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PARK CITY -- The beginning of the general buck deer hunt Saturday filled the Uintas with orange-clad hunters eager for their first sighting, while the Division of Wildlife Resources balanced managing the hunt with protecting the citizens of a secluded mountain town.
DWR conservation officers may expect to spend the day contacting hunters and instead find themselves responding to local emergencies, according to Bruce Johnson, a DWR officer. The officers are often the closest law enforcement or first responders by nearly an hour.
"You never know what to expect," he said. "It's different every day."
On the morning KSL News joined Johnson, he found himself spending little time with hunters as he assisted with a pursuit and arrest and responded to an unusual animal nuisance call.
The hunters Johnson did speak with knew the drill well: pull out the hunting license and deer tag, show off the hunter's orange, and show the officer the unloaded gun.
"We're worried first and foremost about gun safety and wearing hunter's orange," Johnson said.
Large hunts in Utah require participants to wear an orange article of clothing for safety reasons. Although not all states require the practice, Johnson believes they should.
"When you have hunter's orange regulations, it has been documented that hunting accidents go down substantially," he said. "Our ultimate goal is to make sure everyone is abiding by the law and being safe while doing it."
While guaranteeing safe practices is the first priority of the DWR, the division also seeks to ensure a fair hunt for participants by combating illegal activities such as poaching -- the illegal hunting of animals -- and trespassing.
Johnson said his division issues more trespassing citations than any other division in the state; however, poaching cases have lessened in the 11 years he has been in the district, mainly because of hunters' efforts to report poachers.
You never know what to expect. It's different every day.
–Officer Bruce Johnson
Many hunters are diligent in reporting cases of poaching because the illegal activity takes opportunities away from honest hunters.
Hunting is about "having a good time," according to Henley.
"It's peaceful and it gives you time to relax," he said. "It doesn't matter if you get anything or not."
Johnson echoed the sentiment.
"People come out to enjoy each other's company," he said. "If they don't go home with a deer, they're probably just as content."
Johnson's division responds to more than calls about errant hunters, though; and as events unfold, priorities change.
"Let's turn around here and help this officer out," he said, as a Highway Patrol cruiser zoomed past, chasing a black sedan. After assisting with the arrest, Johnson added that "you just never know."
Indeed. Shortly after, the officer responded to a call about two sheep that had been slaughtered, possibly by a cougar, in town.
"I've only seen one other instance of a cougar coming into the middle of town," he said, while inspecting the sheep for the distinctive markings of a cougar attack. "They do not like the activity, the noise, the barking dogs it really inhibits their hunting senses, so they don't want to be around here."
- Always be aware of local rules and regulations
- Wear hunter's orange
- Tell someone if you leave the group; avoid solitary outings
- Dress for the weather
- Keep hunting equipment in good condition
Deer and elk are more commonly found in town, according to Johnson. The animals are attracted to the warmth of houses in winter and cool glass doors in summer, and are a nuisance to homeowners who do not like to see their yards and pastures trampled.
The homeowners call Johnson.
"I respond to nuisance calls at least weekly about animals in a backyard or crop damage," he said. "Last winter, I spent three weeks doing nothing but answering nuisance calls for deer and elk -- in their haystacks, in their backyards, knocking down their fences -- because of it being a bad winter, that year."
The DWR works to educate homeowners in the area about the animals with which they are dealing by teaching them how to make their yards safe, but not inviting.
"There are different plants people can use that are wildlife-friendly, but that deer won't eat," said Johnson. "My job is to educate. That's what we do."
That education may come in the form of teaching about animal awareness, giving verbal or written warnings, giving citations or "potentially arresting them and booking them in jail on charges."
Most people respond well to the DWR's wide-ranging efforts and appreciate all the officers do.
"People intend to do the right thing," said Johnson. "They're happy to be out here and happy to see us; they just happen to forget their licenses or get lost."
"Even the people we issue citations to are respectful and really decent to deal with," he continued. "They understand they made a mistake. They don't like the idea of getting a citation, but they understand it and respect it, which is an impressive part of this job that I enjoy."
