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Show Big Game Board Sets Shortened Deer Hunt Citing declining deer populations popula-tions due to drought and winter losses statewide, the Utah Board of Big Game Control last Saturday, set a seven-day general season rifle hunt statewide, cutting four days off the traditional eleven-day, buck-only buck-only deer hunt. Season dates for the deer hunts are as follows: general season rifle deer, October 23-29; archery, August Au-gust 21 - September 17 and muz-zleloader, muz-zleloader, November 6-15. Elk season dates are: rifle, Oct. 6-19; archery, Sept. 2-17; and muz-zleloader, muz-zleloader, Sept. 18-26. There will be an extended archery deer hunt in Salt Lake, Davis and most of Weber counties Aug. 21 - Dec. 12. Hunting will be allowed with archery tackle only for both deer and elk in Salt Lake County from 1-80 south to the Utah county line. The Board established a bonus point system and new waiting periods peri-ods to apply for some big game species, and wiped the old slate clean so all applicants start on an "even playing field." That means all big game hunters may apply for any hunt in 1993, even if they had a permit last year. Under the new point system, one bonus point will be awarded for each year an applicant appli-cant is unsuccessful in the big game drawing. The new waiting periods will be two years for antlerless elk and limited lim-ited buck deer permits, and five years for buck antelope, bull elk and antlerless moose. Pointing out the inconvenience to Utah hunters, the Board eliminated elimi-nated the resident big game license sales cutoffs, implementing instead a 24-hour waiting period before hunting for anyone buying a big game or combination license during the hunts. The application period for all special permits, such as limited entry en-try buck and restricted area elk, will See Big Game Page 7A Big Game Hunt From Page 1 be May 5 through 25. First choice on antlerless deer permits will go to deer hunters who choose to hunt exclusively for a doe. Board member mem-ber Jerry Mason, the sportsmen's representative, said this will be a good option for first-time hunters or those primarily interested in venison for the table. Hunters may purchase one or two antlerless deer tags during a by-mail-only application applica-tion period from June 7 - July 3. Archery and muzzleloader hunters may purchase remaining antlerless tags from July 6 until they are sold out. Any hunter who has not purchased a deer tag may do so beginning July 26. Any tags remaining on August 9 will be sold over-the-counter in the Salt Lake office of the Division of Wildlife Resources. |
