DWR biologists are recommending a total of 80,600 general-season deer hunting permits, which is a 9,075-permit increase from the previous year. “During our big game captures this last winter, we found that a majority of the deer throughout the state were healthy and in good condition, with high body fat,” shares DWR Big Game Coordinator Dax Mangus. “Biologists look closely at each hunting unit and individual situation when they make permit recommendations. We use the best available data and our management plans to make proactive recommendations for the herd health of our wildlife.” The announcement also clarifies the most important reason for the increase. “It should be noted that harvesting buck deer does not drive deer populations,” says Mangus. “That is a common misconception we hear when we make permit number recommendations each year. The most important factors that drive deer population numbers are the survival rates of doe deer (since bucks don’t have babies), fawn production and fawn survival over the winter. The way we hunt buck deer in Utah doesn’t drive deer populations, but what happens with deer populations drives how we hunt buck deer.” Visit wildlife.utah.gov for more information.
