Hunting Seasons About To Begin In Utah

Utah's archery deer and elk hunts begin this Saturday and other hunts will take place during the coming weeks. Whether you love or hate hunting, you need to be aware of the hunts because they impact outdoor recreation in the state.

Hunting is not allowed in our national parks. The red rock desert country in southern Utah attracts few hunters so the upcoming seasons make little difference there. But the impact is great in our national forests and other areas where there are good populations of deer, elk, grouse, chuckers, ducks, geese,m even mountain lions, bears and other animals.

See the hunting section on the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources website for details. Dates of some of the most popular hunts are listed below:

• General archery deer season begins Aug. 16, 2014 and ends Sept. 12, 2014
• General archery any bulk elk season begins Aug. 16, 2014 and ends Sept. 12, 2014
• Cottontail rabbit season begins, statewide, Sept. 1, 2014 and ends Feb. 28, 2015
• The youth general any bull elk season begins Sept. 13, 2014 and ends Sept. 21, 2014
• Chukar partridge season begins, statewide, Sept. 27, 2014 and ends Feb. 15, 2015
• General-season spike and any bull elk hunts begin Oct. 4, 2014 and end Oct. 16, 2014
• General-season any legal weapon (rifle) deer hunts begin Oct. 18, 2014 and end Oct. 26, 2014
• Ring-necked pheasant hunts began Nov. 1, 2014 and end Nov. 16, 2014 (general season) or Dec. 7, 2014 (extended season)
• Waterfowl hunt (ducks, geese...) will also take place in the fall and early winter

Youth Waterfowl and Outdoor Festival

If you're new to waterfowl hunting, you might want to attend the annual Youth Fair hosted by the Utah Waterfowl Association.

At the fair, youth and adults can learn more about waterfowl hunting, including how to place decoys, identify birds and call ducks.

It's a lot of fun and a great event! Many thanks to the Utah Waterfowl Association.