Utah Wildlife Board announces change in preference points for 2017 deer hunt

Utah Wildlife Board announces change in preference points for 2017 deer hunt

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THE GREAT OUTDOORS — If you are planning to apply for a deer hunting permit this year, the Division of Wildlife Resources wants you to be aware of some upcoming changes.

Whenever hunters apply for a general-season deer hunting permit, but don’t draw one, they receive a preference point— a system that has been in place since 2009, according to DWR. The points received increase the chance that a hunter will draw a general-season deer permit in the near future.

Previously, hunters lost their preference points only if they drew their first choice of general-season deer hunting units. In a recent change made by the Utah Wildlife Board, beginning with the 2017 deer hunting season, hunters will now lose their preference points if they draw a permit for any of their general season deer hunt choices— whether it was their first, second, third, fourth or fifth choice.

However, the first choice that each hunter lists when they put in an application for the hunt will be considered before the second choice of other applicants is considered, DWR said. In the past, all of the choices for those with the maximum number of preference points—their first, second, third, fourth and fifth choices—were considered before considering the first choice of those with fewer preference points, DWR said. If hunters with the maximum number of preference points didn’t draw their first choice, but did draw one of their remaining choices, they received a hunting permit, received a preference point for not drawing their first choice and got to keep all of the preference points they’d accrued.

“That’s changed. Now the first choice of everyone who applied will be considered before considering the second choice of those with the highest number of preference points,” DWR wildlife licensing coordinator Judi Tutorow said in a news release.

Applications for a 2017 deer hunting permit open Jan. 26. Hunters can learn more about the preference point change in the free 2017 Utah Big Game Application Guidebook.

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Faith Heaton Jolley

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