Listed below are answers to some common harvest reporting questions.
Answer: Harvest surveys provide biologists and managers vital information necessary for managing wildlife populations. The information is used for determining annual recommendations and management strategies. Furthermore, these surveys are often used to ask hunters about their preferences for future management of a species, as well as their opinions about current hunting opportunities.
Answer: The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources collects harvest data for all hunted species in Utah. This includes:
Answer: Harvest reporting is mandatory for limited entry deer, elk, pronghorn and all once-in-a-lifetime big game species (general season deer and elk and all antlerless big game hunts are not mandatory). Harvest reporting is also mandatory for cougar, black bear, bobcat, marten and swan. Reporting is not mandatory for all other hunted species in Utah, but hunters are encouraged to participate if they are contacted for a survey about their hunting experience for these species.
Answer: A variety of survey methods are used to obtain harvest information from hunters, such as mail-in questionnaires, online harvest reporting, toll-free telephone harvest reporting, mandatory check-in and randomized telephone surveys conducted by a private contractor.
Answer: For all surveys, DWR attempts to obtain statistically valid estimates of hunter effort and success, so your participation is critical for us to meet these goals. Harvest surveys will not solicit personal information from you. If you receive a telephone call and prefer not to participate in the telephone harvest survey, please inform the caller of your preference. Please do not make up answers to try to end the call quickly, as misinformation can skew the results of the survey. For any mail-in harvest surveys, we will provide you with a postage-paid return envelope for your convenience.
Answer: Depending on the species, harvest information collected may include: date of harvest, sex and age of the animal harvested, body/antler size measurements, area(s) hunted, number of days afield, weapon type or hunt method and hunter satisfaction. Hunt seasons for some hunted species span several months (e.g., waterfowl, upland game, furbearer). We encourage hunters to keep track of numbers harvested and days afield, so they are able to report this information accurately at the end of the season. A blank harvest record can be found in the Upland Game Hunting Guidebook to help you keep track of your hunting information, or you can download a blank harvest record for furbearer or small game.
Answer: DWR compiles all harvest data into annual harvest reports for each species and these reports are posted as PDF files online. Look for these reports on each species page in the "Hunting" section of this Web site, wildlife.utah.gov. These reports are usually found under the headings "Harvest Information" or "Annual Reports".
Answer: No, checking-in management buck deer does not fulfill your mandatory harvest reporting requirement. You are still required to report your harvest online or by calling toll-free 1-800-221-0659. You must submit a harvest survey even if you did not harvest or did not hunt. If you do not submit your harvest survey within 30 days after your hunt ends, you won't be allowed to apply for a limited entry, premium limited entry, once-in-a-lifetime, or CWMU permit, or bonus point, the following year.
Answer: Yes, checking-in bighorn sheep will fulfill your mandatory harvest reporting requirement. However, if you obtained a bighorn sheep permit and did not hunt or did not harvest, you are still required to complete your harvest survey online or by calling toll-free 1-800-221-0659. If you do not submit your harvest survey within 30 days after your hunt ends, you won't be allowed to apply for a limited entry, premium limited entry, once-in-a-lifetime, or CWMU permit, or bonus point, the following year.
Answer: No, sending in a big game tooth or submitting a bison or elk blood sample does not fulfill your mandatory harvest reporting requirement. You are still required to report your harvest online or by calling toll-free 1-800-221-0659. If you do not your report harvest within 30 days after your hunt ends, you won't be allowed to apply for a limited entry, premium limited entry, once-in-a-lifetime, or CWMU permit, or bonus point, the following year.
Answer: If you harvest a swan, you must bring the tagged swan or its head to a DWR office, or the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge office, within three days of harvest. At this time, a DWR representative will assist you in completing your mandatory swan harvest report. All successful hunters are still encouraged to verify that their harvest reporting requirements have been fulfilled, either by checking online or by calling toll-free 1-800-221-0659. Reporting is required even if you did not hunt or did not harvest. Therefore, swan hunters who are not successful must still complete the swan survey online or by calling toll-free 1-800-221-0659.
Answer: No, if you obtained a CWMU permit you are still required to complete your harvest survey online or by calling toll-free 1-800-221-0659. CWMU operators are not authorized to submit your harvest survey for you, although they may ask you for information about your hunting experience for their own records.
Links to more Utah hunting-related information
