One of the best things about Utah is that about 70 percent of it is public land. It’s not difficult to get away from other hunters during archery season. I like to do research, look at maps and hike the mountains within my hunting unit before the season. I also use trail cameras and a block of salt (which are both legal to use).

Artificial nesting boxes have been used by people all across the county to provide nesting habitat for wood ducks. Nesting boxes have also proven to be very successful in Utah.

Dropping a fluffy dry fly onto the surface of a small pool and watching a trout burst from its hiding place to quickly devour the fake bug was a thrill. It’s amazing what a memory can do — I just relived those heart-pounding moments!

In Utah, many ponds and lakes are home to panfish. You won’t have to look too hard or drive very far to find one of these fisheries. Panfish aren’t picky. You can catch them in the hottest conditions and through the ice. They respond to almost every bait but are easiest to catch with a simple hook and nightcrawler.

MANY PEOPLE ENJOY birding activities during the fall migration period in Utah. Songbirds, hawks, waterbirds and waterfowl travel through the state, especially the areas near the Great Salt Lake and its wetlands. Whether you drop everything to find a rare bird that’s been sighted, wake up early to sit in a duck blind or simply […]

No matter where you live in Utah, there’s upland game nearby. You can hunt in the Mojave Desert for quail, the alpine habitats of the Uinta Mountains for ptarmigan, the agriculture fields for pheasants, the beautiful yellow and red grandeur of the Wasatch Front for ruffed grouse. Diversity is the spice of life.

I hooked him and mass chaos ensued. AJ yelled “fish on!” and then began trying to wrangle me into doing what he said so I wouldn’t lose the fish. “Hold your pole this way, now lift up. Ahh, that’s a nice fish! Reel slowly.”

Amphibians are a critical part of the ecosystem and we’re excited that this app will allow you (frog lovers) to help us (frog studiers) protect their populations.

One particular goat that some have dubbed “Gruff” (he has a broken horn) can often be seen with the group of lively goats. Additionally, several “kids” or juvenile mountain goats have been seen playing and jumping among the rocks, seemingly unaware of their precarious surroundings.

Keeping the fish you catch — up to your legal limit — is the key to providing fish with the food they need to grow. So keep your catch and cook it up for the fam!

I harvested five chukars in less than two hours! This hunt will forever be seared in my memory. I have a general philosophy that life is about the happy memories we make. My hunting companions performed their tasks flawlessly, and I shot as good as I ever have.

At the end of the day, as we walked back to the truck, a rooster flushed. Having played guide that day, I was the only one in our group who hadn’t gotten my limit. This one was mine. The rooster came down the draw towards and past me. I fired once, twice, then I fired my last shell. On the third shot the rooster folded.