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Show Area antelope hunt predicted to be excellent The antelope ' hunt September 5 to September Sep-tember 13 is predicted to be excellent on most units of the state. Antelope hunting has improved significantly in Utah since 1965. During that season, 51 antelope were harvested by 81 hunters for a 63 percent hunter success. Last year, 310 hunters harvested har-vested 280 antelope for a 91 percent hunter success. suc-cess. The improvement is due in a large part to the Utah Division of Wildlife's ongoing program of reintroducing antelope into historical ranges. Of the 13 antelope an-telope units being hunted in 1981, 7 of these areas have been repopulated w ith antelope through the Division's extensive transplanting program within the state. Antelope once roamed in most foothill and valley locations of the state. However, as civilization and unregulated livestock grazing encroached, en-croached, antelope were pushed to remote desert areas and populations steadily declined. For many years, antelope received complete protection. Antelope hunting began again in 1945 on a very limited basis. In describing the 1981 antelope hunt on the Daggett, Bonanza and Myton Bench units, Northeastern Regional Game Manager Bob Nielson says, "We have line mature bucks on all three units. . . The Daggett really looks good." He says the densities of antelope are not as great on Myton Bench because it is a larger area. However, hunters may harvest good bucks on this unit by hunting a little longer. Region, the Icelander unit will be the best unit, according to Jim Bates, regional game manager. The Cisco unit will also provide good hunting, but poor populations prevail on the Hatch Point unit. Bates recommends antelope hunters in the Cisco unit "stick close to the state line" for the best success. Floyd Coles, regional game manager in the predicts good hunting on the Cedar City, Southwest Desert, John's Valley and Parker Vally units. "If a person is willing to spend the time, there's no reason he shouldn't be able to harvest an antelope," an-telope," says Coles. Coles expects the biggest antelope to be taken in John's Valley. He also cautions that some roads in this region may be torn up due to . n u fi l:-..- |