DWR biologists are recommending a decrease in the number of general-season permits for the 2021 deer hunt, and are asking for the public’s feedback on that proposal and a variety of other big game proposals.
They are proposing a total of 74,775 general-season deer hunting permits, which is a 4,900-permit decrease from the previous year. Of the 29 total deer hunting units across the state, 16 are being recommended for decreased permit numbers from the previous year.
“The number of permits we’re proposing for 2021 will help us achieve or maintain the objectives detailed in Utah’s mule deer management plan for harvest size, animal quality and hunting opportunity,” Jones said. “The biology and herd health of our wildlife come first when making hunting permit recommendations.”
The current management plan includes an objective to have just over 400,000 deer across Utah — there are currently an estimated 314,850 deer in the state.
“We’ve had a few drought years in Utah recently, which has a significant impact on the survival rates of deer,” according to Covy Jones, Big Game Coordinator. “In Utah, we have the longest range trend study in the Western U.S., and we’ve seen that having suitable habitat is crucial for maintaining or growing wildlife populations. And drought conditions can really negatively impact that habitat, which in turn affects our wildlife species.”
Public meetings for the proposals will be held online. You can view the biologists' presentations and share your feedback about them here on the DWR website.
The presentations can also be viewed on the DWR YouTube Channel, but comments can only be submitted through the forms on the DWR website.
DWR biologists are also recommend adding two new doe deer hunts to address damage to agricultural areas caused by deer, as well as other urban deer issues within Price and Oak City. Ten new cow elk hunts are also being proposed, as well as a new doe pronghorn hunt.
“Antlerless deer hunts are designed to reduce depredation on private lands, tackle urban deer issues, address chronic wasting disease hot spot areas, and to help slow the decline of range conditions,” Jones said.
The DWR oversees the Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit program, which allocates hunting permits to private landowners who then provide hunting opportunities to public and private hunters for a variety of wildlife species.
The CWMU program in Utah has opened more than 2 million acres of private land to the public for hunting. The DWR also proposed a total of 1,265 antlerless permits for 66 CWMUs for the 2021 hunting season.
The public comment period for each of the five Regional Advisory Council meetings and for the Utah Wildlife Board meeting opened March 23. Public comments submitted within the online-comment timeframes will be shared with the RAC and wildlife board members at each respective meeting scheduled through April.
For dates and electronic meeting links, click here.