While violations were up, incidents of illegally killing wildlife in Utah were down in 2023. The Division of Wildlife Resources reports that a total of 4,567 violations were issued in 2023, compared to 4,074 citations in 2022. The most common violation was individuals cited for fishing or hunting without a valid license. In 2023, 46 people had their hunting or fishing privileges suspended in Utah, compared to 66 suspensions in 2022, 54 suspensions in 2021, and 35 suspensions in 2020. The number of illegally killed wildlife in Utah was 1,283 wild animals in 2022. A total of 1,056 wild animals and fish were illegally harvested in Utah in 2023, which is a combined value of a little over $619,000 dollars. This was mostly made up of fish, “trophy” deer and elk and a few moose, bison and bears as well. DWR knows that not all wildlife violations are committed intentionally. To learn about common illegal hunting and fishing mistakes, visit www.wildlife.utah.gov.
