On January 8, the Utah Wildlife Board increased the number of permits to hunt bears in Utah this spring and fall. Board members raised the total number of permits from 248 last year to 299 for 2008.
Based on past success rates, about 15 more bears should be taken by hunters in Utah this year.
Bear management plan
Bear management in Utah is guided by the state’s Black Bear Management Plan. The three major goals of the plan—keep the percentage of female bears taken by hunters below 40 percent; keep the average age of bears taken by hunters above 5 years old; and keep the adult survival rate above 78 percent—were all met in 2007. Continue reading Bear Permits and Harvest to Increase in Utah