Upcoming events

Fish With a Biologist

Join the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources for a fun and educational morning at Recapture Reservoir.  This is a great opportunity to meet DWR fisheries biologists and learn more about fishing in southeastern Utah. You’ll also hear about other exciting projects underway at Recapture Reservoir.

Whether you're an experienced angler or just getting started, this event is perfect for all ages and skill levels.

What to expect

Location: Recapture Reservoir (meet at the boat ramp)

Learn the basics: Get expert tips on fishing techniques, recommended gear, lure selection, and the best fishing spots in local reservoirs.

Equipment: Fishing gear will be available, but participants are encouraged to bring their own.

License requirement: Anyone age 12 and older who plans to fish must have a valid fishing license.

Come cast a line, ask questions and enjoy a day by the water.

Event contacts

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

Calvin Black | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | 435-650-5106

In partnership with the Wasatch Audubon Society, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is hosting a series of workshops to help those of all ages to learn about birds and birding in Utah.

Join us Saturday, April 25, as representatives from the Wasatch Audubon Society will lead a Birds 101 workshop focused on best practices for how to look for birds, also known as birding. Attendees can expect to:

• Learn how to use binoculars
• Bird identification
• Discover how to go birding on the nature trail

The workshop will be held in the L.S. Skaggs Discovery Classroom at the Eccles Wildlife Education Center and last approximately 90 minutes. A parent or guardian must accompany attendees.

Registration is required for this event. There is no cost to attend, but we ask participants to bring nonperishable canned food items to donate to the Bountiful Food Pantry. This special opportunity allows you to give back to the community while learning about birds, and it supports local individuals and families in need.

Space is limited to 25 attendees. We ask that you only sign up if you fully intend to participate.

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 relaxed way to connect with other nature lovers? Join us for a birding social hour — a casual meet-up for adults who enjoy good conversation, fresh air, and a shared appreciation for wildlife.

An experienced birder will guide the group on a walk around our wetlands trail — typically about 1.5 miles. Whether you’re new to birding or already have a life list, this is a great way to unwind, learn something new, and meet other people who enjoy the outdoors. This month, we’re focusing on the cinnamon teal, a type of duck that is a seasonal visitor to the wetlands.

This event is free to attend, but we ask guests to bring a non-perishable canned food item to donate. We’ve partnered with the Bountiful Food Pantry to support those facing food insecurity in our community.

🔭 Binoculars provided

🍃 Bring a friend — or come solo and meet someone new

👥 Ages 18+

📍 Meet at the Conservation Hall

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..

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Cache Archers are teaming up to offer an archery clinic for those who already have a compound bow, but not much experience using it.

Experienced archers will guide you through this fun and information-packed clinic where you will:

• Learn how to tune your bow for optimal performance.
• Become familiar with your archery equipment.
• Learn techniques to shoot effectively.
• Participate in a shoot on a 3D archery course.
• Learn about local archery clubs, leagues and shoots to continue improving your skills.

This clinic is for individuals 12 years or older who have their own archery equipment but very little experience using it. Only a limited number of spots are available, and you must preregister to attend. Participants ages 12-16 must be accompanied by an adult.

What to expect:

• You must bring your own compound archery equipment, arrows with field tips only (no broadheads) and release aid if you use one.
• Please dress appropriately for the weather. There will be some mud.
• Please arrive 15-30 minutes before the event starts and be ready to go with your archery equipment at 2 p.m.

Cache Archers will host their annual Hardware Ranch Classic Shoot at the same time the clinic is held. If you would like to participate in the shoot, please visit the Cache Archers Facebook page to learn more!

Event contact:

Rachael Tuckett | 801-866-6106 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

World Migratory Bird Day at Eccles Wildlife Education Center

To celebrate this year’s World Migratory Bird Day, we want to connect you with Utah’s vibrant outdoor social organizations that are dedicated to helping people enjoy the outdoors in settings that foster safety, friendship and belonging.

Stop by and learn how you can get involved with a community organization. We are also offering mini-workshops on how to use the popular birding app, eBird. Birding apps, like eBird, can help you take your bird-watching to the next level. Plus, you can participate in Utah's new Birding Slam. Workshops will begin at 11 a.m. and start at the top of each hour, with the final session at 2 p.m.

What to expect:

• Meet outdoor-focused organizations you can get involved with.
• Attend an eBird workshop to learn how to use the popular birding app.
• Learn about the Utah Birding Slam challenge.
• Learn about seasonal bird migration in a friendly setting while enjoying time outdoors.

Learn more about the Utah Birding Slam here.

This free event will be held at the education center on May 9, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Although the event is free, we encourage attendees to bring a nonperishable canned food item to donate to the Bountiful Food Pantry to help support our local community. Please visit our Eventbrite page for more details and register today!

Event Contact

Hayley Pace | 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