Utah 2013 hunting permit numbers: Some rise, some fall

The Utah Wildlife Board followed proposals from state wildlife biologists and approved more cow elk hunting permits while decreasing the number of general-season buck mule deer permits at a recent meeting in Salt Lake City.

The board, which is appointed by the governor and represents various wildlife-related interests, reduced the number of general deer permits by 1,900 to 84,600 for the 2013 hunt. A large percentage of the reduction came in the limited-entry deer hunts as the number dropped from 967 in 2012 to 827 for this year.

Anis Aoude, big-game coordinator of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, told the board the overall population of mule deer in the state is increasing, but management objectives for male-to-female ratios on many of the 30 hunting units remain unmet. Reducing hunting permits on those units should increase the buck-to-doe ratios at levels set in the statewide deer management plan.

Aoude reported that an estimated 318,000 mule deer were in Utah after the 2012 hunts, up from the 286,000 thought to be around after the 2011 deer hunt. At the same time, Utah deer hunters took 34 percent more deer in 2012 than in the previous year.

Utah's Rocky Mountain Elk population also continues to increase. Aoude and other state biologists recommended — and the wildlife board approved — increasing cow elk permits by more than 3,000 for 2013 to help bring the state's population back under the target of 70,965.

The board also approved increases in buck pronghorn (189) and doe pronghorn (425) hunting permits hunts this fall.

brettp@sltrib.com

Twitter: @BrettPrettyman —

2013 Utah hunting permits

Type of permit • 2012 number ... 2013 number

General buck deer • 86,500 ... 84,600

Premium limited entry deer • 183 ... 183

Management buck deer • 80 ... 52

Limited entry deer • 967 ... 827

Doe deer • 290 ... 305

General any bull elk • 14,620 ... 14,620

General spike bull elk • 15,000 ... 15,000

Limited entry bull elk • 2,775 ... 2,742

Cow elk • 14,763 ... 17,817

Buck pronghorn • 664 ... 853

Doe pronghorn • 537 ... 962

Bull moose • 76 ... 71

Cow moose • 0 ... 0

Bison • 120 ... 104

Desert bighorn sheep • 41 ... 37

Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep • 34 ... 40

Mountain goat • 165 ... 162

Source: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources