It’s hot in Utah right now. But if you visit your local sporting goods store or the Division of Wildlife Resources’ website, you’ll find a sure sign that fall is on its way.
Utah’s Upland Game and Turkey Guidebook for the 2011 – 2012 hunting season is now available. In addition to sporting goods stores and the DWR’s website (wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks), the free guide is also available at your nearest DWR office.
Utah’s upland game seasons begin on Aug. 27. That’s when the white-tailed ptarmigan hunt starts. The upland game seasons won’t end until the snowshoe hare hunt ends on March 15. That’s almost seven full months of hunting.
In addition to providing hunters with lots of opportunity, Utah’s upland game also provide a lot of diversity. Justin Dolling, upland game and waterfowl coordinator for the DWR, says you can hunt white-tailed ptarmigan high in the Uinta Mountains one day, and then the next day, find yourself hunting on the rocky slopes of the West Desert for chukar partridge.
“Utah offers a wide variety of upland game hunting,” Dolling says.
Great hunt for kids
Upland game hunting is also a great way to introduce young people to hunting. Many of the state’s upland game species can be taken with small firearms. And most of the hunts aren’t strenuous. And this fall, those 15 years of age or younger can hunt during special youth hunting days. The special hunting days will be held from one to three weeks before the regular hunts start:
DateВ В В В В В В Birds your kids can hunt
Sept. 17В В В В В В В Chukar and Hungarian partridge
Oct. 15В В В В В В В Pheasant and quail
Dolling says the youth hunting days will be a great opportunity to get your kids out and enjoy a great hunting experience with them. “On those two days,” he says, “your kids will have the birds all to themselves.”
Must complete Hunter Education
There’s no minimum age at which a person can start hunting upland game in Utah. But children must pass the state’s Hunter Education course before they can hunt. After passing the course, your child will receive a free hunting license. He or she can use that license to hunt upland game and waterfowl in Utah this season.
You can learn more about the Hunter Education course at www.wildlife.utah.gov/huntereducation.