 or 77

* (these bison totals include permits for the Henry Mountains and Antelope Island)

Rocky Mountain goat 79 91

Desert bighorn sheep 36 41

Rocky Mountain bighorn
sheep 15 18

Charts showing the total permits for each unit will be available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/public_meetings before the RAC meetings.

Once you*re on the site, go to the Meeting Agenda portion to find the permit numbers.

Dedicated Hunter Application Period Ends Feb. 16

Applications are still being accepted to enroll in Utah's Dedicated Hunter program,
but if you want to participate, you need to get your application in soon.

To enroll in the three-year program, you must complete an online Wildlife Conservation course, submit your application and pay the program fee no later than 5 p.m. on
Feb. 16.

The course is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/dh and takes about 45 minutes to
complete. If you don't have access to the Internet, please contact your nearest
DWR regional office. They'll make arrangements for you to take the course during
regular business hours.

After completing the Wildlife Conservation course, you must pay a program fee by
Feb. 16 to join. The fees are as follows:

Adult

Resident $195

Nonresident $1,032


Youth (14 to 17 years old)

Resident $120

Nonresident $799


Lifetime License holders

Adult $75

Youth $37.50
(14 to 17 years old)

The fee includes your deer hunting permits, for the region of your choice, during
the three years you're in the program.

Before you can obtain your first Dedicated Hunter permit, you must complete eight
hours of volunteer service on an approved wildlife conservation project.

All of the 24 volunteer hours that the program requires, and attendance at a Regional
Advisory Council meeting, must be completed before your second Dedicated Hunter
Permit will be issued to you during your second year in the program.

To receive your third Dedicated Hunter permit, you must have completed all of the
requirements for your second permit and not harvested more than one deer with Dedicated
Hunter permits during the two years you've been in the program.

In 2006, Dedicated Hunters and other DWR volunteers donated more than 78,300 hours
working on habitat and wildlife-related projects. These hours equate to $1.7 million
worth of help.

Without the help from volunteers, some of these projects could not have been accomplished.

To learn more about the Dedicated Hunter program, please visit www.wildlife.utah.gov/dh on the Web or contact the nearest DWR office.

UT - Big Game Applications Due by Feb. 16

Time is running out to get your application in for a Utah big game hunting permit, especially if you're applying through the mail.

To be entered in the 2007 Utah big game draw, mail-in applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Feb. 16. Applications submitted through the Division of Wildlife Resources' Web site (www.wildlife.utah.gov) must be received no later than 11 p.m. on Feb. 16.

With time running out, the Internet or an overnight mail service might be the best way to make sure your application meets the deadline.

Hunters are reminded that applications postmarked before or on Feb. 16, but that aren't received by 5 p.m. that day, will not be entered in the draw. Applications are not accepted in-person.

Apply on the Internet

If you have a major credit card that's valid through at least May 2006, you can get your application in within a matter of minutes. Just log onto the DWR's Web site (www.wildlife.utah.gov). Once you're on the site, you can apply for a permit by clicking on the 'Apply online for available hunt drawings' choice under the 'Purchase a license or permit' heading on the right side of the home page.

Mail Your Application Early

If you don't apply on the Internet, please remember that it will take a few days for your application to arrive through the mail at the Utah Wildlife Administrative Services office. Because of this, an overnight mail delivery service is probably the best way to help ensure your application is received by the 5 p.m., Feb. 16 due date, says Judi Tutorow, wildlife licensing coordinator for the DWR.

In addition to arriving on time, applications must be completed correctly. Tutorow encourages you to take your time when completing your application. Please call the nearest DWR office, or the Utah Wildlife Administrative Services office at 1-800-221-0659, if you have questions or need assistance.

The Utah Wildlife Administrative Services office is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. DWR offices are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.

Hunt Numbers

Hunters listing the wrong hunt number is a mistake Tutorow sees every year.

"The number for your favorite hunt may have changed from last year," she says. "Before entering your hunt number, double check and make sure the number you're listing on your application is the correct number for the hunt you want to apply for."

Hunt numbers are listed on pages 34 - 45 of the 2007 Utah Big Game Proclamation.

Black Bear Applications Accepted Only On the Web This Year

Applications for Utah black bear hunting permits will be accepted only through the Internet this year.

You can apply for a permit at wildlife.utah.gov beginning Feb. 1.

Applications must be received through the Web site no later than 11 p.m. on Feb. 28 to be included in the draw for permits. Draw results will be available by March 29.

"In the past, black bear hunters could apply through the Internet, or with a paper application," says Judi Tutorow, wildlife licensing for the DWR. "Because so many people have access to the Internet now, and there are so many advantages to applying online, we won't be accepting paper applications for black bear permits this year."

Tutorow says when you apply online, you can submit your application in a matter of minutes. After you submit your application, you'll receive a confirmation that it was completed correctly and that it will be entered in the draw.

If you make a mistake while applying, the system will warn you about the mistake so you can correct it.

"The Internet provides so many advantages that it doesn't make sense to apply any other way," Tutorow says.

In 2006, more than 6,400 hunters applied for a Utah black bear permit. Of the more than 6,400 hunters, only 230 applied with a paper application. Every year, about 100 hunters who applied with a paper application the year before switch to the Internet and apply online. "Based on that trend, we believe there will be about 100 hunters who wanted to apply with a paper application this year," she says.

If you don't have a computer, Tutorow says there are plenty of places to find one. "If you don't have access to the Internet, come into a DWR office," she says. "You can use one of our computers, and we'd be happy to help you apply.

"Public libraries also have computers and librarians who can help you use them. And you probably know someone who has a computer in their home and would be happy to help you use it."

If you have questions, or need assistance, please call the DWR's Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.

Get Permission First

Tutorow encourages hunters to obtain written permission from landowners before applying for a hunt that occurs on private land. "Written permission is required to hunt private property, and we encourage hunters to obtain that permission before applying," Tutorow says. "We don't want hunters to draw a permit and then find they can't use it because landowners won't give them permission to hunt the area."

The DWR doesn't have a list of people who own land where black bear hunts occur, so hunters need to take the time needed to locate the landowners.

Less than 25 percent of Utah's black bear hunts occur on private property. Hunts that do occur on private property are indicated by an asterisk in the 2007 Utah Black Bear Proclamation, which will be available by Feb. 1.

Utah's spring bear season runs April 7 - May 31. The state's fall hunt runs Aug. 25 - Sept. 30 and Nov. 1 - 25.

For more information, call Utah Wildlife Administrative Services at 1-800-221-0659, the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR's Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.

Get Extra Deer Hunting Opportunities - Join Dedicated Hunter Program

You can hunt all three general deer hunting seasons in your favorite region in Utah by joining the state's Dedicated Hunter program.

"Hunters who join the program are guaranteed a permit for the region of their choice. After what happened in 2006, that's a big incentive to join," says Jill West, coordinator of volunteers for the Division of Wildlife Resources.

In 2006, all of the permits for the Central, Northeastern, Southeastern and Southern regions were taken in the big game draw.

"Based on what happened last year, we anticipate that permits for all four of those regions will go again in the draw this year," West says. "Dedicated hunters don't have to worry that they won't get a permit, though, because they're guaranteed a permit for the region of their choice."

In addition to receiving a guaranteed permit, those who join the program get a chance to help Utah's wildlife by volunteering on wildlife conservation projects.

Must Join by Feb. 16

To join the three-year program, hunters must complete an online Wildlife Conservation course and submit an application no later than 5 p.m. on Feb. 16.

After paying their program registration fees and completing some additional requirements, hunters will receive a deer hunting permit for the region of their choice and a chance to hunt all three general seasons in that region.

The Wildlife Conservation course is available online at the Dedicated Hunter Web site (www.wildlife.utah.gov/dh/). The course takes about 45 minutes to complete.

Hunters who don't have access to the Internet should contact their nearest DWR regional office to make arrangements to take the course.

Additional Requirements

After completing the Wildlife Conservation course, hunters must pay their program fee ($195 for most residents and $1,032 for most nonresidents) by Feb. 16. The fee includes a participant's deer hunting permits, for the region of their choice, during the three years they're in the program.

More information about the program is available on page 26 of the 2007 Utah Big Game Proclamation and at wildlife.utah.gov/dh/ on the Web. Those with questions may also call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR's Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.

"The program provides hunters extra deer hunting opportunities in the region they want to hunt and helps them give back to Utah's wildlife by working on wildlife conservation projects," West said. "Hunters who have been in the program have really enjoyed it."

UT - 2006 Drawing Odds Help Hunters Applying This Year

The odds of drawing a Utah big game permit in 2006 are now available in a Division of Wildlife Resources report.

"Drawing odds usually don't change drastically from year to year, so I think hunters who are applying for a Utah big game permit for 2007 will be very interested in seeing the report," says Judi Tutorow, wildlife licensing coordinator for the DWR. "And the best part is, it doesn't cost anything to view it."

Hunters who have access to the Internet can view and download the 2006 Big Game Odds Report for free by visiting the DWR's Web site at www.wildlife.utah.gov.

The publication is available by visiting the Hunting section of the home page and clicking on Big Game. After arriving at the Big Game section, scroll down to Big Game Statistics and click on 2006 bucks, bulls and once-in-a-lifetime bonus point & draw statistics. That selection will take you to the 2006 Big Game Odds Report.

The report also can be viewed at DWR offices in Ogden, Salt Lake City, Springville, Vernal, Price and Cedar City. If you'd like to purchase a copy of the report, they're available at each office for $17.34, plus sales tax.

Hunters are reminded that applications for 2007 Utah big game hunting permits must be received no later than Feb. 17 to be included in the draw for permits. Mail-in applications must be received no later than 5 p.m., and applications submitted through the DWR's Web site must be received no later than 11 p.m. that day.

For more information, call the Utah Wildlife Administrative Services office at 1-800-221-0659, the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR's Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.

You may also want to consider purchasing The Odds Book 2006-07 Edition for Utah. This comprehensive book helps take the confusion out of the mass of information and will help increase the odds of actually drawing a Utah Big Game tag. The book may be purchased at www.TrailMasterOutdoors.com