# Urgent wasatch front archery elk info – update



## archerben (Sep 14, 2007)

Over the past two days, I have been working with the DWR Big Game Coordinator, Justin Shannon, to understand how this change happened without being discussed at the RACs and Wildlife Board.The simple fact is that this change was not presented to the RACs, and was presented to the Wildlife Board simply as a housekeeping item concerning season dates.Justin has told me that this was never meant to be deceptively presented without notice.Rather, it simply got overlooked amidst other controversial proposals.Justin is a very honest person, and as such, I believe him completely.

My biggest concern since learning of this change is a concern of the legal ramifications for the uninformed archery elk hunter who in the past would otherwise be a lawful hunter.Fortunately, Justin has taken action to correct and make right this issue.He contacted me this afternoon to alert me to the fact that the DWR has changed the dates to allow the take of any elk (including branch antlered bulls) on the Wasatch front extended area during both the general season and the extended season.This effectively makes it legal to hunt branch antlered bulls on the Wasatch Front extended area from Aug 16 - Dec 15 with a general archery elk tag.The signs that were initially placed at trail heads have been taken down, the online 2014 Big Game Field Regulations has been updated, and a correction has been added to 2014 guidebooks webpage. 

A big thanks to Justin and the DWR for recognizing the issue and taking action to make right the issue.


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## archerben (Sep 14, 2007)

The changes can be seen at:

http://wildlife.utah.gov/hunting-in-utah/guidebooks/51-rules/guidebooks/1409-2014-utah-big-game-field-regulations.html




> *Page 18*: There was an error in the dates provided in which a hunter with a general-season archery elk permit may use archery equipment to take a branch-antlered bull on the Wasatch Front extended archery area. Hunters may harvest a branch-antlered bull on the Wasatch Front extended archery area from Aug. 16-Sept. 12, 2014.


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## ARCHER11 (May 26, 2011)

Great news! I'm glad we were able to get this fixed. Thanks to everyone who worked on this!


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## bowhunt3r4l1f3 (Jan 12, 2011)

I feel like this was VERY poorly worded.


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## Screaming_btf (Aug 6, 2014)

Thanks for the info I was thinking it would be accessible until the extended season!


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

Thanks for the help on this. I purchased a wasatch west control tag because of the change in the archery elk hunt on the wasatch front. i was surprised when i tried to surrender the tag that they did not know of the mixup in the hunt. they did however allow me to pay full price for another tag:? it would have been nice if they would have owned the mistake or offered a discount since i bought my first tag based on the the current tag/rules at that time. 

I sure hope they don't change the rules on me while i'm in the field.


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