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SALT LAKE CITY — Due to growing populations, the Utah Wildlife Board recently approved adding more than 4,000 general buck deer hunting permits for the 2016 fall hunts, as well as a new cow elk hunt that offers 12,010 private lands-only permits.
The additional wildlife hunting permits were proposed in March and were approved at a Utah Wildlife Board Meeting held April 28.
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 the Division of Wildlife Resources. Biologists with the DWR estimate Utah’s deer population is more than 384,000 animals, based on surveys completed after the 2015 fall hunts.
A total of 90,675 general buck deer hunting permits will be offered this fall, up from last year’s 86,550 permits. Hunters can see if the unit they applied for is among those with additional permits by checking the DWR website.
Total number of permits approved:
Hunt | 2015 | 2016 |
---|---|---|
General buck deer | 86,550 | 90,675 |
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 | 2,752 |
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 elk
Elk populations are also thriving in Utah, with an estimated 79,230 elk 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, which is why DWR recommended adding more private lands-only permits.
A total of 12,010 private lands-only permits on 15 units were approved for the 2016 cow elk hunts. Hunters can buy one of the new permits starting July 21. The Wasatch Unit in north-central Utah is one of the 15 units that will have private lands-only permits this year.
“On the Wasatch unit, we want to increase harvest on private lands and decrease hunting pressure on public lands,” DWR big game coordinator Justin 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.”
Hunters should remember that even if they have a private lands permit, they must obtain written permission from the landowner before hunting on their property.
Cow moose
Along with the additional mule deer and cow elk permits, some cow moose permits were also approved for the 2016 hunts — for the first time since 2011. A total of 20 cow moose hunting permits are being offered for the East Canyon and Ogden Units in northern Utah. Applications for the cow moose drawing will be accepted starting May 26.