Details: Last Updated: Tuesday, March 7, 2023, 12:16 pm

Black bears

Information about hunting and pursuing black bears in Utah

Black Bear Guidebook

The Utah DWR Black Bear Guidebook summarizes the laws and rules that govern black bear hunting 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 rule that underpins the guidebook summary.

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Previous editions

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— Important changes and corrections made after the guidebook was printed.

Corrections

page 27: In the Bear baiting, using bait section of the printed guidebook, the list of disallowed materials should include metal. The following change (noted in red) has been made to the digital edition of this guidebook:

"Bait may not be contained in—nor can it include—any metal, glass, porcelain, plastic, cardboard or paper."

Due to an inconsistency in RAC presentation materials, the printed edition of the guidebook lists the closing date for the spring hound hunt and opening date of the summer bait season as May 30, 2023. The Utah Wildlife Board intended that the closing date for the spring hound hunt and opening date of the summer bait season should be May 29 (to overlap on Memorial Day, 2023). The following changes (noted here in red) have been made to the digital edition of this guidebook to reflect this correction.

page 3: Bait season changes: The board also eliminated the fall bait season so that it will not overlap with seasons allowing dogs. (It is illegal to use both bait and hounds at the same time during the same hunt.) The only season that allows bait is the summer limited-entry season, May 29–June 30, 2023, on specified hunt units. See the hunt tables beginning on page 36 for more information.

page 6: KEY DATES
Pursuit season dates (units not designated as restricted)
Spring April 1–May 29, 2023

Pursuit season dates for restricted pursuit units:
Spring (all three units, restricted only for nonresidents) April 1–May 29, 2023

page 36: Spring limited-entry hunts table
update end date on all hunts to April 1–May 29

page 37: Summer limited-entry hunts table
update start date on all hunts to May 29–June 30

page 38: Summer limited-entry hunts table, continued
update start date on all three hunts to May 29–June 30

page 42: Restricted pursuit limited-entry units table

Book Cliffs (BR1015)	April 1–May 29
La Sal (BR1017)	April 1–May 29
San Juan (BR1016)	April 1–May 29

Important: The spring pursuit seasons on these units are not restricted for residents. If you're a resident, you do not need to apply for a pursuit permit in the drawing. To pursue bear during the spring pursuit season (April 1–May 29, 2023) on the Book Cliffs, La Sal or San Juan units, you can simply obtain a pursuit permit at wildlife.utah.gov, from a license agent or at any Division office.

page 43: Harvest-objective hunts
updates for the following three hunts