That opportunity, and antlerless elk, deer, moose and doe pronghorn permit numbers for this fall's hunts, were among items the Utah Wildlife Board approved at its meeting May 17 in Salt Lake City.

The rules and permit numbers can be found in Utah's 2001 Antlerless Addendum, which will be available on the Division of Wildlife Resources' Internet web site (www.nr.state.ut.us/dwr/dwr.htm) beginning May 22. Copies also will be available from hunting and fishing license agents, and Division offices, in early June.

Elk Control Permits

Allowing general bull elk hunters to purchase an antlerless elk control permit was the most significant antlerless big game change the board approved. This permit will allow bull elk hunters to also take one cow elk while hunting the East Canyon; Chalk Creek; South Slope, Yellowstone; Nine Mile, Range Creek; or Plateau units. Hunters with control permits need to take their cow elk during the same season their bull elk permit is valid.

Antlerless elk control permits will be available from Division of Wildlife Resources offices only beginning August 9. There is not a cap on the number of permits available.

"What we're trying to do is generate additional harvest on units where we've had difficulty getting the harvest we need to stay within management plan objectives. These five units meet that criteria for the upcoming hunting season," said Steve Cranney, big game coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources.

Two of the units — East Canyon and Chalk Creek in northern Utah — are mostly private property. Much of the South Slope, Yellowstone Unit in northeastern Utah is roadless and a large percentage of its winter range is on Ute tribal land. The Nine Mile, Range Creek Unit in east-central Utah is mostly private land and the limited public land areas are difficult to access. The Plateau Unit in south-central Utah has substantial public lands but has a large elk herd requiring substantial antlerless harvest to keep it within objective.

Cranney is hoping that allowing bull elk hunters to also take a cow elk will result in more harvest without substantially increasing the number of hunters in the field. "What we hope we don't have is a lot of additional bull elk hunters flocking to those units because the control elk opportunity is available," Cranney said.

These five units will have additional antlerless elk permits available in the Antlerless Draw for other season dates.

Antlerless Draw and Permit Numbers

Applications for 2001 antlerless permits will be available by June 4 from hunting and fishing license agents statewide, Division of Wildlife Resources offices and the Division's Internet web site (www.nr.state.ut.us/dwr/dwr.htm).

Applications must be received no later than 5 p.m., June 25 to be included in Utah's 2001 Antlerless Draw.

There will be fewer antlerless elk and deer permits, and more antlerless moose and doe pronghorn permits, available in the draw this year (the following numbers do not include Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit public permits):

• Cow Elk
A total of 12,450 cow elk permits will be available, a decrease from the 13,949 offered last year. Offering over-the-counter control elk permits will probably result in more cow elk being taken though, Cranney said.

• Doe Deer
A total of 4,560 doe deer permits will be offered, which is less than the 5,205 available last year. Included in the 4,560 doe deer permits are 995 two-doe permits, which allow the taking of two animals.

The two-doe permits are for private land areas where access and overcrowding by hunters is a concern. Two-doe permits will reduce the number of hunters in these areas by 50 percent, while still allowing the needed number of deer to be taken, Cranney said.

To assure they'll be able to use their permit, hunters interested in applying for a hunt that takes place on private land should secure written permission from the landowner, before applying.

Cranney said many of the doe deer permits being offered this year are for deer found on cultivated and urban lands. These deer are typically separate from the mountain populations hunted by most public hunters. Because of safety concerns, only shotguns, muzzleloaders and archery tackle may be used on many of Utah's antlerless deer hunts.

• Doe Pronghorn
Doe pronghorn permits increased from 236 last year, to 294 this year. "This is still substantially lower than permit numbers prior to the fall 1999 hunt and reflects poor fawning conditions on many of Utah's pronghorn units," Cranney said.

• Cow Moose
Cow moose permits also increased, from 23 last year, to 31 this year. "Healthy moose populations are one reason for the permit increase," Cranney said.

For more information, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office, or the Division's Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.