It’s almost time for Utah’s most popular hunt and fall foliage is on full display ready to greet hunters. According to the Division of Wildlife Resources, over 60,000 hunters, along with their families and friends, will be trekking into Utah’s backcountry to enjoy the fall hunt and find that elusive mule deer buck. Initial reports in September indicate that buck numbers might be down a bit but good numbers of deer, especially older, mature bucks, are still available. This past winter’s deep snow and cold hit parts of northeastern Utah hard on the South Slope unit. DWR biologists initiated emergency feeding programs to help mitigate the effects but it’s believed that between 70 and 90 percent of fawns born the spring of 2016 died. “Hunters probably won’t see many 1 ½ year-old bucks on those units,” shares DWR section chief Justin Shannon. “Some older bucks should still be available though.” For information on preparing for the hunt, visit
www.wildlife.utah.gov
.
