Utah Deer Population:  Estimated at 375,000 in 2017, compared to 385,000 in 2016.  An estimate of 384,000 deer in 2015.  About 355,600 deer in Utah after the hunts in 2014.  The harsh 2016-17 winter prompted emergency feeding and reduced the herd.  Drought in 2016 and 2018 also reduced the herd while mild winters in the four years going into 2016 helped the herd recover.   A long downward trend for about 40 years.  Herd analysis at right.  Historical Utah hunting data and news archive.
Utah Deer News

... During the winter, there is an increase in wildlife along the roadways, primarily due to big game animals migrating to lower elevations in search of feed ...  there were approximately 10,000 wildlife/vehicle collisions in 2012 ...

... “They are starting to die from malnutrition and we need this snow to melt off so they can get to green vegetation. In some areas, we have really good winter range and they haven't lost weight as quickly,” Brock McMillian, BYU professor ...

Applying for big game hunting can be complicated January 30, 2019 Utah, The Herald Journal
... Utah offers hundreds of tags for auctions ... can cost $1,000 for a cow elk or over $300,000 for some mule deer hunts... There are now companies whose sole purpose are to help hunters go through the application process in a manner that gives them the best odds of receiving a tag ...

Tradition of winter elk-viewing rides continues at Hardware Ranch January 7, 2019 Utah, The Herald Journal
... Annual elk-viewing rides are underway at Hardware Ranch Wildlife Management Area in Blacksmith Fork Canyon... 15 miles east of Hyrum in Blacksmith Fork Canyon...

Fences should protect Utah wildlife January 3, 2019 The Herald Journal
... Work conducted by Utah State University in 2006 found that for every 2.5 miles of fence next to roads, one big game animal per year died because of the fences presence. August was when the largest number of deer, elk, and antelope succumbed to these fences as this is the time of year when fawns were weaned...

...research has generated more information than he and his team can handle ... images are loaded onto a special website, where certified participants can access them ... After people and their pets, mule deer are by far the most common animal seen in the data ...

... “This is important habitat for big game, but also for sage grouse, and important migration corridors for mule deer and elk," ...

Mule Deer Foundation Received a Grant from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for Migration Corridor Initiative December 20, 2018 Utah, MDF News
... The Mule Deer Foundation announced today that it had received a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to increase the organization’s capacity to work with state agency partners and the federal government on big game migration corridors and winter range projects. The 2-year grant will support MDF’s focused efforts to help implement corridor conservation and restoration projects focused in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana. With this funding, MDF will launch a Migration Initiative to serve a key role in meeting the goals of the Department of the Interior Secretarial Order 3362...

... The crossing spans six lanes above Interstate 80 at Parleys Summit and is intended to serve as an alternative path for migrating moose, elk, deer and other animals...

Mule Deer Foundation Applauds Congressional Approval of Farm Bill with Mule Deer/Sage Grouse Habitat Provisions December 13, 2018 Utah
... This legislation includes conservation and forestry provisions that are critically important to wildlife conservation throughout the range of mule deer and black-tailed deer in the West.   “We particularly appreciate inclusion of a provision to establish a categorical exclusion on Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior lands for forest management projects that will restore mule deer and sage grouse habitat...

This mule deer fawn became stuck while trying to pass through a wrought iron fence. The fawn was initially freed, but became stuck again before it could safely escape the enclosure. The fawn was freed from the fence again and safely transported to a trail several hundred feet away where it could return to the foothills where it lives. The fawn successfully made it back into the foothills near where other deer were hanging out. Hopefully it was able to reunite with its mother. Thank you to the Utah Division of Wildlife for giving this fawn a chance at survival. - December 4, 2018


... arrow stuck the deer in its shoulder blade... limping around Oak Hills in Salt Lake City ...

Citizen Scientists needed to study Wasatch wildlife November 16, 2018 Utah, Salt Lake Tribune
... This year ... more than 200 Community Scientists began studying the Wasatch’s wildlife with the goal of learning about critical habitats and movement corridors... deployed trail cameras and are now helping analyze nearly a million images including moose, elk, mule deer, and cougar. Each image will be used to understand the most important habitats and movement pathways ...

Prescribed fires continue in northern Utah November 12, 2018 Utah, Utahstatesman
... “The primary goal of pile burning is to remove hazardous wildland fuel accumulations,” Rockwood [fuels technician for the Ogden and Logan Ranger Districts] said. “It is also classified as crucial winter and summer habitat for mule deer, and possible sage grouse habitat.” ...

Beautiful Utah high desert mule deer buck 2018


Game sanctuaries dominated Utah in the roaring '20s October 29, 2018 Utah, Deseret News
... Cache County established a 10,000-acre preserve for deer and elk in the summer of 1933, according to the Telegram of June 8 that year. The mountain boundaries stretched from the Logan River south to the Blacksmith Fork, as a precursor to the much smaller Hardware Ranch of today...

...  the Bureau of Land Management in Utah published its lease/sale notice for December that removed all the lease parcels that include the sage grouse habitat but offers 150,000 acres for potential leasing... Elk, mule deer and pronghorn antelope need the same habitat ...

... In late summer and early fall, Forest Service hand crews have been cutting down juniper trees in Green Canyon, Providence Canyon and Logan Dry Canyon to help restore plants important to mule deer, according to the Forest Service... lop and scatter, so they just cut it and spread the branches around ...

Gov. Herbert declares drought emergency for all of Utah October 15, 2018 Utah, Salt Lake Tribune
... The water year that ended Sept. 30 was Utah’s driest since 1895 ... fawn survival rate is expected to be zero for some Utah deer herds..,

Research grants awarded for Utah big game migration corridors October 6, 2018 Utah, The Independent | SUindependent.com
... U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced over $230,000 in research grant funding awarded for three state-identified research priority projects into big game migration corridors in Utah...

Cache Deer September 17, 2018 Utah, Utah Wildlife Net
... The Cache deer herd came through the winter this past year in fine shape with a higher than average fawn survival rate. The lack of moisture during the summer may have altered their normal behavior somewhat, but overall the population is up. I personally haven't seen anything huge, but I have seen lots of yearling bucks..,

... Since 2004, the state’s adult lion population has more than doubled to 2,500, tracking with mule deer numbers, according to DWR estimates. However, cougar numbers fell last year after deer numbers registered a decline...  the quota represents a quarter of the state’s adult cougar population and should be reduced..,

Utah drought worst in ten years September 12, 2018 Utah, Good4Utah
... Michael Styler, director of Utah DNR. Styler said low snowfall amounts over the winter months have caused the water shortage. Elk and deer are migrating, even dying in some areas, because of the lack of water..,

Senate Unanimously Passes Sagebrush Habitat Bill September 7, 2018 Utah, Mule Deer Foundation
... The legislation, S. 1417, will help expedite important habitat restoration projects across the West that benefit mule deer and sage-grouse populations while also improving opportunities for hunters. MDF worked closely with the Senate co-sponsors to craft the bill and strongly supports the legislation...

... Darren DeBloois, DWR's mammals program coordinator, says he recognizes the concerns of multiple parties about cougar hunting. Over the last five years, the state has seen a growing cougar population. While it's hard to get an accurate estimate, he says it's likely in the 2,000 range...

... Mountain lions generally eat just under one ungulate a week, preying on an average of 38 deer each year according to a study from 2010... mountains and foothills ...there's four to five mountain lions and 1,300 to 1,900 deer per 100 square miles... desert habitats that support the animals have sparser populations. Per 100 square miles in those areas, there's two mountain lions and around 750 deer at best. ...

... the fatalities were wildlife: 98 deer, three moose, two raccoons, two elk and a cougar all struck and killed by vehicles... The continuing roadkill there in recent years did spur a public call for improvements ... wildlife fencing is going to direct them to this specific location ...

... DWR estimates there are around 2,000 adult mountain lions and around 2,000 kittens and 1-year-olds...The DWR recommends allowing hunters to take 653 cougars for the coming year ... Last week he [rancher] said he lost 10 lambs to a mountain lion in Logan Canyon.  “It ate maybe 5 pounds out of two of them,” he said. “The rest were killed for fun — left laying there, rotting in the sun. It’s sickening.” ..,
... Draper’s police chief who gave the longest presentation — saying that there is already $10,000 budgeted for deer removal ... archers the city plans to hire ...

Proposed Draper, Utah, deer cull. - July 15, 2018


Unproven bounty program is coyote ugly July 4, 2018 Utah, Salt Lake Tribune
... Coyote will kill and eat deer, but removing the coyotes doesn’t necessarily result in fewer coyotes. Their population is more a function of available food. The program has produced a remarkable 90,000 coyote carcasses in six years, but there is nothing to indicate the coyote population is any smaller in Utah ...

... their compensation forms claimed they were on the days they bagged coyotes. Ninety-five were actually killed in Nevada by other people... scams like this compromise the data state biologists like Xaela Walden gather to gauge the bounty’s efficacy ...

... deer, the moose, and the elk can get around that fencing still... we've had 8 animal deaths in 5 days. It's a problem. To have such a good start with wildlife fencing and then have it removed spoke volumes ... UDOT ... they're overwhelmed ... we have seen so much growth over the past two years."

... The deer lived with the arrow inside its body until years later, when another hunter killed the animal, cut the deer open, and discovered its amazing secret ...

... The provision, based on the Sage-Grouse and Mule Deer Habitat Conservation and Restoration Act (S. 1417) led by Senator Orrin Hatch and Senator Martin Heinrich will help expedite the removal of encroaching piñon pine and juniper trees in sagebrush rangelands across the West. These types of habitat stewardship projects, which the Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) has coordinated or actively participated in, have benefited deer and elk populations ...
   
... Peay wanted to point out a particular parcel of public land that used to be overrun by highly invasive cheat grass. Several years ago, he worked with local land managers to revegetate it with native plants favored by deer and elk.  “We’re proud of what we’ve done here ... It shows that local people know the land better than bureaucrats from Washington or tourists from California.” ...

... Six holes were cut in a $2.5 million deer fencing and underpass project east of Kanab on U.S. 89, leading to 15 deer on the roadway and six deer-vehicle collisions...

... Our results indicated that coyote control can decrease mortality and increase survival of neonate mule deer in some situations. Removal of coyotes was most effective when removal efforts occurred for multiple consecutive years, and when control efforts occurred in or near fawning habitat...

DNR: Stop taking fawns out of nature May 4, 2018 Utah, KUTV 2News
... they think the fawns have been abandoned by their mother or are hurt. But Carver said what is really happening is the mother has drawn off predators away, making it seem like the fawn has been left behind...

Buck to do ratio, Big game permits approved April 27, 2018 Utah, Millard County Chronicle Progress
... Buck deer ... are among the animals for which more permits will be available.  ... On 11 of Utah's 29 general season units, biologists want to see 15 to 17 bucks per 100 does.  On the remaining 18 units, the objective is 18 to 20 bucks per 100 does..,
... The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, based in Missoula, Montana, has awarded $219,584 in grants for two dozen projects across Utah to enhance more than 51,000 acres of wildlife habitat....

Mule Deer Foundation Launches Talking Mule Deer Podcast Series April 20, 2018 Utah, MDF
... The Mule Deer Foundation will be launching a new podcast series called Talking Mule Deer with the first episode available on the MDF website on Monday, April 23. Talking Mule Deer is intended to be an entertaining and educational listening series featuring interviews with MDF staff, mule deer biologists, land managers, hunting industry experts ...

Wildlife crossings protect drivers and deer April 12, 2018 Utah, KUTV 2News
... Across the state, there are 48 wildlife crossings meant to guide deer and other animals safely across busy highways... working on a wildlife overpass along I-80 in Parleys Canyon. It’s one of the first overpass ...

North Logan deer control program not out of woods March 24, 2018 Utah, The Herald Journal
... urban deer programs in about 15 cities statewide. Some relocate the deer ... Initially, Krebs said, the idea was to relocate the deer, but it cost about $250 for each one, and many found their way back, or just couldn’t survive in their new location... “No matter what city you work with, it’s definitely a polarizing topic,” ...

... planted Bitter Brush, Service Berries and Sage Brush.  Seeds for the plants were purchased from proceeds of a fundraiser ... "We fed deer here in '08, we fed deer here last year in '17," ...

Maligned practice of chaining restores ecosystems March 12, 2018 Utah,
Utah Policy
... Chaining is the practice of dragging a heavy chain between two tractors to rip out large woody plants, and it’s usually employed in the West to control dangerously overgrown pinyon-juniper tree stands... Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, for example, helped fund chaining in nearly 900 acres in Sevier County to improve habitat for local elk herds...

...  in the Cache unit — and we have seen this across Utah — we used to have 100 fawns per 100 does on average, and sometimes in the 80s,” said DWR biologist Kent Hersey. “This past few years, we’ve only been in the 60s. Some of that is certainly weather related, but overall there has been a declining trend.” ...

How the warm winter is affecting Utah's wildlife February 16, 2018 Utah, KSL.com
... Utah’s big game animals can travel the hills and mountains to find food rather than coming down to the valleys. The warmer winter has also kept Utah wildlife off the roadways, resulting in fewer animals being hit by cars. It has really been a quiet winter in that regard.” ...

... The elk jumped into the chopper’s tail rotor as the aircraft flew about 10 feet  above ground in a mountainous part of eastern Utah, with its crew trying to drop a net on the elk ...


A few clips of some Utah Muleys from 2017-2018 - February 12, 2018


Interior secretary touts effort to improve big-game habitat February 9, 2018 Utah, Washington Post
... U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said Friday that he’s taking steps to study and preserve habitat and migration corridors in Western states for big-game animals such as elk, mule and deer ... researchers using advanced technology can now precisely document migration corridors and the roads, fences and housing developments that impede them...

Course needed to gather shed antlers February 8, 2018 Utah, Daily Herald
... gatherers must complete the Division of Wildlife Resources’ Antler Gathering Ethics course. The free course ...

... Within about a two-week span, the seven deer were poached in three separate but similar incidents and left to waste in Kane County ...  it appears that individuals were off-roading in the area, shooting deer and leaving them where they fell. ..

North Ogden, In North Ogden, a measured approach to urban deer November 19, 2017 Utah, Ogden Standard-Examiner
... Taylor’s poll showed 602 respondents in favor of leaving the deer alone, 199 who voted to hunt the deer and three who’d prefer trapping and relocating the animals.  Those who oppose hunting consider deer part of the city’s mountain landscape...
... the North Ogden City Council on Wednesday directed Mayor Brent Taylor to draft a plan calling for a deer count aimed at helping pinpoint the scope of the problem in the city...
     North Ogden officials to again debate how to deal with urban deer population November 14, 2017 Utah, Ogden Standard-Examiner
... According to a Nov. 9 staff report from Jonathan Call, the North Ogden city attorney, tapping into a DWR program to remove and relocate deer would cost an estimated $29,120 per year, presuming 100 animals were trapped. That includes $200 paid to the DWR per animal plus $9,120 in city manpower dedicated to the task...

... Drought conditions followed by above-average winter snowfall took a tool on deer, particularly young animals... State biologists tracking deer estimated a population of 375,000 in January, compared to 385,000 in January 2016... The state manages for between 15 and 20 bucks per 100 does in herds. After last year’s hunt, the state ratio was 21 bucks to 100 does ..,

Rifle deer hunt opens Oct. 21 October 19, 2017 Utah, Daily Herald
... This past winter, deep snow and bitter cold gripped parts of northern and northeastern Utah... To try to help deer in the areas, DWR biologists started an emergency feeding program. Despite the supplemental feeding, between 70 and 90 percent of the fawns born during spring 2016 died... Utah Wildlife Board lowered the number of hunting permits ...

Six tips for having a successful rifle deer hunt in Utah October 17, 2017 Utah, InstantEncore
... buck numbers may be down a bit, according to the Division of Wildlife Resources... especially true in parts of northern and northeastern Utah, especially the Cache hunting in northern Utah and the South Slope unit in northeastern Utah... the number of bucks per does is at or above the objective for every Utah unit and last year’s hunt was the best in decades..,

Springville council approves plan to decrease urban deer October 16, 2017 Utah, Daily Herald
... plans to use contract archery hunters ... After the city posted about the decision on its Facebook page, a number of people expressed concern or displeasure with it ... Only five people attended the meeting to comment ...

Rifle Deer Hunt Opens Oct. 21 population trend October 11, 2017 Utah, wildlife.utah.gov
... the general muzzleloader hunt in late September, indicate buck numbers might be down a bit in certain parts of the state ... This past winter, deep snow and bitter cold gripped parts of northern and northeastern Utah. The hardest hit areas were the Cache hunting unit in northern Utah and the South Slope unit in northeastern Utah ..,

BLM Backs Out of Sage-Grouse Pact October 2, 2017 Utah, The Sheboygan Press
...  endanger not just the sage-grouse, but the other iconic species like mule deer, elk, and pronghorn that depend on a health sagebrush ecosystem...  tailor made to “blow up years of planning and cooperation” in return for low-dollar energy leases...

Utah wildlife officials say they won't renew controversial ban on antler gathering September 28, 2017 Utah, Salt Lake Tribune
... The Division of Wildlife Resources has been concerned that increasing numbers of antler hunters could multiply the stresses faced by wintering mule deer, elk and moose, prompting a controversial closure last year that upset many enthusiasts and may have pushed some into Nevada...

Wildlife management continues to evolve, improve September 27, 2017 Utah, The Herald Journal
... The Division of Wildlife found that as soon as the hunting season opened along the Wasatch Front, many elk moved to private lands. To force animals off private lands they have increased the number of cow elk tags for sale on these lands...

Regulators say poorly run Utah gas field is trashing wildlife area September 27, 2017 Utah, Salt Lake Tribune
... serves as winter range for 5,000 mule deer and spring forage for a few hundred elk ... Gordon Creek Energy has been ordered to plug several of its idled wells ... years of second chances and complaints from state wildlife officials...

Mule Deer Foundation Cheers Sagebrush Restoration September 15, 2017 Utah, Sportsmen’s Access Provisions in DOI Order
... “The order includes a provision to expedite sagebrush restoration for mule deer and sage grouse... The Secretarial Order focuses directives on three main themes: departmental actions that will improve recreational access; efforts aimed at recruitment, retention, and reactivation of hunters and anglers; and improving partnerships with state and local partners on wildlife management and recreation activities...

... state wildlife officials are once again turning to robotic deer to catch poachers in southern Utah... a deer with a 24-inch antler spread or larger is an $8,000 restitution penalty ...

... Key to the cougar management plan is keeping the number of female mountain lions harvested in a given season below 40 percent.  “The idea here,” DeBloois said, “is to maintain that female portion of the population and allow the population to remain stable.” ... 
     Utah Division of Wildlife again recommending bigger cougar hunt August 29, 2017 Standard-Examiner
... They’re suggesting 579 cougar hunting permits for the year, compared to 531 last year... DWR models suggest numbers between 1,900 and 4,000 adult animals. Authorizing hunters to potentially take 14 percent to 30 percent of the cougar population ..,

North Ogden looking to curb urban deer population, bows and arrows an option August 1, 2017 Utah, Standard-Examiner
... According to the Utah DWR’s urban deer control rule, before a municipality implements a deer control plan, it has to do the following: Prove deer are causing damage or threatening public safety; pass an ordinance that prohibits residents from feeding deer, elk and moose; provide proof of $1 million general liability insurance; provide an urban deer population estimate, along with a target number of deer to be removed...

DWR recommends slight increase in cougar hunting permits July 17, 2017 Utah, Deseret News...During the 2016-17 season, 28 percent of the cougars taken were females and 23 percent were 5 years old or older. All of the biologists’ cougar and bobcat hunting latest recommendations are available at wildlife.utah.gov/public_meetings...

Utah Mule deer meet up with a a cow moose and her twins. - July 15, 2017


No feeding deer in American Fork July 14, 2017 Utah, The Crossroads Journal
...  guilty of a Class C Misdemeanor and can be fined. City officials say that there are too many "urban deer" ...

Securing Utah's Moose Population on Wild About Utah July 14 2017 Utah, Utah Public Radio
... “Utah’s moose population reached an estimated high of over 3,500 in 2005.  The population subsequently declined to a current estimate of 2,600 moose.  The reasons for this drop were unclear.” ...

... The Mule Deer Foundation announced today that it had provided $1.2 million for mule deer and habitat conservation efforts in Utah. The investment helped leverage $20 million total dollars for projects which included the restoration or improvement of more than 50,000 acres, repair or installation of water structures, translocation of urban mule deer, contribute to purchase of 2,000 acres of critical mule deer habitat and conservation education events that reached more than 15,000 youth...

Mule deer in the Uinta moutain range in eastern Utah. 4k 60 fps - June 28, 2017


...  Senator Orrin Hatch and Senator Martin Heinrich introduced the Sage-Grouse and Mule Deer Habitat Conservation and Restoration Act today ...  “This bill will allow conservation partners to move quickly on landscape habitat restoration projects that are proving to have a tremendous impact for mule deer, sage-grouse and other species dependent on sagebrush rangelands. This is good for wildlife conservation as well as western big game hunters,” ...

Emery County youths convicted in deer-killing spree May 27, 2017 Utah, Salt Lake Tribune
... shooting them and hitting them with cars. ... The minors killed at least 19 deer between December 2015 and January 2016, the DWR said. There may be several more injured deer that weren't found.  "The community helped out quite a bit with the investigation," ...

... A doe deer will reunite with its fawn for a short time during the day to nurse it and care for it. Then, to draw attention away from where the fawn is hiding, the mother will leave. The doe will spend the rest of the day feeding and resting...

...  We examined the effects of cattle, American elk, and mule deer on aspen regeneration and recruitment along gradients of forest composition and physiographic conditions in 3 National Forests of Utah, USA... We found that 60% of the sites we surveyed had low ungulate activity and good aspen regeneration, 32% were intermediate use sites that warrant additional monitoring, and 8% of sites showed high ungulate use that exhibited aspen regeneration failure and lack of recruitment where targeted management is recommended. We conclude that ungulate impacts in aspen forests should be considered on a site by site basis ...


... cars killed 122 mule deer, 13 moose, four elk and three mountain lions in the past two years ...  $5 million project ...  A rendering shows the proposed wildlife bridge on Parleys Summit. The bridge is expected to be 45 feet wide and 345 feet long...

...  different jurisdictions have different laws ... “Under state law, if it [dog] goes after any hoofed protected wildlife, like deer, your animal can be shot and killed,” ... a harassing dog can affect a moose’s odds of getting through a harsh winter.  On Forest Service land a well-behaved, unleashed dog probably won’t draw any attention ...

... coyotes selected for sites with the highest densities of lagomorphs while avoiding areas with a high probability of encountering cougars. Coyotes did not select for mule deer fawning sites, although individual coyotes that occupied resource-poor home ranges were more likely to do so.  Cougars strongly selected for mule deer high use areas throughout much of the year, only switching to elk (Cervus elaphus) during the cougar harvest season (i.e., winter)...

...  seven citations in Cache County for people who have violated the agency’s ban on gathering shed antlers before April 1... Those animals have had a bad winter...

... "Not getting pushed by people looking for shed antlers allowed the animals to conserve their energy reserves during a winter that was severe in some parts of the state," said Capt. Mitch Lane ...

Slight reduction in Utah buck deer permits March 17, 2017 Outdoor News Daily
... last fall, the statewide buck-to-doe ratio, on general season units in the state, averaged 21 bucks per 100 does. That’s slightly higher than the 18 to 20 bucks per 100 does objective most of the general season units are managed for. ...  a difficult winter two years ago, followed by drought conditions in 2016 and then a severe winter this past winter, have reduced the number of younger bucks in some areas..,

... "I'm not surprised that another family fell in love with him, he is very personable and everybody who met him, loved him,” ... DWR relocated Jerky farther west, and they will continue to track him through a special collar...
... Division of Wildlife Resources officers took away a deer that had become a neighborhood pet... for the past two years the young buck had been coming into their back yards, hanging out with their dogs, cats and children...

People living in Delta are sad and upset after they say Division of Wildlife Resources officers took away a deer that had become a neighborhood pet. - March 4, 2017


  Hunters find dead deer with bone grown around arrow February 23, 2017 Utah, Atlanta Journal Constitution
... According to the Facebook post, the shot wasn’t fatal and the arrow broke off, but “the deer’s body used the arrow as a splint and the bone grew around the shaft.”...

...  Provo Municipal Council passed a new Urban Deer Capture and Relocation ordinance in July 2016, Freedman called it a blessing. The cost was $14,000 for the first year. To relocate and transport is approximately $200 per animal...

5 highest-selling hunts auctioned for over $1M total at local Hunting Expo February 20, 2017 Utah, KSL.com
... After selling for a world record $410,000 during the 2016 auction, the famous Antelope Island Mule Deer Permit sold for $250,000 during Friday’s auction. The first Antelope Island State Park permit was auctioned in 2011 after being authorized and mandated during the 2011 legislative session...

... “We had some places on one of our wildlife management areas where people were throwing out things to attract the deer to them so they’d knock their antlers against fences and things. We thought, well this just doesn’t make any sense to allow people to go in and harass animals on these critical winter ranges in these extreme condition.” ...

Statewide shed antler closure February 3, 2017 Utah, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources - Utah.gov
... Effective Feb. 3, you cannot gather shed deer, elk or moose antlers in Utah until April 1... "snowpack is still above average, and deer and elk are stressed." ...

New rules for “shed hunters” February 2, 2017 Utah, Spectrum
... Residents in Box Elder, Cache, Rich, Weber, Morgan, Summit, Wasatch, Duchesne, Uintah, Carbon and Emery will have to wait until April 1 ... Better than average snowfall in much of the state of Utah is the cause of the action...
...  late December, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Officer Josh Carver was made aware of the presence of two dead bucks near Cedar City ... call the UTiP Hotline at 800-662-3337

Two openings on Utah Wildlife Board January 27, 2017 Utah, Satellite PR News 
... Applications are being accepted to serve on the Utah Wildlife Board. The board makes the final decision regarding the management of deer and other wildlife in Utah...

... Snow and cold temperatures are threatening wildlife this winter ... the DWR sent truckloads of deer pellets into the Cache Valley and three other counties in northern Utah...

DWR biologists feed deer in new areas January 25, 2017 Utah, Satellite PR News 
... Randy Wood, the DWR’s wildlife manager in Northern Utah, says biologists have been watching deer closely since the first week in December... To help the deer, biologists and volunteers are spreading specially designed pellets on the ground for the deer to eat...

DWR begins feeding deer near Bear Lake January 17, 2017 Utah, Salt Lake Tribune (blog)
... Division of Wildlife Resources has joined hunting groups to begin feeding deer near Bear Lake ... more than 30 inches of snow and bitter, cold temperatures, are threatening the survival of many deer...  Garden City construction ... donated time and heavy equipment to clear snow out of areas so pellets can be spread."...

Emergency deer feeding begins in Bear Lake Valley January 13, 2017 Utah, KSL.com
... “These deer are exhausted, confused and without options,”  ... “This specially formulated pellet gives deer the correct balance of energy and protein the animals need,” ...

DWR seeks information on 3 unrelated poaching cases December 29, 2016 Utah, KSL.com... So far in 2016, 250 mule deer have been illegally killed in Utah ... asking for the public’s help in regards to three recent poaching cases... Nov. 6 at Cave Peak, a mountain south of Mueller Park in Davis County ... Nov. 20 near Moroni ... on the Bandanna Ranch development in western Duchesne County ... early November...

... “Last year, the buck-to-doe ratio on the unit was 65 bucks per 100 does,” Shannon said. “The number of bucks needs to be closer to 40 to 55 bucks per 100 does, which is the objective for the unit. [Henry Mountains Unit] ...

Biologists Use Helicopters And Nets To Check Deer Health December 19, 2016 Utah, Utah Public Radio
... “It is all done with net guns ... as it shoots ... it just entangles the deer ... a ‘mugger.’ He jumps out and he untangles the deer from the net, he hobbles it, blindfolds it, and then puts it in a bag and then slings it back to us...  we don’t use any drugs to sedate them. Once you put that blindfold on and once their legs are tied up, they tend to calm down pretty good...
 
Wildlife board OKs more chances to hunt big game in 2017 December 14, 2016 Utah, Deseret News
... At its Dec. 9 meeting, the board approved additional buck deer hunts on the Henry Mountains in southeastern Utah ... more chances to hunt deer with muzzleloaders after the general rifle hunt ...

... To estimate the numbers and distribution of mule deer and mountain lions in Utah, Nevada and Arizona, David Stoner, a wildlife ecologist at Utah State University ... used imagery of plant productivity from ... satellites, plus radio-telemetry measurements of animal density and movements. He found that there is a very strong relationship between plant productivity and deer and mountain lion density...

... a plurality of Loganites, 42 percent, said there aren’t too many deer in Logan and 45 percent don’t think anything should be done about them. A slight plurality, 36 percent, said the problems caused by deer have increased over the years, compared to 26 percent who said it has stayed the same ...

Logan City adopts anti-deer-feeding ordinance December 8, 2016 Utah, Cache Valley Daily
... wildlife biologist Robert Smith, who acknowledged that the city should report problems with that agency before taking action to get rid of the deer...

Video shows epic battle between rival bucks November 25, 2016 Utah, KSL.com

Logan surveying residents on deer management program November 16, 2016 Utah, The Herald Journal
... Most respondents, 47 percent, said they don’t think anything needs to be done to reduce the number of deer in Logan, as opposed to 27 percent who do.  When asked if capturing and relocating deer is acceptable, 49 percent agreed and 32 percent disagreed. Nearly 60 percent said they are opposed to a program that euthanizes deer ...

Here's Your Chance to Get a Good Look at Mule Deer November 9, 2016 Utah, Emery County Progress
... Nash Wash Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in southeastern Utah.  Because deer hunting is restricted in the Book Cliffs just north of Nash Wash, the WMA is one of the best places to see deer in the area, especially bucks. Viewers can watch deer from their vehicles as they drive along the WMA's network of maintained roads...

DWR recommends new deer, mountain goat hunts November 3, 2016 Utah, The Herald Journal
... “Last year,” says DWR Big Game Coordinator Justin Shannon, “the buck-to-doe ratio on the unit [on the Henry Mountains] was 65 bucks per 100 does. The number of bucks needs to be closer to 40 to 55 bucks per 100 does, which is the objective for the unit. If we don’t reduce the number of bucks, they’ll start competing with each other, and with the does, for food...

Monroe, Information sought in deer poaching November 2, 2016 Utah, The Richfield Reaper
... buck was poached on Monroe Mountain in Sevier County near State Route 24... reward ...

DWR recommends new big game hunts in 2017 October 31, 2016 Utah, Deseret News
... additional management buck deer hunts on the Henry Mountains in southeastern Utah ... To see all of the biologists’ proposed changes ... wildlife.utah.gov/meeting-agendas.html.

Utah deer hunters enjoy good opening weekend success October 26, 2016 Salt Lake Tribune
...  I've never seen anything like this. The number of big, mature deer hunters are taking is phenomenal." ... In northern Utah ... the number of bucks and the age of the bucks taken were up significantly ...

... I think close to half of the hunters will take a deer home ... 37 percent of hunters bagged a deer in 2013, and, last year, the number jumped to 43 percent ...

... "(In previous years) the typical success rate on the rifle deer hunt was in the high 20s to low 30s, but last year it was 43 percent — really high! And the buck to doe ratio is still climbing and our deer population is growing." ...

DWR Looking for Poacher in Davis County October 18, 2016 Utah, Good4Utah
... Davis County ... a dead doe around Bountiful on Skyline Drive near the Buckland Flats area...

Lots of Deer Await Rifle Utah Deer Hunters October 14, 2016 The Outdoor Wire
... Based on surveys conducted by DWR biologists, Utah has a total population of more than 384,000 mule deer. In just four years, the state's mule deer population has grown by more than 100,000 deer... After the 2015 hunts, the ratio had increased to 23 bucks per 100 does...

Information sought in elk poaching October 11, 2016 Utah, St George News
... A cow and calf elk were found dead on Cedar Mountain in Iron County ... shot on Sept. 30 ...

Higher deer numbers in Utah bode well for hunt October 6, 2016 The Herald Journal
... With around 380,000 animals, Utah has the third-largest herd of mule deer behind California [counting black-tails] and Colorado. Idaho is fifth with approximately 285,000 mule deer. Both states have similar numbers of hunters (85,000) and harvest (30,000)...

... The deer — called "The Rabbi" for its very large and uniquely shaped antlers — was found dead on Oct. 24, 2011, in the Beef Hollow area of Camp Williams, which is closed to hunting... probation for 18 months, which includes a $100 fine and $8,000 in restitution to the state ...

... State Route 18 from Diamond Valley to Veyo is one of these hot spots ... “That’s an area that’s a migration corridor,” ... The Division has spent a lot of money over the past several years to minimize impacts, particularly on I-15 and I-70. And we’ve, for the most part, taken care of the problem ...

Wildlife official seeking public aid in poaching incident September 27, 2016 Utah, St George News
... remains of a 17-inch, 3×3 buck deer were found in a field just north of Beaver in late August ... Over 200 deer were poached in Utah in 2015 ...

... Mayor Dahle and the City Council have decided to host an open house on Wednesday, October 12 from 7 - 8:00 pm  in the Big Cottonwood Room at City Hall to discuss the deer issue. The purpose of the open house is to gather public input regarding the deer issue and to provide the public with information regarding the details of mitigation programs. There will be a representative from the Division of Wildlife Services to answer questions and provide further information...

Utah wildlife board approves increased cougar hunt September 4, 2016 Standard-Examiner
... “If our prey populations are struggling in an area, in response, we also limit cougars in that area,” she said. “If we have habitat and and mule deer are eating out sagebrush, we limit the mule deer in the area until the sagebrush recovers ... it is not an expectation that limiting cougars will increase the deer population in any means.” ...

Wildlife board ups number of Utah cougar-hunting permits September 1, 2016 Salt Lake Tribune
... "All our metrics are based on data collected for cougar populations in Utah," McFarlane told the board. DWR staff recommended increased cougar takes in units where deer, elk or bighorn sheep populations struggle or where livestock depredation is a problem. Last year's documented kill count was 394 cougars ... 

Coyote Clash August 31, 2016 Utah, Salt Lake City Weekly
... The 2012 Mule Deer Protection Act required the Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) to reduce the coyote population and pay a $50 bounty for a dead coyote. In the past three years, the DWR estimates 39,551 coyotes have been killed.. In the 2015 fiscal year, the DWR paid $409,600 in bounties and spent $118,000 to hire hunters to kill 305 coyotes...

... Bureau of Land Management on Tuesday released revised proposals for what will be the first national conservation areas in Utah ... an amendment to the St. George plan changes OHV routes in the Bull Valley Mountains from open to limited designations to better protect crucial mule deer range.  Release of the plans trigger a 30-day comment period before a final decision is reached...

Where the Deer and Giraffoids Play August 30, 2016 Utah Scientific American
... Pronghorn evolved independently of antelope and deer, and whatever remembrances their ornamentation has to bovid horns or cervid antlers is a result of convergent evolution stemming from a more ancient common ancestor ... Based on genetic evidence from living ruminants ... America's pronghorn aren't antelope, but close relatives of giraffes...

Utah archery deer hunt opens Saturday  August 19, 2016 Salt Lake Tribune
...  there are more than 384,00 mule deer in Utah.  There are 23 bucks to 100 does in that population...

Hardware Ranch Wildlife Management Area is owned by the State of Utah and managed by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. It is located in the Blacksmith Fork Canyon, about 15 mi east of Hyrum, Utah.


Decision still to be made on Logan deer management issue August 18, 2016 Utah, The Herald Journal
... whether to kill or relocate urban deer ... Removing the deer would cost about $250 per animal ... Cities like Hyde Park and North Logan have already chosen lethal programs ...

(video is working) Click below to play Utah Wildlife Board Meeting August 16, 2016, Springville Civic Center 110 South Main Street, Springville


Moab man guides trapped deer back to mother August 8, 2016 Utah, fox13now.com
... The young deer was trapped in a fenced area while its mother was on the other side. [video] ... melanistic fawn ...

Antelope Island State Park, Utah. A glimpse of some legendary Mule Deer Bucks that live on the Island. August 2016.


... A lethal removal, or harvesting, plan could remove about 100 deer per year by archers within city limits for $21,900...  residents at Tuesday's meeting pointed out concerns for the lethal elimination methods based on safety risks for people in high-density residential areas.  The nonlethal translocation plan estimates the removal of around 70 deer for approximately $17,500 ...

This beautiful buddy surprised me on my hike at Pine Creek. He let me film him for a while before getting bored and disappearing in the cliffs. August 8, 2016 Utag


Provo, Provo Municipal Council votes on plan to clear urban deer herds July 20, 2016 Utah, Daily Herald
... [approved] a plan to take care of the issue by using a combination of two options that includes relocating and harvesting. The plan by resolution gives city administration the responsibility to determine the best combination ... “They are completely domesticated,”  ... Up to 300 deer in a three-year period can be harvested ...

Provo, Oppose wanton deer killing July 19, 2016 Utah, Deseret News
... We use effective nonlethal ways to keep the deer from damaging our garden ... not seen any conclusive data to back the estimate of 500 deer in Provo given by the paid trapper ... The number of deer passing through our acre lot seems to have remained constant since 1992, when we purchased our home...

... Last June, the council passed an ordinance outlawing feeding the deer... he council also requested a certificate of registration from the Division of Wildlife Resources to get permission to start a mitigation plan.  Since then the certificate has been approved, allowing the city to either kill or relocate up to 100 deer per year for three years... 
     Amid growing problems, Provo considering plan to kill deer July 6, 2016 Utah, KUTV 2News
...The city council is now considering allowing bow hunters -- certified by the state -- to take out some of the deer that live in Provo... Seth Poulson, an experienced hunter, questions the safety and ethics of it...

Early utah mule deer - June 26, 2016


I found a deer fawn. Now what? June 10, 2016 Utah, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources 
... “deer fawns are alone and isolated during their first weeks of life. And that’s on purpose. The mother knows leaving the fawn alone is the best way to protect it from predators.” ...

... the latest project will result in two functional deer tunnels under Highway 191 between Monticello and Verdure, in addition to the installation of several miles of deer fence along both sides of the road ... Nearly 500 deer were hit by vehicles in 2015 alone ...

Utah Deer:   The state estimated 375,000 deer in January, 2017, down from 385,000 in 2016.  Severe drought in 2018 is reducing deer and elk populations.  About 384,000 deer in 2015 after the fall hunt with about 23 bucks per 100 does.  The harsh winter of 2016-17 reduced populations in some areas. The 2018 target sex ratio was 15 to 20 bucks per 100 does.  About 21 bucks per 100 does in 2016, higher than the state objective in 2016 for most units of 18 to 20 per 100 does. 2015 Herd Status. Mule deer buck permits increased for 2016. Lots of rain in spring of 2015 provided food and helped keep the deer population at around the highest level since the 1990s. DWR estimated 355,600 deer in Utah after the hunts in 2014, an increased over the estimated 332,900 mule deer in Utah after the hunts in 2013, 318,000 in 2012, 286,000 in 2011, 289,000 in 2004 and 322,000 in 2000 - post hunt. Recent mild winters have brought the population back during the last few years after a long downward trend of over 40 years. 

     DWR comments that "better habitat and other efforts like highway fencing, wildlife underpasses and predator control have also played a role in the rebound." Harvest data Hunter success about 30 percent. The state issued 86,550 deer permits in 2015, 84,800 in 2014, 84,600 in 2013, and 79,066 in 2012 for a success ratio of 37 percent with 29,411 deer harvested. Populations have been climbing since the hard winters of 2007 and 2008. An estimated 50,000 deer hunters in 2015. Hunter success rose from 37 percent in 2013 to 43 percent in 2015. 
     About 19 bucks for every 100 does in 2014, up to 21 per 100 in 2015. Only about 8 bucks per doe in 1995, as the population was falling. Although many state deer management strategies include the goal of balancing demographics to maintain good herd health, age and sex distributions similar to a wild herd, the DWR was targeting a buck-to-doe ratio of 15 to 20 bucks per 100 does. In 2013, the ratio was estimated at 19 bucks per 100 does. The target is designed to maximize short-term herd growth, allowing hunters to take as many bucks as possible, assuming that one buck can impregnate multiple does. Recent research indicates this strategy may be unsustainable. Buck-to-doe ratios were below state objectives in many areas in 2013.   Fall 2012 fawn survival was 65 per 100 does.
     History  In 1908 the deer season was closed to protect the herd from over hunting. The season reopened in 1913 with a bucks only regulation to help increase the population. Although the rule remained in effect until the 1950's, limited harvest of does began in 1934. The deer harvest peaked at 132,000 in 1961. In 1975 the state reinstated the bucks only rule to bolster the declining population. A devastating winter in the 1980's significantly reduced the herd. "Following several years of drought and an unusually hard winter in 1992–1993, it was evident that Utah’s deer herd could no longer sustain unlimited hunting opportunity, and in 1994, buck deer permits were capped for the first time." From State Management Plan [PDF] The loss of key winter range has contributed to the decline of the mule deer population. Also see Mule Deer: A Handbook for Utah Hunters and Landowners
     Utah built the first wildlife crossing in North America in 1971.  
     Elk  About 81,000, fast growing population in Northern Utah.
     Moose  Estimated at 2,600 in 2017, down from 3,500 in 2005.   Nearly hunted to extinction by around 1906 until a ban on hunting.
     Cougar population estimated at 2,000 range to 4,000 in 2018 at 1,900 to 4,000 in 2017 at 2,500 to 4,500 in 2015, based on available habitat population models, although the population is thought to be growing. 

Report poaching:   Call the poaching hotline at 800-662-3337. callers can remain anonymous.  Email turninapoacher@utah.gov
    What to Do If You Find a Fawn

Other useful links: 

- Utah Department of Natural Resources     - Utah efforts to help declining mule deer herds
- Utah Division of Wildlife Resources      - Discussion Forum on Declining Mule Deer Population, Utah wildlife Network     - WildAware, Mule Deer:  Information on living with deer
- The Mule Deer Foundation     - Antler Gathering Ethics Course  If gathering deer antlers between February 1st and April 15th, a certificate is required showing completion of this course.


Mule Deer: Since 1922, the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA), WAFWA is particularly concerned about mule deer, a species that lives in every North American habitat except for the tropics, arctic and extreme deserts. Mule deer numbers and distribution have been declining throughout the West since the latter third of the 20th century. To address this concern, the Mule Deer Working Group was established at the midwinter meeting of WAFWA in 1998. The group was charged with finding “solutions to our common mule deer management problems,” expanding “cooperative research and management in the Western states and provinces,” and sharing information with agency directors and administrators on mule deer issues."

Image below shows hunters afield and deer harvest for Utah from 1925 to 2014, data from 2014 Big Game Report [PDF].  Double click on image to enlarge.

"Mule deer thrive in early successional habitats, where forbs, grassy plants and shrubs dominate. These environments are not as stable as forest habitats, and they rely on fire or some other type of disturbance to return them to an early successional stage. If they are not disturbed, they eventually become more stable plant communities dominated by trees and large shrubs. Tree-dominated habitats offer mule deer a place to retreat from severe weather, but these areas offer very little in the way of food. That is why it is important to provide mule deer with a mosaic or pattern of habitats that can provide food, cover and water."

Time Lapse Photography of Deer Using Crossing Structure -- Double click for full screen