Hunting Fee Changes Proposed

It might cost more or less to hunt and fish in Utah in the future, depending on which licenses you buy.

The changes would result from some fee changes the Division of Wildlife Resources is proposing. The fee changes would allow the agency to continue managing Utah’s wildlife effectively and provide hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers with some additional services.

You can learn more about the DWR’s proposals at a series of upcoming public meetings. Fishing rules for Utah’s 2007 season, and a proposal to increase the number of wild turkey hunting permits in Utah, also will be discussed.

Citizens representing Utah’s five Regional Advisory Councils will take the public input received at the meetings to the Utah Wildlife Board when it meets Oct. 5 in Salt Lake City to approve fee changes, and fishing and turkey hunting rules, for 2007.

Meeting dates, times and locations are as follows:

Southern Region
Sept. 12
7 p.m.
Kanab High School
59 E. Red Shadow Lane
Kanab

Southeastern Region
Sept. 13
6:30 p.m.
John Wesley Powell Museum
885 E. Main St.
Green River

Northeastern Region
Sept. 14
6:30 p.m.
Western Park, Rm. # 2
302 E. 200 S.
Vernal

Central Region
Sept. 19
6:30 p.m.
Springville Junior High
165 S. 700 E.
Springville

Northern Region
Sept. 20
6 p.m.
Brigham City Community Center
24 N. 300 W.
Brigham City

Fee Changes

The fee changes the DWR is recommending would be phased in beginning July 1, 2007.

“Those who pay a $5 fee to apply in the big game draw each year, but then do not buy any other licenses or permits, would be the ones most affected by the changes,” says Jim Karpowitz, director of the DWR. “Those who already buy Utah hunting and fishing licenses would not be affected as much. In fact, in some cases, they may actually pay less.”

The DWR is recommending that the price of the following be reduced:

Fee Decreases

Current New

Resident combination license $34 $30
(allows the holder to hunt and fish)

Resident deer permit $40 $35

Resident elk permit $65 $45
(any bull/spike/anterless)

Resident turkey permit $40 $35


The DWR is also recommending that the price of the following be increased:

Fee Increases

Current New

Resident small game $17 $26
(renamed a hunting license)

Nonresident small game $45 $65
(renamed a hunting license)

Drawing application fee $5 $10


In addition to the fee changes, the DWR is recommending a major change in how people apply in Utah’s hunting draws:

- Before applying for or buying any hunting permit, all hunters, including big game hunters, would be required to buy a hunting license (this license is currently called a small game license).

In addition to allowing the holder to apply for or buy a permit, a hunting license would allow the holder to hunt small game.

A hunting license would cost $26. Instead of buying a hunting license, hunters could choose to buy a $30 combination license that would also allow them to fish.

- The fee to apply in Utah’s hunting draws, including the big game draw, would be increased to $10. The application fee is currently $5.

In addition to the big game changes, the DWR is proposing the following:

- Those who don’t have a hunting or fishing license would be required to pay a fee to visit the state’s wildlife and waterfowl management areas (WMAs). A Watchable Wildlife pass would be available for $10 and would allow the purchaser access to the state’s WMAs for 365 days from the day the pass was purchased. The pass would also provide the holder access to all of the Watchable Wildlife events and festivals in Utah for which a fee is charged to attend.

- Twelve- and 13-year-old anglers would be required to buy a $5 fishing license. “For every license sold to these young anglers, the division would collect $12 in federal aid. That money would then be invested in fish hatcheries and other programs that would make fishing better in the state,” Karpowitz said.

Other Agenda Items

In addition to input about the fee proposals, the DWR is seeking input about some additional items. The Utah Wildlife Board is expected to act on the following items when it meets in Salt Lake City on Oct. 5:

Fishing Changes for 2007

Anglers could keep more trout at Scofield Reservoir under a regulation the Division of Wildlife Resources is proposing for 2007.

“We think anglers will be pleased with the changes we’re proposing for 2007,” says Roger Wilson, sport fisheries coordinator for the DWR. “One of our goals is to simplify the regulations and make them easier for anglers to understand. It will take a few years to get there, but that’s the direction we’re headed.”

Wilson says the DWR would like to try the proposed regulation changes to see how they work. “We would evaluate any changes over the next two to three years and make adjustments as necessary,” he said. “Nothing is set in stone. If we found that a regulation wasn’t accomplishing what we want it to, we could propose that it be changed in the future.”

Proposed Changes

The following are some of the DWR’s fishing recommendations for 2007:

Scofield Reservoir (central Utah) - increase the trout limit to eight fish.

Statewide walleye limit - make the walleye limit 10 fish at all of the waters in Utah that have walleye except Willard Bay Reservoir, where the limit at the reservoir would remain at six walleye. Only one of the walleyes caught at any of the waters could be longer than 24 inches.

Second fishing pole - allow anglers to use a second fishing pole at fishing waters across the state.

Panguitch Lake and its tributaries (southwestern Utah) - allow anglers to keep four trout of any species, but the trout must be under 15 inches or over 22 inches in length. Anglers would be required to release all trout from 15 to 22 inches long.

Calder Reservoir (northeastern Utah) - make the reservoir a trophy fishery by allowing the use of artificial flies and lures only and allowing anglers to keep only one fish that must be over 22 inches in length.

Trout Limit at Scofield Reservoir

A big drop in the number of anglers fishing at one of Utah’s best trout waters has prompted the DWR to recommend an increase in the trout limit at this water. Under the recommendation, the trout limit at Scofield Reservoir would be raised from four to eight trout beginning Jan. 1, 2007.

“Scofield is one of the best trout fishing waters in Utah, but the number of anglers who fish it has dropped off dramatically during the past 20 years,” Wilson says.

Wilson says in 1986, anglers spent almost 347,000 hours fishing at Scofield. By 2005, that number had dropped to just under 115,000 hours. “That’s a 67 percent drop in angling pressure,” Wilson said.

The drop in angler hours has also led to a drop in the number of fish caught at the reservoir. In 1986, anglers caught more than 252,000 trout. By 2005, that number had fallen to less than 36,000.

“Scofield is a fantastic trout fishing water, and anglers are missing out on some great fishing,” Wilson said. “We’re hoping anglers will come back if the trout limit is increased.”

If the regulation is approved, Wilson says biologists would try the eight trout limit as an experiment. “Our biologists would continue to watch the trout population closely to make sure the increased limit was not having a negative effect on the population,” he said. “We would also survey anglers to learn if the increased limit was one of the reasons they decided to fish at the reservoir.”

Statewide Walleye Limit

Walleye fishing in Utah should be even better in the future under a regulation change that would allow anglers to keep up to 10 walleye. The only exception would be Willard Bay Reservoir in northern Utah, where the limit would remain at six walleye.

Only one of the walleyes caught at any of the waters could be longer than 24 inches.

“Right now many of the state’s walleye populations are going through a boom-and-bust cycle. We’ll have good numbers of nice-sized walleye at a particular water for a few years, and then the population at that water will decline in both size and numbers as the walleye population grows bigger than the population of fish they prey on,” Wilson said.

Wilson says the key to preventing the decline is creating a better balance between the walleye and the fish they prey on.

“If we allow anglers to keep more of the small walleyes, the overall number of walleyes will be reduced. Fewer walleyes would result in a better balance between the walleyes and the fish they prey on,” he said. “We’re hoping the regulation change would result in fewer ups and downs in the walleye population and more consistent and better walleye fishing.”

Two Fishing Poles

Anglers could fish with two fishing poles, at waters across Utah, under another DWR recommendation.

“Other states that have allowed anglers to use two fishing poles statewide have not seen any negative effect on their fish populations,” Wilson said. “Allowing Utah’s anglers to use two poles would provide them with more opportunity and more fun at waters across the state.”

In addition to their fishing license, anglers would be required to purchase a Two-Pole Permit to use a second pole.

More Turkey Permits

More than 400 additional hunters would be hunting wild turkeys in Utah next spring under a permit increase the DWR is recommending.

For 2007, the DWR is recommending 2,369 Rio Grande permits, up 335 from the 2,034 available this past spring. A total of 732 Merriam’s permits would also be available in 2007. That’s 94 more than the 638 available this past spring.

Total wild turkey permits would be 3,101 in 2007, compared to 2,672 in 2006.

“Over the past seven years, we’ve moved a lot of wild turkeys into Utah, and we’ve also moved a lot of birds from one area of the state to another,” says Dean Mitchell, upland game coordinator for the DWR. “It’s taken a few years, but these birds have adapted to their new habitats here in Utah. They’re learning where the food is and where the best places are to spend the winter.

“Wild turkey populations across most of the state are doing really well.”

For more information about the meetings, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR’s Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.