Utah Big Game Hunt Application Time Approaching

Usually by this time of the year, most hunters would have had their applications in for the big game hunts for the year.

But, a change of policy has that application process moved to the spring time now. You might be wondering why the Division of Wildlife Resources has made the change. The reason they have given is that with the later application process, hunters will be able to see the proposed permit numbers prior to putting in for a specific hunt and region.

The application period now opens on March 23^rd at 8 a.m. and will run through April 27^th to 11 p.m. To be included in the drawing, hunters can apply online, or over the phone by calling the nearest DWR regional office. For the southern region the office is in Cedar City at 1470 N. Airport Road. The phone number is 435-865-6100.

The results of the drawing will be announced on May 31^st and notification will be sent out by email. Those wishing to review the results can also see them online here.

Utah has big game hunts for Bighorn sheep, Bison, Moose, Mountain Goat, Pronghorn along with Mule Deer and Elk.

Hunters looking to get information about the proposed permit numbers can do so beginning April 4^th on the Utah Hunt Planner website. Final permit numbers will be approved by the Utah Wildlife Board on May 4^th.

If you are thinking about hunting in a new area, or hunting a species you never hunted, the DWR recommends the use of the Utah Hunt Planner. The use of that planner provides in depth, hunter focused information about all of Utah's hunts. It can be used for researching hunts you want to apply for. You can learn the best spots to find animals, see what the terrain looks like, identify blocks in public land in the hunt unit and locate primary access points.

In addition to applying for the hunts, if you'd like a chance to hunt all of Utah's general season deer hunts, you should consider applying for Utah's Dedicated Hunter program. You can learn more about that program, and how to join it, on the DWR website.