Elk NetworkAntlerless Application Period Opens in Utah

General | May 28, 2020

Want to fill your freezer and assist with wildlife management? The application period for Utah’s 2020 antlerless hunts opened on May 28, 2020.

“The antlerless big game hunts are a great opportunity to not only harvest meat and make some great memories outdoors, but also to help manage wildlife populations and maintain healthy herds and landscapes,” said Covy Jones, DWR big game coordinator.

A cow elk can provide between 120 to nearly 200 pounds of boneless meat while a doe deer provides approximately 40 pounds of meat.

Applicants may seek a permit to hunt cow elk, cow moose, doe deer, doe pronghorn and, for the first time, ewe bighorn sheep, in Utah. (Although you cannot apply for both a cow moose permit and a ewe bighorn sheep permit in the same year — you must pick one or the other.)

The application deadline is June 18 at 11 p.m. You can buy a license on the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources website, by calling 1-800-221-0659 or by visiting a license agent.

In December 2019, the Utah Wildlife Board approved several amendments to the hunt drawing process, several of which apply to the antlerless permits. If a hunter surrenders their permit(s) at least 30 days before the season opens, their previously acquired bonus/preference points will be reinstated and the waiting period will be waived, if applicable. However, if they surrender the permit(s) less than 30 days before the season opens, they will lose their bonus/preference points. Previously, it was difficult to reallocate those permits when there was less than 30 days’ notice, so this change will help prevent lost hunting opportunities.

Another change to be aware of is that if a hunter obtains a general-season antlerless permit over the counter (after the antlerless drawing) or a private-lands-only permit, they will lose any preference points they’ve previously accrued for that specific antlerless hunt. If they purchase an antlerless elk control permit, they will not lose their preference points.

Go here for additional information.

(Photo Source: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources)