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SALT LAKE CITY — After conducting multiple surveys, Division of Wildlife Resources biologists have found that the number of mule deer in Utah is growing. As a result, officials are recommending an increase in general deer hunting permits for the 2015 season.
Biologists base their deer hunting permit recommendations on classifications they make each year to determine how many bucks, does and fawns are in the herds, according to a DWR news release. After the 2014 hunts, biologists saw an average of 21 bucks for every 100 does on general-season units that are comprised mostly of public land. Twenty years ago, the average buck-to-doe ratio was eight bucks per 100 does, the news release said.
Based on surveys after the 2014 hunts, biologists estimate the total number of deer in Utah at 355,600 — approximately a 22,000 deer increase from the 2013 hunts. After using tracking radio collars, biologists also estimate that 84 percent of the does in Utah and 82 percent of the fawns survived during 2014, DWR said.
“Those are great survival rates,” DWR big game coordinator Justin Shannon said in the news release. “There’s no question that mule deer populations are growing in Utah. We’re really excited. Utah’s deer herds are in the best shape they’ve been in since the early 1990s.”
As a result, DWR officials are recommending a total of 87,050 general deer hunting permits for the 2015 hunts — 2,250 more permits than in 2014. In addition to the general-season hunt, biologists are also recommending more permits for the limited-entry deer hunt. If their recommendations are approved, a total of 1,068 limited-entry deer permits would be available for the 2015 hunts. In 2014, a total of 811 were available.
Most of the additional permits would be for a high-country buck deer hunt on Unit 8a (the North Slope/Summit unit.) Shannon said the deer population on unit 8a includes some large bucks, but many of them head to Wyoming before the general rifle hunt begins. As a result, the 2015 high-country buck deer hunt will be held from Oct. 3-15.
Total number of permits biologists are recommending:
| Hunt | 2014 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|
| General buck deer | 84,800 | 87,050 |
| Premium limited-entry deer | 183 | 184 |
| Management buck deer | 49 | 46 |
| Limited entry deer | 811 | 1,068 |
| Doe deer | 410 | 625 |
| General any bull elk | 14,300 | 14,300 |
| Youth any bull elk | 300 | 500 |
| Late-season youth any bull elk | 20 | 15 |
| General spike bull elk | 15,000 | 15,000 |
| Limited entry bull elk | 2,842 | 2,938 |
| Cow elk | 16,715 | 14,985 |
| Buck pronghorn | 781 | 804 |
| Doe pronghorn | 699 | 644 |
| Bull moose | 67 | 65 |
| Cow moose | 0 | 0 |
| Bison | 91 | 80 |
| Desert bighorn sheep | 40 | 41 |
| Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep | 38 | 37 |
| Mountain goat | 108 | 107 |
“Starting the season that early should get hunters into the area before the bucks leave,” Shannon said.
Biologists believe several factors have helped the deer populations increase in Utah: Mild winters have allowed the deer to survive until spring and highway fencing and underpasses are allowing deer to safely cross major highways and DWR long-term habitat projects and predator control are also helping to increase the deer population, the news release said.
DWR officials are asking for public feedback about the proposed increase in deer hunting permits. Comments can be emailed to the Regional Advisory Council members or people can attend the public meetings.
