Dedicated Hunters in Utah have given the state's wildlife more than $6 million in volunteer hours and service in the past four years alone.

Utah's Dedicated Hunter Program will see some changes in 2012.

Photo by Blaine Cox

But the program that's provided that service will change in 2012. That's when deer hunters in Utah switch from hunting deer in five large regions to hunting on smaller areas called units.

Rhianna Christopher, volunteer program coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, says the DWR has worked hard to keep the Dedicated Hunter program that hunters will join in 2012 as close as possible to the way the program is now.

"This is a valuable program," she says. "We want the program to work for hunters."

The following are the major changes the DWR is recommending for the Dedicated Hunter program starting in 2012:

• After lifetime license holders choose the unit they want to hunt, 15 percent of the remaining general-season deer hunting permits in each unit would be set aside for Dedicated Hunters.
• To join the Dedicated Hunter program in 2012, you'd have to do two things: Apply to join the program and draw a permit for the unit you'd like to hunt.
• If you draw a permit for the unit you'd like to hunt, your permit will be issued to you after you complete the Dedicated Hunter program requirements.
  
  The unit you obtain a permit for is the unit you'd hunt during the three years you're in the program. During your three-year enrollment period, you would not be allowed to change or exchange your permit for a different unit.
• In addition to applying for the Dedicated Hunter program, you could also apply for a limited-entry buck deer and a regular general-season buck deer permit. But you would be issued only one of the three permits.
  
  You would apply for all three permits during the 2012 big game application period.
• The Dedicated Hunter limited-entry permit draw would be eliminated in 2012.

More information about the changes the DWR is recommending is available in a chart Christopher has compiled. The chart is available at go.usa.gov/TSL.

More information about the current Dedicated Hunter program is available at wildlife.utah.gov/dh.

Learn more, share your ideas

After you've reviewed the ideas at http://go.usa.gov/TSL and wildlife.utah.gov/public_meetings, you can let your Regional Advisory Council members know your thoughts by attending your upcoming RAC meeting or by sending an email to them.

RAC chairmen will share the input they receive with members of the Utah Wildlife Board. The board will meet in Salt Lake City on June 9 to approve changes to the program.

Dates, times and locations for the RAC meetings are as follows:

• Southern Region
  May 10, 7 p.m.
  Cedar Middle School
  2215 W Royal Hunt DR, Cedar City
• Southeastern Region
  May 11, 6:30 p.m.
  John Wesley Powell Museum
  1765 E Main Street, Green River
• Northeastern Region
  May 12, 6 p.m.
  Bingham Entrepreneurship and Energy Research Center
  320 N Aggie Blvd (2000 W), Vernal
• Central Region
  May 17, 6:30 p.m.
  Springville Civic Center
  110 S Main ST, Springville
• Northern Region
  May 18, 6 p.m.
  Brigham City Community Center
  24 N 300 W, Brigham City

Email

You can also provide your comments to your RAC via email. Email addresses for your RAC members are available at wildlife.utah.gov/public_meetings.

The group each RAC member represents (sportsman, non-consumptive, etc.) is listed under each person's email address. You should direct your email to the people on the RAC who represent your interest.