Dealing with drought

Drought affects many fish and wildlife species and can impact their population numbers. In a nutshell, it may lead some animals to seek food and water in urban areas, causing conflicts with humans. More animals may die due to competition for increasingly limited resources.

This page is a resource for describing the effects of Utah's current drought on wildlife in the state, as well as explaining how the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is working to try and mitigate these effects.

For more information on current drought conditions across the state, visit drought.utah.gov. For information on the 2021 drought impacts on wildlife, visit wildlife.utah.gov/drought/2021.html.

Wildlife

Pahvaunt Unit, Millard County, May 2021

Deer and other big game species can be severely affected by drought. The limited availability of food and water can lead to a reduced number of newborn fawns and fewer fawns that survive their first year. The harsh conditions can also reduce the number of huntable buck deer and result in lower overall deer population numbers.

Drought can also impact antler growth for buck deer because a sparse food supply provides fewer nutrients, which bucks need to grow antlers. Pregnant does also struggle with the decreased food supply during drought years, and if their body condition is poor during pregnancy, their male offspring may have relatively smaller antlers, even after reaching maturity.

Deer and other wildlife can end up in your yard or garden to find food, although there are ways to deter them. It is important that you not try to feed animals such as deer, moose or bear yourself, as you may cause more harm than good. The animals could become habituated and lose their natural fear of people, or they could attract predators.

The best way to help wildlife is to leave them alone and let them stay wild. If, however, you see an animal that looks sickly, is injured or is acting aggressively, you should report it to the nearest DWR office. (Here are other common wildlife scenarios where you should contact the DWR.)

Fish

Otter Creek, May 2021

Drought impacts fish by reducing the amount of water available in lakes, reservoirs and streams. Less water heats up more quickly and has less oxygen, stressing the fish and causing more to die. Trout in low-elevation waterbodies are most likely to be impacted by drought, although all fish species can be affected.

If you like to fish, you should visit your favorite lakes and reservoirs as early and as often as you can. Water levels at some places could be so low in the summer that boat ramps won't be functional. Also, go fishing in the mornings and evenings when temperatures are cooler. And if you release your fish, do it in deeper, cooler water so they are more likely to survive.

DWR's ongoing efforts to mitigate the impacts of drought

The DWR works proactively to reduce the effects of drought to fish and wildlife, including monitoring the following:

• Range conditions
• Competition between elk and deer
• Impacts to agricultural lands

Additional resources

Wildlife is all around us, from the songbirds flitting around our backyards, to trout rising from a rushing river, to nimble mountain goats scrambling up Utah's highest peaks. We work with many partners and outdoors enthusiasts — like you — to ensure we will have healthy habitat and wildlife for generations to come.

Most of the funding used to manage fish and wildlife populations — and to continually improve their habitats — doesn't come from the general taxes that everyone pays. The majority of Utah's wildlife funding comes from you, the people who hunt and fish and love the outdoors! Your purchases of hunting and fishing licenses and permits (and all the gear you need to use them) help fund wildlife conservation in Utah.

Stream restoration. Wildfire rehabilitation. Planting projects. Fish stocking. Wildlife transplants. These projects wouldn't be possible without those who hunt and fish. If you're hunting and fishing in Utah, you're a conservation champion and a member of Team Wildlife!

As passionate stewards of our state's fish and wildlife, we are dedicated to keeping Utah's wildlife wild. Our team includes:

• Wildlife managers protecting habitats for the people we serve and the species we manage
• Biologists removing invasive plants to reduce the severity of wildfires
• Biologists replanting watersheds to provide healthy habitats for waterfowl and spawning fish
• Conservation partners restoring native plant species for deer and elk foraging and shelter
• Purchasers of land and easements to ensure public access for hunting, fishing, hiking and other recreational activities — as well as providing a place for wintering wildlife
• Aquatics scientists fighting to prevent the spread of invasive aquatic mussels and keeping fish species disease-free

• Biologists supporting the recovery of native fish and wildlife species
• Geographic information specialists using cutting-edge technology and research to make data-based decisions that help wildlife
• Administrators strategically allocating fees from fishing and hunting licenses and permits to directly fund conservation efforts
• Hatchery personnel stocking fish for you to catch
• Hunters selectively harvesting to meet the objectives of healthy and thriving animal populations and funding conservation
• Conservation officers protecting our communities and tracking down poachers

From Utah's snow-capped mountain ranges to our spectacular red rock deserts, we are conserving fish and wildlife species and preserving crucial habitats every day. We are Team Wildlife.

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