If you don’t have a permit to hunt buck deer in Utah this fall, don’t put your gun away — you still have a chance to hunt. More than 3,200 rifle and muzzleloader permits for the Northern Region were not taken in this year’s big game draw. The permits will go on sale starting at 7 a.m. on July 27.
If you buy one, you can look forward to hunting for up to nine days in the northern part of the state. You’ll also be participating in the final general deer hunt in Utah that will happen in five large regions. Starting in 2012, general buck deer hunting in Utah will happen in 30 smaller areas called units.
7 a.m. on July 27
Starting at 7 a.m. on July 27, you can buy a deer permit at the Division of Wildlife Resources’ website (www.wildlife.utah.gov) and from DWR offices and more than 300 hunting license agents across Utah.
While you’re buying your deer permit, you might want to buy a bull elk permit too. Permits to hunt during this fall’s general bull elk hunt also go on sale July 27.
The website will be busy
Judi Tutorow, wildlife licensing coordinator for the DWR, says the agency’s website will be busy on the morning of July 27. “If the site reaches the maximum number of people it can serve,” she says, “a message will pop up indicating the site has reached its full capacity. If that happens, stay on the site and be patient. You should be able to access the site again in just a few minutes.”
When did permits sell out in 2010?
In 2010, Northern Region buck deer permits that were not taken in the 2010 draw went on sale on June 17. A total of 5,500 permits were available. The permits sold out on June 23.
General bull elk permits also went on sale on June 17 last year. Permits to hunt on spike-only units sold out on Sept. 27. Permits to hunt on any-bull units sold out on Oct. 1.
For more information, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR’s Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.