Mule Deer Fanatic

The Utah General Archery Mule Deer Hunt tags can be purchased over-the-counter.  In 2006 these tags sold out about one week before the hunt.  This year (2007), they sold out about 3 weeks before the hunt. 

The General Archery hunt is statewide except for closed areas and limited entry areas.  The  opening date is August 18.   Much of Utah is hot and dry.  Expect a difficult archery hunt.  Focus on water sources. 

If you wish to hunt mule deer in Utah, you must apply on or before February 16, 2007. Utah applications can be completed over the phone, online, by mail, or in person. For a non-resident, the easiest way to apply is online. You may obtain a copy of the 2007 proclamation here: http://www.wildlife.utah.gov/proclamations/2007_biggame/. The list of deer units is found on pages 35-37 of the proclamation. The mule deer map is on page 46.

You may download a hardcopy application from the same page by clicking on “Nonresident Premium Limited Entry, Limited Entry, CWMU & Once-in-a-Lifetime”. If you wish to apply online – apply here: http://www.sci-nevada.com/webutapps/.

Applying as a group: Groups are encouraged to apply online. If applying as a
group through the mail be sure to send ALL applications in the SAME envelope.

Nonresident fishing bonus: Nonresident big game permits also serve as
fishing licenses. If a nonresident purchases a fishing license in addition to a
big game permit, however, the Division will NOT issue a refund for the fishing
license.

Big game draw application deadline:
The deadline to apply for the bucks, bulls and once-in-a-lifetime hunts in 2007
is February 16, 2007. Paper applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. and
online applications must be submitted by 11:00 p.m.

2007 Permit Non-Resident Fees:
Deer
General Archery $263
General Any Weapon $263
General Muzzleloader $263
Premium Limited Entry $563
Premium CWMU* $563
Limited Entry $463
CWMU $263
Buck/Bull Combo $651

Draw results:
Draw results will be available by April 27, 2007. For results, call Utah Administrative
Services toll-free at 1-800-221-0659 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or
visit wildlife.utah.gov. In the interests of protecting applicant privacy and to
comply with recent changes in governmental records access laws, applicants
may obtain access to their own draw results only.

2007 general season Dates:
General Archery Deer August 18–September 14
General Muzzleloader Deer September 26–October 4
General Any Weapon Deer October 20–28
Southeastern Region October 20–24
Southern Region October 20–24
General Buck/Bull Combination October 6–18

Mandatory reporting:
Premium limited entry, limited entry, management
bull elk, CWMU and Once-in-a-Lifetime hunters must report hunt information
within 30 calendar days after the end of the hunting season online at
wildlife.utah.gov OR by calling 1-800-221-0659. Hunters have to report even
if they did not harvest an animal.

Application Withdrawal:
R657-5-62
(1) A person may withdraw their application for the big game drawing
provided a written request of such is received by March 1, 2007.
(2) The applicant must send their notarized signature with a statement
requesting that their application be withdrawn to: Utah Wildlife Administrative
Services, P.O. Box 30389, Salt Lake City, Utah 84130-0389.
(3) Handling fees will not be refunded and preference points will not be
awarded.

Application Amendments:
R657-5-62
(1)(a) An applicant may amend their application for the big game drawing
provided a written request of such is received by March 1, 2007.
(b) An amendment form, which requests all of the necessary information
to amend an application, is available at Division offices and at wildlife.
utah.gov.
(2) The applicant must send their notarized signature with a statement
requesting that their application be amended to: Utah Administrative Services,
P.O. Box 30389, Salt Lake City, Utah 84130-0389.
(3) The applicant must identify in their statement the requested amendment
to their application.
(4) Handling fees will not be refunded.
(5) An amendment may cause rejection if the amendment causes an error
on the application.

Drawing Process and Results for General Buck Deer, Buck/Bull Combination
and Youth General Any Bull Elk :R657-5-27
(1) Permits are drawn in the following order:
(a) premium limited entry, limited entry and CWMU buck deer;
(b) premium limited entry, limited entry, management bull elk and
CWMU elk;
(c) limited entry and CWMU buck pronghorn;
(d) once-in-a-lifetime;
(e) youth general buck deer;
(f) general buck deer, general buck/bull combination; and
(g) youth general any bull elk

New this year: 2,000 hunters in the Northern Region will have the
opportunity to hunt buck deer and bull elk at the same time. Hunters who
draw a buck/bull combination permit will receive a buck deer permit that’s
valid ONLY on any bull elk units in the Northern Region from October 6–18,
2007. Hunters will also receive an any bull elk permit that’s valid on all
general season any bull elk units across the state.
Lifetime License holders may apply for the buck/bull combination hunt
if they waive their choice of general deer permits and pay the additional
cost of the elk permit. Members of the Dedicated Hunter Program may
apply if they surrender their Dedicated Hunter Certificate of Registration in
accordance with R657-38-4.

General Buck Deer Permit Numbers:
Total permits in 2006 Number of applications in 2006
RegionResident Nonresidents Residents Nonresidents
Archery
Statewide* 14,400 1,600 5,164 669
Any weapon
Northern 20,700 2,300 4,539 222
Northeastern 11,700 1,300 9,845 331
Central 10,800 1,200 15,650 380
Southeastern 11,700 1,300 11,682 1,359
Southern 16,200 1,800 22,561 4,924
Totals 85,500 9,500
*The statewide archery permit does not include limited entry units.

General Buck Deer Hunt Numbers:
(PERMIT FEE: RESIDENT $40, NONRESIDENT $263—BUCK/BULL COMBO PERMIT FEE: RESIDENT $105, NONRESIDENT $651).
Use ORANGE 3-digit hunt number to apply. Deer preference point code: GDR
Hunt # Archery Hunt # Any Weapon Hunt # Muzzleloader Hunt # Buck/Bull Combination
984 Statewide 985 Northern 995 Northern 200 Northern
986 Northeastern 996 Northeastern
987 Central 997 Central
988 Southeastern 998 Southeastern
989 Southern 999 Southern

Preference Points:
R657-5-37(B)
Preference points are used to ensure that applicants who are unsuccessful,
or who apply for a preference point in the drawing for general buck
deer or the general buck/bull combination, will have first preference in the
next year’s drawing for the respective permits.
Preference points only apply to general buck deer and general buck/
bull combination hunts and are awarded for each unsuccessful application.
An individual, who does not want to hunt in the current year, may
apply for a preference point only, for general buck deer by selecting the
appropriate preference point code (GDR) on the application and paying the
$5 handling fee. The application period is January 17–February 16, 2007.
A preference point will not be issued if an applicant is successful in
drawing any general buck deer or general buck/bull combination permit,
regardless of the region or choice number. For example, if an applicant
chooses the Southeastern Region as a first choice and the Northern Region
as a second choice, and draws the Northern Region permit (the second
choice), a preference point will not be awarded.
Preference points are not forfeited if an individual obtains a remaining
permit.
The Division has retained electronic records of all general buck deer
application information from the year 2000 to present.

How your Preference Points work in the draw:
Preference points are averaged and rounded down when two or more
applicants apply as a group. For example, if hunter A with three preference
points and hunter B with zero preference points apply as a group, the preference
points are averaged (1.5) and rounded down to one. This process
will determine in which group of preference points your application will be
considered. This group with one preference point will be considered after
all groups or individuals with two or more preference points and before all
groups or individuals with zero preference points.
In a second example, if hunter A with one preference point and
hunter B with zero preference points apply as a group, the preference
points are averaged (0.5) and rounded down to zero. This process will
determine in which group of preference points your application will be
considered. This group with zero preference points will be considered
after all groups or individuals with one or more preference points have
been considered.
In the drawing, the general buck deer applications are sorted into
groups by the number of preference points, from highest to lowest—a
4 Preference Point Group, a 3 Preference Point Group, etc. Within each
group of preference points, the applications are then sorted from lowest
to highest draw numbers. (You receive only one random draw number for
the general deer hunt.) Permits are awarded in order, based on the hunt
choice selected.
Applicants who apply for a general buck deer permit will receive
a preference point, even if they are successful in obtaining a premium
limited entry, limited entry, or CWMU deer or elk permit in the drawing.
An individual may surrender their general buck deer permit prior to
the season opening date for the purpose of reinstating the number of
preference points, including a preference point for the current year (just
as if a permit had not been drawn).

You cannot apply for a General Buck Deer or General Buck/Bull Combination
Permit or a Preference Point if:
You are currently under wildlife license suspension for big game
hunting.
A complete copy of these regulations (R657-5-37) can be found at
wildlife.utah.gov.

Bonus Points:
R657-5-37(A)
Bonus points apply to each species in the Bucks, Bulls and Oncein-
a-Lifetime Drawing. A bonus point is awarded for each unsuccessful
application to hunt premium limited entry, limited entry, management
bull elk and CWMU buck deer, bull elk and pronghorn, and for unsuccessful
applications for the state’s once-in-a-lifetime species—bison, bighorn
sheep, moose and mountain goat.
An individual, who does not want to hunt in the current year, may
still apply for a bonus point only, for one or more species, by selecting the
appropriate hunt choice or choices on the application and paying the $5
handling fee. The application period is January 17–February 16, 2007.
Because bonus points are applied for by species, any person who is eligible
to hunt the species may apply for a bonus point for premium limited
entry, limited entry, management bull elk or once-in-a-lifetime, even if
that particular hunt is not being offered that year.
To apply for a bonus point, you must be eligible for the hunt for which
you are applying. For example, if you are eligible for a limited entry buck
deer permit, you are eligible to apply for a limited entry buck deer bonus
point.
You can apply for:
one limited entry permit and one once-in-a lifetime permit; or
one limited entry bonus point and one once-in-a-lifetime bonus
point; or
one limited entry permit and one once-in-a-lifetime bonus point; or
one limited entry bonus point and one once-in-a-lifetime permit.
If you apply for a permit, and a bonus point for the same species, your
application will be rejected.
If you apply for more than one premium limited entry or limited entry
bonus point, your application will be rejected.
If you apply for more than one once-in-a-lifetime bonus point, your
application will be rejected.
Your general buck deer permit application does not affect bonus points
for limited entry deer. If you draw a general buck deer permit, you will still
receive a bonus point for your unsuccessful premium limited entry, limited
entry or CWMU application.
The Division has retained electronic copies of application information
from 1996 to present.

How your Bonus Points work in the draw:
Fifty percent (odd numbers are rounded down) of the permits for each
hunt unit number are reserved for applicants with the most bonus points.
You receive one random drawing number for each species you apply
for and one for every bonus point you have for that species. Your lowest
random number is used in the drawing.
Bonus points are averaged and rounded down when two or more
applicants apply as a group. For example, if hunter A with seven bonus
points and hunter B with zero bonus points apply as a group, the bonus
points are averaged (3.5) and rounded down to three. The group receives
three random draw numbers for the bonus points, plus one random draw
number for the group application, for a total of four draw numbers. The
lowest random number is used in the drawing.
In the draw for limited entry buck deer, the applications are sorted
into groups by the number of bonus points, from highest to lowest—a 10
Bonus Point Group, a 9 Bonus Point Group, etc. Hunters applying alone will
be treated as a group of one. Within each group of bonus points for limited
entry buck deer, the applications are sorted from lowest to highest draw
number. Permits are awarded in order, based on the hunt choice selected.
Any person may surrender their premium limited entry, limited entry
or once-in-a-lifetime permit prior to the season opening date, for the
purpose of waiving the waiting period normally assessed and reinstating
the number of bonus points, including a bonus point for the current year
(just as if a permit had not been drawn).

You cannot apply for a hunt or receive a Bonus Point if:
you are currently under wildlife license suspension for big game
hunting; or
you are currently under a waiting period for that species; or
you have already obtained a permit for that once-in-a-lifetime
species; or
you have not met the required harvest reporting requirement for
premium limited entry, limited entry or once-in-a-lifetime species.
A complete copy of these regulations (R657-5-37) can be found at
wildlife.utah.gov/rules.

The truth is – none of us may ever know what the DWR decision makers were or are really thinking.  Most of what they do defies logic.

Nevertheless, all of the LE areas were once open areas because the whole state was open.  Until the lions, coyotes, and bears took over, a person could buy licenses and tags over-the-counter, right up until the time when you decided if you wanted to go or not.  It was then a 10 day season and you could go where the deer were, or anywhere else for that matter.  Then predator populations began to boom.  They were protected from being poisoned. Trapping rules were implemented. Seasons and limits were set.   Predators were given priority over hunters. When the long-awaited time finally arrived that there were not enough deer for both humans and predators, then it became quite noticeable, particularly in those areas that are now limited entry, that there were no deer.

Whoah! What’s up with that?  Predators don’t affect deer populations, do they?  Let’s do a study to prove that predators have no negative impact on deer.  Outcome pre-detirmined.

OK, conclusion: predators have no negative impact on prey.  There are too many hunters.  Darn it anyway.  Let’s make regions and units to confine the hunters.  Let’s cut the number of hunters in half.  Let’s try and force the hunters to go where the deer aren’t.   Let’s shorten the seasons. Let’s implement a hunter lottery on the basis of the scarcity principle.  Let’s get the hunters to believe we need to “conserve” deer. Let’s make up stories about how many deer and how few predators there really are.  It’s all history now.

Utah now manages people for the predators while “conserving” deer. Today, predators kill almost ten times as many deer as people do, and that’s even if we include road kill.   It’s a little OUTABALANCE!  The limited entry units and especially the “premium” limited entry units came into existence after those areas were closed for “studies”.  Rather than just turn the deer hunters loose on those areas that hadn’t been hunted for a while, and go right back to no deer, it was evident that there had to be some “controls”.  None of the limited entry units was restored to its former glory even with no hunting – because of predators.  But, any of them were better than the rest, if only because hunting had ceased for a while.  Some of the LE units are now no better than the rest – even with almost no hunters.

No, they didn’t pick the areas with the most potential for limited entry.  They probably never will.

The DWR announced a long time ago – that it was their entention to divide the state into small units and make the whole state limited entry.  The time may well come when you have to check in and check out at the bottom of the mountain you want to hunt – fingerprints and the whole works.   Heaven forbid anyone should suggest it.