The DWR has put together a committee to help make recommendations to update the Utah Black Bear Management Plan. Changes include giving the district biologist more flexibility to take into account bear populations on surrounding hunting units, as well as rule changes regarding bear hunting. They will continue to require the mandatory orientation course for all applicants in 2023 while recommending the DWR update it with additional educational components by 2024. A hunter with a valid bait permit is allowed to hunt over another hunter’s bait site with written permission from the person who originally established the bait site. It is prohibited to use chocolate or cocoa as bait since it can be toxic to animals. While the DWR will not review bait site locations and approve them before a certificate of registration, these sites are required to comply with all DWR rules. Also the fall bait season was eliminated so it wouldn’t overlap with hound seasons, as it is illegal to use both for a bear hunt. The only season that would allow bait would be the spring season, which runs from May 30th to June 30th, 2023. To review all changes, visit wildlife.utah.gov.
