Upland game youth and beginner hunts

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is hosting a free pheasant hunt for youth at the Huntington Game Farm WMA. Birds and hunting dogs will be provided for this hunt so that novice youth hunters will have an increased opportunity to harvest pheasants successfully.

Requirements:

• Youth participants must be 17 years of age or younger on July 31, 2025.

• Hunters must register in advance to attend.

• Youth hunters must verify they have completed hunter education or have a trial hunting program number, and have a valid hunting or combination license.

• Participants must have a parent or guardian at least 21 years old accompanying them.

• All participants must have a ticket and sign the waiver form provided. This includes adults attending to supervise youth, observers/helpers staying at the event to provide transportation, dog handlers and all youth who will be hunting. No one will be permitted at the event unless they have a ticket and have agreed to the online waiver.

Be prepared:

• Please arrive at your selected time to check in, attend the safety briefing and disperse before shooting begins.

• Participants are expected to bring their own firearms, ammunition and safety equipment.

• Please review the 2025-2026 Upland Game and Turkey guidebook.

What to expect:

• Everyone going afield must wear hunter orange on their head and body.

• Dogs will be provided, but participants are welcome to bring their own hunting dogs if desired. PLEASE let us know if you plan to bring your own dog. Do not bring dogs that are not well-trained for upland game hunting. If dogs create an unsafe or poor hunting environment, they must be restrained or removed from the location by their handler.

Event Contact:

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

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife are hosting a free pheasant hunt for beginner hunters on private property near Cedar City. SFW is providing birds so that novice hunters will have an increased opportunity to successfully harvest pheasants.

Requirements:

• Participants must be 17 years of age or younger, or be a novice hunter with three years or less of hunting experience.
• The hunt is limited to 50 hunters (25 per session). Hunters must register in advance to attend.
• Hunters must verify they have completed hunter education or have a trial hunting program number. They must also have a valid hunting or combination license.
• All participants must have a ticket and sign the waiver form provided. This includes adults attending to supervise youth, observers/helpers staying at the event to provide transportation, dog handlers and all beginners who will be hunting. No one will be permitted at the event unless they have a ticket and have agreed to the online waiver.

What to expect:

• Please arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled hunt to attend the safety briefing and disperse before shooting begins. The hunt leader will take you to the hunting location.
• The morning session will start at 8 a.m. (arrive by 7:30) and the afternoon session will begin at 1 p.m. (arrive by 12:30 p.m.).
• Everyone going afield, youth or adults, must wear hunter orange on their head and body.
• Please review and download to your phone the 2024–25 Utah Upland Game & Turkey Guidebook for bag and possession limits. https://wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks/upland_turkey_guidebook.pdf
• Do not bring dogs that are not well-trained for upland game hunting. If dogs create an unsafe or poor hunting environment, they must be restrained or removed from the location by their handler.
• You will be emailed a survey within a week after your hunt occurs. Please check your email to provide your much-appreciated feedback.

New This Year:

• Cedar City Trap Club is offering every participant an opportunity to practice shooting before the event.
• There will be no charge to the participants. However, participants will need to bring their own ammunition and proof that they have registered for the hunt.
• To set up an appointment participants can call the club at 435-691-1869 or Ron Graham at 702-604-0700

Directions:

Take I-15 to the South Cedar exit (exit 57). At the end of the offramp, turn east on Main Street. Continue northeast on Main Street to the meeting location at 750 S. Main Street, Cedar City, UT. Visit this link to see the location on a map.

See you there!

Event Contact:

Johnny Neil | 435-868-8756 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife are offering a free pheasant hunt for beginner hunters on the Pahvant Wildlife Management Area near Fillmore, Utah. SFW is providing the birds so that novice hunters will have an increased opportunity to successfully harvest pheasants.

Requirements:

• Participants must be a novice hunter with three years or less of hunting experience.
• The hunt is limited to 100 hunters (50 per session). Hunters must register in advance to attend.
• Hunters must verify they have completed hunter education or have a trial hunting program number, as well as a valid hunting or combination license.
• All participants (including observers) must have a ticket and agree to the online waiver.

What to expect:

• Please arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled hunt to attend the safety briefing and disperse before shooting begins.
• The morning session will start at 8 a.m. (arrive by 7:30 a.m.) and the afternoon session will begin at 1 p.m. (arrive by 12:30 p.m.).
• Everyone going afield, youth or adults, must wear hunter orange on their head and body.
• All participants must have a ticket and sign the waiver form provided. This includes adults attending to supervise youth, observers/helpers staying at the event to provide transportation, dog handlers and all youth who will be hunting. No one will be permitted at the event unless they have a ticket and have agreed to the online waiver.
• Please review —and download to your phone — the 2025–2026 Utah Upland Game & Turkey Guidebook for bag and possession limits. https://wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks/upland_turkey_guidebook.pdf
• We welcome your feedback! Supervising adults and adult participants will be emailed a survey within a week after your hunt occurs. Please check your emails the week following the hunt to provide your much-appreciated feedback.

Note: Do not bring dogs that are not well-trained for upland game hunting. If dogs create an unsafe or poor hunting environment, they must be restrained or removed from the location by their handler.

Directions:

From the south: Take I-15 north to Fillmore. Take the South Fillmore exit (163) and turn west on W. 850 South. Continue west for about 12 miles, then turn right (north) on 2800 West. Continue north; 2800 West becomes state Highway 100. Turn east on W. 4700 North between mile marker 10 and 11; continue to the top of the hill.

From the north: Take I-15 south to Holden. Take the North Holden exit (178) and turn west, staying on Highway 50 (You have to take a right just before Holden to stay on Hwy 50). Turn South on Highway 100. Turn east between mile marker 10 and 11; continue to the top of the hill.

The link below will show where the WMA is located:

https://goo.gl/maps/EtucsFvM18eND1zV6

For questions or registration issues, please contact Johnny at 435-868-8756 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For directions or questions on the day of the hunt, contact Lynn Zubeck at 435-691-5703.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife are hosting a free youth pheasant hunt at the Annabella Wildlife Management Area. SFW will provide birds so that novice youth hunters can have an increased opportunity to successfully harvest pheasants.

Requirements:

• Youth participants must be 17 years of age or younger to attend.
• The hunt is limited to 60 youth hunters (30 per session). Hunters must register in advance to attend.
• Youth hunters must verify they have completed hunter education or have a trial hunting program number, as well as a valid hunting or combination license.
• All participants must have a ticket and sign the waiver form provided. This includes adults attending to supervise youth, observers/helpers staying at the event to provide transportation, dog handlers and all youth who will be hunting. No one will be permitted at the event unless they have a ticket and have agreed to the online waiver.

Be prepared:

• Please arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled hunt to check in, attend the safety briefing, pick up prize drawing tickets, practice shooting clay pigeons and disperse before shooting begins.
• Participants are expected to bring their own firearms, ammunition and safety equipment for practice and the hunt.
• Please review and download to your phone the 2025–26 Utah Upland Game & Turkey Guidebook for bag and possession limits.
• Do not bring dogs that are not well-trained for upland game hunting. If dogs create an unsafe or poor hunting environment, they must be restrained or removed from the location by their handler.

What to expect:

• Paul Niemeyer, the hunt leader, will take you to the hunting location after your safety briefing and practice.
• The morning session will start at 8 a.m. (arrive by 7:30 a.m.) and the afternoon session will begin at 1 p.m. (arrive by 12:30 p.m.).
• Everyone going afield (this includes both youth and adults) must wear hunter orange on their head and body.
• Free lunch will be provided at noon for both sessions, so please bring a camp chair.
• You will be emailed a survey within a week after your hunt occurs. Please check your email to provide your much-appreciated feedback.

Directions:

From the south: Start north on Interstate Highway 15. Turn onto I-70 (exit 132), heading east toward Richfield/Denver. Take exit 31 toward Elsinore. Turn right onto Main Street. Just east of town, take a right at the fork (Central Boulevard). Continue on Central Boulevard as it curves north through the town of Central Valley. Take a right onto 700 North/Nebeker Lane. If you get to 1200 East, you’ve gone too far.

From the north: Start south on Interstate Highway 15. Take exit 188, toward Scipio. Turn left onto 400 North. Turn right onto State Street/U.S. Route 50 East. Turn right onto state Route 260. Turn right onto state Route 24, and continue onto state Route 118. Turn left onto Elk Horn Road. Take the next right onto 1150 East, then left onto Annabella Road. Turn right onto 700 North/Nebeker Lane. If you get to Main Street, you’ve gone too far.

Link to location of WMA: https://goo.gl/maEbvmPqPxq289wEfXAps/

Pre-event Contact:

Johnny Neil | 435-868-8756 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

For questions or directions on the day of the hunt:

Vance Mumford | 435-979-2919.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife are hosting a free pheasant hunt for beginners (youth and adults) at the Santaquin Wildlife Management Area in Utah County. Hunting mentors will be releasing pen-raised rooster pheasants prior to each hunt session so that novice hunters will have an increased opportunity to successfully harvest pheasants.

Requirements:

• Participants must have one year or less of hunting experience and also must not have participated in this event (or other DWR pheasant hunts) in previous years.
• The hunt is limited to 32 hunters (16 per session). Hunters must register in advance to attend.
• Hunters must verify they have completed hunter education or have a trial hunting program number, as well as a valid hunting or combination license.
• All participants must have a ticket and agree to the online waiver. This includes hunters, adults attending to supervise hunters, observers/mentors staying at the event to provide transportation, volunteers and dog handlers.
• Youth sessions are for those 11-17 years old. The adult session is for hunters aged 18 and older. All sessions are for hunters with less than one year experience.
• Only one adult can accompany each novice hunter into the field. The adult accompanying the novice hunter may not hunt.
• Do not bring dogs to this event.

Be prepared:

• Please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled hunt to get checked in.
• All participants must bring their own shotgun, ammunition, hunter orange, and safety equipment (ear and eye protection). Lead shot is permitted on the Santaquin WMA. Please make sure all firearms are unloaded upon arrival.
• Please review — and download to your phone — the Utah Upland Game and Turkey Guidebook for bag and possession limits.

What to expect:

• Each session will be roughly 2.5 hours long. There will be a 40-minute safety briefing and firearm check, followed by a 15-minute staging period where hunters will pair up with a mentor and make their way to their designated hunting area. Hunters will have approximately 1 hour to hunt followed by a 20-minute wrap-up period at the end.
• The adult session will start at 9:30 a.m. (arrive by 9:15 a.m.).
• The youth session will start at 12:30 p.m. (arrive by 12:15 p.m.).
• Everyone going afield, youth or adults, must wear hunter orange on their head and body.
• Each novice hunter (and their adult companion, if applicable) will be paired with one of the other novice hunters. A trained hunting mentor will accompany each group. There will be four hunters and two hunting mentors per each of the four hunting areas.
• You will be emailed a survey within a week after your hunt occurs. Please check your email to provide your much-appreciated feedback.

Directions:

Please meet at the northern Santaquin WMA parking area. Take exit 242 from I-15, continue east on Summit Ridge Pakway until you reach the parking lot: https://maps.app.goo.gl/z21uxTHRT1Uwydw67

The links below shows the area of the Santaquin WMA we will be hunting:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14z3joKJYY4rhekWr4MtXZJz_sHn57QaB/view?usp=sharing

Pre-Event Contact:

Michael Packer | 385-225-4322 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Nicole Passeri | 385-277-2966 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For directions or questions on the day of the hunt:

Michael Packer | 385-225-4322