Tough conditions for the deer population means fewer hunters will be granted permits next fall. The Utah Wildlife Board listened to presentations from DWR biologists before making the decision to grant 1,625 less buck deer hunting permits for the 2017 hunt, citing drought conditions and this year’s tough winter. The board did, however, increase permits for hunting desert bighorn sheep, bison and pronghorn. During the 2016 general buck deer hunt, 90,675 hunters took 31,800 buck deer which is the highest rate in Utah since 1996. “Before this winter started we found a statewide average of 59 fawns per 100 does,” explains DWR big game coordinator Justin Shannon. “In some parts of Utah, the winter was pretty severe and we know some fawns died. In northern Utah, there will probably be fewer 1 ½ year old bucks on some of the units this fall.” For more details on the 2017 deer hunt, visit
www.wildlife.utah.gov
.
