- Utah law now requires a hunting or fishing license to access areas designated for wildlife.
- Part of Bonneville Shoreline Trail falls within restricted Timpanogos wildlife management area.
- The law aims to prevent unpaid use; signs and education efforts are underway.
OREM — If you want to access certain areas of Utah that are designated for wildlife, you have to buy a hunting or fishing license.
That's according to a new state law, which took effect in May.
But part of the popular Bonneville Shoreline Trail is right in the middle of one of those areas, leaving some users surprised.
Kyle Burgess was out jogging on the trail in Orem on Sunday when he said a Department of Natural Resources officer stopped him.
"(He) told me that to continue running on this specific land, that I would have to have an either current hunting, fishing or combination license," Burgess said.
That's thanks to HB309, which Utah lawmakers passed last session. It was signed into law and took effect two months ago. The law requires anyone 18 and older to possess a license to access land within a wildlife management area.
The Division of Wildlife Resource's website lists more than two dozen areas where the law applies. Part of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail in Orem falls within the Timpanogos wildlife management area.
Burgess, who went viral in 2020 over his encounter with a cougar in Slate Canyon, posted about his experience on Instagram, mostly to let others know about it.
"It's a very used area," Burgess told KSL-TV. "There are a lot of mountain bike trails, a lot of running trails, so it is definitely maybe a surprise to a lot of people."
Faith Heaton Jolley, spokesperson for the Utah DWR, said these management areas are specifically for wildlife — and for those who hunt and fish.
"They're not necessarily for trail running or mountain biking or hiking, even though those activities have taken place on these properties," Jolley said.
Still, she acknowledged this is "a change" for people who have recreated in these wildlife management areas in the past.
"We want to just basically educate people now," Jolley said, adding that signs have been installed, and officers will work to let people know about the need to purchase a hunting or fishing license.
Rep. Casey Snider, R-Paradise, who's now the House majority leader, sponsored the law. He said wildlife management areas are funded only with hunting and fishing license dollars, and the law seeks to prevent people from "freeloading" by not paying.
"It's no different than a park pass," Snider said. "If you use a state park, you have to buy a pass. The properties are for wildlife, and these other uses are valuable for sure, but I don't know if it's fair for some user groups to pay and some not to."
As for Burgess, the officer gave him a verbal warning. Burgess said he understands the reasoning behind the new rule, but it's complicated.
"When you're hunting, you know you have to have a hunting license. When you're fishing, you know you have to have a fishing license," he said. "But when I'm running in the mountains, generally speaking, you don't need a license to run."
