Spring Turkey hunting Permits now available

If you didn't obtain a limited-entry permit to hunt wild turkeys in Utah this spring, don't put your shotgun away yet. Permits to hunt during Utah's general statewide turkey hunt are now available.

Justin Dolling, upland game and migratory game bird coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, says he and other DWR biologists are excited that all of Utah's turkey hunters can hunt this year.

"Our biologists have worked hard to get Utah's turkey population to the point that all of the state's turkey hunters can hunt," Dolling says. "It's rewarding to see how well turkeys are doing in Utah."

Questions
Because the general hunt is fairly new, Judi Tutorow, wildlife licensing coordinator for the DWR, says the agency has received lots of questions from hunters. She provides the following information:

The DWR won't run out of permits because the number of general turkey permits the agency can offer isn't limited.

Permits will be available until the season ends on May 31.

If you buy a general turkey permit, you can hunt anywhere in Utah that's open to turkey hunting.

Starting Feb. 24, you can buy a permit at wildlife.utah.gov. Permits will also be available at DWR offices and from more than 300 hunting license agents across Utah.

You can buy a general turkey permit and still keep all of your limited-entry turkey bonus points. You won't lose any of your bonus points if you buy a general turkey permit.

If you obtained a limited-entry turkey permit, you can't obtain a general turkey permit. (You can have only one turkey permit each year.)

Two general hunts:
The first hunt is a special youth hunt. Hunters who were 15 years of age or younger on Jan. 27 can participate in the hunt. The youth hunt runs April 29–May 1.

(Jan. 27 was the day results of the 2011 limited-entry turkey draw were posted.)

To participate in the youth hunt, young hunters must buy a general statewide hunting permit. Young hunters who drew a limited-entry permit can't participate in the youth hunt.

Youngsters who buy a permit for the youth hunt can also use the permit to hunt during Utah's general statewide hunt. That hunt opens May 2.

The second hunt—the general statewide hunt—is open to anyone who buys a general turkey permit.

The general hunt runs May 2–31.

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

Turkey Hunting Permits go on Sale February 16

Photo courtesy of Wild Turkey Federation

General season permits on sale over-the-counter starting Feb. 16


If you didn't obtain a limited-entry permit to hunt wild turkeys in Utah this spring, don't put your shotgun away. Permits for Utah's first general statewide turkey hunt go on sale starting Feb. 16.

"We're excited," says Judi Tutorow, wildlife licensing coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. "For the first time, every hunter who wants to hunt wild turkeys in Utah can hunt."

Because the general hunt is brand new, Tutorow says the DWR has received lots of questions from hunters. She provides the following information:

•You don't have to get a permit on Feb. 16. General turkey permits are not limited in number, so they won't run out. Permits will be available until the season ends on May 31.

•You can buy a general turkey permit and still keep all of your limited-entry turkey bonus points. You won't lose any of your bonus points if you buy a general turkey permit.

•If you buy a general turkey permit, you can hunt anywhere in Utah that's open to turkey hunting.

•If you obtained a limited-entry turkey permit, you can't obtain a general turkey permit. (You can have only one turkey permit each year.)

•You can buy a permit at wildlife.utah.gov starting Feb. 16. Permits will also be available at DWR offices and from more than 300 hunting license agents across Utah.

•Two general hunts will be held:

◦The first hunt is a special youth hunt. This hunt is for hunters who are 15 years of age or younger. It runs April 30–May 2.

To participate, young hunters must buy a general statewide hunting permit. Young hunters who drew a limited-entry permit can't participate in the youth hunt.

Youngsters who buy a permit for the youth hunt can also use the permit to hunt during Utah's general statewide hunt. That hunt opens May 3.

◦The second hunt is open to anyone who buys a statewide general turkey permit. The hunt runs May 3–31.

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

Big changes await hunters that apply for a Turkey Hunting Permit

Thanksgiving isn’t the only reason wild turkey hunters in Utah will be thinking about turkey over the next few weeks. The chance to apply for a permit to hunt turkeys next spring starts Dec. 10.

And some big changes await Utah’s turkey hunters in 2010—two new hunts have been added.

Limited-entry hunt

The first hunt—the limited-entry hunt—runs April 10 - 29. This is the hunt you can apply for starting Dec. 10.

There will be a big difference in the limited-entry hunt this spring—it will be held on a regional basis instead of on smaller, specific areas. The following number of permits will be available:

Region------------Number of permits
Northern--------- 400
Central -----------500
Northeastern----- 250
Southeastern -----250
Southern--------- 1,100

“This first hunt should be less crowded than the hunt in May because only 2,500 permits will be offered for it,” says Dave Olsen, upland game coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. “There’s another difference, too—if you draw a permit for the April hunt, you won’t be limited to hunting one specific area like you have been in the past. Instead, you can hunt an entire region.”

Applications for the limited-entry hunt must be received at http://www.wildlife.utah.gov/  no later than 11 p.m. on Dec. 28.

Two new hunts

If you don’t draw a limited-entry permit, don’t pack you gun away—you can still hunt turkeys this spring. Two new statewide hunts—a youth hunt and a general hunt—will be held.

And don’t worry about losing your wild turkey bonus points, either. If you buy a permit for the youth hunt or the general hunt, you’ll still be able to keep all of your bonus points!

Hunters who buy a general season statewide permit and are 15 years of age and younger can participate in the first of the two statewide hunts—the youth hunt—which runs April 30 – May 2.

The number of permits available for the youth hunt are unlimited in number. And young hunters can obtain the permits over the counter. Youth hunters can hunt anywhere in Utah that’s open to turkey hunting.

Youngsters who buy a permit for the youth hunt can also use the permit to hunt during Utah’s final hunt—the general statewide hunt.

The general statewide turkey hunt runs May 3 – 31. An unlimited number of permits will be available for the hunt.

Permits over-the-counter

Permits for the youth hunt and the general hunt will be available at www.wildlife.utah.gov and from DWR offices and hunting and fishing license agents across Utah starting Feb. 16.

Even though three hunts will be held, you can obtain only one permit. You must hunt during the hunt you obtain a permit for.

Also, if you buy a general permit, you won’t lose any wild turkey bonus points that you’ve earned.

2010 Turkey Guidebook

More information about Utah’s 2010 turkey hunting season is available in the 2010 Utah Turkey Guidebook. The guidebook is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks  and from DWR offices and hunting and fishing license agents across Utah.