It’s been a rough winter and the Division of Wildlife Resources is working to educate the public on protections in place for wildlife. Utah’s wildlife often struggles to find food during the winter, and animals like deer and elk rely heavily on the body fat reserves they built up during the previous summer. Mid-winter and early spring are especially vulnerable times for these animals. Data from recent DWR monitoring efforts show that the extreme cold and increased snowpack across the state this winter are starting to impact mule deer fawn survival rates, and may negatively impact the ability of the adult deer to survive the winter. With so many big game animals migrating into valleys this winter, there have been increased conflicts in both rural and urban areas. Dogs that are off leash — or not contained within a yard — may act on their instincts to chase deer and other big game animals they see. However, that is harmful for big game animals because by the end of winter, they are usually surviving on fat reserves. It is in your best interest to not allow your pet to chase wildlife, because Utah law states that a person may kill or injure a dog that is “attacking, chasing or worrying any species of hoofed protected wildlife.”
