Registered: Oct 2004
Location: Roosevelt, Utah
Posts: 586

I spoke to a biologist friend who tells me the upcoming bear meeting is going to see changes in their bear management plans this year but no changes in the hunts for 2011. He claims the way the management plan is written the DWR can not have a harvest unit and some in the division want to change that......

My buddy says DWR believes that is more opportunity for bear hunting than being utilized at the present time and they want to try a couple harvest units during the 2012 season. He believes they may have one spring harvest unit and one fall unit for a test program......

The danger in the fall test program is it may be down on the La Sal or San Juan unit and involve spot and stalk hunters rather than hounds, and follow the ideas they used in the Roadless Area of the Book Cliffs. In other words, look for ways to include more none hound hunters in the harvest. If that happens we are going to see fewer hound hunting opportunities in Utah because of the limited bear population we have; we'll also see more sows in the harvest and total numbers of harvest reduced down the road.

Harvest objective will bring out the big guns for one last hoorah who will attempt to kill off any of the old boars we have in these units. Example: people like me might take the whole season off and kill (or attempt to kill) as many of those old brutes as they can for clients. Illegal baiting will also become a larger problem and so will conflicts between houndsmen...

Better get involved or just let'em have it.........

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Last edited by RunninBear(Ike) on 10-19-2010 at 01:47 PM

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Registered: Feb 2010
Location: upper michigan
Posts: 14

I love cat and bear hunting Montezuma Creek. My buddy should draw a tag for that unit this year. He has drawn for five years. We plan to hunt there in May.That is our spring dog training area.I'd sure hate to lose it.Is there anyway to help as a houndsman?

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Registered: Oct 2004
Location: Roosevelt, Utah
Posts: 586

The RAC or public Meetings should be coming up in November and a person can either voice their concerns or opinions in person or by writing a letter to the RAC and Board. An address can be found on the State Wildlife website, and it's always a good idea to never give people a blank check with our future. Just be polite and get right to the point about your concerns and objections and you'll have the most impact.

My biologist friends tells me he isn't looking to displace houndsmen, but figures there is more opportunity and would like to try a harvest objection on a couple units to see what the outcome is. However, he wants the young boars targeted which he hopes will reduce harvest by ADC and increase that of hunters; he also would like to see the number of problem bears reduced in camping areas.

My concern is that guides and outfitters will swam the HO units and close it down early with sows and young males, thus ending the opportunity for a large boar for serious hunters. It will also increase pressure on those units and devalue the quality of a person's hunt. I'll assure you the spring will get the HO units and not the fall when other hunters are afield.........

http://wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/hunting/board-rac.html

Good luck,
ike

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Last edited by RunninBear(Ike) on 10-24-2010 at 06:33 PM

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