Window to apply for big game hunting permit is opening soon

Derick Fox
·2 min read

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The window for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts interested in hunting big game in Utah is opening soon, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

Officials with the DWR said the application period for The Beehive State’s big game hunts will open on March 21 at 8 a.m. and will remain open until April 25 at 11 p.m. A drawing will be held to award the permits. The results of the drawing will be released on May 16.

Big game hunts are held in Utah for bighorn sheep, bison, elk, moose, mountain goats, mule deer, and pronghorn. Hunters can apply to be part of the drawing for big game hunts by filling out an application online or by calling the nearest DWR regional office.

Winners of the drawing will be notified by email. Results of the May 16 drawing will also be posted online or can be requested by calling 800-221-0659.

DWR Wildlife Licensing Coordinator Lindy Varney said the application dates were shifted to be later in the year, opening in March instead of January, due to popular requests. The change will give hunters an idea about how many proposed permits there will be before applying.

“We don’t have the data from winter big game captures, the previous fall hunt harvest rates, and other big game surveys until March,” said DWR Wildlife Licensing Coordinator Lindy Varney. “After we receive that data we put together the permit recommendations for the upcoming fall big game hunting seasons.”

Varney said the Utah Wildlife Board will decide the final number of approved permits during a public board meeting on May 2. Hunters can access the proposed permit numbers for each hunt unit beginning in April on the Utah Hunt Planner, an interactive online map that provides valuable information for hunters going after a different species or in a new hunting ground.

DWR said there will be a few exceptions to big game hunts this year. For example, permits for the state’s general-season bull elk hunts won’t be available until July.

Those not planning to hunt in 204 can still apply for a bonus point or a preference point. Earning a point increases the chances of drawing a permit the next time you apply. Applications for a point must be submitted by 11 p.m. on April 25.

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