Wildlife

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) is the wildlife authority for the state. It is the UDWR’s responsibility to protect, propagate, manage, conserve, and distribute protected wildlife throughout the state (Utah Code, Title 23). “Wildlife” means vertebrate animals living in nature, with the exception of the following: feral animals, coyote, field mouse, gopher, ground squirrel, jack rabbit, muskrat, and raccoon. This chapter does not cover fisheries or special-status species.

The UDWR has published management plans for various species in the state, including:

• Mule Deer (in various units)
  • Nine Mile Unit 11 (Carbon and Emery counties)
  • San Juan Unit 14 – (Grand and San Juan counties)
  • Central Mountains Unit 16 (Carbon and Emery counties)
  • La Sal Unit 13 (Grand and San Juan counties)
• Elk
• Moose (Carbon and Emery counties)
• Bighorn sheep
• Pronghorn
• Bison (Book Cliffs; Grand County)
• Black bear
• Cougar
• Beaver
• Northern river otter
• Bobcat
• Prairie dog
• Wild turkey
• Greater sage-grouse (Carbon, Emery, and Grand counties)

The habitat data can be used to identify the parts of the county that are important to a particular wildlife species.

Best management practices (BMPs) for wildlife focus on principles and actions that allow humans and wildlife to coexist, and on creating or maintaining healthy wildlife populations and habitat.

Utah’s Wildlife Action Plan considers key habitats and provides management strategies to improve the habitat’s condition (see pages 73–123). Also, the plan considers threats and provides actions to reduce the threats (see pages 124–216).

The Wild Utah Project created BMPs for Off Road Vehicles use and Renewable Energy Development that protects wildlife.

The Conservation Habitat Management Portal provides BMPs for wildlife habitat management, specifically for sage grouse.

The Grand Canyon Trust created BMPs for living and working with beavers.

In Utah special hunting permits called conservation permits raise revenues to preserve wildlife and habitat. Since the program’s inception in 1981, it has raised $35,000,000. Over 90% of that revenue has been allocated to projects such as habitat enhancement and restoration, species transplants, radio-telemetry studies and research projects, aerial surveys, and education efforts [2].

The hunting unit data can be used to identify the parts of the county that hunting is allowed for a particular species.