Photo: Mountain Bighorn Sheep by Joanna Wrobleska via Unsplash

UTAH — Utah DWR announced that the first date to apply for the Utah sportsman hunting permit is October 19. Sportsman permits allow hunters to hunt the species they drew for across the state instead of only one designated area like most hunting permits.

The permits will be awarded through a drawing, which will be closed at 11 p.m. on November 9. To enter the drawing, hunters must pay a $1o entry fee for each species they enter for. If they are drawn in the lottery, they then will have to pay an additional fee that varies based on species. Applicants must be 12 years old and hold a Utah hunting or combination license

“If you draw a sportsman permit, you can hunt on almost every unit in Utah that’s open to hunting the species you drew a permit for,” DWR Wildlife Licensing Coordinator Lindy Varney said. “Also, the season dates are much longer, so you’ll have more time to scout different places to harvest an animal. It’s the hunt of a lifetime.”