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Show WtfMfe (puts. May 5, 2000 The Suiuiit County Bee Page B4 Good Buck Deer Hunting Found Statewide L'uh's first general buck deer draw in sis years will likely mean that many people who obtained Southern Region permits in past yean won't this year. That doesn't mean they should give up on hunting buck deer in Utah. "Good buck deer hunting is found statewide," said Steve Flindcn, big game coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. Preliminary statistics from the 199V general rifle season (which may change as additional information is received) indicate hunter success was a whopping 47 percent in the Southern Region, the highest success rate since Utah capped general buck deer permits in 1994. Flinders says increased numbers of deer and a voucher system, that kept permits fur the region from overselling for the first lime in years, was the reason projected hunter success was so high. Prior to the voucher system. Southern Region success wasn't much different than success in tip Southeastern and Central regions, w here permits also oversold. In 1998, for example, permits for all five regions oversold, ranging from two permits over in the Northern Region to more than 8,000 over in the Southern Region. Hunter success during the 1998 rifle season was 39 percent in the Southeastern Region; 37 percent in the Central Region; and 33 percent in the Southern Region. The Northeastern Region followed at 27 percent, while 23 percent of the Northern Region hunters took a buck. Permits for all the regions except (lie Southern Region oversold last season. The draw will prevent that from happening again and. with fewer hunters afield, hunter success a in the remaining four regions mav be closer to llie success Southern Region hunters enjoyed last year. Preliminary data compiled by the Division indicates hunter success during the 1999 rifle season was 38 percent in the Central Region; 33 percent in the Southeastern; 26 per cent in the Northern; and 23 percent in the Northeastern. Minders said a mild, warm winter, with little snowpack. should result in good adult and fawn deer survival and excellent buck deer hunting this "Ihere are also plenty of years. May I, written permission also must be obtained to beginning access private the soil has been loosened or broken up. for the raising of crops: there are crops on the land; or, the land is a pasture that is irrigated by a sprinkling system or irrigation ditches. Mike Fowlks, sergeant in the Division of Wildlife Resources' Salt Lake City office, said the state legislators in northern Utah who proposed and supported the law felt it was common sense not to trespass on these lands, and landowners shouldn't he required to post them. The law should help protect agricultural lands and crops from damage by trespassers, while requiring written permission to access irrigated pastures should help landowners better protect sprinkling equipment. Fowlks said. Those seeking written permission won't he the only ones impacted by the new law, as landowners who haven't required written permission to access these lands in the past will start receiving visits from people seeking permission, Fowlks said. The new law will mostly affect upland game hunters, and waterfowl hunters hunting in farm fields. Fowlks said. Anglers who cross cultivated fields to access fishing streams will be the first of Utah's sportsmen to "Picture the Uinta Mountains, a castwcsi range, as having three sections across its South Slope." Stewart said. "The western third is the Straw Creek area. This is the most productive deer unit in the region. The terrain is mostly hills, inopen, sagebrush-covere- d terspersed with patches of aspen, lodgcpolc and other pines. The forest patches increase in size in the higher elevations," Stewart said. "Moving east to the middle third, the trees get more dense until on some of the slopes, visibility gets cut down to a few feet. While the deer numbers arc fewer than the western third, deer arc able to use these areas as cover to escape hunters. As a result, deer move in after the first shot is fired and those that are th&re have a better chance of escaping hunters and gaining a year or two in size. "The eastern third is a mix of the other two," Stewart said. "It has open areas and heavily forested areas. The more open areas receive the highest number of hunters, partially because they are open and because of their location north of Vernal, the region's largest town." The general season areas south of Hwy. 40 tend to be extremely rugged and difficult to access. 90-mil- e herry-Curra- m 1 new-hunter- Two Trespass Laws Take Effect May Two trespass laws that went into clfeel May I will have a direct affect on Utah's hunters and anglers. Passed during the 2(XX) state legislative session, the first law involves trespass on private crop land and irrigated pastures, while lire second allows officers to seize wildlife taken by people who trespass on private property. A law requiring people to obtain written permission to access private property, that is properly posted, has been in place in Utah for several Most of the region's deer hunting is north of Hwy. 40, on the South Slope of the Uinta Mountains. devel- oped U.S. Forest Service camping sites, that also help create a nice hunting experience." Root said. "To reserve your campsite, you should make reservations well in advance." Root said many hunters would fall. Utah has had seven straight years rather hunt in an area with fewer hunters, even if it means a lesser of good winters, which is scry unusual. "About every five years, we chance of harvesting a buck, and have a fairly senous winter in nurth-cportions of the region offer this 10 chance. Utah and about vciy years, "Much of the underutilized westwe have a catastrophic one. ern Minders said. portions of the Central Region Minders said the number of bucks are open, dcserttype habitats, with a per 100 does is excellent on most lot of public BLM land," Root said. "If general season deer hunters general season units, while the overdesire this type of hunting enviall number of deer is mostly good. "Some of our units are at or a little ronment. they must realize that harvest success may be a little lower. over total population! objective, while some are at 30 percent of Also, a good portion of the west desert is part of the Vernon limited objective," Minders said. The aver80 is so we're around entry hunt unit, which they can't percent, age hunt." not where we want to be." Hunters should read the 2000 herds deer of (lie struggling Many are in soullieast Utah, which has Utah Bucks and Bulls Proclamation for the Vernon limited entry unit been plagued by drought for years. hunt boundaries. Division conservation outreach "Overall success during the managers provide the following rearchery, muzleloader and rifle port for hunters looking to hunt outhunts was good in the Central side llie Southern Region this year: Northern Region Region, with many older bucks beA winter (hat wax mostly favoring both seen and harvested," Root able to the region's deer herds said. means hunter success should be at He said this. winter was mostly least similar to last year's, said Jerry favorable to the region's deer herds Openshaw, Northern Region conserand harvest success in 2(XX) should vation outreach specialist. he at least equal to last year's. Openshaw said much of the Nonhcastcm Region Nortliem Region consists of private "Our herds in the Nonhcastcm land along the Wasatch Front, and in Region, especially the western porMorgan, Cache and cast Box Fldcr tion. are recovering nicely," said County. "The trick to finding public Ron Stewart. Northeastern Region hunting in the region! is to cither conservation outreach manager. find public access on our Wildlife "In fact, the Regional Advisory Management Areas or public lands, Council requested the Wildlife such as Forest Service or BLM Board increase the herd unit objeclands." he said. tive size for deer wintering in the For hunt unit boundary informaCurrant Crock portion of the tion. hunters may read the 2000 Wasatch Unit from l2.(KX)to 5, (XX) Utah Bucks and Bulls Proclamation in the deer management plan," or cull the Northern Region oil ice at Stewart said. (801)476-2740- . s Stewurt generally encourages Central Region .. an M choose similar area to "The Ccniral Region has a lot of the type of terrain they typically' great deer habitat and a lot of public hunt, llie Northeastern Region has land." said Scott Root. Central loiested mens, open mens densely Region conservation outreach and everv mix in Ivlween. new law. A second law passed In the legislature makes it moie costly to take wildlife and fish while trespassing. It allows officers to chaige those who lake wildlife while trespassing with an additional Class B Misdemeanor for illegally taking wildlife, and to seize the wildlife taken. The law was passed to decrease the number of people who habitually trespass on private property to take game, knowing that theyll only be B with one Class charged Misdemeanor for trespassing while being allowed to keep what they take. 1 I his has already become an issue this year." l owlks said. "We had a case this past weekend, where two fishermen were on Mountain Dell Reservoir and caught live large Bonneville cutthroat IrtHil." Fow Iks said April 24. "Because the law doesn't go into effect until May I. those five cutthroat trout went with them." l ow Iks hopes the law will lessen the number of people illegally accessing private property to hunt or fish. For more information call the nearest Division office, nr the Divisions Salt Lake City office at (801) ' "Steep canyons, sparse vegetation and limited access will greet hunters venturing into this area." Stewart said. "We dont see many deer from these units at our check stations because there arc fewer deer and it is difficult to hunt. "But I have seen some nice bucks come from there, so it may be worth not seeing deer for a few years if you have a chance at a larger buck when you do sec one." Whichever area you choose to hunt. Stewart recommends staying ' with it. "The most successful hunters are those w ho get to know an area inside and mil." Stewart said. "Spend lime lliere. Get out of the I nick aiul walk, (iet gmxl maps and scout during the Miimuci. Climb llie mounlain and look over llie lerrain. liy In figure oul where llie deer will be al lirsi'lighl and where llicy will go when llie lust shot is fired. "Just Ivcuusc llie deer aren't lined up to greet you when you drive in doesn't mean there are no deer in the area. It just means it will take some time to learn where they arc." Stewart said. Southeastern Region "All units arc currently being managed under predator management plans in a effort to recover deer herds," said Bill Bales. Southeastern Region wildlife manager. "This involves harvest objective management for cougars and increased take of coyotes by Wildlife Services in fawning areas." Bales said. "All units are significantly below objective, but we are involved in habitat improvement projects and are taking other actions in an effort to increase numbers." Shed antler hunters are encouraged to avoid harassment of w ildlife during the critical spring period, when an animal's energy resenes have been depleted, said Brent Sleltler, Southeastern Region conservation outreach manager. Causing big game to run or abandon a seasonal use area may contribute to low numbers, Sletller said. Stetller provides the following evaluation of both general season and limited entry units in the Southeastern Region; A LASAL MOUNTAINS shortened season for all weapons has been imposed to reduce the harvest and aid the deer herd. The deer population and harvest in the past several years have been below objective. Biologists hope to reverse the recent downward trend by limiting hunter days afield. MANT1 The annual faw n crop is essential to population growth. For more than 10 years, recruitment of fawns into the population has been lower than expected. Many factors appear to he responsible, although climatic patterns seem to play the biggest rule. Manti's deer herd stands at about 60 percent of the unit's management objectives. The trend is gradually upward. A continued cap on hunter numbers should help biologists achieve herd unit objectives. RANGE CREEK This deer herd has been struggling since the severe winter of 1993. A great deal of deer habitat within the unit occurs on private property or within Cooperative Wildlife Management Units. Prospective hunters need good maps, marked with accurate property boundary lines. SAN JUANABAJO MOUN-TAIN- S This unit will be open for only five days during the general archery, rifle and muzzleloader hunting seasons. Excellent buck harvests in the past few yean have depleted buck numbere. The shortened season is expected to improve buckrdoe ratios and buck quality. DOLORES TRIANGLE available only through the bucks and bulls drawing. Hunter success on the unit is almost entirely dependent on weather. Heavy snows in Colorado are needed to move deer into Utah. If hunters are fortunate enough to be on the unit after a major storm, the chance of getting a big buck is good. This is a limited ELK RIDGE entry unit. Permits are available through the bucks and bulls drawing. Once considered a premium limited entry unit, the area is presently considered not a trophy area. In recent years, numbers of permits have been reduced to restore the unit's former premium status. This IIENRY MOUNTAINS unit is managed as a limited entry unit, allowing biologists to closely manage the harvest to facilitate the herd's recovery. Permits are available only through the bucks and bulls drawing. This SOUTH BOOK CLIFFS is a limited entry unit with permits issued through die bucks and bulls drawing. The buck:doe ratio is above objective, although the total population needs to grow. While hunters report seeing older bucks, continued restrictions on hunter numbers are. anticipated for the foreseeable future. SiuIbssTuibs TTfot This is a limited entry unit with tags WD Summit County Bat FarmRanch Property for Lease ' South Summit School District is currently soliciting bids from parties interested in leasing 34 acres located on River Road, just South of Serenity Ranch in Oakley. Water rights currently associated with the property include 45 shares of Boulderville Ditch Co. stock. The lease period shall be three years beginning June 1 , 2000. Submit all bids to the South Summit School District office (375 E. 300 S., Kamas, Utah 84036) before 5:00 p.m., May 10, 2000. Questions may be directed to Zane or Dave Aplanalp Woolstenhulme 9 783-43- 1 All will 3. go to the South Summit proceeds High School Ag. Department who manages this project. 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