Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS — Elk and deer herds are thriving in Utah and Division of Wildlife Resources officials are recommending adding more than 4,000 general deer permits and 12,000 private cow elk permits for the 2016 hunts.
Mule deer
The number of deer in Utah has increased for the fourth consecutive year, and the ratio of bucks to does is the best it’s been in decades, according to DWR. Biologists with the DWR estimate Utah’s deer population is more than 384,000 animals, based on surveys completed after the 2015 fall hunts.
“The total number of deer in the state is the highest it’s been since the 1980s and a good percentage of those deer are bucks,” DWR big game coordinator Justin Shannon said. “The average buck-to-doe ratio across Utah — on general season units that are made up mostly of public land — is 23 bucks per 100 does.”
Biologists think several factors including mild winters, precipitation received at the right time and work to better the mule deer habitats has contributed to helping Utah’s deer populations thrive. As a result of the growing deer herds, DWR is recommending a total of 90,950 general buck deer hunting permits for 2016, an increase of 4,400 permits from 2015.
Total number of permits proposed:
| Hunt | 2015 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|
| General buck deer | 86,550 | 90,950 |
| Premium limited-entry deer | 184 | 184 |
| Management buck deer | 46 | 55 |
| Limited entry deer | 1,058 | 1,166 |
| Doe deer | 625 | 755 |
| General any bull elk | 14,300 | 15,000 |
| Youth any bull elk | 500 | 500 |
| General spike bull elk | 15,000 | 15,000 |
| Limited entry bull elk | 2,938 | 2,796 |
| Cow elk- public draw | 15,360 | 13,680 |
| Cow elk- private lands only | 0 | 12,010 |
| Buck pronghorn | 804 | 771 |
| Doe pronghorn | 844 | 630 |
| Bull moose | 65 | 68 |
| Cow moose | 0 | 20 |
| Bison | 80 | 96 |
| Desert bighorn sheep | 41 | 42 |
| Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep | 37 | 38 |
| Mountain goat | 107 | 102 |
Cow ElkElk populations are also doing very well in Utah, with an estimated 79,230 elk currently in the state, DWR said. However, many hunters and landowners are facing the challenge of the elk moving from public lands to private lands when the hunt begins.
“When elk are not properly distributed on a unit, it can frustrate both hunters and private landowners,” Shannon said. “The elk leave the public land and not many hunters have access to them. We need to ‘retrain’ elk to stay on public land by limiting the refuge areas they have on private property. Providing private landowners with additional tools to help control elk on their property is the key to making that happen.”
As a result, DWR biologists are proposing adding a total of 12,010 private lands-only permits on 15 units across the state. The permits would only be valid on the private property; one of the proposed areas is the Wasatch Unit in north-central Utah.
“On the Wasatch unit, we want to increase harvest on private lands and decrease hunting pressure on public lands,” Shannon said. “Over time, the increased hunting pressure on private land should push the elk to public land, giving hunters more access to them in the future.”
Biologists said they would rely on draw permits and the new private lands-only permits to control elk on the unit, and cow elk control permits would no longer be offered for the Wasatch unit. However, hunters must remember that even if they have a private lands permit, they must obtain written permission from the landowner before hunting on their property.
The proposed date to start selling the cow elk private lands only permits is July 21.
Cow moose
In addition to the increase permit numbers for general deer and private cow elk hunts, cow moose permits might be available in the 2016 draw for the first time since 2011, DWR said. Biologists are recommending a total of 20 cow moose hunting permits for the East Canyon and Ogden Units in Northern Utah.
“Moose are doing really well on both units,” Shannon said.
Residents can see all of the DWR recommendations for 2016, by clicking here. They can also give feedback on the proposals by emailing their Regional Advisory Council member or attending a meeting.
