|
You might have a good chance at drawing a wild turkey hunting permit for this spring's hunts. The Division of Wildlife Resources is proposing 13,761 public hunting permits for Utah's 2009 hunts. That's an 81 percent increase over the 7,706 public permits that were available in 2008.
All of the DWR's turkey hunting proposals are available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/public_meetings. Once you've read the proposals, you can share your thoughts and ideas at the Central Region meeting on Aug. 19 at 6:30 p.m. at Springville Junior High School, 165 S. 700 East, Springville.
After last spring's hunts, the DWR surveyed 2,330 of the 7,856 public and private hunters who hunted turkeys in Utah in 2008. "There were more turkey hunters in the field this past spring than there's ever been. But most of hunters we surveyed said they were
satisfied with their experience," Olsen says. "Raising the number of permits will allow even more sportsmen to enjoy hunting turkeys this spring."
Turkey hunters in Utah can take only male turkeys. That rule, and the fact that female turkeys are very productive, means putting additional hunters in the field shouldn't have a negative effect on Utah's turkey populations.
"Turkeys and other upland game reproduce at a high rate," Olsen says. "It's not unusual for a single male turkey to breed as many as 10 females. And female turkeys are very productive. They usually lay a clutch of between 10 to 12 eggs.
"Because one male will breed several females, and because female turkeys are so productive, taking some extra males out of the population shouldn't affect the overall number of turkeys in Utah."
For more information, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office at (801) 538-4700.
|
