The Utah Wildlife Board has approved a decrease in permits for the 2020 General Season Deer Hunt. During their Thursday board meeting, a total of 79,675 general-season permits were approved which is a decrease of 10,225 permits from 2019. “In 2019, the statewide deer population estimate decreased by approximately 57,000 animals to a total of just over 319,000 deer,” shares DWR Big Game Coordinator Covy Jones. “This decrease was primarily due to drought conditions in the spring, summer and fall of 2018, followed by a heavy winter in 2019. ” There will also be a decrease in antlerless deer permits for the upcoming hunting season. 1,045 antlerless deer permits have been removed leaving a total of 1,175 permits. Finally, there was also a decrease made in antlerless elk permits. The board approved 8,165 antlerless elk permits for the 2020 public drawing which is a decrease of 1,470 from 2019.
