DWR Press Release
Booming populations of ducks and geese could mean a long hunting season and a liberal bag limit in Utah this fall.
Biologists with the Division of Wildlife Resources are recommending a 107-day duck and goose hunting season. They’re also recommending a daily bag limit of seven ducks and four Canada geese.
Blair Stringham explained that by June, biologists with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will complete their annual survey of duck breeding pairs and the number of ponds on the Canadian prairies and the prairie pothole region of the United States.
“Our recommendations will be approved before the USFWS has the final results from its surveys,” said Stringham, migratory game bird coordinator for the DWR. “Duck and goose populations have done really well for several years, though. I think Utah hunters can expect a long season this fall.”
One item that is still up in the air is the number of pintail, canvasback and scaup ducks the USFWS will allow hunters to have in their daily duck bag limit. While most of the duck species in North America are doing really well, pintails, canvasbacks and scaup haven’t kept pace with the other species.
“There will probably be some restrictions on the number of pintails, canvasbacks and scaup hunters can take,” Stringham stated. “After the USFWS completes their surveys, we’ll know for sure.”
All of the DWR’s migratory game bird recommendations are available online.
Learn more, share your ideas
After you’ve reviewed the ideas online, you can let your Regional Advisory Council members know your thoughts by attending your upcoming RAC meeting or by sending an e-mail to them.
RAC chairmen will share the input they receive with members of the Utah Wildlife Board. The board will meet in Salt Lake City on June 4 to approve rules for Utah’s 2015–2016 waterfowl hunting fishing season.
Dates, times and locations for the RAC meetings are as follows:
- Northern Region
May 5, 6 p.m.
Brigham City Community Center
24 N 300 W, Brigham City - Central Region
May 6, 6:30 p.m.
Springville Public Library Meeting Room
45 S. Main St., Springville - Southern Region
May 12, 7 p.m.
Hurricane High School
345 W. 100 S., Beaver - Southeastern Region
May 13, 6:30 p.m.
Green City Council Chambers
460 E. Main St, Green River - Northeastern Region
May 14, 6:30 p.m.
DWR Northeastern Region Office
318 N Vernal Ave, Vernal
You can also provide your comments to your RAC via e-mail. E-mail addresses for your RAC members are available online.
The group each RAC member represents (sportsman, non-consumptive, etc.) is listed under each person’s e-mail address. You should direct your e-mail to the people on the RAC who represent your interest.