Utah Wildlife Board approves 2025 Big Game Permits, rule changes

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Wildlife Board approved the 2025 big game hunting permit numbers and several updates to hunting rules during its public meeting Thursday, including an increase in general-season deer permits.

Deer Population Management

“It should be noted that harvesting buck deer does not drive deer populations,” Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Big Game Coordinator Dax Mangus said. “That is a common misconception we hear when we make permit number recommendations each year. The most important factors that drive deer population numbers are the survival rates of doe deer (since bucks don’t have babies), fawn production and fawn survival over the winter. The way we hunt buck deer in Utah doesn’t drive deer populations, but what happens with deer populations drives how we hunt buck deer.”

Permit recommendations are based on population surveys, survival data, habitat conditions, and buck-to-doe ratio goals established in the statewide deer management plan, last updated in December 2024.

2025 Hunting Permit Highlights

• General-season buck deer: Increased from 71,525 in 2024 to 80,200 in 2025
• Limited-entry buck deer: 1,547 permits
• Antlerless deer: Reduced to 340 permits
• General-season elk: 15,000 any bull and 15,000 spike bull permits
• Antlerless elk: Increased to 20,798
• Uinta Basin private-lands-only elk: 500 new permits
• Increases were also approved for pronghorn, moose, bison, desert bighorn sheep, and mountain goat

Rule Changes

• Harvest reporting: Hunters must report within 30 days of season end or by Feb. 15
• New hunts: Antlerless deer allowed near Alton for population control
• Youth access: Youth with restricted rifle permits can hunt all general seasons in their unit
• Import rules eased: Regulated import of skulls from CWD-positive states now allowed
• Aerial retrieval: DWR will monitor aircraft use in game retrieval

CWMU and Other Updates

The board approved 688 public and 48 private antlerless permits under the Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit (CWMU) program and added two new CWMUs. Additional changes include clarifying landowner permit eligibility and modifying expo permit rules, including the removal of nonresident-only permits and a proposed fee range of $5–$10.

The full meeting is available on the Utah Department of Natural Resources YouTube channel.