Upcoming events

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife are offering a free pheasant hunt for beginner hunters on the Pahvant Wildlife Management Area near Fillmore, Utah. SFW is providing the birds so that novice hunters will have an increased opportunity to successfully harvest pheasants.

Requirements:

• Participants must be a novice hunter with three years or less of hunting experience.
• The hunt is limited to 100 hunters (50 per session). Hunters must register in advance to attend.
• Hunters must verify they have completed hunter education or have a trial hunting program number, as well as a valid hunting or combination license.
• All participants (including observers) must have a ticket and agree to the online waiver.

What to expect:

• Please arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled hunt to attend the safety briefing and disperse before shooting begins.
• The morning session will start at 8 a.m. (arrive by 7:30 a.m.) and the afternoon session will begin at 1 p.m. (arrive by 12:30 p.m.).
• Everyone going afield, youth or adults, must wear hunter orange on their head and body.
• All participants must have a ticket and sign the waiver form provided. This includes adults attending to supervise youth, observers/helpers staying at the event to provide transportation, dog handlers and all youth who will be hunting. No one will be permitted at the event unless they have a ticket and have agreed to the online waiver.
• Please review —and download to your phone — the 2025–2026 Utah Upland Game & Turkey Guidebook for bag and possession limits. https://wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks/upland_turkey_guidebook.pdf
• We welcome your feedback! Supervising adults and adult participants will be emailed a survey within a week after your hunt occurs. Please check your emails the week following the hunt to provide your much-appreciated feedback.

Note: Do not bring dogs that are not well-trained for upland game hunting. If dogs create an unsafe or poor hunting environment, they must be restrained or removed from the location by their handler.

Directions:

From the south: Take I-15 north to Fillmore. Take the South Fillmore exit (163) and turn west on W. 850 South. Continue west for about 12 miles, then turn right (north) on 2800 West. Continue north; 2800 West becomes state Highway 100. Turn east on W. 4700 North between mile marker 10 and 11; continue to the top of the hill.

From the north: Take I-15 south to Holden. Take the North Holden exit (178) and turn west, staying on Highway 50 (You have to take a right just before Holden to stay on Hwy 50). Turn South on Highway 100. Turn east between mile marker 10 and 11; continue to the top of the hill.

The link below will show where the WMA is located:

https://goo.gl/maps/EtucsFvM18eND1zV6

For questions or registration issues, please contact Johnny at 435-868-8756 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For directions or questions on the day of the hunt, contact Lynn Zubeck at 435-691-5703.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife are hosting a free youth pheasant hunt at the Annabella Wildlife Management Area. SFW will provide birds so that novice youth hunters can have an increased opportunity to successfully harvest pheasants.

Requirements:

• Youth participants must be 17 years of age or younger to attend.
• The hunt is limited to 60 youth hunters (30 per session). Hunters must register in advance to attend.
• Youth hunters must verify they have completed hunter education or have a trial hunting program number, as well as a valid hunting or combination license.
• All participants must have a ticket and sign the waiver form provided. This includes adults attending to supervise youth, observers/helpers staying at the event to provide transportation, dog handlers and all youth who will be hunting. No one will be permitted at the event unless they have a ticket and have agreed to the online waiver.

Be prepared:

• Please arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled hunt to check in, attend the safety briefing, pick up prize drawing tickets, practice shooting clay pigeons and disperse before shooting begins.
• Participants are expected to bring their own firearms, ammunition and safety equipment for practice and the hunt.
• Please review and download to your phone the 2025–26 Utah Upland Game & Turkey Guidebook for bag and possession limits.
• Do not bring dogs that are not well-trained for upland game hunting. If dogs create an unsafe or poor hunting environment, they must be restrained or removed from the location by their handler.

What to expect:

• Paul Niemeyer, the hunt leader, will take you to the hunting location after your safety briefing and practice.
• The morning session will start at 8 a.m. (arrive by 7:30 a.m.) and the afternoon session will begin at 1 p.m. (arrive by 12:30 p.m.).
• Everyone going afield (this includes both youth and adults) must wear hunter orange on their head and body.
• Free lunch will be provided at noon for both sessions, so please bring a camp chair.
• You will be emailed a survey within a week after your hunt occurs. Please check your email to provide your much-appreciated feedback.

Directions:

From the south: Start north on Interstate Highway 15. Turn onto I-70 (exit 132), heading east toward Richfield/Denver. Take exit 31 toward Elsinore. Turn right onto Main Street. Just east of town, take a right at the fork (Central Boulevard). Continue on Central Boulevard as it curves north through the town of Central Valley. Take a right onto 700 North/Nebeker Lane. If you get to 1200 East, you’ve gone too far.

From the north: Start south on Interstate Highway 15. Take exit 188, toward Scipio. Turn left onto 400 North. Turn right onto State Street/U.S. Route 50 East. Turn right onto state Route 260. Turn right onto state Route 24, and continue onto state Route 118. Turn left onto Elk Horn Road. Take the next right onto 1150 East, then left onto Annabella Road. Turn right onto 700 North/Nebeker Lane. If you get to Main Street, you’ve gone too far.

Link to location of WMA: https://goo.gl/maEbvmPqPxq289wEfXAps/

Pre-event Contact:

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

For questions or directions on the day of the hunt:

Vance Mumford | 435-979-2919.

Beginner Birding-Moab

Have you heard about the new Utah Birding Slam*? Are you interested in learning about the fascinating world of bird-watching? Join us for Beginner Birding — Moab! This free in-person event is perfect for those who are new to birding or just want to explore the diverse bird species in the Moab area. Our experienced biologist will lead you on a beginner-friendly bird-watching excursion, where you'll have the chance to spot a variety of local and migratory birds. Don't miss this opportunity to learn more about the birds that call Moab home.

What to expect:

· We will meet Lion’s Park in Moab at 8 a.m. (1850 N Hwy 191, Moab, UT 84532) where our biologist will give a tutorial on how to use the eBird app and how to participate in the Birding Slam.

· After the tutorial we will caravan to Grandstaff Canyon Trail to begin birding.

· Those who are interested in completing the beginner Birding Slam will be able to do so by the end of this event.

· We will be hiking along the Grandstaff Canyon trail. The event will end at 11 a.m.

We may spot the red-tailed hawk, northern flicker, Woodhouse's scrub-jay, canyon wren, and spotted towhee, just to name a few of the bird species.

What to Bring:

· Binoculars, if possible.

· Lightweight gloves and clothing suitable for the outside weather.

· Footwear appropriate for hiking.

· Water.

· A smartphone. if you plan to participate in the Utah Birding Slam you will need a smartphone with the eBird app and your Birding Slam registration that can be purchased online or from any DWR license agent.

Event Contact:

Ashley Kennedy | 435-630-2484 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

*The Utah Birding Slam is a simple way to add a little more fun to your bird-watching or "birding" — whether you're a beginner, an expert or somewhere in between.

The funds raised by the Utah Birding Slam will help support a variety of habitat improvement and research projects. These efforts will benefit many species, including the birds you enjoy watching.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife are hosting a free pheasant hunt for beginners (youth and adults) at the Santaquin Wildlife Management Area in Utah County. Hunting mentors will be releasing pen-raised rooster pheasants prior to each hunt session so that novice hunters will have an increased opportunity to successfully harvest pheasants.

Requirements:

• Participants must have one year or less of hunting experience and also must not have participated in this event (or other DWR pheasant hunts) in previous years.
• The hunt is limited to 32 hunters (16 per session). Hunters must register in advance to attend.
• Hunters must verify they have completed hunter education or have a trial hunting program number, as well as a valid hunting or combination license.
• All participants must have a ticket and agree to the online waiver. This includes hunters, adults attending to supervise hunters, observers/mentors staying at the event to provide transportation, volunteers and dog handlers.
• Youth sessions are for those 11-17 years old. The adult session is for hunters aged 18 and older. All sessions are for hunters with less than one year experience.
• Only one adult can accompany each novice hunter into the field. The adult accompanying the novice hunter may not hunt.
• Do not bring dogs to this event.

Be prepared:

• Please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled hunt to get checked in.
• All participants must bring their own shotgun, ammunition, hunter orange, and safety equipment (ear and eye protection). Lead shot is permitted on the Santaquin WMA. Please make sure all firearms are unloaded upon arrival.
• Please review — and download to your phone — the Utah Upland Game and Turkey Guidebook for bag and possession limits.

What to expect:

• Each session will be roughly 2.5 hours long. There will be a 40-minute safety briefing and firearm check, followed by a 15-minute staging period where hunters will pair up with a mentor and make their way to their designated hunting area. Hunters will have approximately 1 hour to hunt followed by a 20-minute wrap-up period at the end.
• The adult session will start at 9:30 a.m. (arrive by 9:15 a.m.).
• The youth session will start at 12:30 p.m. (arrive by 12:15 p.m.).
• Everyone going afield, youth or adults, must wear hunter orange on their head and body.
• Each novice hunter (and their adult companion, if applicable) will be paired with one of the other novice hunters. A trained hunting mentor will accompany each group. There will be four hunters and two hunting mentors per each of the four hunting areas.
• You will be emailed a survey within a week after your hunt occurs. Please check your email to provide your much-appreciated feedback.

Directions:

Please meet at the northern Santaquin WMA parking area. Take exit 242 from I-15, continue east on Summit Ridge Pakway until you reach the parking lot: https://maps.app.goo.gl/z21uxTHRT1Uwydw67

The links below shows the area of the Santaquin WMA we will be hunting:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14z3joKJYY4rhekWr4MtXZJz_sHn57QaB/view?usp=sharing

Pre-Event Contact:

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

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

For directions or questions on the day of the hunt:

Michael Packer | 385-225-4322

Beginner Birding

Have you heard about the Utah Division of Wildlife’s new Birding Slam*? Or ever been interested in “birding”? Join us for this free Beginner Birding event where local biologists will teach you the basics of birding and how to get started.

What to expect:

· We will meet at the Division of Wildlife Resources office in Price at 8 a.m. (319 N. Carbonville Road, Price, UT 84501) where our biologist will give a tutorial on how to use the eBird app and how to participate in the Utah Birding Slam.

· After the tutorial, we will caravan to Wood Hill in Price for some hands-on experience.

· Those who are interested in completing the beginner Birding Slam will be able to do so by the end of this event.

· The event will end at 11 a.m. but you can spend as much time birding as your schedule allows.

· We may see species like the pinyon jay, mountain bluebird, house finch, juniper titmouse and golden eagle during our outing.

What to Bring:

· Binoculars, if possible.

· Lightweight gloves and clothing suitable for the outside weather.

· Sturdy footwear. (We will be hiking some trails in the Wood Hill area.)

· A smartphone. if you plan to participate in the Utah Birding Slam you will need a smartphone with the eBird app and your Birding Slam registration that can be purchased online or from any DWR license agent.

Event Contact:

Ashley Kennedy | 435-630-2484 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

*The Utah Birding Slam is a simple way to add a little more fun to your bird-watching or "birding" — whether you're a beginner, an expert or somewhere in between.

The funds raised by the Utah Birding Slam will help support a variety of habitat improvement and research projects. These efforts will benefit many species, including the birds you enjoy watching.

Join the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources for a free Mule Deer Watch at the Nash Wash Wildlife Management Area. November is a great time to observe mule deer because of the rut, a period when deer are mating. During this time, deer are less concerned with human presence and are easier to watch and photograph.

What to expect:

• Participants will watch and learn about mule deer behavior!
• We will meet in a pullout north of I-70 at 3 p.m. We will then caravan 12 miles down a groomed dirt road to the Nash Wash WMA located near the southern tip of the South Book Cliffs. Four wheel drive will not be necessary.
• We will be watching the fields on the property as well as the surrounding hillsides for mule deer.
• If we’re lucky, we might also see turkeys, chukars or even a black bear.
• Cell coverage is limited in this area.

Be prepared:

• This event is limited to the first 75 people who register.
• Attendees should bring coats, boots, snacks, water, cameras and binoculars.
• There are no restrooms available on site.
• The nearest gas station is approximately 35 miles away in Thompson.
• This event is weather dependent; rain or snow can make the road impassable. Keep an eye on your email for event updates.

Directions:

We will meet in a pullout north of I-70 (about 6 miles west of Cisco). From I-70, take exit 204 onto Frontage Road. The pullout is north of I-70 on the northeast side of Frontage Road. From there, we will drive to Nash Wash WMA.

Meeting location

Map of Nash Wash WMA

Event Contact:

Ashley Kennedy | 435-630-2484 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.