The Utah Wildlife Board has approved more than 71,000 general-season deer hunting permits this year, that’s about a 10% increase over last year. The board said a healthy deer population has allowed for more permits.
The board also approved a slight increase in elk permits to keep the population within the 80,000 limit. About 80,600 elk were reported in the state at the beginning of May.
The Division of Wildlife Resources issues antlerless hunt permits for big game like moose to manage the population, reduce disease and improve habitat health. However, the Wildlife Board voted to discourage hunters from harvesting cow moose with calves this year even though it’s legal.
Regulations have changed for shed antler collection allowing Utahns to gather them year-round instead of seasonally. However, the board plans to revisit seasonal collection in December. Commercial antler buyers are also now required to register with the state.
There are also new regulations for night vision devices and hunt reporting. Night-vision devices are now "unlawful to possess" instead of "unlawful to use" to make the rule enforceable for conservation officers. Hunters also no longer need to plug bighorn sheep or check in management bucks and cactus bucks. This is because the harvest data can be collected electronically and to make it easier for hunters.
Here's the full list of hunting permit numbers:
- General-season buck deer: 71,525
- Limited-entry deer: 1,336
- Antlerless deer: 450
- General-season any bull elk: 15,000 for adults in the early general-season any bull elk hunt (for any legal weapon and muzzleloader hunters). Unlimited for youth and archery hunters
- Unlimited for the general-season any bull late hunt (sold over the counter).
- General-season spike bull elk: 15,000 (sold over the counter, with a cap of 4,500 multi-season permits)
- Antlerless elk: 19,626
- Youth draw-only any bull /hunter’s choice elk: 750
- Limited-entry bull elk: 3,412
- Buck pronghorn: 1,506
- Doe pronghorn: 210
- Bull moose: 104
- Antlerless moose: 12
- Bison: 96
- Desert bighorn sheep: 76
- Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep: 57
- Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep ewe hunt: 5
- Mountain goat: 95
