There will be fewer general deer tags available this season following an approved decrease in permits by the Utah Wildlife Board last week. The decrease is a result of drought and other environmental factors impacting herd health in Utah. In fact, the current estimate of 314,850 deer is below the state objective of 400,000 deer per the current management plan, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR). 

“We’ve had a few drought years in Utah recently, which has a significant impact on the survival rates of deer,” said UDWR Big Game Coordinator Covy Jones. “In Utah, we have the longest range-trend study in the Western U.S., and we’ve seen that having suitable habitat is crucial for maintaining or growing wildlife populations. And drought conditions can really negatively impact that habitat, which in turn affects our wildlife species.”

Because of this reduction in tags, there will only be 74,025 general season deer tags available for 2021, which is a decrease of 5,650 tags compared to 2020. Out of the 29 deer hunting units within Utah, 17 will be impacted by the decreased permit numbers. 

Per UDWR, here are the number of permits available for the 2021 big game hunting seasons:

While there will be fewer general season deer tags, the state is adding some antlerless hunts for areas where deer damage agricultural land, specifically within Price and Oak City.

“Antlerless deer hunts are designed to reduce depredation on private lands, tackle urban deer issues, address chronic wasting disease hot spot areas, and to help slow the decline of range conditions,” said Jones.