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FrankenMauser · March 31, 2013, 11:13 PM

I do hope you get to hunt from home this year.

It looks like Utah's hunt will be a mixed-bag.
Some areas are seeing declining numbers again, while other areas have recommendations for as many as 3,000 more tags (primarily cows, to bring the numbers down). However, most of the areas that will have more tags available are being referenced by the Wildlife Board with statements along the lines of:
"Numbers on the unit are over quota and continue to trend upward, but increased tag numbers have been ineffective at controlling population numbers. Difficult hunting and low success rates...."

Followed by recommendations of additional late hunts to: "...get hunters to kill and harass as many Elk as possible during peak predation season."
They simply want the Elk dead - whether it's caused by hunters, or predators.

In certain areas of the state, they're even recommending total annihilation of particular Elk or Antelope herds, because they don't want them in the area, at all.

It's difficult for me to wrap my head around...
We should be happy about the higher numbers, and animals moving into new territory - just as Wyoming is happy to see the increased numbers in some areas. But, Utah sees healthy big game herds as a pest control problem, instead.

March 31, 2013, 11:13 PM	#18
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	I do hope you get to hunt from home this year. It looks like Utah's hunt will be a mixed-bag. Some areas are seeing declining numbers again, while other areas have recommendations for as many as 3,000 more tags (primarily cows, to bring the numbers down). However, most of the areas that will have more tags available are being referenced by the Wildlife Board with statements along the lines of: "Numbers on the unit are over quota and continue to trend upward, but increased tag numbers have been ineffective at controlling population numbers. Difficult hunting and low success rates...." Followed by recommendations of additional late hunts to: "...get hunters to kill and harass as many Elk as possible during peak predation season." They simply want the Elk dead - whether it's caused by hunters, or predators. In certain areas of the state, they're even recommending total annihilation of particular Elk or Antelope herds, because they don't want them in the area, at all. It's difficult for me to wrap my head around... We should be happy about the higher numbers, and animals moving into new territory - just as Wyoming is happy to see the increased numbers in some areas. But, Utah sees healthy big game herds as a pest control problem, instead. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.