Show Upset Sportsmen Bare Feelings Nearly concerned sportsmen and interested persons jammed into the UIntah Uintah Uin tah County Courtroom Monday evening to discuss the decreasing deer herds in the northeastern hunting units of Utah with top Division of Wildlife officials IN ATTENDANCE from the Utah Division Div Div- ision of Wildlife Resources were Director Di rector John E E. E Phelps Homer assistant chief of game management and Alton I l Franzer ranzer chief of information and education Clarion L Huff fluff regional supervisor for forthe forthe forthe the Northeastern region stationed here introduced the state slate wildlife officials who attempted to give sive ive a ran range e study presentation presen tation showing effects of overgrazing by deer in Utah areas but were continuously continuously continuously contin contin- interrupted by other questions that were boiling forth from some of the sportsmen IT WAS THE general consensus of the group that there was a shortage of buck dee deer in the Uintah hunting areas areu and something should be done to get the buck herd back Suggestions given included limiting the season buck only hunts and keeping out state out of state hunters out Director Phelps who conducted the meeting stated Mated this was the largest big game meeting he ho had ever attended in the state He lie stated he be was very veri pleased to see so many concerned sportsmen sports men attend the meeting called by the Division of Wildlife Resources in response to letters sent to them from this area concerning the depleted deer population lation lalion OUR PURPOSE is to offer as much hunting and fishing to as many people as possible with the amount of resources we have explained Mr Phelps Hunting Hunting Hunt ing license sales are down this year com corn pared to previous years and the elk hunting hunt hunt- ing success in Utah is higher than most other good elk hunting states s sized zed Mr Phelps Testimonies were given by those present pre sent included Glen Lambert retired For est Supervisor who spent 29 years on the Ashley Forest He lie stated there was wasa a shortage of bucks and even the does dont don't have the usual number of fawns by their side Me Areas as of the forest have been badly overgrazed particularly in the Colton Ranger Station and Buckboard Ridge area and th then n to make matters worse the Forest Service sprayed this area killing what was left as feed for forthe forthe forthe the deer and then blame it on to the overgrazing by the deer stated slated Mr Lambert A SPOKESMAN of the Roosevelt gun club dub stated that the deer were being wiped out of the Duchesne area because the Forest Service controls the lands and doesn't want more deer Larry Gurr a local hunting guide stated stated stated stat stat- ed he thought coyotes kill more game and deer than hunters Because poisoning poison ing of predators has been discontinued they have greatly increased In numbers WHEN CRITICIZED for sending too many hunters into certain deer hunting country Mr Phelps stated it is the Divisions Divisions Division's Di visions vision's policy not to recommend areas of supposedly good hunting and we dont don't promote out state out of state hunters to com comb to Utah he said In In discussing state out hunters it was explained by Mr if we discriminate discriminate dis criminate against out state out state of-state hunters too much over a million dollars in federal funds could be withdrawn We are about 70 percent feder federally Uy own owned d and other outside residents feel like they own some of our deer too he said IN EXPLAINING the danger of over overpopulation population of deer Director Phelps stated that the deer is his own worst enemy they can double ther titer population every three years and too many deer results in large losses by starvation During 1954 1953 some areas lost more deer by starvation star than were killed by guns Winter ranges can sustain just Juit so many deer The trend towards protecting predators predators preda tors was brought up by local with distaste Director Phelps explained that eastern pressures are bent on saving sav ing predators and fouling up wild wildlife liCe management Utah has only four votes in Washington and this doesn't car ry much weight when compared with states stated densely populated eastern the director LYMAN ME MERKLEY National Dig Big Game director stated that money from well well-to-do people and estates were going to preserve areas encouraging no hunting at all Also I he thought the Forest Service Sex Ser vice had contributed considerably in helping to build up the deer herds herd by receding and providing watering places place es for lor wildlife The problem of private land access in into to federal lands is a sore spot with many ranchers who h have ve shut hut off oft their land to tu hunters It wa was pointed out that public roads on Indian lands have been bee blocked blocke l loff off during the deer hunts limiting access access then during special Indian hunts it is opened again CATTLEMEN IN the Deep Creek area have uk asked cd for lor a post sea season on ell elk hunt bunt to decrease the overgrazing caused by too many elks in that area It n was eJ ex e. Continued on page 6 Sportsmen 1 Continued from page 1 that the area rea Is ts supporting over head of ot elk through the winter and was taking feed away from their cattle In tn answer to what could be done Di Director rector Phelps recommended making requests requests re quests to the Big Dig Game Control Board who holds annual regional meetings to gather information to help It decide on seasons and regulations If facts are reasonably presented and emotions controlled they will listen and a gr group up this size would have a very persuasive influence in changing the present management management man man- stated Mr Phelps The meeting meet ing for this area will be held in June Juno at Price THE PROBLEM of how the deer herds could be increased still remained unanswered after over two and a half hours of discussion The Wildlife Resources officials were flown lown to Vernal by Bobby Walker state aeronautics director and his pilot co-pilot in a state plane and had to return to Salt Sait Lake City by before it got too cold The Division Director agreed to return in the near future and further discuss the local problems of proper game management management man man- if requested |