| There are more mule deer in Utah than any other | | | | coyotes and, yes, even black bears. As anyone |
| big game animal. And deer hunting in Utah is big | | | | who enjoys the outdoors has probably noticed, |
| business. Why? Because trophy mule deer are | | | | the number of off- highway vehicles (OHVs) has |
| one of the most alluring game species in North | | | | exploded. Whether those who promote these |
| America. | | | | machines like to admit or not, they caused |
| Few experiences will get your heart pounding | | | | extensive damage to mule deer habitat. From |
| harder than seeing a monster muley - sporting a | | | | 1998 to 2006, OHV use tripled in Utah. And it's |
| massive rack - close up in the wild. It has | | | | gone up 100-fold in the last 30 years! |
| happened to me every time I've had the privilege | | | | Uncontrolled use of OHVs not only damages mule |
| of seeing one. Maybe it's because I've come to | | | | deer range, it also causes undue stress on the |
| realize how hard it is to actually get close enough | | | | deer during critical periods of their life cycle - |
| to see one. | | | | especially in winter when energy conservation can |
| And, yes, there still are deer like this in Utah. But | | | | be the difference between life and death. |
| a number of factors are making it harder to even | | | | While the use of OHVs on public land is a |
| see one let alone have the chance to hunt one. | | | | legitimate right, their uncontrolled and improper |
| One thing you should be aware of. There are no | | | | use not only damages wildlife habitat, it can kill |
| whitetail deer in Utah. An occasional whitetail may | | | | wildlife. For this reason, there has been an |
| wander in from a neighboring state but such | | | | increased demand for more areas to be |
| occurrences are rare. | | | | designated as walk-in and horseback only areas. |
| Is Deer Hunting In Utah As Good As It Used To | | | | Remote areas with fewer hunters and no OHV |
| Be? | | | | traffic. Biologically, limiting areas to foot and horse |
| One thing that's apparent to anyone who has | | | | travel can limit hunter pressure, reduce harvest |
| hunted mule deer in Utah for any length of time. | | | | and increase buck to doe ratios. |
| The deer population here has been declining. For | | | | A Part Of Utah Life |
| the last 30 years to be exact. | | | | Mule deer are the most important game animal in |
| Many factors can be blamed for the decline. But | | | | Utah. Thousands of families still plan their falls |
| the main reason is becoming a common theme | | | | around the deer hunt. Deer hunting in Utah is |
| throughout the country. There's just less land | | | | strongly rooted in the social fabric. And a lot of |
| available for mule deer to thrive. And the land | | | | people in the state make their living catering to |
| that's left has deteriorated to the extent it's now | | | | people who love the fantastic outdoors. |
| detrimental to healthy mule deer numbers. | | | | There are few people who don't enjoy seeing |
| Whenever a species like mule deer has less | | | | deer in the wild. A lot of time and a lot of money |
| suitable habitat, disease and predation by other | | | | is spent in Utah each year watching and |
| species are magnified. Favorable mule deer habitat | | | | photographing mule deer. Areas that produce |
| in Utah is also shrinking due to an overall climatic | | | | large bucks are attractive to hunters as well as |
| trend in the state. A trend toward drier conditions. | | | | people who enjoy just seeing them. |
| Drought has existed in a lot of the state for | | | | And Utah has plenty of units that produce large |
| several years. | | | | bucks. Even "monster" trophy bucks. Head down |
| Deer hunting in Utah is allowed in most public | | | | to the area south of the Paunsagaunt Plateau in |
| areas of the state except for national parks, | | | | southern Utah in late fall. Drive some of the back |
| national monuments and state parks. It's managed | | | | roads east of Kanab with a camera and be |
| by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) | | | | careful your jaw doesn't hit the steering wheel. |
| and proclamations are set yearly. The best way | | | | I've been there and seen them. |
| to plan for a hunting trip is to check the latest | | | | The Future Of Mule Deer In Utah |
| Utah big game proclamation. You can do that | | | | The goal of Utah game managers is to increase |
| online at the DWR site. | | | | the state's mule deer population to a post-season |
| Mule deer are spread throughout the entire state. | | | | size of 350,000 by 2013. That would mean |
| Some of the best hunting is: | | | | another 50,000. As precipitation appears to be |
| - in the Wasatch and Uinta Mountains east of Salt | | | | returning to normal - especially this year, 2009 - it |
| Lake City. | | | | seems to be a reasonable goal. |
| - in all the national forest areas across the | | | | Another one of their goals is to give residents and |
| Colorado Plateau. | | | | visitors to Utah a diverse range of high-quality |
| - in the La Sal and Abajo Mountains of | | | | hunting and viewing opportunities for mule deer |
| southeastern Utah. | | | | throughout the state. |
| - in the Paunsagaunt Plateau area of southern | | | | How to Plan A Utah Deer Hunt |
| Utah. | | | | Both the Central and the Northeastern Regions |
| - along the Skyline Drive mountaintop road of | | | | have improved dramatically in recent years. Herds |
| central Utah. | | | | in both of these regions average 16 bucks per |
| - in all the national forests and throughout the | | | | 100 does. This allows more permits to be issued |
| state's vast mountainous areas. | | | | in these areas. The Northern Region has not |
| Nature Takes Its Toll on Utah's Deer Herd | | | | enjoyed the same rebound. The winter of |
| Nature wreaked havoc on Utah mule deer after | | | | 2007-2008 was not kind to deer in this region. |
| several years of drought and a bitter winter with | | | | The two units - the Cache and Ogden units - |
| record snow in 1992-1993. It became apparent | | | | reduced the ratio down to 10 bucks per 100 does. |
| that Utah's deer herd could no longer allow an | | | | If you're looking to get a chance at a trophy Utah |
| unlimited hunt. For the first time ever, buck | | | | buck, there are a couple ways to go. Utah has a |
| permits were capped in 1994. Since 1994, 97,000 | | | | wide assortment of professional outfitters ready |
| general season buck permits in five hunting | | | | and willing to help you go on the hunt of a lifetime. |
| regions have been sold each year. | | | | If you have the resources, hiring one of these |
| This becomes a difficult process to monitor, | | | | outfitters is absolutely the best way to go. They |
| though, as permits are sold over-the-counter. In | | | | have access to land no one else has. They know |
| some years, permits exceeded 97,000. By | | | | where the deer are and you don't have to worry |
| moving to a draw in 2000, sales of permits have | | | | about having thousands of other people invading |
| been held real close to the 97,000 cap. | | | | your space. And, once again, they have access to |
| Severe drought in Utah has continued to take its | | | | land throughout the state. Utah has some of the |
| toll on deer hunting in Utah. The number of | | | | biggest trophy mule deer on the planet and these |
| permits was capped at 95,000 in 2005. And the | | | | people will get you to where they live. |
| first statewide deer management plan was | | | | If you don't have the resources or the desire to |
| approved that same year. Plans for each unit are | | | | hire an outfitter, take a look at the big game |
| updated every few years. | | | | proclamation at the Utah Division of Wildlife |
| One of the biggest obstacles working against deer | | | | Resources website or contact them directly. It'll |
| hunting in Utah is the maturation of the remaining | | | | give you the best overview there is about deer |
| plant community. Many of the most critical deer | | | | hunting in Utah. You can apply for one of the |
| ranges are in the late stages of their life cycle. | | | | general permits or one of the lottery-type limited |
| They are dominated by mature pinion-juniper, | | | | entry hunts. If you're applying for one of these, |
| other conifers and older shrubs like sagebrush. | | | | plan a year ahead. |
| With pivotal winter deer ranges covered by older | | | | Licenses |
| shrubs, there has been little regrowth of younger | | | | Resident and non-resident permits for general |
| plants. Annual grasses such as cheatgrass are | | | | hunts are available on a first-come, first-served |
| taking over a lot of traditional mule deer habitat. | | | | basis from licensed dealers statewide, from DWR |
| Some of the other factors affecting mule deer | | | | offices and via the internet. Permits for some of |
| numbers in Utah and throughout the west are | | | | the special hunts are allotted via lotteries. Check |
| both natural and man-made. The primary | | | | the proclamation for those. |
| predators for mule deer in Utah are cougars, | | | | |