Updates on Utah's wildlife from the DWR
Each week the DWR publishes interesting and informative stories about Utah's wildlife. If you want these stories delivered to your inbox just as soon as we publish them, please sign up for our weekly email.
With the warmer weather, rattlesnakes will begin emerging from their winter dens, and you may encounter one while hiking or spending time outdoors. Here are some tips to help you stay safe and aware while recreating outside this spring and summer.
Fisheries staff from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources will share updates on the Bear Lake fishery, as well as work plans for 2024, at an upcoming public meeting.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is releasing its proposed big game hunting permit numbers for 2024 and is also proposing some changes to shed antler gathering in Utah. The DWR is asking for the public's feedback on these recommendations, as well as on a variety of other proposals.
A lot of bills were passed during the 2024 legislative session, and March 21 was the deadline for Gov. Spencer Cox to sign or veto them. There were several bills related to wildlife management that were signed into law this legislative session — here are just a few to know about.
The Virgin River Basin in Washington County is home to several fish and wildlife species that are found nowhere else in the world, and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and several partnering agencies are helping these rare species to recover through a unique cooperative partnership.
With warmer temperatures on the near horizon, many Utahns may start heading outside more frequently for outdoor recreation. However, if you are planning to take your dog on any hikes or camping trips this spring and summer, please make sure your pet doesn't chase or harass any wildlife.
If you're interested in harvesting your own deer or elk meat this fall, be sure to take note of the upcoming application period and apply for hunts before the deadline.
Winter is a great time to view one of the state's largest rodents — the porcupine! If you have never seen these hardy forest dwellers in the wild, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is partnering with the Ouray National Wildlife Refuge to host a viewing event to give you that opportunity.
Swans are one of the unique bird species that migrate through Utah each year. If you are an avid birdwatcher and they are on your bucket list, there are two spots in northern Utah that are great places to see these magnificent birds as they wing their way through the state during their spring migrations.
Last year, the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands — in partnership with the Utah Division of Water Resources and Union Pacific Railroad — modified the causeway berm that separates the northern and southern areas of the Great Salt Lake in an effort to address salinity issues, and the change is already benefiting the lake's brine shrimp.
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