SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is concerned about declining deer populations in certain parts of the state, so they are holding public meetings to engage the public to find solutions to the problem.
DWR wants to gather feedback and ideas from the public about ways to help increase deer populations in some areas.
Utah has seen periods of growth and decline in deer numbers. The 2024 post-hunting season population estimate was approximately 295,200 deer — 73% of the long-term management objective of 404,900 deer.
The state agency lists several factors that can reduce fawn production and survival rates of fawns and doe deer. Some of those factors include:
- Extreme weather and precipitation (ongoing drought or really heavy snowfall during the winter — both of which have occurred in the Utah in the last five years)
- Predator balance
- The quality and quantity of available habitat (which can be affected by weather as well)
- Vehicle collisions
- Fences and deer migration disruptions
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Big Game Coordinator Dax Mangus said it should be noted that harvesting buck deer does not drive deer populations. That is a common misconception they hear when we make permit number recommendations each year.
“The most important factors that drive the number of deer are the survival rates of doe deer (since bucks don’t have babies), fawn production and fawn survival over the winter,” he said. “The way we hunt bucks in Utah doesn’t drive deer population numbers, but what happens with deer populations drives how we hunt bucks.”
Mangus said the purpose of these public meetings is to have everyone focus more on how we grow deer, as opposed to how to hunt them.
To gather additional ideas and build more partnerships with organizations and communities, the DWR is holding several upcoming meetings to gather public feedback and input regarding ways to increase deer populations throughout the state. The closest meeting to Cache Valley will be held at Willard City Multi-Purpose Building at 80 W. 50 South in Willard July 31 from 6-8 p.m.
The meeting topics will include:
- Restoring deer habitat
- Focused predator control
- Water abundance and distribution
- Impacts of highways and fencing on deer
- Social tolerance of deer on private lands
“Growing more deer in Utah is one of our agency’s top priorities,” DWR Director Riley Peck said. “Although we have put forth a lot of effort into growing mule deer and have conducted a lot of research on what is causing declines in deer populations, this is not something we can do alone.
“Increasing deer populations will require strong partnerships with Utah’s hunters, conservation groups, communities and more, and we are excited to work with people who want to help grow mule deer in our wonderful state. We hope you’ll join us in this effort.”