Shed antler and horn gathering closure
Get ready for spring turkey season
Aim for adventure: 2023 Big Game Application Dates
images/statewide-shed-antler-closure-web-banner.png
2023 Spring general-season turkey permits
2023 Big Game Application Dates Reminder
previous arrow
next arrow
Fishing information
FISH

Licensing, rules and
year-round hotspots.

Hunting information
HUNT

Learn about Utah‘s
great hunting opportunities.

Licenses & permits
DISCOVER

Find out more about Utah‘s amazing wildlife.

Fishing information
FISH

It‘s winter! Have
you been fishing yet?

Hunting information
HUNT

Learn about Utah‘s
great hunting opportunities.

Licenses & permits
DISCOVER

Find out more about Utah‘s amazing wildlife.

Fishing information
FISH

It‘s time
to go fishing.

Hunting information
HUNT

Learn more about
Utah hunting.

Licenses & permits
DISCOVER

Find out more about Utah‘s amazing wildlife.

Deer check stations for chronic wasting disease

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources needs your cooperation.

Hunters will play an important role in chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance happening this year at Utah Division of Wildlife Resources check stations. During the first few days of the rifle hunt, we will be collecting deer tissue samples at a number of check stations across the state. Successful hunters who have harvested deer from this season's CWD sampling areas may bring tissue samples to be tested for CWD free of charge. Hunters who wish to test deer harvested from other units may send the deer's head to the Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Logan or Spanish Fork and pay a $25 lab fee.

Download a map of the chronic wasting disease sampling areas for the 2022–23 hunting season.

When you stop at a check station, agency staff will:

  • Take lymph nodes from your deer (you will need to leave about 6 inches of the animal's neck and windpipe attached below the jaw so that we can remove the lymph nodes for the sample)
  • Ask you a few questions, including the location where the deer was harvested

The entire process will take a few minutes, and your cooperation will help us monitor the disease and study its impact on the state's deer herds. Testing results will be available for you to view online within six weeks of sampling.

Chronic wasting disease — a degenerative neurological disease that affects deer, elk and moose — was first detected in Utah in 2002. As of Sept. 28, 2022, 157 mule deer and three elk have tested positive for CWD. Learn more about the disease and where it has been found in Utah.

Although there isn't proof that CWD poses a risk for human health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend the consumption of animals that test positive for CWD. If your deer tests positive for CWD, the Division will replace your hunting tag (for the same unit) for free next year, as long as all materials (meat, antlers, bones, etc.) are handed in for incineration.

Check station locations

You can get your deer checked at the following locations during the hunting season:

Northern Utah

Location Dates and times
Mountain Dell Reservoir exit, westbound I-80 and U.S. Highway 65 Oct. 22–23, from roughly 10 a.m. to dusk
Mountain Green Rest Area, westbound I-84 Oct. 22–23, from roughly 10 a.m. to dusk
Coalville, Chalk Creek Road across from the Summit County Search and Rescue building Oct. 22–23, from roughly 10 a.m. to dusk
West of Kamas, Highway 248 at the Browns Canyon pull-off Oct. 22–23, from roughly 10 a.m. to dusk
DWR Northern Region (Ogden) Office
515 E. 5300 South
Ogden, UT 84405
Oct. 24–28 and 31, from 2 to 5 p.m. (By appointment only. Call 801-476-2740 to make an appointment.)

Tests are free for deer harvested from the Morgan-South Rich, East Canyon, Chalk Creek, Kamas and North Slope units. Call the DWR Ogden Office at 801-476-2740 for more information.

Northeastern Utah

Location Dates and times
DWR Northeastern Region (Vernal) Office
318 N. Vernal Ave.
Vernal, UT 84078
Oct. 24–28, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (By appointment only. Call 435-781-9453 to make an appointment.)
Near Strawberry Reservoir, at the junction of U.S. Highway 40 and Co-op Creek Rd. (between mile markers 41 and 42) Oct. 22–24, from roughly 9 a.m. to dark
Just north of Vernal on U.S. Highway 191 at the Steinaker Reservoir rest stop, near mile marker 358 Oct. 22–23, from roughly 9 a.m. to dark
West of Manila on SR 43, between mile marker 4 and 3 Oct. 22–24, from roughly 9 a.m. to dark

Tests are free for deer harvested from the North Slope; South Slope, Yellowstone; South Slope, Vernal; South Slope, Diamond Mtn.; Book Cliffs, North; and Nine Mile, Anthro units. Call the DWR Vernal office at 435-781-9453 for more information. You may also call the DWR Vernal office for a list of meat processors in the area that will also take CWD samples, along with processing the meat.

Central Utah

Location Dates and times
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (Salt Lake Office)
1594 W. North Temple
Salt Lake City, UT 84116
Oct. 24–28 (By appointment only. Call 385-395-6330 to make an appointment.)
Spanish Fork Canyon (near the Covered Bridge community) Oct. 22–24, from roughly 9 a.m. to dark
Santaquin (I-15 exit 242 on east side of highway) Oct. 22–24, from 9 a.m. to dark

Tests are free for deer harvested from the Wasatch, West unit. Call the DWR Springville office at 801-491-5678 for more information. You may also call the DWR Springville office for a list of meat processors in the area that will also take CWD samples, along with processing the meat.

Southeastern Utah

Location Dates and times
DWR Southeastern Region (Price) Office
319 N. Carbonville Road Suite A
Price, UT 84501
Oct. 24–28, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (By appointment only. Call 435-613-3700 to make an appointment.)
Nine Mile
Location Dates and times
Miller's Truckstop in Wellington, at the junction of SR-6 and Nine Mile Canyon Road Oct. 22–24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
La Sal Mountains
Location Dates and times
La Sal Junction at the junction of U.S. Highway 191 and SR-46 Oct. 22–24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Castle Valley at the gravel pit about 1.5 miles east of Castleton on the La Sal Mountain Loop Road Oct. 22–24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Abajo Mountains
Location Dates and times
Kiosk on the Abajo Mountain Road at Monticello Oct. 22–24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Forest Service boundary on Johnson Creek Road Oct. 22–24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tests are free for deer harvested from the Nine Mile, La Sal-La Sal Mountains, and San Juan-Abajo Mountains units. Call the DWR Price office at 435-613-3700 for more information. You may also call the DWR Price office for a list of meat processors in the area that will also take CWD samples, along with processing the meat.

Southern Utah

Location Dates and times
DWR Southern Region Office (Cedar City)
1470 N. Airport Road
Cedar City, UT 84721
By appointment only. Call 435-865-6100 to make an appointment.
At the UDOT shed on I-15 Northbound/U.S. Highway 20 Oct. 22–23
Ivins, on Highway 91 Oct. 22–23
Coral Pink Sand Dunes at the junction of Hancock Road and Coral Pink Road 43 Oct. 12, 15–16, 22–25 and 29–30
Bottom of Cedar Canyon, Highway 14 Oct. 8–9, 12, 15–16, 22–24 and 29–30

Tests are free for deer harvested from the Panguitch Lake, Paunsaugunt, Zion and Pine Valley units. Call the DWR Cedar City office at 435-865-6100 for more information. You may also call the DWR Cedar City office for a list of meat processors in the area that will also take CWD samples, along with processing the meat.

Additional options

We will periodically have personnel available during the first few days of the hunt, or you can drop off a head during the season at one of the following meat lockers:

  • Ungerman's Meats at 790 N. 400 East in Huntington
  • JC Meats at 3540 S. Highway 6 in Price
  • Four-Point Meat Processing at 81 W. 200 South in Monticello

If you have questions, please contact a Division office.

West Nile virus bird identification

Below are common species affected by West Nile virus. The Division of Wildlife Resources is no longer collecting these birds for West Nile virus testing. However, if you live within Salt Lake County, the Salt Lake County Health Department is conducting a special study and might collect your bird for testing. You may contact them at (801 534-4600.

Birds of the corvid family

Common raven
Common Raven

Corvus corax

Identification tips:

  • Length: 24"
  • Wingspan: 53"
  • Weight: 2.6 lb
  • Entirely black plumage
  • Long narrow wings, wedged shaped tail, heavy bill
  • Larger than the American Crow and not as gregarious
American crow
American Crow

Corvus brachyrhynchos

Identification tips:

  • Length: 16–18"
  • Wingspan: 39"
  • Weight: 1lb
  • Entirely black plumage
  • Squared-off tail
  • Short tail, broad wings
Black-billed magpie
Black-billed Magpie

Pica pica

Identification tips:

  • Length: 19"
  • Wingspan: 25"
  • Weight: 6 oz.
  • Color: White and black
  • Plumage often appears iridescent
  • White patches on wings in flight
Western scrub jay
Western scrub jay

Aphelocoma californica

Identification tips:

  • Length: 11–13"
  • Crestless jay usually associated with oaks
  • Color: Head, wings and tail are blue. Back is pale brownish; white throat.
Stellar's jay
Stellar's Jay

Cyanocitta stelleri

Identification tips:

  • Length: 12–13"
  • A large, dark, black and blue bird
  • Long crest
  • Foreparts blackish, rest of body blue

Raptors (Hawks, Eagles and Falcons)

Raptors typically have a strong hooked beak and long curved talons. All raptors are wanted for WNV testing. Some examples are listed below.

Red-tailed hawk
Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

Identification tips:

  • Length: 19–25"
  • Distinctive red coloration on topside of tail
  • Light colored breast with streaked belly
Northern goshawk
Northern Goshawk

Accipiter gentilis

Identification tips:

  • Length: 20–26"
  • Large robust hawk with longish tail
  • Adult: Crown and cheek blackish with broad white stripe over the eye. Immature (shown): Pale stripe over the eye; irregular tail-banding
Golden eagle
Golden Eagle

Aquila chrysaetos

Identification tips:

  • Length: 30–40"
  • Wingspan: 7 ft.
  • Glides and soars flat winged
  • A gold band of feathers on the back of neck
Inside
Wildlife Blog: Views from DWR employees
» Wildlife Blog
Report poachers — 1-800-662-3337
» Report poachers
Wildlife dates
» Important dates
Hunter, angler mobile app