With the advent of summer comes increased interest in waterfowl hunting and of course fishing. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is constantly working on rules to help make those activities easier and more fun for participants.

Recently, the Utah Wildlife Board approved changes for waterfowl hunts in connection with laws passed by the Utah Legislature earlier this year.

HB 295 prohibits commercial hunting guides and outfitters from using DWR-owned waterfowl management areas without a permit. New blinds cannot be built in those areas as well.

“In order to help reduce crowding on these high-quality hunting areas, the DWR had proposed creating regulations that would not allow commercial guiding on waterfowl management areas,” said Faith Heaton Jolley, the public information officer for DWR. “However, after receiving additional feedback gathered from several public meetings, the Utah Wildlife Board voted to allow guiding on waterfowl management areas with a special-use permit.” 

She said the board also directed the DWR to form a committee to establish criteria for rules and regulations regarding waterfowl guiding in the state.

The Board also added Duchesne County to the Uintah County Hunt Area for sandhill cranes, and defined the use of dogs and types of non-lead ammunition and weapons that can be used on the Utah Lake Wetland Preserve.

The board also closed, temporarily, sage-grouse hunting on the Parker Mountain unit for the 2021 season. Parker Mountain is in Wayne County.

One other change was made regarding conservation permits – offered to conservation organizations who auction them off for fundraisers. The number was reduced to 318 for the next three years (2022-2024).

“The conservation groups provide 90% of the money raised from these permit sales toward conservation and research projects like habitat enhancement, wildlife transplants, aerial surveys and deer survival studies,” Jolley said.