The Utah Wildlife Board is dialing up its game management strategy with new updates for bison hunting and added measures for hunters affected by natural disasters. At a public meeting, they announced the creation of a new cow bison hunt, slated for the 2026 and 2027 seasons, and approved plans to manage the Book Cliffs bison herd more effectively, as reported by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
One significant adjustment is the bifurcation of the bison population objective across the Bitter Creek, Little Creek, and South subunits, now targeting 650 wintering adult bison. This uptick from 450 is a direct response to habitat restoration efforts that encourage a more spread-out herd, thus gearing towards a healthier ecosystem balance. “Thousands of acres of habitat have been restored in recent years to provide additional feed,” explained Clint Sampson, the DWR's Northeastern Region Wildlife Biologist, as obtained by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
In light of recent wildfires and other disasters, the board is also offering some reprieve to hunters through options like reinstating bonus or preference points, waiving waiting periods, and providing partial refunds on permit fees, details of which require an application accompanied by a notarized documentation of the disaster's impact. "This will help us to better manage the herd to the population objective and maintain the bull-cow ratio," Sam Robertson, a Wildlife Biologist at the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, told the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources regarding the bison hunting changes.
Another key change for hunters is in the West Cache area, where the board extended the elk archery hunt up until January 31, starting from the 2026-27 season. This alteration, albeit subtle, aims to mitigate property damages and spikes in safety concerns, without stepping into the terrain of rifle hunting, which could ignite a different brand of safety issues. The board, exercising its foresight, also directed the DWR to investigate hunting agreements on Antelope Island, looking to fine-tune the hunting season schedule.
