Big Game Hunters: You Can Still Apply for a Bonus Point or a Preference Point

Applications accepted until Feb. 29

Even if you won’t be hunting big game in Utah this fall, you can increase the chance you’ll be chasing big game in the future by applying for a bonus point or a preference point.

You can apply for a point until Feb. 29. Applications are being accepted through the Division of Wildlife Resource’s Web site (wildlife.utah.gov). You can apply through the site until 11 p.m. on Feb. 29.

You can also apply over the telephone until 5 p.m. on Feb. 29. The telephone number is (801) 538-4700.

Two reminders

- If you’re eligible, you can apply for up to three points -- one preference point, one limited entry bonus point and one once-in-a-lifetime bonus point.

- You must have a valid Utah hunting or combination license before you can apply for a point.

“A hunting license allows you to hunt small game, while a combination license allows you to hunt small game and fish,” says Jim Karpowitz, director of the DWR. “We hope you’ll get out and enjoy these activities this year.”

Karpowitz provides some advice to help you decide which license to buy:
the hunting license, which costs $26 for residents, or the combination license, which costs $30. “I’d encourage you to buy the combination license,” he says. “It costs $4 more than a hunting license, but it also allows you to fish.”

Hunting and combination licenses are available at www.wildlife.utah.gov. You can also obtain one from DWR offices and more than 350 hunting license agents across Utah.

Keep building those points!

Every time you obtain a bonus point, the chance you’ll receive a low random draw number in the limited entry, once-in-a-lifetime and Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit drawing increases. (Hunters with the lowest numbers have the best chance of drawing a permit.)

And every preference point you obtain increases the chance you’ll draw a general season buck deer permit.

“Even if you won’t be hunting big game in Utah this fall, keep building your points up,” advises Judi Tutorow, wildlife licensing coordinator for the DWR.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Changes Coming to Hunting Course

Changes should get more parents and kids into the outdoors

Some major changes are coming to a course that every young person in Utah must take before they can hunt.

Beginning April 1, the cost to attend Utah*s Hunter Education course will climb slightly - from $6 to $10 - but students will actually save money because they*ll receive a free hunting license.

The license allows a Hunter Education graduate to hunt small game.
It*s valid for 365 days from the day it*s issued.

How you register for the course will also change.

In the past, students registered for the course the first night the course was held. Starting April 1, you must register in advance at any Division of Wildlife Resources office or hunting license agent location in Utah.

More than 300 agents sell Utah hunting and fishing licenses.

The following are the major changes that will happen in the program starting April 1:

- When you register for the course, you*ll receive a two-part voucher. After you complete the course, your instructor will mail the first part of your voucher to the DWR. Once the DWR receives the voucher, they*ll mail your Hunter Education card to you (this card is called a *blue card* in Utah).

- The second part of the voucher is a hunting license that allows you to hunt small game. After you complete the course, your instructor will sign your license and place a stamp on it. His signature and the stamp make the voucher a valid hunting license.

A list of where and when Hunter Education courses are offered is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/huntereducation.

Getting Kids and Adults Hooked on Hunting

The DWR believes the changes will lead to more parents and kids enjoying the outdoors together.

*About 30 percent of the students who complete the Hunter Education course, but are under the age of 15, never buy a license and go
hunting,* says Lenny Rees, Hunter Education coordinator for the DWR.
*Now they*ll have a license in their hands as soon as they complete the course.

*Also, anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult while hunting. These young hunters will have a license in their hands and they*ll need an adult to take them hunting. We think this change will bring a lot of adults back who have slipped away from hunting for a
bit.*

If you plan on hunting out-of-state, Rees advises you to take the course well in advance of your trip.

*You*ll need a blue card to buy an out-of-state hunting license, and it could take up to 10 days for your blue card to arrive in the
mail,* Rees says.

For more information, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR*s Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4727.

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.

PUBLIC ACCESS CONTINUES ON TRUST LANDS

Salt Lake City, Utah -- The Trust Lands Administration and the Department of Natural Resources have entered into a new agreement to continue to allow public hunting, trapping, fishing, and viewing of public wildlife on approximately 3.2 million acres of Utah trust lands while providing fair compensation to Utah's schoolchildren and other trust beneficiaries.

The agreement is for a 10-year term beginning September 1, 2007, continuing through September 1, 2016.

In addition to providing public access on trust lands, the Trust Lands Administration has agreed to not:
• join in any Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit for the life of the agreement
• enter into any agreement, lease, or contract that would preclude hunting, trapping, fishing, and viewing of public wildlife

The Trust Lands Administration:
• will continue to have jurisdiction and regulatory authority over trust lands
• can continue to pursue revenue generating activities on trust lands
• can continue to lease or sell trust lands

If the Trust Lands Administration sells or leases certain large blocks of trust land, the payment made by the Department of Natural Resources to Trust Lands will be reduced by specified amounts.

"I believe we have an accord that serves two worthy purposes * public access to premium hunting and recreational lands and fair compensation to the beneficial owners of those lands," says Kevin Carter, Director of the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration. "I am pleased with the outstanding effort the Department of Natural Resources and the Division of Wildlife Resources have devoted to this arrangement."

"We are pleased with this new agreement. It represents a fair balance between the interests of the Trusts Lands Administration and DNR," says Mike Styler, DNR Executive Director. "The agreement preserves these critical wildlife habitats and keeps them open to hunters, fishers and other wildlife enthusiasts."

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.

Teenage Deer Poachers Receive Stiff Penalties

Monticello -- Five teenagers received some severe penalties recently for poaching deer in southeastern Utah.

All of the teens pleaded guilty to poaching deer during a two-month killing spree
near Monticello in 2005.

In December 2005, a concerned citizen called Division of Wildlife Resources Conservation Officer Chris Rhea to inform him that a number of deer had been poached in the Monticello area. Rhea received critical information from the caller that allowed him to locate a number of deer carcasses and identify five suspects.

During the investigation, Rhea found that five teens from the Monticello area had
used a spotlight to spot and kill at least five deer (four bucks and one doe) during
November and December. All of the five deer had been shot and left to rot. The
teens also shot other deer, but the deer didn't die immediately, and Rhea was
unable to locate them during the investigation.

The teens were tried in the 7th District Court and 7th District Juvenile Court in
Monticello. Each of them pled guilty to the charges filed in the case.

The court sentenced the five teenagers to 16 class A and 11 class B misdemeanors.
Combined restitution and fines amounted to $17,465 with a combined jail time of
23 months. The court suspended some of the jail time.

During the course of the investigation, the mother of one of the suspects hid the
weapons used in the incident. She was charged with evidence tampering and later
pled guilty to a class A misdemeanor. She was fined $925 and sentenced to 36 months
probation.

In addition to their monetary penalty and detention, the five teens may have their
privilege to hunt in Utah taken away for several years.

This case was made possible by a single person who stepped forward to report the
crime to authorities. If you witness a wildlife violation, please call your public
safety dispatcher or the DWR's Help Stop Poaching Hotline at 1-800-662-DEER
(3337).

"Rewards are available for information leading to arrests in poaching cases,"
Rhea says. "Wildlife is a heritage, enjoyed by and belonging to us all. Let's
not allow ourselves to be victimized by the lawless actions of a very small minority."

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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.

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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

New Potential World Record 36 Point Non-Typical Mule Deer

FEATURE PHOTO!





NEW POTENTIAL WORLD RECORD MULE DEER!

This mule deer buck green scores 407 3/8. The current world record scores 355 2/8. It will smash the record. The current world record was shot in Alberta, Canada in 1926. This buck was shot this year on the Alberta and Saskatchewan border.

Got a photo to send in?

Send them here!

Utah Convention Tags Issue Comments

I received the below e-mail today from Dave Clemens of LaGrande, Oregon, concerning the upcoming Hunting Expo to be held in Utah and the allotted hunting tags that have been set aside for this event. Although I agree with some of the points in Dave's e-mail, I also see the benefits of this event and would welcome YOUR comments on the topic. Please read Dave's e-mail.

To Utah,

Utah residents should have equal claim to the wildlife that roam the public lands of their state. The opportunities to receive a tag should be equal and not stacked against money or accumulated preference points. Young hunters just reaching the age of application will most likely never receive a quality tag as the max pool is so heavily filled with their seniors. The only state that still offers a fair opportunity for all is Idaho. Hurray for them! No person or organized governing body has the right to sell our wildlife. It should be managed to provide a quality (not necessarily trophy opportunity) for the largest amount of hunters, at the most reasonable price possible, without exhausting the quality of the resource. I do not have a problem with limited tags to provide a mature animal harvest or even some trophy opportunities, but the chance to draw each year should be equal for all. Convention tags, governors tags, lottery tags, auction tags, or whatever you want to call them should be abolished and all tags then are brought to the public through an equal draw system. Non residents should be allowed to compete for a small portion of the tags but here again on an equal basis with no stacking the odds with money or points. All we hear about is "how government mismanages money." The lame idea that wildlife programs have to be funded through high priced tag sales is just another admittance that they still can't manage. Utah evaluate your morals, pull your heads out, place a value on people not money, and bring back what made hunting one of the most wholesome activities we have.

Sincerely, Dave Clemens

LaGrande, Oregon

Utah faces some very difficult challenges on managing the wildlife that I do not personally feel the impact has been felt in other States such as urban sprawl eating up winter range and habitat faster than animals can adjust, heavy winter kills in past years and devastation of sagebrush habitat that traditionally the deer and other wildlife thrived on, among many others. I feel the Utah DWR has done a good job of managing the wildlife in Utah and although I hate to see these tags going out through this event in some ways, I hope the promises that have been made by the Utah DWR on what will be done with this money prove to be true, as they have in the past on similar tags raised funds.

This event will hopefully be a spring board to groups like the RMEF and MDF, Duck Unlimited, NTF and others to bind together and work towards more common goals, and the fund generated will hit the ground running for the wildlife in Utah.

I welcome your comments.