For months now, deer hunters have wondered how many general buck deer permits will be available for Utah’s 30 new deer hunting units this fall.

The board divided the 86,500 permits as follows:

Slight reduction from 2011

The 86,500 permits the board approved are 500 fewer than the 87,000 permits available in 2011.

Anis Aoude, big game coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, says the number of permits dropped slightly because some of the 30 units will be managed for a higher buck-to-doe ratio than biologists have managed them for in the past.

(A buck-to-doe ratio is the number of bucks per 100 does that biologists find after the hunting seasons are over in the fall.)

“The best way to increase the number of bucks per 100 does is to reduce the number of bucks that are taken during the hunting season,” Aoude says.

Starting this year, biologists will manage 14 of Utah’s 30 general deer hunting units for 15 to 17 bucks per 100 does.

The remaining 16 units will be managed for 18 to 20 bucks per 100 does.

Aoude says the 14 units that will be managed for a lower buck-to-doe ratio are units that provide good access to lots of public land. “Units that are mostly private land, or units that have public land that’s difficult to access,” he says, “are the units that we’ll manage for 18 to 20 bucks per 100 does.”

Other big game permits

In addition to approving general buck deer hunting permits at their May 3 meeting, members of the board also approved permits for Utah’s remaining big game animals.

The following are the number of big game permits available in 2011 and the number the board approved for 2012:

How to get a permit

How and when you can obtain a permit varies according to which big game animal you want to hunt:

• With the exception of Utah’s general bull elk hunt, applications for all of the state’s hunts that involve male animals were accepted in February.
• Results of the 2012 big game draw will be available by May 31.
• You can apply for a doe deer, cow elk or doe pronghorn permit starting June 1.
• Results of the 2012 antlerless draw will be available by July 11.
• Permits to hunt during the state’s general bull elk hunt will be available on a first-come, first-served basis starting July 17.
• Hunters have already applied for general buck deer hunting permits. If any general archery or muzzleloader buck deer permits are available after this year’s big game draw, the permits will be available—on a first-come, first-served basis—starting July 19.
• Any general buck deer rifle permits that are still available after the draw will go on sale—on a first-come, first-served basis—starting July 31.
• If the general archery season ends—but all the archery permits haven’t been sold—the archery permits will be converted to muzzleloader permits.These muzzleloader permits would be available—on a first-come, first-served basis—starting Sept. 17.
• Any muzzleloader permits that are still available after the muzzleloader hunt ends would be converted to general rifle permits.These rifle permits would be available—on a first-come, first-served basis—starting Oct. 9.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Buck Deer Permits Reduced Slightly in Utah

There’s no question that coyotes kill mule deer, especially fawns.

But just how many fawns do coyotes kill? And how does the killing affect the number of mule deer in Utah?

What about efforts to control coyotes? How effective are those efforts? And how do those efforts help deer in the state?

Biologists with the Division of Wildlife Resources want to know. In cooperation with Brigham Young University and Utah State University, they’re launching a study to find out.

The study begins in June on Monroe Mountain in south-central Utah. If you’d like to help with the study, you can—biologists and university researchers need volunteers.

To learn more about the project and to sign up to help, plan on attending a meeting on May 17 in the auditorium at the Sixth District Courthouse in Richfield.

The May 17 meeting starts at 7 p.m. The courthouse is at 845 E. 300 N.

Here’s how the study this summer will work:

• Doe mule deer will be captured and fitted with radio collars and a vaginal-implant transmitter (VIT) that will be inserted in such a way that it will exit the doe when she gives birth to a fawn.
• When the VIT is expelled, it will begin transmitting, alerting biologists that a fawn has been born and giving them the exact location where the fawn is.
• Immediately, biologists and a volunteer search crew will travel to the area to find the fawn and fit it with an expandable radio collar.
• Once the fawns are fitted with the expandable collars, biologists will monitor them for about six months to see how many fawns survive the first critical months of their lives.

Deer fawns aren’t the only animals that will have radio collars placed on their necks—coyotes will too.

• After collaring the coyotes, biologists and researchers will monitor them to assess the coyotes’ location in relation to deer fawns in the area.
• As part of the study, personnel with USDA-Wildlife Services will also conduct high-intensity coyote control on half of the Monroe management unit. On the other half, no coyote control will happen. Comparing how fawns did on areas where coyotes were controlled versus how they did on areas with no control will help biologists and researchers learn more about the effect coyote control has on the number of fawns that survive.
• Placing collars on coyotes will also allow researchers to estimate the size of the coyote population, how the coyotes use the habitat, the coyotes’ activity patterns and the effect coyote control work has on the coyote population.

The study on Monroe Mountain is just one of several things the DWR and its partners are doing to help mule deer in Utah. In just the past six years, tens of millions of dollars have been spent to help the state’s deer herds:

Restoring deer habitat: At a cost of more than $76 million, the DWR and its partners have improved mule deer habitat on nearly 780,000 acres over the past six years alone. Another 500,000 acres of habitat improvement is in the planning stages. These habitat improvements often take several years before they become established and are fully effective. But, in the future, this effort will result in healthier mule deer populations in Utah.

Reducing highway mortality: Deer-auto collisions kill thousands of deer in Utah annually. No one knows exactly how many are killed, but the DWR is working closely with the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) to reduce the number. Since 2005, UDOT has spent more than $47 million to build fences and highway-crossing structures to help both deer and elk cross roads safely. The DWR is also funding two Utah State University projects to learn more about the effect highway mortality is having on Utah’s deer herds.

Stopping deer poachers: The DWR has put additional resources into the capture and prosecution of deer poachers. As a result, several criminals who have killed multiple deer have been arrested. One example of the effect the DWR’s efforts are having is the reduced number of big game animals that were killed illegally during the past two winters, a time when deer are especially vulnerable to poaching.

During the winter of 2010 – 2011, DWR officers know of 72 big game animals that were illegally killed. During the winter of 2011 – 2012, that number dropped to 57.

Limiting the spread of disease: More than $1 million has been spent to research and monitor chronic wasting and other diseases that affect mule deer in Utah.

Monitoring deer on winter range: Winter is the most critical time in a mule deer’s life. Survival is difficult even under the best of circumstances. Each winter, biologists monitor the activity of deer in wintering areas, paying close attention to range conditions, snow depth, the temperature of the air and the body condition of the deer.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Coyotes and Deer Focus of New Study in Utah

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) has many tools to combat poaching. One method is using mechanical or dummy deer. Jack Lytle discusses why the DWR uses this approach to catch poachers in this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yhsO4wrZiU

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Using Decoys to Hunt the Poachers in Utah

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has many tools to combat poaching. One method is using mechanical or dummy deer. Jack Lytle discusses why the DWR uses this approach to catch poachers in Utah.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yhsO4wrZiU

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Using Decoys to Hunt the Poachers in Utah

So far in 2012, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has allocated $1,258,888 for habitat stewardship and protection projects in six key elk states. The figure represents a significant increase from 2011. More than 139,000 acres should be conserved for elk and other wildlife in 2012 as a result of these initial allocations. Affected states include Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.  RMEF will announce funding allocations for additional states later this year.

The combined allocation for the initial six states is $181,562, or 16 percent, higher than their total from 2011. The increase is based on a strong upward trend in banquet-based memberships and fundraising performance by RMEF chapters and volunteers in the respective states.

“Thanks to RMEF volunteers and supporters and a wave of momentum, our organization is positioned to pump more money than ever into crucial habitat work in six major areas of elk country,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO.

Allocated amounts and acres expected to be conserved in 2012:

• Colorado—$251,451 and 42,030 acres
• Idaho—$82,710 and 31,984 acres
• Montana—$257,011 and 21,658 acres
• Oregon—$165,000 and 11,483 acres
• Washington—$184,460 and 10,454 acres
• Wyoming—$318,256 and 21,555 acres

Combined, 112 different conservation projects will receive RMEF funding.
Projects are selected for RMEF grants using science-based criteria and a committee of RMEF volunteers and staff along with representatives from partnering agencies and universities. Examples of projects include habitat stewardship such as prescribed burning, forest thinning and management, weed control, water improvements and more, mostly on public lands. Also included are research projects to improve management of elk, habitat, predators and other factors that influence conservation.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - RMEF Allocates $1.2 Million for Habitat Work in Six States

So far in 2012, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has allocated $1,258,888 for habitat stewardship and protection projects in six key elk states. The figure represents a significant increase from 2011. More than 139,000 acres should be conserved for elk and other wildlife in 2012 as a result of these initial allocations. Affected states include Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.  RMEF will announce funding allocations for additional states later this year.

The combined allocation for the initial six states is $181,562, or 16 percent, higher than their total from 2011. The increase is based on a strong upward trend in banquet-based memberships and fundraising performance by RMEF chapters and volunteers in the respective states.

“Thanks to RMEF volunteers and supporters and a wave of momentum, our organization is positioned to pump more money than ever into crucial habitat work in six major areas of elk country,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO.

Allocated amounts and acres expected to be conserved in 2012:

• Colorado—$251,451 and 42,030 acres
• Idaho—$82,710 and 31,984 acres
• Montana—$257,011 and 21,658 acres
• Oregon—$165,000 and 11,483 acres
• Washington—$184,460 and 10,454 acres
• Wyoming—$318,256 and 21,555 acres

Combined, 112 different conservation projects will receive RMEF funding.
Projects are selected for RMEF grants using science-based criteria and a committee of RMEF volunteers and staff along with representatives from partnering agencies and universities. Examples of projects include habitat stewardship such as prescribed burning, forest thinning and management, weed control, water improvements and more, mostly on public lands. Also included are research projects to improve management of elk, habitat, predators and other factors that influence conservation.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - RMEF Allocates $1.2 Million for Habitat Work in Six States

After transporting the birds from South Dakota, the Division of Wildlife Resources released 24 of the birds on the north side of the LaSal Mountains.  The remaining 48 turkeys found a new home on Elk Ridge.

The release happened in the same area where another group of turkeys was released in 2011.  The 72 turkeys will augment turkey populations in the area that had been reduced in number by heavy snows that fell during the winter of 2009 – 2010.

“Additional transplants may occur in future years, pending the outcome of this release and the whims of Mother Nature,” says Brent Stettler, regional conservation outreach manager for the DWR.  “This release and many others over the past decade have been made possible through a joint partnership between the DWR and the National Wild Turkey Federation.”

Spring turkey hunt

A chance to hunt turkeys in Utah this spring is available during the state’s general statewide turkey hunt.

The general statewide hunt starts April 30 and runs until May 31.

Feb. 23 is the first day you can buy a permit for the hunt.

Starting at 8 a.m. on Feb. 23, you can buy a permit at www.wildlife.utah.gov.  Permits will also be available at DWR offices and from more than 300 hunting license agents across Utah.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - South Dakota Wild Turkeys Have a New Home

Time is running out to get your application in to hunt big game animals in Utah this fall.

Applications to hunt big game — including deer – are due through www.wildlife.utah.gov no later than 11 p.m. on March 1.

Before you apply for a general deer hunting permit, make sure to visit http://go.usa.gov/ncx.  The Web page has information that will help you decide which of Utah’s 30 new deer hunting units to apply for.

If you decide to apply for a Utah big game hunting permit, Judi Tutorow, wildlife licensing coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, has some advice: Apply before the last day of the application period.  And when you apply, don’t forget to donate some dollars to help control coyotes in Utah.

Tutorow also encourages you to consider joining Utah’s Dedicated Hunter program.  And she has a reminder for lifetime license holders.

Apply now

You can apply for a permit at www.wildlife.utah.gov.  Tutorow says the amount of patience you have is the critical factor in deciding when to apply. “If you apply before March 1,” she says, “you should be able to get your application in fast.”

If you wait until March 1, however, you could run into some challenges.

“Thousands of hunters wait until the last day to apply,” Tutorow says.  “Receiving that much traffic in such a short period of time slows our website down.”

If you decide to wait until March 1 to apply, make sure you start applying before 11 p.m.  If you start applying before 11 p.m. — and you don’t log off the system before you’ve completed your application — the system will allow you to finish your application.

“If you log out after 11 p.m., and then you try and get back into the system,” she says, “you’ll be out of luck.  Starting at 11 p.m., the only thing you can apply for is a bonus point or a preference point.”

Coyote control

As you’re completing your application, consider donating some money to help control coyotes in Utah.  Coyotes are the animal that preys the most on mule deer fawns.

You can donate by clicking the “Donate for coyote control” box that will appear as you’re completing your application.  Then simply include your coyote control donation with your application fees.

Hunt all three deer seasons

Would you like to hunt all three general deer hunting seasons (archery, muzzleloader and rifle) on the unit you draw a permit for?

You can if you join the Dedicated Hunter program.

To give yourself a chance to join the Dedicated Hunter program, you must do two things: Complete an online orientation course that will teach you more about the program, and apply for and draw a 2012 general deer hunting permit.

Lifetime license holders

If you have a lifetime hunting license in Utah, you must do two things to get a permit for your favorite unit: Complete the online lifetime license questionnaire and select the unit you want to hunt.

You can access the questionnaire through the 2012 big game application.

Visit www.wildlife.utah.gov to access the application, complete the questionnaire and select your unit.

Applying for a point

If you’re not going to hunt in 2012, you can still apply for a bonus point or a preference point.  These points increase the chance that you’ll draw a permit the next time you apply.

Your application for a point must be received through www.wildlife.utah.gov no later than 11 p.m. on March 8.

Please remember that you must have a hunting license or a combination license to apply for a point or a hunting permit.

30 deer hunt units

If you’re trying to decide which general deer hunt unit to apply for, http://go.usa.gov/ncx is a Web page you‘ll want to visit.  When you arrive at http://go.usa.gov/ncx you’ll find:

•              a map that shows where the 30 units are located
•              a link that will take you to detailed maps and a boundary description for each unit
•              a list that shows the average number of bucks per 100 does on each unit for the past three years
•              a list that shows the number of hunters who hunted each area in 2011
•              a list of frequently asked questions and answers.

In addition to the map of the 30 units, the list that shows the three-year buck-to-doe average on the units is one of the most important items on the page.

“Units that have large populations and good buck-to-doe ratios will probably be the units that have the highest number of permits,” says DWR Big Game Coordinator Anis Aoude.

Amy Canning, communications specialist for the DWR, hopes the information will help you make the best choice possible.  “We’ve included a wide variety of information,” she says.  “Hopefully, the information will help you apply for the unit that works best for you.”

One item that isn’t on the site is drawing odds from last year.  And there’s a reason for that — this is the first year hunters have applied for 30 separate units, so the data needed to determine drawing odds isn’t available yet.

“After the application period is over, and after the Utah Wildlife Board sets permit numbers this spring,” Canning says, “we’ll have the information needed to let those who apply for the 2013 hunt know what the odds were in 2012.”

More information

For more information, call the Utah Wildlife Administrative Services office at 1-800-221-0659, the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR’s Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Utah Big Game Hunt Applications Due by Mar. 1

If they aren’t careful, hunters might lose their chance to hunt snow geese in and near Delta in the spring. During past hunts, landowners in the Delta area have had some difficult encounters with spring snow goose hunters.  Some of these encounters have even resulted in damage to personal property. It appears that at least some of these hunters aren’t clear about Utah’s trespass laws.

Must have written permission

If you’re planning to hunt snow geese in the Delta area during the hunt that runs March 1 – 10, please remember that almost all of the ground that attracts geese to the area is privately owned and cultivated.  You must have written permission before you can access these properties, even if the properties aren’t posted.

And the time to get that permission isn’t the day of the hunt — it’s now.

Lynn Chamberlain, a regional conservation outreach manager for the Division of Wildlife Resources, says the snow goose hunt in Delta can be a fun event if you plan ahead and obtain permission from landowners to hunt their property.

“Don’t expect to show up the day of the hunt and get permission,”

Chamberlain says.  “You need to prepare in advance to legally hunt in Delta or any area in Utah that has private land.”

Cultivated property

Utah’s law is very clear — cultivated property is off limits to hunters who don’t have written permission to be there, even if the land isn’t posted.  Utah’s trespass law reads as follows: “While taking wildlife or engaging in wildlife-related activities, you may not do any of the following activities:

• Enter upon privately owned land that is cultivated OR properly posted without the permission of the owner or the person in charge of the land
• Refuse to immediately leave the private land if requested to do so by the owner or person in charge
• Obstruct any entrance or exit to private property

“Cultivated land” is land that is readily identifiable as land whose soil is loosened or broken up for the raising of crops, land used for the raising of crops, or a pasture that is artificially irrigated.

“Permission” means written authorization from the owner or person in charge to enter upon private land that is cultivated or properly posted.

Permission must include all of the following details:

• The signature of the owner or person in charge
• The name of the person being given permission
• The appropriate dates
• A general description of the land”

In the sentence “Enter upon privately owned land that is cultivated OR properly posted without the permission of the owner or the person in charge of the land,” the word “or” makes the statement before it and after it stand alone.

In other words, cultivated land does not need to be posted to prevent trespass.

Violation of this law is a Class B misdemeanor that could result in fines and the loss of your hunting privileges.

If you intend to hunt geese in the Delta area, you must contact land owners and secure written permission before you can hunt on their land.

Permission cards are available for free at http://go.usa.gov/cEf.

Why hunt geese in the spring?

Each spring, thousands of snow geese flock to the fields and reservoirs around Delta as they make their way north to their nesting grounds.

When they finally arrive above the Arctic Circle, the geese find they’re not alone.  Hundreds of thousands of additional snow geese are also there, sharing the vast tundra that serves as a nesting area and as rearing grounds for the young geese that will hatch.

Because snow geese are very successful nesters, they have a tendency to over-populate the area on which they congregate to nest.  In fact, there are so many snow geese in some areas that the geese are damaging the habitat the birds rely on for survival.

To try to decrease the damage, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has initiated a spring hunt for snow geese.  Biologists hope the hunt will help thin the birds out as they fly north in the early spring.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Utah Snow Goose Hunters Might Lose Their Chance to Hunt Due to Trespassing

Salt Lake City, UT– The Western Hunting and Conservation Expo (WHCE) opened today with hundreds of attendees waiting eagerly for the doors to open at 10:00 a.m. inside the Salt Palace Convention Center. School buses lined the curb, delivering over 250 youth to partake in the opening day festivities, including the MidwayUSA sponsored Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience.

Young and old alike gathered at the main exhibit hall entrance for the Grand Opening ceremony and ribbon cutting. MDF President and CEO Miles Moretti welcomed all to the event. To the hundreds of school children he said, “We’re glad you are all here for this experience and to share in the thrill of all the things we are doing for deer in Utah and across the West for wildlife. You are the future of conservation.”

Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife President Byron Bateman added, “You are the future of America’s conservation, of all the wildlife, and all the wild places in this wonderful country of ours. Thank you to everyone who has come out to support us. We’ve got a great show for you this year!”

With that, C.J. Buck of Buck Knives sliced the red ribbon, and the doors roared open for the sixth annual Western Hunting and Conservation Expo.

Interactive programs throughout the exhibit hall were used to introduce the young people to shooting sports and wildlife conservation in a fun and safe environment. Kids received safety and shooting instructions at the Laser Shot shooting simulation booth, Crosman air gun booth and Hoyt archery shooting range. Other activities included wildlife identification and a habitat scavenger hunt with the Utah Division of Wildlife. These fun activities will be available throughout the entire weekend for any and all who wish to participate.

New to the WHCE this year is a silent auction area inside the exhibit hall. There are dozens of great outdoor items that may be snatched up for pennies on the dollar. Another popular area is the taxidermy competition exhibit that will be judged on Saturday. Star-studded banquets and seminars are on deck for tomorrow and throughout the weekend, not to mention the 200+ hunt drawing and opportunities to book hunts or bid on amazing hunt packages and permits.

Don’t miss out! Get your tickets online and come early to experience this premier wildlife conservation event. Go to www.huntexpo.com.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Youth Rally for Opening Day at the Western Hunting and Conservation Expo