Administrative rule R657-6

Taking upland game

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KEY: wildlife, birds, rabbits, game laws

Date of Last Change: Oct. 22, 2025

Notice of Continuation: May 2025

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 23A-2-304; 23A-2-305

R657-6-1. Purpose and Authority.

(1) Under authority of Sections 23A-2-304 and 23A-2-305 and in accordance with 50 CFR 20, 2004 edition, which is incorporated by reference, the Wildlife Board has established this rule for taking upland game.

(2) Specific season dates, bag and possession limits, areas open, number of permits and other administrative details that may change annually are published in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking upland game and wild turkey.

R657-6-2. Definitions.

(1) Terms used in this rule are defined in Section 23A-1-101.

(2) In addition:

(a) "Bait" means shelled, shucked or unshucked corn, wheat or other grain, salt or other feed that lures, attracts or entices upland game.

(b) "Baiting" means the direct or indirect placing, exposing, depositing, distributing, or scattering of salt, grain, or other feed that could serve as a lure or attraction for upland game to, on, or over any areas where hunters are attempting to take them.

(d) "Falconry" means the sport of taking quarry by a trained raptor.

(e) "Landowner" means any individual, family or corporation who owns property in Utah and whose name appears on the deed as the owner of eligible property or whose name appears as the purchaser on a contract for sale of eligible property.

(f) "Night vision device" means any device that enhances visible or non-visible light, including: night vision, thermal imaging, infrared imaging, or electronics that enhance the visible or non-visible light spectrum.

(g) "Pre-charged pneumatic air rifle" means a rifle that fires a single projectile with compressed air released from a chamber:

(i) built into the rifle; and

(ii) pressurized at a minimum of 2,000 pounds per square inch from an external high compression device or source, such as a hand pump, compressor, or scuba tank firing a single:

(A) broadhead tipped bolt or arrow; or

(B) pellet or slug during fall turkey season that:

(I) is .25 caliber or larger;

(II) weighs 18 grains or more; and

(III) is fired at a velocity to produce at least 30 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle.

(h) "Transport" means to ship, carry, export, import, receive or deliver for shipment, conveyance, carriage, exportation or importation.

(i) "Upland game" means pheasant, California quail, Gambel's Quail, chukar partridge, gray partridge, greater sage-grouse, ruffed grouse, dusky grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hare, white-tailed ptarmigan, American crow, mourning dove, white-winged dove, band-tailed pigeon, and Sandhill crane.

(j) "Youth group" means any organization in which youth are enrolled; FFA, Scouts, 4H.

R657-6-3. Permits for Band-tailed Pigeon, Greater Sage-grouse, Sharp-tailed Grouse and White-tailed Ptarmigan.

(1)(a) A person may not take or possess:

(i) Band-tailed pigeon without first obtaining a band-tailed pigeon permit;

(ii) Greater sage-grouse without first obtaining a greater sage-grouse permit;

(iii) Sharp-tailed grouse without first obtaining a sharp-tailed grouse permit; or

(iv) White-tailed ptarmigan without first obtaining a white-tailed ptarmigan permit.

(b) A person may obtain only one permit for each species listed in Subsection (1)(a), except a falconer with a valid Falconry Certificate of Registration may obtain one additional two-bird greater sage-grouse permit beginning on the date published in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking upland game and wild turkey, if any permits are remaining.

(2)(a) A limited number of two-bird greater sage-grouse permits are available in the areas published in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking upland game and wild turkey.

(b) A greater sage-grouse permit may only be used in one of the open areas as published in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking upland game and wild turkey.

(3)(a) A limited number of two-bird, sharp-tailed grouse permits are available.

(b) A sharp-tailed grouse permit may only be used in one of the open areas as published in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking upland game and wild turkey.

(4) Band-tailed pigeon and white-tailed ptarmigan permits are available from Division offices, through the mail, and through the Division's internet address by the first week in August, free of charge.

R657-6-4. Authorized Weapons.

(1) A person may not use any weapon or device to take upland game except as provided in this section.

(2) Upland game may be taken with archery equipment, including a draw-lock, a crossbow, a shotgun no larger than 10 gauge, or a handgun. Loads for shotguns and handguns must be one-half ounce or more of shot size ranging between no. 2 and no. 9, except:

(a) cottontail rabbit and snowshoe hare may be taken with:

(i) any firearm not capable of being fired fully automatic; and

(ii) a pre-charged pneumatic air rifle.

(3) A person may not use:

(a) a firearm capable of being fired fully automatic;

(b) any light enhancement device or aiming device that casts a visible beam of light; or

(c)(i) any protected gps location data or protected radio collar data to locate, track, take, or retrieve or any attempt to locate, track, take, or retrieve upland game or their parts.

(ii) For the purposes of this subsection, "protected" means "a records classified as protected under the Government Records Access and Management Act, Utah Code Ann. 63G-2-305".

R657-6-5. Nontoxic Shot.

(1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), nontoxic shot is not required to take any species of upland game.

(2) A person may not possess or use lead shot or any other shot that has not been approved as nontoxic by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service while on federal refuges or the following state waterfowl or wildlife management areas: Bicknell Bottoms, Blue Lake, Brown's Park, Clear Lake, Desert Lake, Farmington Bay, Harold S. Crane, Howard Slough, Lee Kay Dog Training Area, Locomotive Springs, Manti Meadows, Mills Meadows, Ogden Bay, Powell Slough, Public Shooting Grounds, Salt Creek, Scott M. Matheson Wetland Preserve, Stewart Lake, Timpie Springs, and Utah Lake Wetland Preserve.

R657-6-6. Use of Firearms, Crossbows and Archery Tackle on State Wildlife Management Areas.

A person may not discharge a firearm, crossbow, or archery tackle on the Bear River Trenton Property Parcel, Browns Park, Bud Phelps, Huntington, James Walter Fitzgerald, Kevin Conway, Manti Meadows, Montes Creek, Nephi, Pahvant, Redmond Marsh, Roosevelt, Scott M. Matheson Wetland Preserve, Stewart Lake, Vernal and Willard Bay Wildlife Management areas during any time of year, except:

(1) the use of authorized weapons as provided in Section R657-6-4 during open hunting seasons for lawful hunting activities;

(2) as otherwise authorized by the Division in special use permit, certificate of registration, administrative rule, proclamation, or an order of the Wildlife Board; or

(3) for lawful purposes of self-defense.

R657-6-7. Use of Firearms, Crossbows, and Archery Tackle on State Waterfowl Management Areas.

A person may not discharge a firearm, crossbow, or archery tackle on the Bicknell Bottoms, Blue Lake, Brown's Park, Clear Lake, Desert Lake, Farmington Bay, Harold S. Crane, Howard Slough, Locomotive Springs, Mills Meadows, Ogden Bay, Powell Slough, Public Shooting Grounds, Salt Creek, Stewart Lake, Timpie Springs and Topaz Waterfowl Management areas, and Utah Lake Wetland Preserve, during any time of the year, except:

(1) the use of authorized weapons as provided in Section R657-6-5 during open hunting seasons for lawful hunting activities;

(2) as otherwise authorized by the Division in special use permit, certificate of registration, administrative rule, proclamation, or an order of the Wildlife Board; or

(3) for lawful purposes of self-defense.

R657-6-8. Shooting Hours.

(1)(a) Except as provided in Subsection (b), greater sage-grouse, ruffed grouse, dusky grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, white-tailed ptarmigan, chukar partridge, gray partridge, pheasant, California quail, Gambel's quail, cottontail rabbit, and snowshoe hare may be taken only between one-half hour before official sunrise through one-half hour after official sunset.

(b)(i) A person must add to or subtract from the official sunrise and sunset depending on the geographic location of the state.

(ii) Specific shooting hours shall be provided in a time zone map in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking upland game.

(2) A person may not discharge a firearm on state owned lands adjacent to the Great Salt Lake, state waterfowl management areas or on federal refuges between official sunset through one-half hour before official sunrise.

R657-6-9. State Parks.

(1) Hunting of any wildlife is prohibited within the boundaries of all state park areas, except those areas designated open to hunting by the Division of Parks in Section R651-614-4.

(2) Hunting with rifles and handguns in park areas designated open is prohibited within one mile of all park facilities including buildings, camp or picnic sites, overlooks, golf courses, boat ramps, and developed beaches.

(3) Hunting with shotguns, crossbow, or archery tackle is prohibited within one-quarter mile of the areas listed in Subsections R657-6-9(1) and R657-6-9(2).

R657-6-10. Falconry.

(1) Falconers must obtain an annual hunting or combination license and a valid Falconry Certificate of Registration or license to hunt upland game and must also obtain:

(a) a greater sage-grouse permit before taking greater sage-grouse;

(b) a sharp-tailed grouse permit before taking sharp-tailed grouse;

(2) Areas open and bag and possession limits for falconry are provided in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking upland game.

R657-6-11. Baiting.

(1) A person may not hunt upland game by the aid of baiting, or on or over any baited area where a person knows or reasonably should know that the area is or has been baited.

(2) An area is considered baited for 10 days after bait is removed, or 10 days after all bait in an area is eaten.

(3) This section does not prohibit: the taking of any upland game on or over lands or areas that are not otherwise baited areas, and where grain or other feed has been distributed or scattered solely as the result of manipulation of an agricultural crop or other feed on the land where grown or solely as the result of a normal agricultural operation.

R657-6-12. Use of Motorized Vehicles.

Motorized vehicle travel on all state wildlife management areas is restricted to county roads and improved roads that are posted open.

R657-6-13. Possession of Live Protected Wildlife.

It is unlawful for any person to hold in captivity at any time any protected wildlife, except as provided by Title 23A, the Wildlife Resources Act or any rules of the Wildlife Board. Every upland game animal wounded by hunting and reduced to possession by the hunter shall be immediately killed and become part of the daily bag limit.

R657-6-14. Tagging Requirements.

A person that takes a greater sage-grouse or a sharp-tailed grouse must tag the carcass, as provided in Sections 23A-4-709 and R657-73-4, immediately upon taking possession of the carcass.

R657-6-15. Identification of Species and Sex.

One fully feathered wing must remain attached to each upland game bird and migratory game bird taken while it is being transported to allow species identification.

R657-6-16. Waste of Upland Game.

(1) A person may not waste or permit to be wasted or spoiled any protected wildlife or their parts.

(2) A person may not kill or cripple any upland game without making a reasonable effort to retrieve the upland game animal.

R657-6-17. Utah Pheasant Project.

(1) Youth groups may collect and rear pheasants from eggs in nests destroyed by normal hay mowing operations. The administrator of the youth group shall first apply for and obtain a certificate of registration for this activity.

(2) Landowners or operators of mowing equipment may collect the eggs and possess them for no more than 24 hours for pick up by a person with a certificate of registration.

(3) Pheasants must be released by 16 weeks of age.

(4) These pheasants remain the property of the state.

R657-6-18. Use of Dogs.

(1) An individual may not use or permit a dog to harass, pursue, or take protected wildlife unless otherwise allowed for in Title 23A, the Wildlife Resources Act, or the rules outlined in a guidebook of the Wildlife Board.

(2) Dogs may be used to locate and retrieve upland game during open upland game hunting seasons.

(3) Dogs are generally allowed on state wildlife management and waterfowl management areas, subject to the following conditions.

(a) dogs are not allowed on the following state wildlife management areas and waterfowl management areas between March 10 and August 31 annually or as posted by the division:

(i) Annabella;

(ii) Bear River Trenton Property Parcel;

(iii) Bicknell Bottoms;

(iv) Blackhawk;

(v) Blue Lake;

(vi) Browns Park;

(vii) Bud Phelps;

(viii) Clear Lake;

(ix) Desert Lake;

(x) Farmington Bay;

(xi) Harold S. Crane;

(xii) Hatt's Ranch;

(xiii) Howard Slough;

(xiv) Huntington;

(xv) James Walter Fitzgerald;

(xvi) Kevin Conway;

(xvii) Locomotive Springs;

(xviii) Manti Meadows;

(xix) Mills Meadows;

(xx) Montes Creek;

(xxi) Nephi;

(xxii) Ogden Bay;

(xxii) Pahvant;

(xxiv) Public Shooting Grounds;

(xxv) Redmond Marsh;

(xxvi) Richfield;

(xxvii) Roosevelt;

(xxviii) Salt Creek;

(xxix) Scott M. Matheson Wetland Preserve;

(xxx) Steward Lake;

(xxxi) Timpie Springs;

(xxxii) Topaz Slough;

(xxxiii) Utah Lake Wetland Preserve;

(xxxiv) Vernal; and

(xxxv) Willard Bay.

(b) the division may establish special restrictions for division-managed properties, such as on-leash requirements and temporary or locational closures for dogs, and post them at specific division properties and at Regional offices;

(c) organized events or group gatherings of 25 or more individuals that involve the use of dogs, such as dog training or trials, that occur on Division properties may require a special use permit as described in Rule R657-28;

(d) dog training may be allowed in designated areas on Lee Kay Center and Willard Bay WMA by the Division without a special use permit; and

(e) dogs are only allowed on the Nature Trail within they Hasenyager Nature preserve, and must be on a leash.

(4) A person may train a dog on live wild game birds provided:

(a) the dog, or the person training the dog, may not harass, catch, capture, kill, injure, or at any time, possess any wild game birds, except during legal hunting seasons as provided in the Upland Game or Waterfowl proclamations of the Wildlife Board;

(b) the use of dogs complies with Rules R657-6, R657-9 and R657-54;

(i) must comply with city and county ordinances pertaining to the discharge of any firearm; and

(ii) must obtain written permission from the landowner for training on properly posted private property.

(5) The firearm restrictions set forth in this section do not apply to a person licensed to carry a concealed weapon in accordance with Section 53-5-701, provided the person is not utilizing the concealed weapon to hunt or take wildlife.

(6) A person may not train dogs or otherwise harass game birds within ½ mile of sage-grouse or sharp-tailed grouse leks, or other concentrations of sage-grouse or sharp-tailed grouse from March 1 to May 31.

(7) Dogs may be used to locate upland game as part of Division sanctioned survey efforts.

R657-6-19. Closed Areas.

A person may not hunt upland game in any area posted closed by the Division or any of the following areas:

(1) The Salt Lake International Airport boundaries as posted.

(2) Wildlife Management Areas:

(a) Waterfowl management areas are open for hunting upland game only during designated waterfowl hunting seasons or as authorized by the Division, including: Blue Lake, Clear Lake, Farmington Bay, Harold S. Crane, Howard Slough, Locomotive Springs, Manti Meadows, Mills Meadows, Ogden Bay, Powell Slough, Public Shooting Grounds, Salt Creek, Scott M. Matheson Wetland Preserve, Stewart Lake, and Timpie Springs.

(b) All National Wildlife Refuges unless declared open by the managing authority.

(3) Military installations, except as otherwise provided under Rule R657-66, are closed to hunting and trespassing.

R657-6-20. Live Decoys and Electronic Calls.

A person may not take any upland game birds by the use or aid of live or robotic decoys, night vision devices, drones, recorded or electronically amplified bird calls or sounds, or recorded or electronically amplified imitations of bird calls or sounds.

R657-6-21. Shipping or Exporting.

(1) No person may transport upland game by the Postal Service or a common carrier unless the package or container has the name and address of the shipper and the consignee and an accurate statement of the numbers of each species of birds contained therein clearly and conspicuously marked on the outside of the container.

(2) A shipping permit issued by the Division must accompany each package containing upland game within or from the state.

(3) A person may export upland game or their parts from Utah only if:

(a) the person who harvested the upland game accompanies it and possess a valid license or permit corresponding to the tag, if applicable; or

(b) the person exporting the upland game or its parts, if it is not the person who harvested the upland game, has obtained a shipping permit from the Division.

R657-6-22. Spotlighting.

(1) Except as provided in Section 23A-1-204:

(a) a person may not use or cast the rays of any spotlight, headlight or other artificial light to locate protected wildlife while having in possession a firearm, falconry bird or other weapon or device that could be used to take or injure protected wildlife; and

(b) the use of a spotlight or other artificial light in a field, woodland or forest where protected wildlife are generally found is prima facie evidence of attempting to locate protected wildlife.

(2) The provisions of this section do not apply to the use of the headlights of a motor vehicle or other artificial light in a usual manner where there is no attempt or intent to locate protected wildlife.

R657-6-23. Purchasing or Selling Upland Game Parts.

(1) A person may only purchase, sell, offer or possess for sale, barter, exchange or trade any upland game or its parts as follows:

(a) Untanned or tanned hides, feather, bone, nail or beak of legally taken upland game or turkey may only be sold by the hunter who harvested the individual animals.

(b) An individual hunter may only sell one possession limit as defined by the Wildlife Board and guidebook for upland game and turkey per year.

(2) A person selling or purchasing untanned or tanned hides, feather, bone, nail or beak of legally taken upland game shall keep transaction records stating:

(a) the name and address of the person who harvested the animal;

(b) the transaction date; and

R657-6-24. Season Dates, Bag and Possession Limits, and Areas Open.

Season dates, bag and possession limits, areas open, and number of permits for taking upland game are provided in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking upland game and wild turkey.

Administrative rule R657-10

Taking cougar

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KEY: wildlife, cougar, game laws

Date of Last Change: August 7, 2025

Notice of Continuation: July 2, 2021

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 23A-2-304; 23A-2-305

R657-10-1. Purpose and Authority.

(1) Under authority of Sections 23A-2-304 and 23A-2-305, the Wildlife Board has established this rule for taking and pursuing cougar.

(2) Specific dates, areas, number of permits, limits, and other administrative details which may change annually are published in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking cougar.

R657-10-2. Definitions.

(1) Terms used in this rule are defined in Sections 23A-1-101 and 23A-8-101.

(2) In addition:

(a) "Canned hunt" means that a cougar is treed, cornered, held at bay or its ability to escape is otherwise restricted to allow a person who was not a member of the initial hunting party to arrive and take the cougar.

(b) "Compensation" means anything of economic value over $100 that is paid, loaned, granted, given, donated, or transferred to a dog handler for or in consideration of pursuing cougar for any purpose.

(d) "Dog handler" means the person in the field that is responsible for transporting, releasing, tracking, controlling, managing, training, commanding and retrieving the dogs involved in the pursuit. The owner of the dogs is presumed the dog handler when the owner is in the field during pursuit.

(e) "Evidence of sex" means the sex organs of a cougar, including a penis, scrotum or vulva.

(f) "Green pelt" means the untanned hide or skin of any cougar.

(g) "Harvest objective" means an identified limit on the number of cougars that may be harvested during the season on a particular unit.

(h) "Immediate family member" means a livestock owner's spouse, child, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, stepchild and grandchild.

(i) "Kitten" means a cougar that has obvious spots on its sides or its back or has obvious leg barring coloration.

(j) "Location of Harvest" means the exact location that the cougar is killed. GPS coordinates are preferred.

(k) "Private lands" means any lands that are not public lands, excluding Indian trust lands.

(l) "Public lands" means any lands owned by the state, a political subdivision or independent entity of the state, or the United States, excluding Indian trust lands, that are open to the public for purposes of engaging in pursuit.

(m) "Pursue" means to chase, tree, corner or hold a cougar at bay.

(n) "Trail Camera" means a device that is not held or manually operated by a person and is used to capture images, video, or location data of wildlife using heat or motion to trigger the device.

(o) "Written permission" means written authorization from the owner or person in charge to enter upon private lands and must include:

(i) the name and signature of the owner or person in charge;

(ii) the address and phone number of the owner or person in charge;

(iii) the name of the dog handler given permission to enter the private lands;

(iv) a brief description of the pursuit activity authorized;

(v) the appropriate dates; and

(vi) a general description of the property.

R657-10-3. License for Taking Cougar.

Pursuant to Title 23A, Chapter 19 Licenses, Permits, and Tags, any person who first obtains a valid hunting or combination license may hunt, pursue, or trap cougar during the time period for which the license is valid.

R657-10-4. Hunting Hours.

Except as provided in Rule R657-11, Taking Furbearers and Trapping, cougar may be taken or pursued only between one-half hour before official sunrise through one-half hour after official sunset.

R657-10-5. Firearms, Archery Equipment, Crossbows and Airguns.

(1) A person may only use weapons identified in Sections R657-5-8 through R657-5-11; or

(2) Rimfire firearms may be used as legal weapons if the cougar has been trapped and remains held in the trapping device.

R657-10-6. Traps and Trapping Devices.

Cougar may be taken by trapping in compliance with all Rule R657-11, Taking Furbearers and Trapping.

R657-10-7. State Parks.

(1) Hunting of wildlife is allowed within the boundaries of all state park areas except for those areas and hunts specifically closed by the Division of State Parks in Section R651-614-4.

(2) State laws regarding possession and discharge of dangerous weapons apply in state park areas open to hunting.

R657-10-8. Prohibited Methods.

(1) Cougar may be taken or pursued only during open seasons and using methods prescribed in Rule R657-11, Taking Furbearer and Trapping, and the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking cougar. Otherwise, under Title 23A, the Wildlife Resources Act, it is unlawful for any person to pursue, possess, capture, kill, injure, drug, rope, trap, snare or in any way harm or transport cougar.

(2)(a) A person may not pursue a single cougar in repeated pursuits such that it renders the cougar physically unable to escape.

(b) After a cougar has been pursued, chased, treed, cornered or held at bay, a person may not, in any manner, restrict or hinder the animal's ability to escape if the person does not intend to harvest the cougar.

(3) A person may not engage in a canned hunt.

(4) A person may not take any wildlife from an airplane or any other airborne vehicle or device or any motorized terrestrial or aquatic vehicle, including snowmobiles and other recreational vehicles.

(5) Electronic locating equipment may not be used to locate cougars wearing electronic radio devices.

(6)(a) A person may not place, maintain, or use a trail camera as prohibited in Section 23A-5-307;

(b) engage in the sale or purchase of trail camera or other non-handheld device media, including images, video, location, time, or date data to take, attempt to take, or aid in the take or attempted take of cougar; or

(c) engage in the storage and sale or purchase of stored media, including image, video, location, time or date data to take, attempt to take, or aid in the take or attempted take of cougar.

(7)(a) A person may not use any protected gps location data or protected radio collar data to locate, track, take, or retrieve or any attempt to locate, track, take, or retrieve cougar or their parts.

(b) For the purposes of this subsection, "protected" means "a record classified as protected under the Government Records Access and Management Act, Section 63G -2-305".

R657-10-9. Spotlighting.

(1) Except as provided in Section 23A-1-204:

(a) a person may not use or cast the rays of any spotlight, headlight or other artificial light to locate protected wildlife while having in possession a firearm or other weapon or device that could be used to take or injure protected wildlife; and

(b) the use of a spotlight or other artificial light in a field, woodland or forest where protected wildlife are generally found is prima facie evidence of attempting to locate protected wildlife.

(2) This section does not apply to the use of the headlights of a motor vehicle or other artificial light in a usual manner where there is no attempt or intent to locate protected wildlife.

R657-10-10. Party Hunting.

A person may not take a cougar for another person.

R657-10-11. Use of Dogs.

(1) Dogs may be used to take or pursue cougar only during open seasons as provided in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking cougar.

(2) A dog handler may pursue cougar provided they possess:

(a) a valid hunting or combination license issued to the dog handler; or

(b) the documentation and certifications required in Subsection R657-10-25(2) to pursue cougar for compensation.

(3) When dogs are used in the pursuit of a cougar, the licensed hunter intending to take the cougar must be present when the dogs are released and must continuously participate in the hunt thereafter until the hunt is completed.

(4) When dogs are used to take a cougar and there is not an open pursuit season, the dog handler must have:

(a) a valid hunting or combination license; or

(b)(i) the documentation and certifications required in Subsection R657-10-25(2) to pursue cougar for compensation; and

(ii) be accompanied, as provided in Subsection (3), by a paying client possessing a hunting or combination license.

(5) A dog handler may pursue cougar under:

(a) a valid hunting or combination license during the season and in the areas designated by the Wildlife Board in the guidebook open to pursuit; or

(b) the pursuit for compensation provisions in this rule only during the seasons and in the areas designated by the Wildlife Board in the guidebook open to pursuit.

(6)(a) An individual may not:

(i) release into the field more than the maximum number of dogs allowed in a single pursuit;

(ii) pursue a cougar with more than the maximum number of dogs allowed in a single pursuit, regardless of whether the individual owns or controls the dogs encountered in the field; or

(iii) harvest a cougar that was pursued using more than the allowable maximum number of dogs.

(b) An individual may not pursue or take a cougar using more than 16 dogs in a single pursuit.

(c) The maximum number of dogs allowed in a single pursuit is cumulative across all members of a hunting party, even if multiple members of the hunting party possess authorization to use dogs to pursue cougar.

(7)(a) A dog handler pursuing cougar may retrieve dogs that separate from the pack, provided the dog handler:

(i) takes reasonable steps to keep the pack together before and during pursuit;

(ii) separates from the license holder exclusively to retrieve stray dogs and does not attempt to actively pursue cougar during the retrieval process; and

(iii) immediately releases any cougar incidentally treed or held at bay by the stray dogs.

(b) Dogs that separate from the pack continue to count toward the maximum number of dogs allowable in pursuit.

(c) A dog handler retrieving stray dogs under this subsection must still possess the documentation initially required to use dogs to pursue cougar as provided in this rule.

R657-10-12. Tagging Requirements.

A person may not possess a cougar pelt or unskinned carcass without a valid permanent possession tag affixed to the pelt or unskinned carcass. This provision does not apply to a person in possession of a properly tagged carcass or pelt within 48 hours after the kill, provided the person was issued and is in possession of a valid hunting or combination license.

R657-10-13. Evidence of Sex and Age.

(1) Evidence of sex must remain attached to the carcass or pelt of each cougar until a permanent tag has been attached by the division.

(2) The pelt and skull must be presented to the division in an unfrozen condition to allow the division to gather management data.

(3) It is mandatory that a tooth (PM1) be removed by the division at the time of permanent tagging to be used for aging purposes.

(4) The division may seize any pelt not accompanied by its skull or not having sufficient evidence of biological sex designation attached.

R657-10-14. Permanent Tag.

(1)(a) Each cougar must be taken by the license holder to a conservation officer or division office within 48 hours after the date of kill to have a permanent possession tag affixed to the pelt or unskinned carcass and for the removal of a tooth.

(b) After regular business hours, on weekends, or on holidays, a conservation officer may be reached by contacting the local police dispatch office.

(2) A person may not possess a green pelt after the 48-hour check-in period, or ship a green pelt out of Utah, or present a green pelt to a taxidermist if the green pelt does not have a permanent possession tag attached.

(3) The location of harvest and a tooth sample must be provided to the division during the check-in process.

R657-10-15. Transporting Cougar.

(1) Within 48 hours of legally harvesting a cougar, a person may transport the cougar if they possess a valid license.

(2) A person transporting a cougar beyond 48 hours after legally harvesting a cougar must possess a valid license and a permanent possession tag described in Section R657-10-13.

R657-10-16. Exporting Cougar from Utah.

(1) A person may export a legally taken cougar or its parts if that person has a valid license and the cougar is properly tagged with a permanent possession tag.

(2) A person may not ship or cause to be shipped from Utah, a cougar pelt without first obtaining a shipping permit issued by an authorized division representative.

R657-10-17. Donating.

(1) A person may donate protected wildlife or their parts to another person as provided in Section 23A-1-205.

(2) A green pelt of any cougar donated to another person must have a permanent possession tag affixed.

(3) The written statement of donation must be retained with the pelt.

R657-10-18. Purchasing or Selling.

(1) Legally obtained, green or tanned cougar hides may be purchased or sold.

(2) A person may not purchase, sell, offer for sale, or barter a tooth, claw, paw, or skull of any cougar except hides with claws attached may be sold.

R657-10-19. Waste of Wildlife.

(1) A person may not waste or permit to be wasted or spoiled any protected wildlife or their parts.

(2) The skinned carcass of a cougar may be left in the field and does not constitute waste of wildlife.

R657-10-20. Livestock Depredation and Human Health and Safety.

(1) If a cougar is harassing, chasing, disturbing, harming, attacking or killing livestock, or has committed such an act within the past 96 hours:

(a) in depredation cases, the livestock owner, an immediate family member or an employee of the owner on a regular payroll, and not hired specifically to take cougar, may kill the cougar;

(b) a landowner or livestock owner may notify the division of the depredation or human health and safety concerns, who shall authorize a local hunter to take the offending cougar or notify a state trapper with the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) specialist; or

(2) Depredating cougar may be taken at any time by a state trapper, supervised by the Predator Control Program, while acting in the performance of the person's assigned duties and in accordance with procedures approved by the division.

(3)(a) A depredating cougar may be taken by those persons authorized in Subsection (1)(a) with:

(i) any weapon authorized for taking cougar; or

(ii) with the use of traps or snares.

(4)(a) Any cougar taken under Subsection (1)(a) or (4)(a) shall remain the property of the state and must be reported to a division office or employee within 96 hours.

(b) The division may issue a cougar damage permit to a person who has killed a depredating cougar under Subsection (1)(a) that authorizes the person to keep the carcass.

(c) A person that takes a cougar under Subsection (1)(a) or (4)(a) may acquire and use a hunting or combination license in the same year.

R657-10-21. Survey.

Each license holder who is contacted for a survey about their cougar hunting experience should participate in the survey regardless of success. Participation in the survey helps the division evaluate population trends, harvest success and collect other valuable information.

R657-10-22. Taking Cougar.

(1) A person may not:

(a) take or pursue a female cougar with a kitten; or

(b) repeatedly pursue, chase, tree, corner, or hold at bay, the same cougar during the same day after the cougar has been released.

(2) Any cougar may be taken during the prescribed seasons, except a kitten or any cougar accompanied by one or more kittens.

(3) A person may not take a cougar wearing a radio or GPS collar on any unit identified in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking cougar as being closed to the take of collared animals.

R657-10-23. Wildlife Management Areas.

(1) A person may not use motor vehicles on division-owned wildlife management areas closed to motor vehicle use during the winter without first obtaining written authorization from the appropriate division regional office.

(2) The division may, in its sole discretion, authorize limited motor vehicle access to its wildlife management areas closed to such use during the winter provided:

(a) the person seeking access to retrieve a cougar in the area;

(b) motor vehicle access is necessary to effectively hunt or pursue a cougar; and