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.
If you're like most folks, work and family commitments take up lots of your time. But that doesn't mean you can't break away for some quick ice fishing trips this winter. Utah is dotted with great ice fishing opportunities that aren't too far from your home.
December can be a great month to hunt forest grouse in Utah. As the state's big game hunts wind down, upland game hunters have more of the mountains to themselves. For forest grouse hunters, that means more time in higher elevations during the last month of the hunt.
More chances to hunt bison and pronghorn will be available in Utah in 2019. New archery hunts — that should help reduce the number of deer coming into cities and towns in Utah County — will also be held.
Even though snow has barely touched the ground in some areas in Utah, one group of Utahns — the state's turkey hunters — are already preparing for next spring. Applications for spring 2019 limited-entry turkey hunting permits are being accepted at wildlife.utah.gov.
Another chance to ride a horse-drawn sleigh or wagon through the middle of hundreds of wild elk is almost here. To celebrate the start of another elk-viewing season, staff at the Hardware Ranch Wildlife Management Area will hold the ranch's annual Elk Festival on Dec. 8. Activities run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
More spot-and-stalk hunts — and keeping Utah's black bear hunting rules the same for the next three seasons — are among bear hunting proposals Division of Wildlife Resources biologists will share at an upcoming series of public meetings.
A lack of snow this past winter likely means fewer snowshoe hares to hunt in Utah this season. Jason Robinson, upland game coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, says deep snow provides hares with two things: a perch from which they can reach the vegetation they like to eat in the winter and snow melt that keeps their high-elevation vegetation lush through the summer.
Cottontail rabbits have done really well in Utah over the past few years. It was only a matter of time, though, before the ups and downs of a 10-year population cycle caught up to them. This year, there are about half as many rabbits in Utah as there was in 2017.
As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, many Utahns aren't aware that they share their state with a thriving population of wild turkeys.
Plenty of days are still available to hunt pheasants in Utah. And thousands of birds are still being released.
Search Wildlife