# Rules for hunting the wasatch front?



## hoghunter011583

Hey guys I've hunted up near the skyline drive from Bountiful to Farmington. With the snow and no 4X4 I'm stuck or dead if I try to even get into the parking areas!!
I live near a few little trail heads that lead into the wasatch front. I have hiked them before and never seen anyone hunting or any empties so was woundering if it is even legal to hunt in these areas. The areas I'm looking at are up near Layton, Adams canyon and such. Would it be legal to take the bonnieville shorline trail and then head into a canyon and hunt up in there for rabbit, grouse, yotes etc.? 
I called the DWR and got a recording, I hate those things and after about 3 bottun selections I hung up!!
So what are the regs. On the Wasatch Front? I know you can't hunt the foothills faceing the cities.

Thanks!!


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## Chaser

My guess would be no. Usually you have to get a mile or two from town before discharging a firearm is legal. At least that's how it is around Salt Lake (usually more strict than that even.) Give the county sheriff a call and see what they say. They're probably your best bet for quick info. They'll at least give you the general rule, and let you figure out if the areas you want to hunt are within the rule or not.


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## paddler

I think the rule for hunting with a shotgun is 200 yards from a residence. I have hunted and killed chukar above SLC, and nobody called law enforcement. I say hike up and go for it.


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## Trooper

paddler213 said:


> I have hunted and killed chukar above SLC, and nobody called law enforcement. I say hike up and go for it.


Uhh, if you are on the East side of I-15 and in Salt Lake County you are going to run into trouble with that plan.

BTW- who shot up that little chukar covey at the mouth of Mill Creek last year? Yeah- that's an intentional hot-spot. Not only did someone shoot up some very cooperative birds, but they must have sprayed half of Olympus Cove, the road and the mountain bike trail with 7 1/2s. I wonder what the mountain bikers thought of the A-hole blasting away 5 rounds at a time? Especially when the guy took another five rounds at the single that must have held 50 yards from the main covey? I know because I picked up the shells. I picked 'em up, because all I need is to be hassled by some sheriff the next time I go up there for a little exercise and a dog point or two. For those of you who know Millcreek- imagine someone firing 10 shots 250 yards up-canyon from the pipeline trail overlook, about 75 yards downhill from the trail. "But that's almost in the City!" you say. Yup. Real good quail hunting there, too.


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## truemule

Laytons rules for discharge of a firearm and hunting: also found at the following link

(2) Shotguns may be discharged if the discharge is not within six hundred feet (600') of a building and is not in such a direction and distance that it would endanger motorists, and as long as the shotguns are discharged only during a special hunt where written permission has been given by the appropriate state agency authorizing out-of-season hunting with shotguns.

(3) It is unlawful for any person to engage in the act of hunting or to carry an uncased firearm in the open under conditions which may reasonably be construed as hunting in the area within the corporate limits of Layton City.

(4) As used in this Section, "hunting" is the search for or pursuit of any wild game animal, bird, or mammal, with the purpose of capturing or killing or attempting to capture or kill the animal, regardless of whether such kill or capture is actually effected. "Hunting" shall not be construed to mean the pursuit of such game animals through the use of snares or animal traps or when the game is to be taken by falconry, except that nothing under this Section shall be construed so as to prevent the Division of Wildlife Resources from controlling, maintaining, or otherwise managing wildlife within Layton City.

http://www.laytoncity.org/public/Depts/Legal/MunicipalCode.aspx?title=9&chapter=60&section=020

So unless you hike until you hit national forest, rifles are probably a no-no. Shotguns look to be permitted as long as you meet the distance requirements.


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## hoghunter011583

Thanks guys!
I'll be about a mile away from city limits and the nearest house so I should be good. I will also be in national forest so the rifle should even be ok.
I'm not into shooting near hiking trails, I like to get away from people just cause I know the feeling of having a hunter shoot close by while i'm hiking, you just never know how safe that guy is and it can be a little nerve racking.

I think I'll go for it this weekend, I'll have the gun in a case till I get in the national forest and start hunting. I can't see why I'd have a problem a mile into a canyon in the national forest.
Thanks!!


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## hoghunter011583

Also I am not going to be in the Salt Lake county I'll be in Davis county. If I don't post back to tell you guys how I did, I'll be in jail!! -)O(- I think I'll stick to the shotgun to be on the safe side plus I'll be able to shoot grouse that way!

Hope I shoot some rabbit or grouse!!


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## hoghunter011583

welp, i went for it and let me tell you, I got some dirty looks!! It was kinda funny though. Man, that is just a long walk from the trail head to a huntable area!! Really pretty up there though!
I'd love to drag a few dead coyotes past those bunnyhuggers!!


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## paddler

Trooper said:


> paddler213 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have hunted and killed chukar above SLC, and nobody called law enforcement. I say hike up and go for it.
> 
> 
> 
> Uhh, if you are on the East side of I-15 and in Salt Lake County you are going to run into trouble with that plan.
> 
> BTW- who shot up that little chukar covey at the mouth of Mill Creek last year? Yeah- that's an intentional hot-spot. Not only did someone shoot up some very cooperative birds, but they must have sprayed half of Olympus Cove, the road and the mountain bike trail with 7 1/2s. I wonder what the mountain bikers thought of the A-hole blasting away 5 rounds at a time? Especially when the guy took another five rounds at the single that must have held 50 yards from the main covey? I know because I picked up the shells. I picked 'em up, because all I need is to be hassled by some sheriff the next time I go up there for a little exercise and a dog point or two. For those of you who know Millcreek- imagine someone firing 10 shots 250 yards up-canyon from the pipeline trail overlook, about 75 yards downhill from the trail. "But that's almost in the City!" you say. Yup. Real good quail hunting there, too.
Click to expand...

So, what's the law? Is it more than 600' for a shotgun?

I have hunted chukar on the face you're talking about, and even seen grouse up higher on the ridge? It was many years ago, but I don't see what the problem would be. I've even hunted and killed grouse on the south face of Mill Creek.

Happy hikers may not like it much, but their concern is irrelevant if hunting up there is legal.


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## Trooper

paddler213 said:


> Trooper said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> paddler213 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have hunted and killed chukar above SLC, and nobody called law enforcement. I say hike up and go for it.
> 
> 
> 
> Uhh, if you are on the East side of I-15 and in Salt Lake County you are going to run into trouble with that plan.
> 
> BTW- who shot up that little chukar covey at the mouth of Mill Creek last year? Yeah- that's an intentional hot-spot. Not only did someone shoot up some very cooperative birds, but they must have sprayed half of Olympus Cove, the road and the mountain bike trail with 7 1/2s. I wonder what the mountain bikers thought of the A-hole blasting away 5 rounds at a time? Especially when the guy took another five rounds at the single that must have held 50 yards from the main covey? I know because I picked up the shells. I picked 'em up, because all I need is to be hassled by some sheriff the next time I go up there for a little exercise and a dog point or two. For those of you who know Millcreek- imagine someone firing 10 shots 250 yards up-canyon from the pipeline trail overlook, about 75 yards downhill from the trail. "But that's almost in the City!" you say. Yup. Real good quail hunting there, too.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> So, what's the law? Is it more than 600' for a shotgun?
> 
> I have hunted chukar on the face you're talking about, and even seen grouse up higher on the ridge? It was many years ago, but I don't see what the problem would be. I've even hunted and killed grouse on the south face of Mill Creek.
> 
> Happy hikers may not like it much, but their concern is irrelevant if hunting up there is legal.
Click to expand...

No firearm hunting in the Tri-canyon area-- Big CW, Little CW, Mill Creek. That's the legality.


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## paddler

I looked in the Proclamation for both Big Game and upland, but can't find the regulation for SL county. Can you post a link?


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## Trooper

Double-post


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## Trooper

paddler213 said:


> I looked in the Proclamation for both Big Game and upland, but can't find the regulation for SL County. Can you post a link?


Well, now you caught me with a little egg on my face (guess that's what I get for moving away and losing visibility on local government.) Apparently the state legislature has taken away the authority of City and County governments to regulate firearms in any way, therefore, SLC just threw out its old firearm law and now leaves it up to the state.

http://www.naco.org/Content/ContentGroups/County/Codes/Firearms/FI002.PDF

http://www.council.slco.org/agendas/2009/cc2009/121509.pdf

http://www.council.slco.org/agendas/2009/cow2009/documents/121509c27firearms.pdf

So now the question is what is state law? I didn't easily find anything other than the old standby...

http://www.le.utah.gov/UtahCode/getCodeSection?code=76-10-508

I also see that the Forest service no longer specifically restricts firearms in the tri-canyon area on their (terrible!) website.

So I guess, that means that one now can gun hunt the tri-canyon area, or the foothills. I guess that's cool- but it seems pretty risky to me. Then again, trolling for quail 600 feet up the foothills from the backyards might be very entertaining. I don't know if I would have the stones to actually do it though...


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## truemule

Trooper said:


> paddler213 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I looked in the Proclamation for both Big Game and upland, but can't find the regulation for SL County. Can you post a link?
> 
> 
> 
> Well, now you caught me with a little egg on my face (guess that's what I get for moving away and losing visibility on local government.) *Apparently the state legislature has taken away the authority of City and County governments to regulate firearms in any way,* therefore, SLC just threw out its old firearm law and now leaves it up to the state.
Click to expand...

Not true, completely anyway. The state has always said that city's, towns, counties, etc.. cannot regulate the ownership or carry of firearms. They can however regualte the discharge of firearms within there boundaries. So they can effectively say you cannot not hunt or discharge a firearms without violating state law. I believe Salt lake county still has a discharge ordinance in place but have not read it for myself.


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## paddler

I've lost touch with the regs, too. And, I'm not advocating unsafe discharge of firearms. But hunting the face of the Wasatch can be done safely, and without disturbing the townfolk. Some happy hikers are incensed by the mere sight of a shotgun, though all those I have met have been polite. Just use your head and be safe. I think the 600' rule is all you need to worry about, but I have been much higher than that.

I thought that SL county was closed rifle hunting south of I-15? Is that still the case?


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## birdman

Here's the SL county ordinance. Rather vague about the actual distance on discharge of a shotgun. Let good judgement be your guide. 

10.64.010 Discharge restrictions generally.
It is unlawful for any person to discharge any firearm, gun, sparrow gun, flipper or similar contrivance within the limits of the county except in a careful and prudent manner, and in such designated area as the commission shall by proclamation appoint. Areas so designated shall be indicated by the posting of appropriate signs and markings thereon. (Prior code § 16-4-9)
10.64.020 Rifles, shotguns and handguns— Defined—Discharge restrictions.
A. It is unlawful for any person, including hunters, to discharge any kind of rifle or handgun within one mile of any residential area, or where buildings are located or people reside, or to discharge any rifle or handgun upon, over or across any road, lane or highway, or in the direction of any buildings, whether commercial, industrial or residential, within the county. Any person violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor and fined not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than two hundred ninety-nine dollars, or six months in jail, or both such fine and imprisonment. This chapter shall not prevent the discharge of any firearms by any peace officer in the performance of his duty.
B. It is also unlawful to fire any shotgun or pellet gun in the proximity of any person. building or residence where the discharge thereof shall possibly or even remotely endanger any person, regardless of the distance, or to fire any such gun from or across any road or highway.


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## paddler

It's got me confused. It used to be that SL County south of I-15 was closed to rifle hunting. In fact, the Wildlife Board voted this year to close City Creek to rifles for the general deer hunt.

I've always thought that the 600' rule applies to shotguns, and discharge of them was legal so long as you're outside the city limits. I remember hunting doves and pheasant south of 21st S and west of 5400W in the 1980's.


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## hoghunter011583

I went out today in the storm looking for some game. Gotta get some snowshoes.
I had to walk behind some houses on my way to the canyon and one guy was shoveling his deck. He looked a little shocked to see me with a gun. I'm not hunting near anyones house at all, keep the gun in the sleeve till I'm into the canyon a ways. Problem is, there is nothing but deer tracks in there!!
Did a lot of walking for nothing!!


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## Chaser

birdman said:


> Here's the SL county ordinance. Rather vague about the actual distance on discharge of a shotgun. Let good judgement be your guide.
> 
> 10.64.010 Discharge restrictions generally.
> It is unlawful for any person to discharge any firearm, gun, sparrow gun, flipper or similar contrivance within the limits of the county except in a careful and prudent manner, and in such designated area as the commission shall by proclamation appoint. Areas so designated shall be indicated by the posting of appropriate signs and markings thereon. (Prior code § 16-4-9)
> 10.64.020 Rifles, shotguns and handguns- Defined-Discharge restrictions.
> A. It is unlawful for any person, including hunters, to discharge any kind of rifle or handgun within one mile of any residential area, or where buildings are located or people reside, or to discharge any rifle or handgun upon, over or across any road, lane or highway, or in the direction of any buildings, whether commercial, industrial or residential, within the county. Any person violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor and fined not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than two hundred ninety-nine dollars, or six months in jail, or both such fine and imprisonment. This chapter shall not prevent the discharge of any firearms by any peace officer in the performance of his duty.
> B. It is also unlawful to fire any shotgun or pellet gun in the proximity of any person. building or residence where the discharge thereof shall possibly or even remotely endanger any person, regardless of the distance, or to fire any such gun from or across any road or highway.


According to this rule, its illegal to discharge a firearm (or a friggin slingshot for that matter) in self-defense. So let me get this straight- Someone breaks into my home, and I shoot him, and I'M the one breaking the law??? How messed up is that!!!?


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## mandible1

always law enforcement who wants to infringe on your right to eat....hehe


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