Upcoming events

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is hosting a free clinic covering essential turkey hunting skills and techniques for hunting turkeys this spring in Utah.

DWR biologist, Aaron Sisson, will cover the fundamentals of turkey hunting, share tips to help improve hunter success, increase your confidence stepping out into the field and answer your turkey hunting questions!

What to expect:

• Turkey habitat and biology
• Hunting equipment
• Rules and regulations
• Turkey calls
• Decoys and hunting strategy
• Shotguns - patterning, shot placement, etc.

Aaron is an incredible turkey hunter. He has a passion and excitement for wildlife and hunting that's infectious. His knowledge makes this clinic one you won't want to miss!

We hope to see you there!

Event Contact:

Nicole Passeri | 385-277-2966 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Michael Packer | 385-225-4322 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Get ready to explore the exciting world of wildlife migration! Join us for a deep dive into animal movement with Makeda Hanson, coordinator of the Utah Wildlife Migration Initiative. Since 2017, this initiative has tracked, mapped and protected the vital migration routes animals use to travel across land and water. We’ll discuss GPS collars, animal "highways" and the innovations that help keep Utah’s wildlife on the move.

In this session, Makeda will provide an overview of the initiative's goals and its significant impact on wildlife conservation efforts in our state. Don’t miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding of wildlife migration and the vital role we play in conserving our natural habitats!

The seminar is free, but we ask attendees to bring a nonperishable canned food item to donate to the Bountiful Food Pantry to help support our local community.

What to Expect:

• A comprehensive overview of Utah’s Wildlife Migration Initiative and its objectives.
• Insights into the methodologies used to identify and safeguard essential wildlife movement corridors.
• A demonstration of cutting-edge technology — such as GPS collaring — utilized for wildlife tracking.
• Engaging real-world examples that illustrate how this valuable data is applied to support conservation efforts in Utah.

Join us for a full day of shooting sports events and clinics to help you improve your skills on the range and in the field! Learn how to get your .22 rifle on target, improve grips and stance with your handgun, see dogs and their trainers in action, try out archery equipment and more!

What to expect

• All ages are welcome at the open house! Youth ages 16 and younger must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
• .22 Caliber rifles and ammunition will be available for the .22 marksmanship and spinner activities. For the shotgun ranges, only 7 ½-, 8- or 9-shot sizes are authorized.
• Eye and ear protection are required for any events on the shooting range. You may purchase some at the event if you would like, but there will not be any available for free use.
• Dress comfortably. We have an outdoor range, so please dress appropriately for the weather.
• All participants in any shooting event must fill out an event waiver when signing up.
• The event includes ADA-accessible activities.

Schedule of events, demonstrations and clinics

Join us for hands-on activities and demonstrations throughout the day. All shooting range activities are first come, first served. Please be aware there may be wait times for some events.

• 9 a.m.–noon: .22 rifle marksmanship and spinner course on the Hunter Ed Range
• 9 a.m.–noon: Muzzleloader demonstrations on the Specialty Range
• All day: Dog training demonstrations at the Lee Kay Demo Pond
• All day: Mini-archery challenge
• All day: Trap and skeet informational clinics
• And more!

Exhibitors and event sponsors

Exhibitors and event sponsors will be on hand all day to answer your questions, share tips and demonstrate equipment!

• Wasatch Hunt Retriever Club
• Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
• Mountain Men of the Wasatch
• Wild Arrow Archery

Event contact: Daniel Gutierrez | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ever wondered how your choice of ammo ripples through the ecosystem? Join us for a live shooting demonstration — focused on lead-free hunting ammunition — where we bridge the gap between high-performance ballistics and wildlife conservation. 

The North American Lead-Free Partnership, along with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, will share insights and demonstrate the performance of lead-free and other modern hunting ammunition. We will be on hand to answer questions about terminal performance, the science behind reducing unintended lead ingestion by scavenging wildlife and opportunities for Utah hunters.

Whether you’re a hunter, outdoor enthusiast or simply interested in wildlife conservation, this demonstration is a great opportunity to learn more about how hunting ammunition choices can help protect wildlife and support healthy ecosystems.

Things to remember:

• Participants are encouraged to bring their own eye and ear protection.
• This event will be held outdoors at a public shooting range with no facilities

Contact

Danielle Finlayson| 801-231-1911 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Join us for Great Blue Heron Viewing Day at the Eccles Wildlife Education Center. Herons began arriving in February and will continue to raise their young until they fledge in June. April is one of the best months to see the herons with their chicks!

During the event, you can find DWR staff and education center volunteers in the parking lot near the heron rookery, along with spotting scopes and a life-size replica of a nesting platform. You will have the opportunity to see the size of great blue heron nests up close. Additionally, there will be craft egg decorating for kids in the Wetland Discovery Classroom, while supplies last. 

Rocky Mountain Power, which played a key role in constructing the rookery, will also be present to answer questions about how this type of structure protects power infrastructure while helping to conserve wildlife.

What to expect:

• Viewing of great blue herons and their babies.
• Utah DWR staff will be on site to provide information on great blue herons.
• Family-friendly activities and crafts, including egg decorating!
• We will have viewing scopes and binoculars available for use but you are welcome to bring your own too!

The event is free, but we ask attendees to bring a nonperishable canned food item to donate to the Bountiful Food Pantry to help support our local community.

Event contact:

Hayley Pace | 385-515-6447 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

In partnership with Utah's Every Kid Outdoors Initiative

Join expert biologists with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources for an up-close look at one of the state’s most fascinating reptiles — the desert tortoise! This family-friendly event will be held at the Chuckwalla Trailhead in Snow Canyon State Park on April 25th, from 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

What to expect:

• Up-close encounter with a desert tortoise.
• Biologists on-site to answer questions about the desert tortoise's natural history, behavior and biology.
• Kids can participate to earn their Observe Wildlife Badge as part of Utah's Every Kid Outdoors Initiative.
• An educational, family-friendly event.
• A deepened appreciation for Utah’s wildlife.

Keep in mind:

• Participants attending the event will have the Snow Canyon State Park fee waived.

What to bring:

• Weather-appropriate clothing
• Drinking water

See you there!

Event Contact:

Johnny Neil at 435-868-8756 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Looking for a great way to get the kids outdoors? Join Steinaker State Park, Disabled Outdoorsmen Utah and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources for our 2026 Youth Fishing Event! This free family-friendly event is open to everyone, even if your kids have never fished before. The DWR will provide tackle and fishing poles to those who do not have equipment. The state park entrance fee is free for vehicles as long as they have youth fishing participants in the vehicle.

Registration:

• Registration will close on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. All participants (including supervising adults) MUST be registered before competing in the fishing event.

• This event is FREE.

Rules:

• Participants must check in at the registration station in the parking lot near the boat ramp of Steinaker State Park area prior to the event. Check in will start at 6:30 a.m. Ensure you are checked in prior to the start of the event at 8:00 a.m.

• Fishing will start at 8 a.m. and end at noon. Fish must be turned in no later than 12:00 p.m. to be processed for the drawings.

• All youth will be entered into the drawings for the sponsor-provided prizes and will get an additional prize entry for each species of fish caught.

• The tournament will be organized into three age brackets: 8 and under, 9-13 years old and 14-17 years old.

• All participants must possess a valid fishing license except youth under the age of 12.

• All rules of the 2026 Utah Fishing Guidebook must be followed: https://wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks/fishing_guidebook_2026.pdf

• Poor sportsmanship, cheating, any type of foul play or failure to comply with the rules will result in an immediate disqualification from the event.

Join us at the boat launch shortly after noon for the announcement of the results and prizes.

Event Contacts:
Tonya Kieffer-Selby | (801) 995-2972 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Anthony Christianson | (435) 828-0008 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

It's that time of year again! The Utah Hunting Skills Challenge will take place May 15-16, with events at the Cache Valley Public Shooting Range in Logan. This fun, hands-on challenge is a great event for target shooters of all ages and skill levels. If you've completed a hunter education course, you're eligible to participate!

Please register on our Eventbrite page by May 8, as registering early helps us finalize the details to make this our best event yet. However, registration will remain open until May 15.

Participation

Due to the amount of equipment and staffing required to host the event, we require a minimum of 35 participants. The number of participants will determine how many stations we set up. We will send an email the week before the event to inform those who’ve registered what changes (if any) will take place.

Cost

$35 per participant. Please register via Eventbrite with a credit card.

NOTE: We will accept cash for those who choose to pay on the day of the event. Please bring exact change.

As a special incentive, if an adult who has participated in a past year also registers a first-time youth competitor, they can get $10 off their registration! Please contact Tristan Doyle at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information and to receive your $10 off.

Schedule of events

Friday, May 15: Cache Valley Public Shooting Range

• 2–5 p.m.: Check in, registration and written exam. Come to the Cache Valley Public Shooting Range main building to finish your registration. Once that’s complete, you will immediately take the written exam.

• 5 p.m.: Dinner will be provided for all participants.

• 5:30 p.m.–close: K-9 demonstration and activities. This is an opportunity to see talented K-9s in action and to visit with other participants. Information will also be provided for those who want to explore Logan and the surrounding area.

Saturday, May 16: Cache Valley Public Shooting Range

• 7:30–9 a.m.: Late registration, wildlife identification and written exam
• 9 a.m.: Opening ceremony

• 9:15 a.m.:. We will break into our groups and rotations to finish the remaining events.

• TBA: Awards ceremony. When everyone has finished their events, we will hold an awards ceremony. (The ceremony location is still to be determined, but we will have all the information for you when you arrive to complete registration.)

Note: Dinner will be provided for participants on Friday night. Lunch will be provided for participants on Saturday. Family members may purchase additional meal tickets for $10 per person. Please reach out to Tristan Doyle for more information.

Rules and regulations

There will be eight event stations set up. (This could change, depending on the number of participants who register.) Participants will bring their specific equipment for each event. If a participant does not have their own equipment, some will be provided for them to use. You can find the official rules for specific events and equipment limitations on the YHEC regional rules page. Participants will be eligible to compete in the NRA National Youth Hunter Education Challenge competition held this year in Bentonville, Arkansas.

For more information and practice help, visit the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Hunting Skills Challenge resource page.

The following events will take place:

.22 long rifle

This event will consist of six stations, where five shots will be taken at each station (for a total of 30 shots). Shots will range from 0-75 yards. Each station may use a different shooting position (standing, kneeling, sitting and prone). Stations may use props or shooting scenarios (standing using a post, tripods, shooting from a ground blind, prone using a log, etc.). Targets will be standard rimfire silhouette targets (i.e., chicken, turkey, pig and ram).

Shotgun

This will be a sporting clays-style competition. Expect clay targets to be thrown from all directions. Most targets will be true doubles, but some report pairs (second bird is launched at the sound of the first shot) may be thrown. A total of 30 shots will be taken. The best practice for this would be 5-stand or a walk-through sporting clays course.

Muzzleloader

The muzzleloader event will consist of 10-12 shots. You will shoot at metal silhouettes or knockdown-style targets. Shot distances will range between 0-75 yards. Each station may use a different shooting position (standing, kneeling, sitting and prone). Stations may use props or shooting scenarios (standing using a post, tripods, shooting from a ground blind, prone using a log, etc.). There may be a separate written exam at this station.

Archery

The archery event will be a walk through a 3D-style course. Targets will range from 0-40 yards. A total of 30 shots will be scored. Scoring will use the traditional 3D rings and will be scored 10-8-5. Targets will be standard Delta or Reinhart targets. Rangefinders are not allowed.

Written exam

The written exam will consist of 60 questions. All questions will be taken from The Utah Hunter Education Student Manual and Utah’s hunting regulation guidebooks. The questions will go over everything from ethics to information on wildlife species. This will not be an open book test, so be sure to study. Contact Steven Bassett, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., for your free copy of The Utah Hunter Education Student Manual.

Safety trail

The safety trail is designed to test a hunter’s ability to make safe and ethical decisions. It will go over basic safety scenarios and have you react to each of them. You will find anything from crossing a fence or ditch properly to encountering animals in the wild. You may even be tested on judging an animal's distance in yards.

Orienteering

Orienteering is the ability to use a map and compass. You will be tested on how well you can use a compass to find waypoints, along with how well you read a map to find different landmarks. Traditional and modern technology methods will be used.

Wildlife identification

Wildlife identification is the ability to identify the game animals of North America. You might encounter all sorts of things, from scat and tracks to a small piece of fur, skulls or bones. You can prepare by studying The Hunter's Guide and by visiting different areas that have taxidermy mounts. Contact Tristan Doyle (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)for your free copy of The Hunter’s Guide.

Divisions

• Junior division: Participants who are younger than 15 years old. Individuals who will turn 15 on or before Aug. 15 will be in the senior division.

• Senior division: Ages 15 to 18 years old.

• Adult/alumni division: Age 19 and above. Open to any adult who would like to compete.

Prizes

Overall prize eligibility is limited to registrants who observe all safety rules and event regulations.

Prizes will be awarded in each of the following categories:

Junior division

• First through fifth place in the individual events
• Top five overall

Senior division

• First through fifth place in the individual events
• Top five overall

Adult/alumni division

• First through third place

This event will be held regardless of the weather, so please dress accordingly.

Event lodging

Dry camping options are available. Please contact Steven Bassett for more information.

Event contacts:

Steven Bassett | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | 435-770-9077

Tristan Doyle | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | 385-260-5850