The Utah Wildlife Board approved a few updates to the Conservation Permit Program during Thursday’s public meeting. “Since 2001, conservation permits have generated more than $80 million dollars for conservation work in Utah,” says DWR Wildlife Section Chief Covy Jones. “The conservation and expo permit funding has led to the enhancement of thousands of acres of crucial habitats and the completion of important research to help us better manage big game populations.” The board approved a few updates, including: Removing cougars as a conservation permit species; Changes in the season type and draft order for elk and deer conservation permits; Removing the season-extension variance clause for unit conservation permits; Allowing a conservation organization to sell a permit to the runner-up bidder when the winning bidder defaults on payment, as long as the original high-bid price is met; Clarifying that retained revenue must be spent in a manner according to the DWR’s strategic plan or consistent with a conservation species management plan; And extending unit conservation bighorn sheep permits through December 31st. The board also approved the allocation of 336 conservation permits for 2025 – 2027, an 18-permit increase from the previous allocation.
