Utah Cougar Guidebook • Utah Cougar CONTACT US CONTENTS WHAT’S NEW? KNOW THE LAWS This guidebook summarizes Utah’s cougar Turn in a poacher 6 Key dates and fees Airguns allowed: Starting in 2019, you may hunting laws and rules. Although it is a con- Phone: 1-800-662-3337 8 Basic requirements use an airgun during a cougar hunt if you have venient quick-reference document for Utah’s Email: [email protected] 8 Are you old enough? an any legal weapon permit. See the updated 2019–2020 cougar regulations, it is not an all-encompass- Online: wildlife.utah.gov/utip 8 Have you passed hunter regulations on page 20. ing resource. education? Division offices Apply for limited-entry hunts: You can ap- For an in-depth look at the state’s 9 Do you have a license? Offices are open 8 a.m.–5 p.m., ply for Utah’s 2019–2020 limited-entry cougar cougar hunting laws and rules, visit Monday through Friday. 9 Utah’s Trial Hunting Program hunts from Sept. 17–Oct. 8, 2019. The results wildlife.utah.gov/rules. 10 Prepare to apply of the cougar drawing will be available on or You can use the references in the guide- Salt Lake City 11 Do your research before Oct. 21, 2019. For additional details, see book—such as Utah Code § 23-20-3 and Utah 1594 W North Temple 12 Why bonus points matter page 14. Administrative Rule R657-10-13—to search Box 146301 12 Take the voluntary cougar- the Division’s website for the detailed statute 2019–2020 Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6301 hunting course New hunts: The Utah Wildlife Board approved or rule that underpins the guidebook summary. two new cougar hunts for the 2019–2020 801-538-4700 13 Are you eligible to apply? If you have questions about a particular season: Kamas (limited-entry hunt) and Chalk rule, call or visit the nearest Division office. Central Region 13 Waiting period Creek (harvest-objective hunt). For additional 1115 N Main Street 13 Hunters with disabilities Utah Cougar Guidebook • Utah Cougar details—including permit numbers, harvest Who makes the rules? Springville, UT 84663 14 Apply for a permit quotas and hunt dates—see the hunt tables The Utah Wildlife Board passes the rules 801-491-5678 14 Hunter Mentoring Program that begin on page 32. summarized in this guidebook. 16 After you apply There are seven board members, and Northeastern Region Exact harvest location required: Starting 16 Permit refunds and exchanges each serves a six-year term. Appointed by the 318 N Vernal Avenue this year, you must provide the exact location 17 Surrendering a permit governor, board members are not Division Vernal, UT 84078 of your harvest when you check in a cougar 17 Avoid harvesting collared cougars employees. 435-781-9453 with a Division employee. GPS coordinates are 18 Other available permits preferred. See page 24 for details. The Division’s director serves as the board’s Northern Region 18 Harvest-objective permit executive secretary but does not have a vote on 515 E 5300 S 18 Cougar-control permit Collared cougars: Division biologists have wildlife policies. Ogden, UT 84405 19 Pursuit permit placed tracking collars on cougars across the Before board members make changes to 801-476-2740 20 Field regulations state. If possible, please avoid harvesting a wildlife rules, they listen to recommendations 20 Firearms and hunting equipment collared animal. For details, see the information from Division biologists. They also receive input Southeastern Region box on page 17. from the public and various interest groups via 319 N Carbonville Road, Ste A 20 Are you allowed to possess a the regional advisory council (RAC) process. Price, UT 84501 weapon? Three-year guidebook: In August 2019, 435-613-3700 21 Areas with special restrictions If you have feedback or suggestions for the Utah Wildlife Board approved a 3-year board members, you can find their contact 22 Hunting hours and methods guidebook for cougar regulations. That means information online at wildlife.utah.gov. Southern Region 23 Harvest and pursuit restrictions the regulations in this guidebook will remain 1470 N Airport Road 24 Possession and transportation relatively unchanged until 2022. Cedar City, UT 84721 Wildlife Board members wildlife.utah.gov 25 Harvest reporting 435-865-6100 Unit hunt-strategy changes: This year, Randy Dearth Byron Bateman, Chair 27 Trespassing hunt strategies are changing on a couple of Wade Heaton Kevin Albrecht, Vice Chair Washington County Field Office 28 Cougar identification tips units. For details on which units fall into the Karl Hirst Mike Fowlks, 451 N SR-318 30 Cougar unit reference map limited-entry, split and harvest-objective hunt Donnie Hunter Division Director & Hurricane, UT 84737 32 Hunt tables Bret Selman Executive Secretary 435-879-8694 strategies, see the hunt tables that begin on 38 Definitions page 32. wildlife.utah.gov 2 3 Utah Cougar Guidebook • Utah Cougar Check the season dates: Season dates change every year. For details, see the tables Boundary maps and Don’t lose your hunting and fishing privileges that start on page 32. descriptions online If you commit a wildlife violation, you could lose the privilege of hunting and fishing in Utah. Looking for a map or descrip- The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources can suspend the license of IMPORTANT tion of your hunting unit? Visit anyone who knowingly, intentionally or recklessly violates wildlife 2019–2020 wildlife.utah.gov/huntplanner. You’ll find laws. Your license can be suspended for a wildlife violation if: REMINDERS the information you need to plan your • You are convicted. • You plead guilty or no contest. Harvest-objective unit closures: hunting trip. Harvest-objective hunting units will close on • You enter a plea in abeyance or a unit-by-unit basis. Any unit closures will be Trial hunting program: People who diversion agreement. listed on the cougar hotline (1-888-668-5466) haven’t hunted may be able to try it for the Suspension proceedings are separate and indepen- and posted at wildlife.utah.gov/cougarharvest first time without taking Hunter Education. For dent from criminal prosecution. The Utah Division of by noon daily. Closures will take effect the details, see the box on page 9. Wildlife Resources may suspend your license privileges 2019–2020 following day. whether or not the court considers suspension in your Purchase pursuit permits by phone: You criminal case. You will be notified of any action against Hunting license required to apply: Be- can now purchase a cougar pursuit permit over your privilege after criminal proceedings conclude. And fore you can apply for a cougar permit or bonus the telephone. Just call 1-800-221-0659. The remember, if your license is suspended in Utah, you point—or purchase a pursuit permit—you line is staffed 24 hours per day, seven days per may not be permitted to hunt or fish in most other Utah Cougar Guidebook • Utah Cougar states. (Visit wildlife.utah.gov/know-the-consequences.html to see a map of participating states.) must have a valid Utah hunting or combina- week. You will be charged a $2 transaction fee tion license. Please see page 8 for more for each item you purchase. information. Protection from discrimination: The hunting on private lands. To learn more, please Your wait is over: If you last obtained a cou- Division receives federal financial assistance see page 27. Maps and boundaries online: All unit gar limited-entry permit for the 2015–2016 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Under maps and boundary descriptions are available season, your waiting period is over and you’re Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section Division funding: The Division is mostly at wildlife.utah.gov/huntplanner. now eligible to apply again. 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II funded by the sale of hunting and fishing of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, licenses and through federal aid made possible Purchase harvest-objective permits: Download the app: The free Utah the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title IX of by an excise tax on the sale of firearms and Harvest-objective permits may be purchased Hunting and Fishing app makes it easy to the Education Amendments of 1972, the U.S. other hunting- and fishing-related equipment. beginning Oct. 30, 2019 at wildlife.utah.gov, store digital versions of your licenses and Department of the Interior and its bureaus from license agents and at any Division office. permits on a mobile device. For details, see prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, If you purchase a harvest-objective permit, you wildlife.utah.gov/mobileapp. color, national origin, age, disability or sex. If may hunt statewide on any harvest-objective you believe that you have been discriminated Apply for permits online or by phone: If unit that’s still open to hunting. If you purchase against in any program, activity or facility, or you hope to harvest a cougar on a limited- a cougar harvest-objective permit after the if you desire further information, please visit entry or split unit unit this year, the applica- season opens, the permit is not valid until www.doi.gov/pmb/eeo/public-civil-rights.cfm. tion period opens on Sept. 17, 2019. You three days from the date of purchase. must apply for a permit online or by phone Private lands: The Division cannot guarantee Corrections: If errors are found in the no later than Oct. 8, 2019. There’s an 11 p.m. access to any private land. Under certain printed guidebook, the Division will wildlife.utah.gov MDT deadline for online applications and a 5 circumstances, you must obtain written correct them in the online version.