# 2018 Big Game Permit Numbers



## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

It looks like the full details will be available on Monday, but this article lists a summary of permit recommendations by species:

https://wildlife.utah.gov/wildlife-news/2179-big-game-permit-proposals-for-2018.html

It looks like there are significant increases for general buck deer, doe deer, buck pronghorn, bull moose (from 68 last year to 84 this year), cow moose, rocky mountain bighorn and mountain goat. Most everything else holds steady or has a slight increase.

There is also a slight increase in recommended bison permit numbers compared to last year. Based on the discussions surrounding the Wild Horse Bench hunt, I was under the impression that there would be a decrease in those permits numbers (from 42 on that unit last year to ~22 this year). If that's the case, I guess that means there will be more permits on other units. Interesting...

It looks like it will be a good year to be a big game hunter in Utah. I'm excited to look through the RAC packet when it comes out on Monday.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

My convos with DWR re the Wild Horse Bench permit reduction have also had a lot of talk suggesting that the Book Cliffs bison hunt should get a very large increase in tag numbers. Which is great. 

I'm curious to see how the second year of archery OIAL bison/goat hunts go. I like that they increased the data points but still think that more than 4 goat tags should be issued to get a real feel for it, even if that meant only 2-3 tags are available in a given unit. Time will tell.

And I find it encouraging to see that the Henry's archery bison (10 tags) showed a 4.7 satisfaction rating with 7/10 hunters filling their tags. That is a higher satisfaction despite the lower success rate than the other any bison hunts on the Henry's and Book Cliffs (not Wild Horse). I'm very interested to see how those 15 permits shake out next year.


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

I can't find the proposal. I am dumb. Where do I click to download it?


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

It just showed up. Here you go.

https://wildlife.utah.gov/public_meetings/rac/2018-03_rac_packet.pdf


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

Highlights I'm seeing:

Buck Deer:
- More LE deer permits on the Book Cliffs and the Vernon, and less on North Slope, Summit. So, despite an overall decrease in permit numbers, it looks like it was good news in most of the more desirable units.
- 14 Cactus buck permits on the Paunsaugunt

Bull Elk:
- Almost twice as many midseason LE bull elk tags on the Manti

Bison:
- Only 2 antelope island tags (???)
- 25 bull tags and 26 cow tags on the book cliffs hunts (my dad put in for the cow tag, so I'm pretty stoked about that; there were only 116 applicants last year, although I expect more this time around)
- Appreciable tag increases on the Henry mountains as well; for bull, cow, and archery

RM bighorn sheep:
- 5 more tags on the newfoundlands

Mountain goat:
- 10 tags on Nebo, compared to 3 last year
- 2 tags on both La Sal and Dutton

Doe deer:
- Lots of new hunts, including the Parowan Front, Sheep Creek, East Canyon and Settlement Canyon in Oquirrh-Stansbury
- Several options for two-doe permits

Cow moose:
- New hunt on North Slope, Summit with 10 tags

Good news for my family this year. Recommended permit numbers are up for every hunt we applied for. I'm already getting excited about some of the antlerless options, too.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Recommending more than double the Book Cliff any bison and cow tags over last year. That is a nice win for those that put in for those hunts. If only they hadn't given 18 twice in a lifetime permits away on the Wild Horse Bench, then 2018 would have really made some great (relative) headway on the bison back log. 

Only offering 2 total bison permits for Antelope Island really makes me scratch my head in bewilderment. And I thought the 7 permits last year was a joke...But don't worry folks, the nice slaughter houses will still get the chance to buy ~60 adults and ~250 calves and yearlings from the Island this fall. :O•-:

a 50% increase in sheep tags on the Newfoundland Mtns is really great to see. I know there are various other cool things trying to be hammered out by the DWR and some CWMUs to try and establish another herd or two up in that area. That would be really cool I think, and I hope it moves forward. Sheep might have a bright future yet in Utah. 

Lots of cool things going on with goats too. And some rumblings about a potentially awesome thing for bison that could happen in the near future, that might make me need to be nicer to a certain group that I hold a number of bitter grudges against. We'll see though.


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

I also noticed that bull elk tag numbers increased across the board on the Wasatch. What's the deal there - is the herd recovering?


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

johnnycake said:


> Lots of cool things going on with goats too. And some rumblings about a potentially awesome thing for bison that could happen in the near future, that might make me need to be nicer to a certain group that I hold a number of bitter grudges against. We'll see though.


Are you at liberty to share these rumblings? PM if you like...


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

Looks like hoarding doe deer points all these years is about to pay off. 

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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

3arabians said:


> Looks like hoarding doe deer points all these years is about to pay off.
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk


I'll be happy to join your application group... :mrgreen:


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

3arabians said:


> Looks like hoarding doe deer points all these years is about to pay off.
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk


My jaw about dropped when I saw all of the proposed doe deer hunt options! That looks really cool, especially since it was only a handful of years ago that there were less than 4 doe deer hunts in the draw. My dad and I each dropped like 5-6 points to hunt the Beaver-Circleville tag fall of 2015. One of the most fun, relaxed 10 minute hunts I've had in a long time! Doe-fawn special baby!

As for the La Sal goat hunt and those late deer muzzy hunts, they were in the application guide and people did apply for them. It just wasn't known how many tags there were going to be, and had zero data from prior years to set expectations. I remember about 10 years ago there was a new bull moose cwmu that had only 2 applicants and 1 tag...it can certainly pay off to take a gamble on a brand new hunt sometimes, as few people seem to pay attention and fewer are willing to risk their points on an unknown. The next year, that 1 moose tag had like +200 applicants IIRC.


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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

How hard would that new north slope summit cow moose tag be? Looks like 10 tags should be available. I've got 12 (max) points I'm looking to burn...


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## weaversamuel76 (Feb 16, 2017)

MooseMeat said:


> How hard would that new north slope summit cow moose tag be? Looks like 10 tags should be available. I've got 12 (max) points I'm looking to burn...


Is the antlerless moose a random draw? For some reason I thought all antlerless tags went to the highest point holders

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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

weaversamuel76 said:


> Is the antlerless moose a random draw? For some reason I thought all antlerless tags went to the highest point holders
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


It's a bonus draw. Half go to top point holders, half go to random


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## weaversamuel76 (Feb 16, 2017)

MooseMeat said:


> It's a bonus draw. Half go to top point holders, half go to random


Thanks! So your saying there a chance

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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

MooseMeat said:


> It's a bonus draw. Half go to top point holders, half go to random


True for antlerless moose, but not for the rest of the antlerless permits. Those go top to bottom until they run out


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

One thing I don't see is how many tags will go to the early hunts vs. late hunts for the general deer units that now have two seasons. I wonder how they will decide on a split.


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## Don K (Mar 27, 2016)

Thanks for the link I was thinking we had a few weeks yet before I was going to start looking for this


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## elkfromabove (Apr 20, 2008)

Clarq said:


> One thing I don't see is how many tags will go to the early hunts vs. late hunts for the general deer units that now have two seasons. I wonder how they will decide on a split.


They've already decided. In the footnotes at the bottom of the chart:

"20% Archery/*20% early AW*/40% AW/20% Muzz"


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## Shortbus (Jun 29, 2016)

I am excited about some of the doe hunt options! It will give me a good excuse to finally challenge myself and hunt with my recurve! I may share my points with my niece who just turned 12. I also have been hoarding points! Who has the most antlerless deer points? I am at 9!!!!!


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

Shortbus said:


> I am excited about some of the doe hunt options! It will give me a good excuse to finally challenge myself and hunt with my recurve! I may share my points with my niece who just turned 12. I also have been hoarding points! Who has the most antlerless deer points? I am at 9!!!!!


Nice! You are a top point holder. I have 7 which is plenty. 

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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

I have 7 too. a freezer full of moose would be awesome


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## percheye (Jan 15, 2008)

I'm excited to see they upped the LE pronghorn permits for the area I applied for. Also the new doe hunts look fun.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

It's about frickin' time they have a doe hunt on the Oquirrh-Stansbury unit.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Huge increase in Antelope permits. 
Pretty much guarantees us our archery permits this year!


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

I see an increase in LE Bull tags and yet another cut in antlerless Elk...I feel it’s safe to say that the biologists are seeing something entirely different than I am on the mountain.

This is concerning the Central Manti/San Rafael area.


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

goofy elk said:


> Huge increase in Antelope permits.
> Pretty much guarantees us our archery permits this year!


Parker mountain? I applied for the Parker Mountain muzzy tag, and with all the permits they added, I should be about guaranteed as well with my 1 point.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Yes Clarq,
Pretty much guaranteed permits for all of us!


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

The more I look at all the antlerless deer options, the more excited I get. I'd be more excited if I had been hoarding points (I spent mine last year), but alas...

It seems that the doe hunt tends to attract a lot of point hoarders (3arabians ) who don't cash in because lots of the hunts in the past have been kind of marginal or made up largely of private land. 

Tell you what, though, I'll bet we see a lot of high point holders cash in this year. There are more hunts on good, public land areas than there have been in quite awhile. I'll bet the East Canyon, Oquirrh-Stansbury, and Sheep Creek hunts draw a lot of attention. I'd personally be all over the East Canyon tag if I thought I had the points to draw, but I'll bet that one goes for 2-3 points at least. 

Does anybody have intel on the Chalk Creek unit? How hard would it be to find a landowner who wants fewer deer on their property? That's one of the few tags I think could go for 0 points.


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

Clarq said:


> The more I look at all the antlerless deer options, the more excited I get. I'd be more excited if I had been hoarding points (I spent mine last year), but alas...
> 
> It seems that the doe hunt tends to attract a lot of point hoarders (3arabians ) who don't cash in because lots of the hunts in the past have been kind of marginal or made up largely of private land.
> 
> ...


If things pass as proposed, I will be burning my 7 points on an east canyon tag. Ive been hoarding for this tag specifically. Had it way back in 07 after getting lucky with 0 points. Wont need luck this time. 

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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

Antlerless Moose: who has the most points?

I've got 10.


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

PBH said:


> Antlerless Moose: who has the most points?
> 
> I've got 10.


Ive got 11

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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

PBH said:


> Antlerless Moose: who has the most points?
> 
> I've got 10.


I've got 12


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

PBH said:


> Antlerless Moose: who has the most points?
> 
> I've got 10.


I got 7 and i will be buying another one this year


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## weaversamuel76 (Feb 16, 2017)

I've got 3 I never thought they would actually implement a antlerless hunt on public ground

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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

PBH said:


> Antlerless Moose: who has the most points?
> 
> I've got 10.


2 here, and not expecting to ever draw. I'm planning on going out of state if I ever want to hunt moose.


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## lucky duck (Dec 17, 2008)

So did any one else apply for the LaSal Mountain Goat hunt?


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## MuscleWhitefish (Jan 13, 2015)

MooseMeat said:


> I've got 12


I got 13 minus 13


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## MadHunter (Nov 17, 2009)

I owe points! :shock:


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