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Note: Combined black bear and cougar guidebook
Utah's requirements and field regulations for bear and cougar hunting and pursuit are very similar. To consolidate information for bear and cougar hunters, we are combining these guidebooks beginning with the 2025 Utah Black Bear and Cougar Guidebook. This merge will also reduce costs for printing and distribution of guidebooks in years to come.
Black bears
Information about hunting and pursuing black bears in Utah
Black Bear and Cougar Guidebook
The Utah Black Bear and Cougar Guidebook summarizes the laws and rules that govern black bear and cougar hunting and pursuit in Utah. The guidebook is designed to be a quick, convenient reference document for hunting regulations. You can use the references in the guidebook to search for the detailed statute or administrative rules (see R657-33 and R657-10) that underpin the guidebook summary.
Previous editions
View guidebook updates
— Important changes and corrections made after the guidebook was printed.
Corrections
Page 17: In the Bear pursuit season dates (units not designated as restricted) table in the guidebook, the fall season dates incorrectly included an early limited-entry hunt date range that does not apply to those hunts, as well as an asterisk referencing season dates for the Book Cliffs, Bitter Creek/South unit, which is a restricted pursuit unit.
The incorrect dates and footnote were deleted from the digital edition of the guidebook. The correct fall bear pursuit season dates (for units not designated as restricted) remain the same as printed: Nov. 3-9, 2025.
The online edition of the guidebook has been edited to reflect these updates.
Maps
Black bear drawing results
Black bear harvest information
Black bear management plan
Black bear hunter orientation
- Take the online Utah Bear Orientation Course
Other black bear information
- Trail camera regulations
- Safety in black bear country
- Black Bears of Utah's East Tavaputs Plateau (Bookcliffs area) — PDF
