Last Updated on Wednesday, 16 May 2012 13:11
Learn more about the switch to 30 units and what to expect
Many of you have sent us questions about the 2012 deer hunt. This page addresses the most common concerns. Please keep in mind that this information is subject to change and may be updated at any time. We encourage you to check back on a regular basis for the latest updates.
Starting in 2012, Utah's general-season deer hunt will take place in 30 units instead of five regions. If you've always hunted a particular area in the Central Region—or any of the other regions—you'll need to look at the online map to determine which of the 30 units contains that area.
In 2010, the general-season buck deer hunt was particularly difficult for many Utah hunters. Poor weather and a shorter hunt contributed to lower success, and the DWR and Wildlife Board were very concerned about the lack of deer observed by hunters. To address the public's concerns—and those expressed by the Utah Wildlife Board—the DWR proposed options to change the deer hunt for 2012. After collecting feedback from the public and the Regional Advisory Councils (RACs), the Wildlife Board approved unit-based hunting in December 2010. They decided on the 30 unit boundaries in June 2011. For more information, see the fact sheet that explains the history behind this change. You can also review the RAC and Wildlife Board minutes and audio files from the meetings where this change was discussed.
You can see view an interactive, statewide map of the 30 deer hunting units on our website. You can also view interactive maps of each of the 30 general-season deer units. You can also find a large printed map at Division offices and license agents. If you draw a general-season deer permit, a map will accompany your permit in the mail.
Some of the 30 units are made up of smaller subunits. (For example, three subunits make up the unit 12/16B/16C.) The DWR has years of historical harvest and management data for these subunits, which can be useful if you’re researching a particular area.
You can no longer apply for a general-season deer permit in the 2012 Big Game Drawing. The application period ran from Feb. 1, 2012 until 11 p.m. on March 1, 2012.
Here's a unit-by-unit breakdown of the number of deer permits approved for 2012.
Your best—and possibly only—opportunity to obtain a permit is in the 2012 Big Game Drawing. If any permits are available after the drawing, they will go on sale in July 2012.
The Utah Wildlife Board set the final permit numbers—for both the Big Game and Antlerless hunts—on May 3, 2012. Here's a breakdown of general-season deer permits by unit and a news release about all the final permit numbers.
It might, depending on which unit you applied for. There was a slight permit reduction for the 2012 season.
You may still apply as a group for general-season deer permits, but there is a maximum group size of four hunters. In 2012, for the first time, youth will be allowed to apply together in a youth-only group. Even if everyone does not draw a permit, the deer hunt still provides great opportunities for friends and families to be together outdoors.
In 2012, the Utah Legislature passed a law that adds a $5 fee to all Utah big game hunting permits. The fee will be added to 2012 antlerless permits and any remaining big game permits sold after July 1. The money will fund a new program to control predators, particularly coyotes.
Yes. If you apply for a general-season deer permit and don't draw one, you will receive a preference point. In fact, if you aren't successful in drawing your first choice—but you draw your second, third, fourth or fifth choice—you will still receive a preference point.
The Wildlife Board previously decided that in 2012, archers must apply for and hunt on a single unit. However, if you obtain a general-season archery permit in 2012—and you complete the extended archery ethics course—you may also hunt the extended archery deer areas during the extended archery season. In 2012, the extended season is scheduled to begin the day after the general-season archery deer hunt ends.
You will receive a general-season deer permit for the unit of your choice if you complete the Lifetime Questionnaire during the 2012 Big Game Application Period. We will send you a letter explaining how to select the unit you want to hunt.
If this is your second or third year in the program, you will have the opportunity to select the unit you want to hunt, and your unit choice is guaranteed. In early December 2011, we will send you a letter that explains when and how you can choose a unit. If you are thinking about becoming a Dedicated Hunter in 2012, you will have the opportunity to apply for the program during the 2012 Big Game Application Period.
As in the past, these permits will be available from DWR regional offices on a first-come, first-served basis. If you qualify for a permit, it will only be valid for the unit in which you own land. If you own land in more than one unit, you must select the unit you want to hunt. See the Landowner Permits rule to learn more about eligibility for these permits.
Over the past five years, we have invested tens of millions of dollars to help our struggling herds. Read a quick overview of the ongoing, multi-pronged effort to help Utah's mule deer. You can also read in-depth information on habitat restoration, predators, research, disease and supplemental feeding.
