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Show Utah Deer Hunt Opens Sat. to Record Numbers Deer herds of southern Utah are expected to attract a larger larg-er number of out of state people for a 10 day period than any other event in Utah during the year for the opening of the General Gen-eral Deer Hunt Season which opens Saturday, Oct. 21 and runs through Oct. 31. Of approximately 30,000 out of state hunters expected to participate partici-pate in this annual event, it is estimated that almost 20,000 of people will be in the south west region of the state comprising the counties of Iron, Washington, Washing-ton, Kane, part of Garfield, Piute, part of Wayne, Sevier, Millard and Beaver counties. In addition to the 30,000 out of state hunters there will be another 130,000 Utahns who will be afield during the 10 day period per-iod to attempt to slay the wily buck. Reed Henderson of the Southern South-ern Regional office of the State Fish and Game Dept. located in Cedar City, pointed out some interesting in-teresting figures regarding the hunt and its growth through the years in the state. For instance since records have been kept on the annual deer harvest in Utah, it is indicated that the harvest has grown from 1.400 deer in 1925 to an anticipated antici-pated total of between 135,000 and 140,000 this season. Henderson also pointed out that more deer are killed by cars on Utah Highways during a year's time now than was harvested har-vested during the hunt in 1925. The first doe permits ever issued is-sued in the state of Utah were issued in 1934 and in that year the harvest grew to 11,890. In 1941, 60,000 hunters were afield for the deer hunt harvesting harvest-ing approximate'y 50 000 deer. In 1950 the hu'.ite had increas ed to 93,232 and likewise the harvest grew to 73,417. Proportionately the hunter and harvest ration has grown with " 129,303 nimrods afield in 1955 for a harvest of 111,917 deer. In 1960 the figures had grown to 150,401 hunters and a harvest of 130,94? . As indicated an estimated 160, 000 hunters will be afield this year and the harvest is expected at from 135,000 to 140,000 deer. During the 1960 hunt, checks were made for out of state residents resi-dents at Santa Clara and a ra tion of approximately one and one half deer per hunter left the state. Roughly there were 22,000 deer checked through this point by slightly over 16,000 hunters. Weather conditions for this year's general hunt are expected to be excellent and in most cases, cas-es, Henderson stated, deer are still expected to be at the higher elevations, at least during the opening week end of the hunt All higher elevation roads in the Southern Region are open and all hunting units should be easily accesible for the hunt. In snuthfrn Utah, nthpr activities activi-ties relative to the hunt will be going on. Thursday evenings in Cedar City and Parowan and in other communities of the state annual Deer Hunter's Balls will be staged by various groups. In Cedar City, the annual dance will be sponsored by the American Legion and will be held in the Armory. In Parowan the dance will be sponsored by the Gun and Rod Club and will be held in the Parowan High Gymnasium. Highways from Southern Calif, through Las Vegas, Nev., into Utah will start bumper to bumper bum-per traffic at midweek and Thursday and Friday parks, main streets and other areas of the southern Utah communities will be seeing not only the red of hunters but the yellow of the licences on trailers, jeeps, trucks cars and other units brought in from California. East Zion Unit which was one of 12 units opening this past week throughout the state, had only mild success, it was reported report-ed and pressures are expected to be taken off this unit as a result during the general hunt Cedar City, Parowan and Beaver Bea-ver along Highway 91 will serve as principal entry points to the deer hunting units in this area for both local and out-of-state sportsmen. Questions regarding the unit or any aspect of wildlife in Utah will be answered by contacting the Regional offices at the Parks Office Building in Cedar City. |