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Show 7 T Page 18 - UINTAH BASIN STANDARD. July 27. 1999 Cougar and waterfowl hunting to be discussed at public meetings Public input about proposal that would probably result in hunters Aug. 2, 7 p.m.. Vernal City Offices, 447 E. ing Regional Advisory Council meetings. Waterfowl hunting rules for Utahs 1999 2000 season also will be discussed. Specific waterfowl proposals are still being finalised but might include a proposal to allow hunters to take thnre Canada daily. Rule changes dealing with mesticated elk farming; a policy to establish guidelines and procedures for trapping and translocating deer to augment existing populations; and a policy to provide direction in 6:30 p.m., taking about 400 coug&ra in Utah this season will be Bought at upcom- managing predator populations, also will be discussed. A Colorado River cutthroat trout stocking proposal also will be discussed at the Northeastern, Northern and Central RAC meetings. At the meetings the public will hear presentations about the pro posals and may ask questions and provide their input and suggestions RAC citizen representatives will take the public input received to the Utah Wildlife Board when it meets in Salt Lake City Aug. 18. Among items the board is scheduled to approve at the meeting are Utahs 1999 2000 cougar and waterfowl proclamations. Meeting dates, times and loca tions are as follows (please note that the Southern and Northern RAC meetings are being held the same night): cougars this season, the actual number taken would probably be closer to 400, Bates said. For example, during the 1998 1999 season, 446 limited entry permits were issued and a quota of 230 Northeastern Region, Main St. Venial. Southeastern Region, Aug. 3, John Wesley Powell Mu- seum, 885 E. Main St., Green River The proposals will be available for review on the Divisions Internet website, beginning July 26. The Division's home page address is: was set for the states harvest objective units, allowing hunters to take www.nr.state.ut.usdwr lhomeypg.htm After reviewing the proposals, those who will not able to attend their RAC meeting may send written comments to their RAC chairperson. Addresses for chairpersons are available by calling the nearest Division office. Cougar Hunting Division proposals would probably result in about the same number of cougars being taken this season as last season, said Bill Bates, mammals coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. Under Division proposals, the number of permits offered for limited entry units would drop for the 1999 - 2000 season, but the number of cougars to be taken on harvest objective units would increase. The Division is proposing that 402 limited entry permit i Ire issued this season, compared to 446 last season. The Division also is proposing that 258 cougars be taken on harvest objective units this season, compared to 230 last season. While the number of permits and quota of cougars to be taken would allow hunters to take a total of 660 676 cougars. A total of380 were actually taken. Among the states cougar units, seven would see some significant changes under Division proposals for the 1999 2000 season. On the Cache limited entry unit in northern Utah, permits would increase from 28 last season, to 40 this season. Sportsmen in Cache County and some Division staff are concerned about deer numbers on the Cache unit and want to see if taking more cougars might help them increase. Bates said. Results of the increased cougar harvest would be evaluated after the cougar season, to see if taking more cougars helped. Bates said. On theManti-Nort- h Manti, Monroe and Zion limited entry units, the Division is proposing a reduction in permit numbers. Bates said the deer herd on the Manti-Nort- h Manti unit in central Utah has increased to a point that cougar harvest can be reduced. The Division is proposing 32 permits for the unit, a decrease of eight from the 40 issued last aeaacn. Deer numbers also have increased on the Zion unit in southwestern Utah and the Division be- - WBB A athletes ride a float during foe Alumonl Longhorn Days LONGHORN SLUGGERS-AltamontTabi- ona in a tournament in Price and won several games. AltamontTabiona competed parade, Saturday morning. lieves cougar permit numbers can be cut back there, too. The Division To protect the reproductive cougar population bate on the three units, the Division is proposing that be set, Bates said. female would result in seaThe sons on the three units being closed prior to the units' overall quotas being reached, if the female subquotas were reached first. would protect The cougar populations on ths units by assuring that only a certain number of female were taken. Bates aid. The 1999 2000 season is the first Utah cougar season where a Cougar Management Plan has been unita in northern Utah be used to guide biologists in recomswitched from limited entry to har- mending cougar permit numbers. The plan was ths driving fores vest objectives units. Harvest objective units do not on what ws did this year Bates have a limit as to the number of said. hunters who can hunt on them. Among guidelines the plan provided were acceptable numbers of eougan to be taken; the number of is proposing that 40 permits be offered for the Zion unit this season, compared to 60 last season. Bates said. On the Monroe unit in southwestern Utah, a study has determined that there arent enough cougars to maintain past hunting pree-sur- e and the Division is recommending a drop in permits, from 25 last season to 15 this season, Bates said To offer hunters more hunting opportunities, the Division is proposRiver, ing that the Box Elder-Raf- t Box Elder-Dese- rt and Chalk Creek-Kam- sub-quot- as sub-quot- as sub-quot- as as cougars six years and older that should be allowed in the harvest; and the number of females that should be allowed in the harvest Biologists were required to look at each factor aa they made recommendations, Bates ssid. The Utah Cougar Management n Plan was drafted by a committee that included cougar hunters, houndsmen, animal activists and environmentalists. After being presented for public input at RAC meetings in February and March, the plan was ar by the Utah Wildlife nine-perso- 17. Waterfowl Hunting A proposal to allow Utah hunters to take three Canada geeas daily might be presented to the public at ths upcoming meetings. Qo INTEREST Available on all New JD Hay Equipment store (see for details) SEE AT BIG B EQUIPMENT John ccra Big SquQFO Baler loob lb. Bales Fastest Baler In the Industry! John Deere Baler Our Bales Stack Like PITCHING WORK-Duchcs- nc. s Justin ReiHcy fires foe baseball to a Price batter and hopes for a strike ouL grouse Sharp-taile- d applications available d grouse hunters may r two weekends of hunting in ah this year, after the Utah Wildlife Board voted recently to extend the state's season to nine dsys. The 1999 hunt will be held Nov. 6 -- 14 in eastern Box Elder County. A total of663 permits will be issued. Except for a 65 nonrefundable handling foe, theres no cost for a Sharp-taile- Each hunter who obtains a permit may taka a total of two birds. Applications to participate in ths hunt will bs availabls by July 27. Hunters may obtain applications from hunting and fishing license agents statewide; Division of Wildlife Rssources offices in Ogden, Salt Lake City, 8pnngville, Vernal, Price and Cedar City; Division hunter education centers in Logan and Salt Laks City, and at ths Division's Internet Brick & Mortar! websits at www.nr.atata.ut.usdwr IhomeypgJitm To bs entered in the draw for permits, applications must be re John Deere Round Baler through the mail, or an overnight mail service, no later than 5 p.m., Aug. 9. Applications must be submitted to Hunt Application Office, the private contractor that hand! as Utahs hunting draws, ons of ths following ways: through ths mail to: Hunt Application Office P.O.BoxS Salt Laks City, UT 841304)389; or, through an over-night mail service to: Hunt Applies-L- , tion Office, 185 N. Maine Fallon, ceived NV 89406. Hunters are reminded that it will , take a few days for their application to arrive in the mail and to mail it as far in advance of the Aug. deadline aa possible, said Judi Tutorow, Diviaon wildlife licensing coordinator. Draw results will be posted by Sept 14 at Division offices, ths Divisions hunter education centers and on tbs Divisions Internst website. Any permits remaining after ths tilablt on my drawmg will be mail-i- n application to Division of Wildlife Resources, FO Box 168888, Salt Lake City. UT 84116 4888, on a first-com- first-serve- e, ginning Sept 20. Sharp-taile- Leaf Saving Features, Put Hay in the Bale, Not on the Ground d d basis, beGrouae Season Forecast and Private Property Reminder Because of mild conditions this past winter, eastern Box Elder grouae popuCounty's sharp-taile- d lations sustained very little winter loss and prospects for the 1999 season look good, said Dean Mitchell, Division upland gams coordinator. "At the very least hunters should ses birds," Mitchell said. Baaed on lek (sharp-taile- d must breeding ares) surveys conducted this spring, Mitchell says sharptailed grouse numbers in the 620 hunt area this fall square-mil- e should be similar to last year, when the Division estimated the population at between 60Q and 8,400 birds. Division statistics indicate that . 233 hunters participated in the 1998 hunt and took 166 birds, for a success rate of 42 percent While a well trained pointing dog will bs a tremendous asset tar bunt, ere who have one, even those who don't can expect to flush birds. "Sharp-tailegrouse don't hold as tight as some upland gams birds da," litehell said. "Sharptaila are more of a nervous bird and if you walk into the general vicinity where they are, theyll probably flush." -- U1PIMI 722-36- 79 OR I -8- 00-535-BIG B West Hwy. 40 - Roosevelt, Utah d FOCUSED Roosevelt All-Sta- GUY--I- 3 r, for a base hit. year old Rick Weny hopes P |