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April 7, 2003
Utah Dow
Big game permits for fall hunts approved by Utah Wildlife Board
Salt Lake City — A total of 600 additional Utah residents will be hunting buck deer in the Southern and Southeastern regions this fall after the Utah Wildlife Board voted to distribute nonresidents permits equally throughout the state.
The board also voted to keep Utah's general buck deer permits capped at 97,000. The board took these actions at an April 3 meeting in Salt Lake City.
"Since we went to the 97,000 permit cap, 10 percent of the total number of general buck deer permits in Utah have been available to nonresidents," said Jim Karpowitz, big game coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. "In the past, however, that distribution hasn't been equal among the regions. There was a higher percentage of nonresident permits in the Southern and Southeastern regions, and a lower percentage in the Northern and Central regions. The action the board took makes 10 percent of the permits in each region available to nonresidents."
The action means 400 fewer nonresidents will be hunting the Southern Region this fall, allowing 400 additional residents to hunt there. A total of 200 fewer nonresidents will be hunting the Southeastern Region, allowing 200 additional residents to hunt there.
A total of 500 additional permits will be offered to nonresidents for the Central Region, and an additional 100 will be offered for the Northern Region. Nonresidents have until the second big game draw in May to take these permits. If they don't, they can be issued to residents at the $35 resident fee.
"Nonresidents have never taken all of the permits available to them for those two regions, so increasing the number of nonresident permits for them shouldn't affect residents," Karpowitz said. "Many of these permits will end up going to residents."
The number of resident and nonresident permits for the Northeastern Region will not change from last year.
Other major changes approved by the Utah Wildlife Board include the following:
Fewer limited entry buck deer and buck pronghorn antelope permits will be available this fall. A total of 856 limited entry buck deer permits will be offered, down 242 from the 1,098 offered last year. A total of 394 limited entry buck pronghorn permits will be available, down 101 from the 495 offered last year. "Deer and pronghorn populations have been effected by the drought and the reduced permit numbers reflect that," Karpowitz said.
Good numbers of bull elk in Utah will mean more limited entry bull elk hunting opportunities this fall. A total of 966 limited entry bull elk permits will be available, up 108 from the 858 offered last year.
Permits to hunt bison on the Henry Mountains in southeastern Utah were also increased. A total of 63 permits will be offered this year, compared to 48 last year. Some of these permits are for cow bison, while most allow hunters to take an animal of either sex. "With the current drought conditions, we need to stabilize bison numbers on the Henry's," Karpowitz said.
Six permits will be available for experimental Rocky Mountain nanny goat hunts this fall.
Utah Dow
Big game permits for fall hunts approved by Utah Wildlife Board
Salt Lake City — A total of 600 additional Utah residents will be hunting buck deer in the Southern and Southeastern regions this fall after the Utah Wildlife Board voted to distribute nonresidents permits equally throughout the state.
The board also voted to keep Utah's general buck deer permits capped at 97,000. The board took these actions at an April 3 meeting in Salt Lake City.
"Since we went to the 97,000 permit cap, 10 percent of the total number of general buck deer permits in Utah have been available to nonresidents," said Jim Karpowitz, big game coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. "In the past, however, that distribution hasn't been equal among the regions. There was a higher percentage of nonresident permits in the Southern and Southeastern regions, and a lower percentage in the Northern and Central regions. The action the board took makes 10 percent of the permits in each region available to nonresidents."
The action means 400 fewer nonresidents will be hunting the Southern Region this fall, allowing 400 additional residents to hunt there. A total of 200 fewer nonresidents will be hunting the Southeastern Region, allowing 200 additional residents to hunt there.
A total of 500 additional permits will be offered to nonresidents for the Central Region, and an additional 100 will be offered for the Northern Region. Nonresidents have until the second big game draw in May to take these permits. If they don't, they can be issued to residents at the $35 resident fee.
"Nonresidents have never taken all of the permits available to them for those two regions, so increasing the number of nonresident permits for them shouldn't affect residents," Karpowitz said. "Many of these permits will end up going to residents."
The number of resident and nonresident permits for the Northeastern Region will not change from last year.
Other major changes approved by the Utah Wildlife Board include the following:
Fewer limited entry buck deer and buck pronghorn antelope permits will be available this fall. A total of 856 limited entry buck deer permits will be offered, down 242 from the 1,098 offered last year. A total of 394 limited entry buck pronghorn permits will be available, down 101 from the 495 offered last year. "Deer and pronghorn populations have been effected by the drought and the reduced permit numbers reflect that," Karpowitz said.
Good numbers of bull elk in Utah will mean more limited entry bull elk hunting opportunities this fall. A total of 966 limited entry bull elk permits will be available, up 108 from the 858 offered last year.
Permits to hunt bison on the Henry Mountains in southeastern Utah were also increased. A total of 63 permits will be offered this year, compared to 48 last year. Some of these permits are for cow bison, while most allow hunters to take an animal of either sex. "With the current drought conditions, we need to stabilize bison numbers on the Henry's," Karpowitz said.
Six permits will be available for experimental Rocky Mountain nanny goat hunts this fall.
