Utah’s Antlerless application period opens at 8 am on May 27 and closes on June 17 at 11 pm.
In a story covered by EhuntR earlier this year, we mentioned that two new antlerless hunts will start this year. One will be in Price and the other in Oak City. This will be to combat growing urban populations. With a significant reduction in general season buck permits, antlerless hunts are a great alternative.
Utah’s Antlerless Application Process
In Utah, a hunter can apply to hunt several antlerless big game species. These include mule deer, elk, moose, pronghorn, and bighorn sheep. It is important to note that the UDWR has strict rules for what qualifies as an antlerless animal.
Typically an animal is either a female without horns/antlers or with horns/antlers shorter than its ears. For more information, you can look up administrative rule R-657-5. Any of the species could provide a hunter with extra meat for the freezer and is a viable option for many.
“The antlerless big game hunts are a great opportunity to not only harvest meat and make some great memories outdoors, but also to help manage wildlife populations and maintain healthy herds and landscapes. However, hunters should be aware that we’ve had a few drought years in Utah recently, which has a significant impact on the survival rates of deer and other big game animals. There are fewer antlerless deer, pronghorn, and moose permits available this year than last year.” – DWR Big Game Coordinator Covy Jones
Hunters should be aware of any regulations that govern antlerless hunting. As always a valid hunting license is required. Some antlerless units may have different unit sizes versus their general season counterpart.
Results for the antlerless hunts will be available either on or before July 8th. Any remaining permits will be available for purchase on July 20th.
Do you plan on hunting antlerless game this year? Have you hunted the antlerless season before? Let us know in the comments!
