SALT LAKE CITY —Division of Wildlife Resources is offering a chance for hunters to harvest big game meat. They begin taking applications on Wednesday, June 5.

Depending on the age, a cow elk can provide between 120 to nearly 200 pounds of boneless meat. That meat can then be eaten in a variety of ways, including hamburger, roasts, steaks, stews, stir-fry or in fajitas. A doe deer will provide approximately 40 pounds of boneless meat. 

To apply for a permit to hunt Utah’s antlerless big game animals, including: 

  • Antlerless deer
  • Antlerless elk
  • Antlerless moose
  • Doe pronghorn 
  • Ewe bighorn sheep (Although you cannot apply for both an antlerless moose permit and a ewe bighorn sheep permit in the same year — you must pick one or the other.) 

Applications are due no later than 11 p.m. MDT on Wednesday, June 19 to be included for the drawing for hunting permits. Applicants must have a valid Utah hunting or combination license  before they can apply for a 2024 antlerless permit or a bonus point or preference point for either antlered or antlerless species permit. A Utah hunting license can be purchased  online, by calling 800-221-0659 or by visiting a license agent. 

To be included in the drawing for antlerless hunts, applicants can apply online or over the phone by calling the nearest Utah Division of Wildlife Resources regional office. Details about the different units including boundary descriptions, biologists’ notes, and population and harvest statistics can be found online on the Utah Hunt Planner.

“The antlerless big game hunts are a great opportunity to not only harvest meat and make some great memories outdoors, but also to help manage wildlife populations and maintain healthy herds and landscapes,” DWR Licensing Coordinator Lindy Varney said. “All of Utah’s recommended doe deer hunts are designed to be very targeted to address localized areas of specific concern, conflicts or public safety considerations.” 

Results from the drawing will be available on or before July 5. If any antlerless permits are available after the drawing, people can purchase them beginning at 8 a.m. MDT on July 23. Check the online 2024 Utah Antlerless Application Guidebook for details. All of the regulations for hunting both antlered and antlerless big game can be found  in the 2024 Utah Big Game Field Regulations Guidebook.

Mandatory reporting is required for any antlerless big game harvested during the antlerless hunts. Hunters will have 30 days after the hunting season ends to report their antlerless harvest online or over the phone. Failure to report the success of the hunt will result in a $50 fine and/or exclusion from next year’s big game and antlerless hunt drawings. Harvest reporting can be completed on the DWR website.  

There are some changes approved by the Utah Wildlife Board and passed by the Utah Legislature, which impact the antlerless hunts, including:

New hunts: This year, the Utah Wildlife Board approved a few new antlerless hunts in the following areas:

Antlerless elk-control units: This year, the DWR is offering antlerless elk-control permits on eight hunting units. Learn more about these permits and how they work on the DWR website.

Hunter orange: The Utah Legislature made changes to the hunter orange requirements, which formerly stated that a hunter must wear a minimum of 400 square inches of hunter orange. The new regulation requires that anyone hunting big game must wear hunter orange on the exterior so that it can be seen, including one or more of the following items: a hat, shirt, jacket, coat, vest or sweater. 

Night-vision device rule changes: The Utah Wildlife Board clarified rule language from “unlawful to use” to “unlawful to possess” night-vision devices while locating big game from July 31 to Dec. 31. (The end date also changed to align with trail camera rules.) 

All of the changes for this year’s hunts can be found on the DWR website. 

Questions about applying for an antlerless permit, can be answered by calling 800-221-0659 or your nearest DWR office.



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