Central Utah News

NOTICE OF EMERGENCY CHANGES

TO THE 2023 UTAH BIG GAME APPLICATION GUIDEBOOK

ESTABLISHED BY THE WILDLIFE BOARD

FOR TAKING BIG GAME

I, Justin Shirley, by authority granted in Section 23-14-8(4) of the Utah Code and with approval of the Executive Director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources, declare an emergency amendment to the 2023 Utah Big Game Application Guidebook. The following has been amended

GATHERING ANTLERS AND HORNS (Severe Winter Closure – Statewide)

Effective February 7, 2023 through April 30, 2023, the antler and horn gathering season will be closed throughout the entire State of Utah thereby making it unlawful to gather antlers or horns.

Extreme cold temperatures and elevated snowpack may negatively impact big game survival. In these conditions, big game animals are weakened and highly vulnerable to human-caused disturbance.

The additional expenditure of energy and stress associated with disturbance may significantly increase winter mortality. particularly in mule deer populations. Closing the antler and horn gathering season will minimize a major source of disturbance during the time period wintering big game animals are most vulnerable. As it relates to this closure, “Gathering means locating. attempting to locate, collecting, or marking locations of 1) shed antlers or horns or 2) antlers or horns attached to a skull plate of a dead animal.

Except for other emergency changes made since January 1, 2023 all other rules established in the 2023 Big Game Application Guidebook remain in effect.

UTAH DIVISION OF WILDLIFE RESOURCES

By:

Justin Shirley

SHELLY SHAKESPEAR

Notary Public State of Utah

My Commission Expires on:

February 20, 2026

Comm. Number: 716658

Subscribed and sworn to before me this

7th day of February, 2023.

My Commission Expires 02 – 2)-2025

Notary Public: Shelly Shakespear

Original source can be found here.