Show Good hunt predicted but not like last year predictions Its It's going to be a good hunt but say not as good as last year Both doe buck and fawn doe ratios on the Ashley National Forest and surrounding ding areas are high strongly suggesting that the deer herd is recovering well after past years of winter mortality report local Wildlife Resources officials The 1981 d deer r harvest in Utah was one of the highest on record said John C Schijf conservation officer The harvest this year could be as high but win will probably depend somewhat on the weather Although doe buck and fawn doe ratios ar are also high in the Book Cliffs herd numbers are still depressed compared with previous years Right now it appears that the deer both north of Vernal and on the Book Cliffs are widely dispersed between sum sum- summer summer mer and winter ranges Schijf said This wide dispersion could reduce harvest success since the animals could be hard to locate especially in the Book Cliffs where the deer are spread out from the Divide to lower McCook Ridge and Big Park Last years year's storm the day before the opener undoubtedly improved harvest success and such a storm would probably do much to improve success this year Schijf said Last years year's high success rate was due to a number of other factors besides the weather During the summer of 1980 an above average number of fawns were born and with the following mild winter most of those fawns survived The yearl- yearl ing yearling bucks in the 1981 harvest accounted for a large portion of the deer harvested and the 41 41 percent success rate However the past winter of was not as mild and some areas of the state a record snowfall which resulted in heavy fawn losses said Grant Jense big game coordinator for the Divi- Divi Division sion of Wildlife Resources It is hard to predict where most deer will be taken on the Ashley National Forest this year but the face of Dry Fork Mountain Point Springs and Little V will be good bets Schijf said Such a prediction is harder in the Book Cliffs due to the larger areas of winter and transition range available to the deer but lower McCook Ridge and Big Park could could be good bets depending on the weather he said Jense said he feels the deer will be at intermediate and higher elevations especially on the south facing slopes where deer are using available food All hunters are urged to examine the Big Game Proclamation before the opener Areas often violated in the proclamation tion are that all animals must be tagged immediately after kill and before being transported and no person possessing a license for game of only one sex should transport the animal without evidence of its sex attached continued on page 4 1 i H un tji I I ji i j 1 J rl continued from page age i f I f Also spotlighting firearm In the vehicles f m Aug 15 to tot t th 15 prohibited l lf 1 H Hunters un t ers are cautioned I not to carry spouses spouse's or a friends friend's license in the t field Sc ld Law iii officers will be on ona a the lookout for loaded firearms In inai ai vehicles Sportsmen are encouraged to n 11 report all wildlife violations in order to toI tor r Improve the quality of the hunt for all I 1 iia Schijf said I I Hunting Is one of the safest activities f in in the United States according to the Na- Na National Na I Shooting Sports J Nationwide there are less than 2000 i r related hunting accidents Whereas f f Injuries occurred in the bath or i fit shower on the dance nce floor and ands s Injuries were bar barstool stool related Lee Robertson hunter education coor L for the tho Division of Wildlife t Resources attributes the safety of hun hun- I r ting Ung to the many men and 1 women that teach hunter education j f According to Robertson the tireless ef torts forts of utah Utah's s hunter h education volunteer instructors have made Utah one of the safest stateS to hunt In J k Robertson urges hunters to practice sv tf certain safety rules while in the field k 1 1 1 wear hunter orange use binoculars not t scope when looking for deer and J the action on your firearm open f fl l There is no excuse for a gun guns gun's action I to be closed when it Is not In use J Robertson said Over 9 95 percent of our ouri i f pres present nt accident rate could be avoided i if hunters would open the action when the in thein h gun Is not In use |