2012 UT Black Bear Regulations

8/3/2019 2012 UT Black Bear Regulations

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CONTENTS

3 Who makes the rules?

3 Wildlie Board members

4 Take a closer look at the rules

6 Key dates and ees7 Changes to bear management

7 Why oer a pursuit season?

9 Basic requirements

9 Adults must accompany young

hunters

10 Boundary descriptions online

11 Black bear permits

12 Applying or a bear permit

13 Bonus points

14 Guides and outftters

14 Harvest-objective permits

15 Bear orientation course

15 Help the division collect bear data

15 Avoid harvesting collared emales

16 Harvest reporting16 Pursuit permits

16 Waiting period

17 Hunters with disabilities

17 Permit reunds and exchanges

17 Surrendering a permit

18 Field requirements

18 Hunting hours

18 Firearms and hunting equipment

19 Are you allowed to possess a

weapon?

20 Prohibited hunting methods

21 Bear baiting

23 Possession and transportation

24 Disposal o wildlie

24 Livestock depredation25 Trespassing

25 Harvest and pursuit restrictions

28 Hunt tables

34 Defnitions

CONTACT US

Turn in a poacherReport a poacher by phone, email or

online

Phone: 1-800-662-3337Email: [email protected]: wildlie.utah.gov/utip

Division ocesOces are open 8 a.m.5 p.m., Monday

through Friday.

Salt Lake City1594 W North TempleBox 146301Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6301801-538-4700

Central Region1115 N Main StreetSpringville, UT 84663

801-491-5678

Northeastern Region152 E 100 NVernal, UT 84078435-781-9453

Northern Region515 E 5300 SOgden, UT 84405801-476-2740

Southeastern Region319 N Carbonville Road, Ste APrice, UT 84501435-613-3700

Southern Region1470 N Airport RoadCedar City, UT 84721435-865-6100

Washington County (Field Ofce)451 N SR-318Hurricane, UT 84737435-879-8694


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HIGHLIGHTS

Whats new this year?New harvest-objective hunts: This year,Utah will oer harvest-objective (quota) hunts onthree units. Starting on March 15, you can obtaina harvest-objective permit rom license agents,

Division oces and wildlie.utah.gov. You arerequired to complete the bear orientationcourse beore purchasing a harvest-objectivepermit. For more inormation, see page 7. Forspecic hunt dates and areas, see the hunt tableon page 28.

Unit closures available online: Anyharvest-objective unit closures will be listed onthe hotline (1-888-668-5466) and posted atwildlie.utah.gov/bearby noon daily. Closures will

take eect the ollowing day.

New spot-and-stalk hunts: In 2012, there willbe three limited-entry spot-and-stalk bear hunts.I you obtain a permit or one o these hunts, youmay not use hounds or bait to pursue or harvest abear. For more inormation on these hunts, see thearticle on page 14. For specic hunt dates and

areas, see the hunt table on page 28.Extended season or additional units: Thisyear, 12 hunting units will participate in the ex-tended spring season. This extension gives hunt-ers a better chance to harvest bears that mightotherwise be removed or livestock depredation ornuisance behavior. For season dates and availablepermit numbers, see the hunt tables that begin on

page 28.

New three-year guidebook: In January 2012,the Utah Wildlie Board approved a three-yearguidebook or black bear regulations. That meansthe regulations in this book will remain relativelyunchanged through 2014. The Division still plansto print a black bear guidebook in 2013, but the

changes will be minor and primarily date-related.

Who makes the rules?The Utah Wildlie Board passes the rules

and laws summarized in this guidebook.

There are seven board members, and

each serves a six-year term. Appointed by the

governor, board members are not Division

employees.

The Divisions director serves as the boards

executive secretary but does not have a vote on

wildlie policies.

Beore board members make changes to

wildlie rules, they listen to recommendations

rom Division biologists. They also receive input

rom the public and various interest groups via

the regional advisory council (RAC) process.

I you have eedback or suggestions or

board members, you can nd their contactinormation online at wildlie.utah.gov.

Wildlie Board members

Jake Albrecht

John Bair

Calvin Crandall

Bill Fenimore

Michael King

Del Brady, Chair

Ernie Perkins, Vice Chair

James F. Karpowitz,

Division Director

Executive Secretary

MORE HUNT OPTIONSIn early 2011, the Utah Wildlie Board approved the revised Utah Bear Management Plan. The plans

changes go into eect this year.

Under the revised plan, hunters will have more opportunity and a variety o new hunt options.

Some units will eature spot-and-stalk-only hunts. Other areas will open to harvest-objective hunts or

the rst time.Biologists will also consider new actors in determining the health and growth o Utahs bear popula-

tions. To read an in-depth article about the changes occurring in 2012, see page 7.

For a complete list o 2012 hunt and pursuit options, see the hunt tables that begin on page 28.


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call 1-800-221-0659 to see i you were successul.For more inormation, see page 13.

Avoid harvesting collared emales: TheDivision has collared some emale bears as parto a long-term reproduction study. Please avoid

harvesting these bears, i possible. For details, seethe inormation box on page 15.

GPS location required or bait stations:I you draw a bear limited-entry archery permit,you can also apply or a certicate o registration(COR) that allows you to have up to two bait sta-tions. You must submit a GPS location or any bait

station you plan to establish. For more inorma-tion on using bait and obtaining a COR, please seepage 21.

Guides and outftters: I youre a Utah-li-censed guide or outtterand youre accompa-nying a paying client to pursue black bearyoudo not need a pursuit permit. To learn more, seethe inormation box on page 14.

Orientation course: I you draw a limited-entry permitor you plan to purchase a harvest-objective permityou must complete an onlinebear-hunting orientation course. Youll receiveyour permit ater you nish the course. See page15 or details.

365-day pursuit permits: Pursuit permitsare now valid or 365 days rom the day you buythem. Even though the permits are valid or 365days, please remember that you may pursue bearsonly during the states pursuit seasons. Youll ndpursuit season dates on page 6 and pursuitrestrictions on page 26.

Age requirements: I youre 11 years old, butyoull turn 12 during 2012, you can apply or apermit to hunt bears in 2012. Please see page9 or more inormation.

Private land: The Division cannot guaranteeaccess to any private land. I you plan to huntorengage in any other wildlie-related activitieson private lands, you must obtain WRITTEN per-

And remember

Hunting license required: Beore you canapply or or obtain a 2012 black bear huntingpermit, bonus point or pursuit permit, you musthave a valid Utah hunting or combination license.Please see page 9 or more inormation.

Buy your license over the phone: You can

now buy a Utah hunting or combination licenseover the telephone. Just call 1-800-221-0659.The line is staed 24 hours a day, seven days aweek. In addition to the ee or the license, youllalso be charged a $2 transaction ee or each itemyou buy.

Apply or permits online or by phone: Youcan apply or a limited-entry bear permit onlineor by phone rom Feb. 223, 2012. Theres an 11p.m. deadline or online applications and a 5 p.m.deadline or phone applications. To apply, simplyvisit wildlie.utah.govor call any Division oce.

Drawing results available March 13: Resultso the 2012 black bear drawing will be emailedby March 13. You can also visit wildlie.utah.govor

Take a closer look at therules

This guidebook summarizes Utahs black

bear hunting laws and rules. Although it is

a convenient quick-reerence document orUtahs regulations, it is not an all-encom-

passing resource.

For an in-depth look at Utahs

black bear hunting laws and rules, visit

wildlie.utah.gov/rules.

You can use the reerences in the

guidebooksuch as Utah Code 23-20-3

and Utah Administrative Rule R657-33-3to search the Divisions website or the

detailed statute or rule that underpins the

guidebook summary.

I you have questions about a particular

rule, call or visit the nearest Division oce.


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tion Act o 1973, Title II o the Americans withDisabilities Act o 1990, the Age DiscriminationAct o 1975, Title IX o the Education Amendmentso 1972, the U.S. Department o the Interior andits bureaus prohibit discrimination on the basis orace, color, national origin, age, disability or sex.I you believe that you have been discriminatedagainst in any program, activity or acility, or iyou desire urther inormation please write to:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlie Service

Oce or Diversity and Civil Rights Programs

External Programs

4040 North Fairax Drive, Suite 130

Arlington, VA 22203

Division unding: The Division is mostly undedby the sale o hunting and shing licenses andthrough ederal aid made possible by an excisetax on the sale o rearms and other hunting- andshing-related equipment.

mission rom the landowner or the landownersauthorized representative. For more inormation,please see the Trespassing section on page 25.

Guidebook correction: I errors are ound inthis guidebook ater it is printed, the Divi-

sion will correct them in the online copy. Visitwildlie.utah.gov/guidebooks to view digitalversions o all the Divisions guidebooks.

Make a dierence: You can get involved inthe decision-making process or Utah wildliemanagementand provide input on rulesand regulationsby attending your local

Regional Advisory Council (RAC) meetings. Formore inormation on the RACs and schedules, visitwildlie.utah.gov/public_meetings.

Protection rom discrimination: The Divisionreceives ederal nancial assistance rom the U.S.Fish and Wildlie Service. Under Title VI o the CivilRights Act o 1964, Section 504 o the Rehabilita-

Dont lose your hunting and fishing privileges

If you commit a wildlife violation, you could lose the privilege of hunting and sh-

ing in Utah. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources can sus-

pend the license of anyone who knowingly, intentionally

or recklessly violates wildlife laws. Your license can be

suspended for a wildlife violation if:

You are convicted.

You plead guilty or no contest.

You enter a plea in abeyance.

You will be notied of any action against

your privilege after criminal proceedings

conclude. And remember, if your license

is suspended in Utah, you may not be per-

mitted to hunt or sh in most other states.(Visit ianrc.org to see a map of participat-

ing states.)


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KEY DATES

Hunt applications

Application availableonline

Feb. 2

Application deadline Feb. 23

Drawing results available March 13

Harvest-objective permitsales begin

March 15

Hunt season datesSeason dates vary, depending on permit type and

unit. For all season dates, see the hunt tables thatbegin on page 28.

Season dates or pursuitunits that are notdesignated as restricted

Spring* April 7May 29

Summer July 7Aug. 12

Fall Nov. 1Nov. 20

Season dates or restrictedpursuit units

Early summer July 720

Late summer July 30Aug. 12

* Some units oer an extended spring season or bothhunting and pursuit. For specifc season dates, see thehunt tables beginning on page 28.

The Book Clis, La Sal and San Juan units are Utahsonly restricted pursuit units. Restrictions only applyduring the early and late summer pursuit seasons. Tolearn more about applying or a restricted pursuit permit,

seepage 16.

FEES

Resident ees

Hunting license (under 14 yearso age)

$11

Hunting license (14 years o ageor older)

$26

Combination license $30

Bear pursuit permit $30

Bear restricted pursuit permit $30**

Bear harvest-objective permit $83

Bear limited-entry permit $83**Bear premium limited-entry permit $166**

Nonresident ees

Hunting license $65

Combination license $80

Bear pursuit permit $135

Bear restricted pursuit permit $135**

Bear harvest-objective permit $308

Bear limited-entry permit $308**

Bear premium limited-entry permit $475**

Other permit types

Bait station certicate o registra-tion (See Bear baiting onpage

21)

$10

** In addition to the above ees, you will also be chargeda $10 nonreundable application ee i you apply or thehunt drawing.

KEY DATES AND FEES


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Changes to bearmanagement

One o the biggest changes is that biologistscan now consider new actors in determining

the health o Utahs bear populations. Biologists

will now look at both the number o emales and

adult males that hunters harvest. (Adults are ve

years o age and older).

These numbers provide important inorma-

tion about how the bear population is doing.

John Shivik, the Divisions game mammalscoordinator, explains, The number o emales is

important because emales give birth to and care

or the cubs, but the relative number o harvested

For years, Division biologists have used a

detailed plan to guide their management o the

states black bear populations.

The plan addresses everything rom bear biol-

ogy and habitat to depredation and public saety.

In 2010, the Division worked with a diverse

advisory committee to propose changes to this

plan. Division biologists took the revised plan to

the public via the states Regional Advisory Council

(RAC) process. Ater hearing the publics input, the

Utah Wildlie Board approved the plan in January2011.

Highly detailed, the plan gives biologists more

options in managing Utahs bear populations

over the next 12 years. In January 2012, board

members approved the rst hunt changes under

the new plan.

Changes to bear huntingIn 2012, there will be three substantial

changes to Utah bear hunting:

Additional spot-and-stalk-only

hunts. Most o Utahs bear hunters use

hounds to track and tree bears. A ew use

archery equipment and hunt over bait.

Starting in 2012, Utah will oer a ew

spot-and-stalk-only hunts, where huntersmay not use hounds or bait. These areas are

listed in the hunt table on page 28.

Holding harvest-objective hunts. An

unlimited number o hunters can hunt on a

harvest-objective area. With more hunters

aeld, theres a greater likelihood that a set

number o bears will be harvested. As soon

as hunters harvest a predetermined numbero bears (called the areas quota), the hunt

on that area ends or the season.

Increased restrictions on the use

o bait. Archery hunters can still use bait

under the updated plan, but they must now

provide GPS locations or any bait stations

they establish.

CHANGES TO BEAR MANAGEMENTBiologists now have more options in managing Utahs black bear populations.

Why oer a pursuitseason?

Using dogs to pursue or track bears ishow many Utah houndsmen train their

animals. Ater the dogs tree a bearand

the houndsmen sometimes take a ew

photosthe bear returns to the wild

unharmed.

Black bears developed the ability to

climb trees as a way to escape natural

predators such as grizzly bears and wolves.As a result, being chased up a tree by dogs

is an extension o the black bears natural

history.

By pursuing bears with dogswithout

harvesting the bearhoundsmen can gain

valuable experience that will help them

ater they draw a limited-entry hunting

permit.The training process has at least one

potentially negative eect: it may drain a

bears energy i pursuit occurs too oten. To

minimize this negative eect, pursuit with

dogs is not allowed during most o the all

when black bears are adding the necessary

at reserves to survive winter hibernation.


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This study helps biologists determine whether lo-

cal bear populations are increasing or decreasing.

The second study requires biologists to visit

bear dens in the winter. They count the number

o cubs in the dens and assess the health o both

the cubs and their mothers. This study providesinormation about the number o bears added to

Utahs population each year.

With the annual data rom both o these

studies, the Divisions biologists will have a better

understanding o the size and growth o Utahs

bear populations.

Read the revised planThe updated management plan is availableon the Divisions website. You can nd it online at

http://go.usa.gov/rk.

adult males is an indicator we use to assess the

health o a bear population.

He notes that hunters usually nd adult males

because adult males wander more than the other

age groups. You know a bear population is in

decline i the number o harvested adult malesis decreasing while the number o harvested

emales is increasing.

Using data rom two ongoing studiesThe Division also plans to use results rom two

important bear studies while implementing the

revised plan.

One study involves snagging hair rom bears

at sites across Utah and then using DNA tests to

determine how oten bears visit the research sites.

If you want to hunt it tomorrow,

help us protect it today.

Turn In a Poacher3337


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you can apply or or obtain a hunting license or a

bear permit.

Proo o hunter educationYou can prove that youve completed hunter

education by obtaining a hunter education course

Certicate o Completion (this certicate is called

a blue card in Utah) or by using a hunting license

rom a previous year with your hunter education

number noted on the license.

How to take hunter educationI you were born ater 1965, you must take

and successully complete the states hunter

education course. Its an easy process:

1. Obtain a hunter education registration

certicate. Each certicate costs only $10,

and you can obtain it online, at any Divi-

sion oce or rom a license agent.

2. Register or a class with your local hunter

education instructor.

3. Take your registration certicate to your

instructor on the rst night o class.

4. Successully complete the courseyour

instructor will then validate your certi-

cate. The validated certicate serves asyour hunting license.

Both the registration certicate and the cor-

responding hunting license are valid or 365 days

rom the date o purchase. Note: Your hunting

license is not valid until you complete the hunter

education course.

With a valid hunting license, you can also

apply or or obtain permits in the Divisions huntdrawings. In order to maximize your hunting op-

portunities, you should register or and complete

the hunter education course as soon as possible

ater purchasing your registration certicate.

Ater completing the course, you will receive

your ocial hunter education card (commonly

known as the blue card) by mail. It will be

Are you old enough?Utah Code 23-19-22.5 and 23-20-20

To hunt or pursue a black bear in Utah, you

must be at least 12 years old by Dec. 31, 2012.

Note: I youre 11 years old, but youll be 12

by Dec. 31, 2012, you may apply or and obtain a

black bear permit this year. All sales are nal.

To learn more about Utahs age requirements,

see the box below.

Have you passed huntereducation?Utah Code 23-19-11 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-23

I you were born ater Dec. 31, 1965, you

must provide proo that youve passed a hunter

education course approved by the Division beore

BASIC REQUIREMENTSAre you planning to hunt or pursue black bears in Utah this year? Beore you apply or a permit,

make sure you meet Utahs age, hunter education and license requirements.

Adults must accompanyyoung huntersUtah Code 23-20-20

While hunting with any weapon, a

person under 14 years old must be accom-

panied by his or her parent, legal guardian

or other responsible person who is 21 years

o age or older and who has been approvedby the parent or guardian.

A person at least 14 years old and under

16 years old must be accompanied by a

person 21 years o age or older while hunt-

ing with any weapon.

The Division encourages adults to be

amiliar with hunter education guidelines

or to complete the hunter education coursebeore accompanying youth into the eld.

While in the eld, the youth and the

adult must remain close enough or the

adult to see and provide verbal assistance to

the young hunter. Using electronic devices,

such as walkie-talkies or cell phones, does

not meet this requirement.


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Division oce by providing proo that youvecompleted a hunter education course approved by

the Division. The card costs $10.

Do you have a license?Utah Code 23-19-1, 23-19-22 and 23-20-3

You must have a current Utah hunting or

combination (hunting and shing) license beore

you can:Apply or or obtain a black bear permit o

any kind or a bonus point

Purchase a black bear pursuit permit

Licenses are available at wildlie.utah.govand

rom license agents and Division oces.

Be sure to take a quick look at the date on

your license beore you apply or any permits or

points. As long as your license is valid on the dateyou submit your application, you dont have to

purchase a new license or the actual hunt.

For example, assume that your license expires

on June 25, 2012. I you apply beore that date,

you do not have to purchase a new license or your

hunt. All hunting and combination licenses are

valid or 365 days rom the date o purchase.

Carry your permitI you are successul in obtaining a black bear

permit o any kind, you must have it on your

person while in the eld. You cannot alter your

license or permit, nor can you sell, transer or loan

either o them to another person.

sent to the address listed on your registration

certicate. This card certies that you passed

hunter education.

You should also keep the ollowing in mind:

Hunters under the age o 16 must be accom-

panied by an adult while hunting.Regardless o when a student graduates, all

hunting regulations (such as season dates

and bag limits) will apply.

Students who are planning to hunt out o

state should allow enough time or their

hunter education card to arrive in the mail.

You can see a list o hunter education courses

at wildlie.utah.gov/huntereducation. You can alsocontact your local Division oce or call 801-538-

4727.

New to Utah?I you become a Utah resident, and youve

completed a hunter education course in another

state, province or country, you must obtain a

blue card beore you can buy a resident huntinglicense. You can obtain a Utah blue card at any

Help protect Utah wildlife

Protecting and preserving Utahs

threatened wildlife is up to each

of us, and together we can make a

difference. Please join Utah Wildlife

In Need as we work together to help

ensure Utahs wildlife treasures are

part of the legacy we leave for our

children and grandchildren.

Visit www.uwin.org to learn moreabout Utahs threatened species and

about how you can help sustain Utah

wildlife for all to enjoy!

Boundary descriptionsonline

Looking or a map and a boundary de-

scription or your hunting area? I you obtain

your permit through the black bear drawing,a boundary description will be printed on

your permit.

Youll also nd detailed maps and

boundary descriptions online. Visit

wildlie.utah.gov/maps to download and

print your boundaries today.


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hunts. For details, see page 14.) You can

purchase a bear harvest-objective permit atwildlie.utah.gov, rom a license agent or at

any Division oce.

Bear limited-entry permit (any legal

weapon)This permit authorizes you to

use any legal weapon to pursue and harvest

one black bear in the area and season

specied on your permit. I the permit is

or a spot-and-stalk hunt, you may not usehounds or bait to locate, pursue or harvest

the bear. This permit is available through

the states bear drawing.

Bear limited-entry permit (ar-

chery)This permit authorizes you to use

archery tackle to pursue and harvest one

black bear in the area and season specied

on your permit. This permit is available

through the states bear drawing.

Bear premium limited-entry permit

(any legal weapon)This permit

authorizes you to use any legal weapon to

pursue and harvest one black bear in the

area and seasons specied on your permit.

This permit allows hunting during both

the spring and all seasons. It is available

through the states bear drawing.

Bear premium limited-entry permit

(archery)This permit authorizes you

to use archery tackle to pursue and harvest

one black bear in the area and seasons

specied on your permit. This permit allows

hunting during both the spring and allseasons. It is available through the states

bear drawing.

Types o permitsUtah Admin. Rule R657-33-3 and R657-33-27

You may not apply or or obtain more than

one permit to harvest a bear in 2012. You can,

however, obtain a bear pursuit permit in addition

to a limited-entry or harvest-objective permit.

I you want to pursue or hunt black bear in

Utah, your permit options are as ollows:

Bear pursuit permitThis permit

authorizes you to pursue, but not kill,black bears on any pursuit unit that is not

designated as restricted during all three

pursuit seasons (or season dates, see the

hunt tables that begin on page 28). You

may also use a pursuit permit on restricted

pursuit units during the spring and all

pursuit seasons. You can purchase a pursuit

permit at wildlie.utah.gov, rom a license

agent or at any Division oce.

Bear restricted pursuit permitThis

permit authorizes you to pursue, but not kill,

black bears on one o the three restricted

pursuit units listed in the table on page

33. The permit is also valid or all pursuit

seasons on all other units, except the other

restricted pursuit units during the summer

seasons. This permit is available through the

states bear drawing. For more inormation

on this new permit, see Pursuit permits on

page 15.

Bear harvest-objective permit This

permit allows you to use any legal weapon

to pursue and harvest one bear on anyharvest-objective hunting unit until the

season ends or the units harvest objec-

tive has been met. (There are additional

restrictions on the all harvest-objective

BLACK BEAR PERMITSIn Utah, you must have a valid permit in your possession in order to harvest or pursue a black

bear. This section describes Utahs bear permits and explains how you can obtain them.


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premium limited-entry permit (any legal

weapon or archery) or a limited-entry

permit (any legal weapon or archery). I

you draw an archery permit, you can bait

bears, but you must obtain a certicate o

registration beore you set up a bait station.For more inormation on this requirement,

see page 21.

When you submit your application, youll be

charged a nonreundable $10 application ee. I

you purchase your hunting or combination license

during the application process, youll also be

charged a license ee. Permit ees will be charged

ater the drawing, i you are successul.You can use American Express, Discover,

MasterCard and VISA credit or debit cards as

payment, and they must be valid through April

2012. You can also use a pre-paid credit card. I

you have questions about using a pre-paid credit

card, check with your nancial institution or more

inormation.

February 23: Deadline or permit ap-

plications and bonus pointsUtah Admin. Rule R657-62

I you want to participate in the drawing or a

bear premium limited-entry permit, a limited-

entry permit, a restricted pursuit permit or a

bonus point, you must apply online or by phone

no later than Feb. 23, 2012. Theres an 11 p.m.deadline or online applications and a 5 p.m.

deadline or phone applications. To apply, simply

visit wildlie.utah.govor call any Division oce.

Withdrawing and resubmitting your application

Did you make a mistake in your online permit

application? Simply withdraw your original online

application and submit a new, correct applicationbeore 11 p.m. on Feb. 23, 2012.

You must have your conrmation number,

your customer ID and your date o birth in order

to withdraw your application. For each new

application you submit, you will be charged a $10

nonreundable application ee.

Applying or a bearpermitUtah Admin. Rule R657-33-3, R657-33-27, R657-42 and R657-62

Please note the ollowing dates i you want toapply or a bear permit and enter the drawing.

February 2: Apply online or a permit or

bonus pointBeginning Feb. 2, 2012, both residents and

nonresidents can apply or a bear permitor a

bonus pointonline at wildlie.utah.gov.

You can also apply by calling any Divisionoce during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 5

p.m., Monday through Friday).

To apply or a resident permit, you must be

a resident on the date the permit is purchased.

March 13, 2012 is considered the purchase date

o the permit and the date by which you must

establish residency in the state o Utah. Only

nonresidents may apply or nonresident permits.To determine whether youre a resident, please

see the denition on page 36.

Heres what you need to know in order to

apply or a bear premium limited-entry permit,

limited-entry permit, restricted pursuit permit or

bonus point:

You may select up to three hunt unit choices

when applying or a bear permit. Yourchoices must be listed in order o preerence.

You cannot apply or both a bear limited-

entry permit (archery or any legal weapon)

and a bonus point.

Group applications are not accepted.

When applying, you must speciy whether

you want a restricted pursuit permit, a

ResidencyUtah Code 23-13-2(37)

Beore you apply or a black bear permit,

its important to know whether you are a

legal resident o the state o Utah. See the

denition o residency on page 36 to

determine whether you are a resident or a

nonresident.


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March 13: Drawing results availableYoull be notied o your drawing results by

email. You can also learn your drawing results by

visiting wildlie.utah.govor by calling 1-800-221-

0659, starting March 13, 2012.

To protect applicants privacyand to comply

with changes in governmental records access

lawsyoull receive access to only your own

drawing results.

I you draw a hunting permit, youll receive

your permit in the mail in April ater you complete

I you need help with your online application,

please call any Division oce beore 5 p.m. on

Feb. 23, 2012. A Division employee will be avail-

able to assist you!

February 23: Deadline or withdrawing

your applicationI you decide not to hunt, you can withdraw

your online permit application at no cost until 11

p.m. on Feb. 23, 2012.

Please remember that the application ee is

not reundable.

Bonus pointsUtah Admin. Rule R657-62-8

You will receive a bonus point every year

you apply or a bear permit but dont draw one.

I you dont want to hunt a bear in the

current year, you may apply or a bonus point

by selecting the appropriate bonus point code

(BER) and paying the $10 application ee. The

application period is Feb. 223, 2012.

To apply or a bonus point, you must be

eligible or the hunt or which you are apply-

ing. For example, i you are eligible or a bear

permit, you are eligible to apply or a bearbonus point.

You may apply or either a bear permit or a

bonus point, but NOT both.

How your bonus points work in the drawing

Fity percent (rounded down) o the

permits or each hunting unit are

reserved or applicants with the most

bonus points.

Applicants are sorted into groups by the

number o bonus points, rom highest

to lowest.

You receive one random drawing number

or your bear permit application and one

or each bear bonus point you already

have. Your lowest random number isthen used in the drawing.

Reserved permits are allocated (by a

random drawing number) to eligible

applicants with the greatest number

o bonus points. Then, any remaining

reserved permits are allocated to eligible

applicants with the next greatest num-

ber o bonus points.

The allocation process continues until all

reserved permits have been issued.

I your circumstances changeand you

decide not to huntyou may choose

to surrender your bear permit. I you

surrender it beore the season opening

date, the Division can waive the waitingperiod, reinstate your bonus points

and award you a bonus point or the

current year (just as i you hadnt drawn

a permit).

When you CANNOT apply or a bear permit or

receive a bonus point

You cannot apply or a bear permit orobtain a bonus point i either o the ollowing

conditions apply:

You are currently under wildlie license

suspension or hunting bear.

You are currently under a waiting period

or bear.

For a complete copy o these regulations,

visit wildlie.utah.gov/rules or call any Divisionoce.


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Any bear limited-entry permit purchased ater

the season opens is not valid until seven days

ater the date o purchase.

Harvest-objective

permitsUtah Admin. Rule R657-33-29The bear harvest-objective permit allows you

to pursue and harvest one bear on any harvest-

objective hunting unit until the season ends or

the units harvest objective has been met.

You may not use bait i you obtain a harvest-

objective permit, and you may not use dogs

during the all harvest-objective hunts.Beore you purchase a harvest-objective

permit, you must complete the bear orienta-

tion course, which you can nd online at

go.usa.gov/rm4.

The harvest-objective permit is available to

all eligible hunters, except those who drew a bear

limited-entry permit o any kind.

You may only obtain one permit to harvest abear during the 2012 season.

March 15: Purchase a harvest-objective

permitUtah Admin. Rule R657-33-30

Both residents and nonresidents can purchase

a bear harvest-objective permit beginning

March 15, 2012. You can purchase this per-mit rom license agents, Division oces and

wildlie.utah.gov.

Remember that any harvest-objective bear

permit purchased ater the season opens is not

valid until seven days rom the date o purchase.

As a result, the last day to purchase a 2012

harvest-objective permit is Nov. 13, 2012.

Harvest-objective unit closuresUtah Admin. Rule R657-33-31

Harvest-objective permits are only valid or

the 2012 season on any open unit.

Beore you begin a hunting trip to a bear

harvest-objective unit, you must call 1-888-668-

5466 or visit wildlie.utah.govto veriy that the

unit is still open. The phone line and website will

the mandatory bear orientation course. For more

inormation, see page 15.

Please be aware that i you receive your

permit, and then the credit card you used or

payment is reused, your permit becomes invalid

and you may not participate in the bear pursuit or

hunt. I this happens, please call 1-800-221-0659

to resolve the problem.

March 26: Remaining permits availableAny permits remaining ater the bear drawing

will be available beginning March 26, 2012 at 8

a.m. You can buy permits at wildlie.utah.govand

at license agent locations and Division oces.

Remaining permits are available on a rst-

come, rst-served basis. You must have a validhunting license or a combination license to buy

one o these permits.

A license agent list is available online at

wildlie.utah.gov/licenses/agent.html.Beore you

visit any o the agents, contact them to veriy their

hours o operation.

Guides and outttersGuides must be licensed by the state o

Utahand operate under a state-licensed

outtterbeore they can legally take

bear hunters into the eld. Guides may notoperate independently.

The Utah Division o Occupational and

Proessional Licensing is the regulatory

agency or this law. To learn more about

becoming a licensed guide or outtter,

please visit http://go.usa.gov/ODd.

I you are a licensed guide or outt-

terand you charge a customer more than$100 or a bear hunting or pursuit trip

you do not have to purchase a separate bear

pursuit permit.

I you are a hunter who wants to use

a particular guide or outtter, please visit

http://go.usa.gov/ODvto determine i he or

she is licensed to operate in Utah.


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permits at auction or use them in wildlie-related

undraising activities.

Sportsman permits are available

through the sportsman permit drawing. For

more inormation about this drawing, visit

wildlie.utah.gov/guidebooks.

A complete copy o the conservation and

sportsman permit regulations (Utah Admin. Rule

R657-41) is available at Division oces or at

wildlie.utah.gov/rules.

Bear orientation courseBeore you can obtain a bear-hunting permit

o any kind, you must complete a bear orientation

course.

be updated each day by noon. Updates become

eective the ollowing day, 30 minutes beore

ocial sunrise.A harvest-objective unit is open to hunting

until one o the ollowing events occurs:

The bear harvest objective or that unit is

met.

The emale subquota or that unit is met (i

it has a emale subquota).

The hunting season ends. For season dates,

see the hunt tables that begin on page 28.Ater a harvest-objective unit closes, you may

not use your harvest-objective permit to harvest

a bear in that area. You may, however, use your

permit in any other harvest-objective units that

are open in 2012.

For more inormation about all o the changes

to bear management, see the article on page 7.

Conservation andsportsman permitsUtah Admin. Rule R657-41

Conservation permits or taking black bear

are oten available through ocial tax-exempt

conservation organizations. These groups sell the

Help the division collectbear data

When bears are checked at Division

oces, a Division employee will do the

ollowing:Determine the sex o the bear

Extract a small back tooth to obtain

accurate age inormation

Collect hair as a genetic sample

The inormation and samples are very

important because they help the Division

responsibly manage bear populations. We

greatly appreciate your cooperation in thiseort. To make the tooth extraction easier,

you should prop the bears mouth open be-

ore bringing it to a Division oce. PLEASE

DO NOT BRING FROZEN BEARS.

Avoid harvestingcollared emales

The Division is conducting a multi-

year study to learn more about black bear

reproduction. Biologists in each o theDivisions ve regions have placed GPS col-

lars on emale bears to see how oten they

reproduce and to learn how many o their

cubs survive.

To ensure the ongoing success o

this study, the Division requests that

you avoid harvesting collared emale

bears.Following the signals rom the collars,

the biologists nd and enter the bears

dens in late February and early March. They

tranquilize the emale and any one-year-old

bears she has with her. Then they check the

bears health and gather biological data.

I the emale has newborn cubs, the

biologists do not tranquilize them. They doa quick physical assessment and return the

cubs to their mother.

This data is valuable to biologists

and provides more inormation on the

well-being and reproduction o Utahs bear

populations.


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Your restricted pursuit permit is also valid or

all pursuit seasons on all other units, except the

other restricted units during the summer seasons.

Your best chance o obtaining a restricted

pursuit permit is through the states bear drawing.

See Applying or a bear permit on page 12 ormore inormation about the application period

and requirements.

For a list o restricted pursuit units and dates,

see the hunt table on page 33.

Pursuit permitsYou can purchase a pursuit permit online at

wildlie.utah.govor rom a Division oce or a

participating license agent.

A pursuit permit allows you to pursue a bear

on any pursuit unit that is not designated as re-

stricted during all three pursuit seasons. You may

also use your pursuit permit on restricted pursuit

units during the spring and all pursuit seasons.

I you are the dog handler, and you already

possess a bear limited-entry permit (archery orany legal weapon), you may pursue bear on the

unit or which the permit is valid. I you want to

pursue bear on a dierent unitor ater you

harvest a bearyou will need to purchase a bear

pursuit permit.

Waiting periodUtah Admin. Rule R657-62

I you obtain a bear limited-entry permit,

there is a two-year waiting period beore you can

apply or another bear limited-entry permit or

bonus point.

For example, i you obtain a bear permit in

2012, you may not apply or a bear permit until

2015.

The waiting period gives other hunters a bet-ter chance at drawing a limited-entry permit.

You may obtain a bear harvest-objective

permit while under a waiting period or a bear

limited-entry permit. You will not begin a new

waiting period i you purchase a harvest-objective

permit.

You will nd the course online at

go.usa.gov/rm4.

Ater you successully complete the course,

you will receive the inormation you need in order

to obtain your permit.

Harvest reportingUtah Admin. Rule R657-33-17

I you harvest a bear, you must contact the

Division within 48 hours. You will need to report

where the bear was taken and meet with a Divi-

sion employee to have a permanent tag axed to

the carcass.

To report your harvest ater business hours (8a.m.5 p.m., Monday through Friday) or over the

weekend, please call your local police department

(on a non-emergency line). They will contact a

conservation ocer who can assist you.

For more inormation on the reporting and

tagging process, see page 23.

Participating in surveysUtah Admin. Rule R657-33-24I the Division contacts you about your bear

hunting experience, please participate in the

survey regardless o your success. Your participa-

tion helps the Division evaluate population trends,

assess harvest success and collect other valuable

inormation.

Pursuit permitsUtah Admin. Rule R657-33-4

There are two types o bear pursuit permits:

restricted pursuit permits and pursuit permits.

Both permits allow you to pursue a bear, but they

dier in when and where they authorize pursuit.

Restricted pursuit permits

You may obtain a restricted pursuit permit oreither the early- or late-summer pursuit season

on only one o the ollowing units:

Book Clis

La Sal

San Juan


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Surrendering a permitUtah Code 23-19-38 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-42

I you obtain a permit and decide not to use

it, you may surrender the permit to any Division

oce. I you do so beore the season opening

date, the Division can waive the waiting periodand reinstate your bonus points.

Reallocated permits andcosts

Any limited-entry permit surrendered to the

Division shall be reallocated through the drawing

process. The Division will make a reasonable eort

to contact the next person listed on the alternatedrawing list. Any person who accepts the oered

reallocated permit must pay the applicable permit

ee. The reallocation process will continue or all

surrendered permits until the Division has real-

located the permits or the season closes.

Please see Utah Code 23-19-38 and Utah

Admin. Rule R657-42 at wildlie.utah.gov/rules

or more inormation on permit surrender andreallocation.

Duplicate licensesUtah Code 23-19-10 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-42

I your valid license, permit or tag is de-

stroyed, lost or stolen, you may obtain a duplicate

rom a Division oce or license agent or $10 or

hal o the price o the original license or permit,whichever is less.

The Division may waive the ee or a duplicate

unexpired license, permit or tag, provided you did

not receive the original document.

To obtain the duplicate license, permit or tag,

you may be required to complete an adavit

testiying to its loss, destruction or thet.

Permits obtained ater thedrawingUtah Admin. Rule R657-62

I youre under a waiting period or black bear,

you can still obtain any limited-entry bear permit

that remains ater the drawing, but your waitingperiod will begin again.

For example, i you have one season let

on your bear waiting period, and you buy a

bear limited-entry permit (archery or any legal

weapon) that remains available ater the drawing,

youll begin a new two-season waiting period.

Hunters withdisabilitiesUtah Admin. Rule R657-12

Utah provides special hunting accommoda-

tions or people with disabilities. These accom-

modations include the opportunity to hunt with a

companion, use a crossbow, hunt rom a vehicle,

and receive special season extensions.

To learn more about hunting accommoda-tions or people with disabilities, please visit

go.usa.gov/rZCor call any Division oce.

Permit reunds andexchangesUtah Code 23-19-38, 23-19-38.2 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-42

Obtaining a reundThe Division rarely issues reunds or permits,licenses or certicates o registration, but there

are some exceptions. To see i youre eligible or a

reund, visitgo.usa.gov/I8V.

Exchanging a permitI you obtain a bear limited-entry permit (any

legal weapon), you can exchange it or a bear

limited-entry archery permit. Likewise, you can

exchange a bear limited-entry archery permit or

a bear limited-entry permit (any legal weapon).

The Division will charge a $10 ee i you

exchange your permit.


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Firearms and huntingequipment

Several rules apply to the firearms and archery

tackle you can use to harvest a bear in Utah.

FirearmsUtah Code 23-20-3 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-33-6

To harvest a black bear, you may use anyrearm not capable o being red ully automatic,

except a rearm using a rimre cartridge.

Archery equipmentUtah Code 23-20-3 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-33-6

To hunt a bear with archery tackle, your

equipment must meet all o the ollowing

requirements:Your bow must have a minimum pull o 40

pounds at the draw or the peak, whichever

comes rst.

Your arrowheads must have two or more

sharp-cutting edges that cannot pass

through a 7/8 inch ring. I youre using

expanding arrowheads, the arrowheads

must have two or more sharp-cutting edgesthat cannot pass through a 7/8 inch ring

when expanded.

Your arrows must be at least 20 inches long,

rom the tip o the arrowhead to the tip

o the nock, and must weigh at least 300

grains.

You may not use any o the ollowing archery

equipment to take a bear:A crossbow (please see page 17 or an

exception to this rule)

Arrows with chemically treated or explosive

arrowheads

A mechanical device that holds the bow at

any increment o draw

Hunting hoursUtah Code 23-20-3 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-33-5

During the spring and all seasons, you may

pursue or take bear rom 30 minutes beore

ocial sunrise until 30 minutes ater ocial

sunset. During the summer pursuit season, you

can pursue bears rom 5 a.m. until 30 minutes

ater ocial sunset. For season dates, see the hunt

tables that begin on page 28.

Checkpoints and ocercontactsUtah Code 23-20-25

To help the Division ulll its responsibility as

trustee and custodian o Utahs wildlie, Division

conservation ocers and biologists monitor the

taking and possession o black bears and the

required permits, rearms and equipment used

or hunting. You should expect to encounter con-

servation ocers and biologists checking hunters

in the eld and at checkpoints.

I youre contacted by a conservation ocer,

you must provide the ocer with the items he or

she requests, including any licenses and permits

required or hunting, any devices used to partici-

pate in hunting and any game youve taken. These

contacts allow the Division to collect valuable

inormation about Utahs black bear populations.

Aiding or assisting inviolationsUtah Code 23-20-23

You may not aid or assist another person to

violate any provisions o the Wildlie Resources

Code, rule, proclamation or guidebook.

The penalty or aiding or assisting is the same

as that imposed or the primary violation.

FIELD REQUIREMENTSSeveral rules govern black bear hunting in Utah. These rules exist to help keep you sae and to

ensure an ethical hunt. Please be amiliar with the requirements or carrying and using rearms

and archery tackle. You should also know the dierent types o hunting methods you may use

and what youre required to do with any bear you take.


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A release aid that is not handheld or that

supports the draw weight o the bow

A bow with an attached electronic range-

nding device or a magniying-aiming

device

Please remember that i you carry arrows inor on a vehicle, the arrows must be in an arrow

quiver or a closed case.

I you obtain a bear limited-entry archery

permit, you may not possess or be in control o a

rearmor have a rearm in your camp or mo-

tor vehicleduring a bear archery hunt. The only

exceptions to this rule are the ollowing:

Hunters who are licensed to hunt uplandgame or waterowl (You must comply with

the regulations in the Upland Game &

Turkey Guidebook or Waterowl Guidebook,

and you may possess only those rearms

and archery equipment that are legal or

taking upland game, turkey or waterowl.)

Hunters who are licensed to hunt big game

species during hunts that coincide with thebear archery hunt

Livestock owners who are protecting their

livestock

Individuals who are licensed to carry a

concealed weapon in accordance with

Utah Code 53-5-7. (You may not use your

concealed rearm to hunt or take protected

wildlie.)

Traps and trapping devicesUtah Code 23-20-3 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-33-7

You may not take a bear with a trap, snare or

any other trapping device, except as authorized by

the Division. Any bear accidentally caught in any

trapping device must be released unharmed, and

must not be pursued or taken.You must obtain written permission rom a

Division representative beore you remove the

carcass o a bear rom any trapping device. The

carcass remains the property o the state o Utah

and must be surrendered to the Division.

Are you allowed topossess a weapon?Utah Code 76-10-503

It is illegal under Utah Code 76-10-503

to possess or use a rearm, muzzleloader,

archery tackle or any other dangerous

weapon i you:

Have been convicted o or are under

indictment or any elony oense;

Are on probation or parole or a elony

oense;

Are on parole rom a secure acility;

Have been adjudicated delinquent(juvenile) in the last seven years o an

oense that, i committed by an adult,

would have been a elony;

Are an unlawul user o a controlled

substance;

Have been ound not guilty by reason

o insanity or a elony oense;

Have been ound mentally incompe-tent to stand trial or a elony oense;

Have been adjudicated mentally

deective as provided in the ederal

Brady Handgun Violence Prevention

Act;

Have been committed to a mental

institution;

Are an alien who is illegally in theUnited States;

Have been dishonorably discharged

rom the armed orces; or

Have renounced your United States

citizenship.

The purchase or possession o any

hunting license, permit, tag or certicate

o registration rom the Division does notauthorize the holder to legally possess or

use a rearm, muzzleloader, archery tackle

or any other dangerous weapon while

hunting i they are otherwise restricted rom

possessing these weapons under Utah Code

76-10-503.


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A house, dwelling or any other

building

Any structure in which a domestic

animal is kept or ed, including a barn,

poultry yard, corral, eeding pen or

stockyard

State parksUtah Admin. Rule R657-33-8 and R651-614-4

Hunting any wildlie is prohibited within the

boundaries o all state park areas, except those

designated open to hunting by the Division o

Parks and Recreation in Utah Admin. Rule R651-

614-4.

Hunting with rifles, handguns or muzzleload-

ers in park areas designated open to hunting is

prohibited within one mile o all park acilities, in-

cluding buildings, camp or picnic sites, overlooks,

gol courses, boat ramps and developed beaches.

Hunting with shotguns or archery tackle is

prohibited within one-quarter mile o the above

areas.

Carrying a dangerousweapon while under theinfuence o alcohol ordrugsUtah Code 76-10-528

You may not carry a dangerous weapon or

hunt bear while under the infuence o alcohol or

drugs.

Prohibited huntingmethodsUtah Code 23-20-3, 23-20-12 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-33-9

A black bear may be taken or pursued only

during open seasons and open hours, using only

the methods listed in this guidebook. Otherwise it

is unlawul or any person to:

Possess, capture, kill, injure, drug, rope, trap,

snare or in any way harm or transport a bear

Restrict or hinder a bears ability to escape

ater it has been pursued, chased, treed,

cornered, legally baited or held at bay

Loaded rearms in a vehicleUtah Code 76-10-502, 76-10-504, 76-10-505 and 76-10-523

You may not carry a loaded rearm in or on

a vehicle unless you meet all o the ollowing

conditions:

You own the vehicle or have permissionrom the vehicles owner.

The rearm is a handgun.

You are 18 years o age or older.

A pistol, revolver, rife or shotgun is considered

to be loaded when there is an unexpended car-

tridge, shell or projectile in the ring position.

Pistols and revolvers are also considered to

be loaded when an unexpended cartridge, shellor projectile is in a position whereby the manual

operation o any mechanism once would cause

the unexpended cartridge, shell or projectile to

be red.

A muzzleloading rearm is considered loaded

when it is capped or primed and has a powder

charge and ball or shot in the barrel or cylinders.

The rearm restrictions in this section donot apply to concealed rearm permit holders

carrying a concealed weapon in accordance with

Utah Code 76-10-504, provided the person is

not utilizing the concealed rearm to hunt or take

wildlie.

Areas where you cannot

discharge a rearmUtah Code 76-10-508 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-12You may not discharge a dangerous weapon

or rearm under any o the ollowing circum-

stances:

From a vehicle

From, upon or across any highway

At power lines or signs

At railroad equipment or acilities, includingany sign or signal

Within Utah state park camp or picnic sites,

overlooks, gol courses, boat ramps or devel-

oped beaches

Without written permission rom the owner

or property manager, within 600 eet o:


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During the summer pursuit season, you may

not use more than eight dogs at one time to pur-

sue a black bear on any unit. Other land-manage-

ment agencies may have additional restrictions.

Please check with them beore pursuing a bear on

their property.I you are the owner or handler o the dogs,

you must have a valid bear permit in your posses-

sion while you are harvesting or pursuing bear.

However, there are some exceptions to this rule

or guides and outtters licensed in the state o

Utah.

I you are already a Utah-licensed guide or

outtter, see Pursuit restrictions on page 26.To learn more about becoming a Utah-licensed

guide or outtter, see the inormation box on

page 14.

When dogs are used to pursue a bear, the

licensed hunter who intends to take the bear must

be present when the dogs are released. Then, the

licensed hunter must continuously participate in

the hunt until it ends.When dogs are used to harvest a bearand

there is not an open pursuit seasonthe owner

or handler o the dogs must:

Have either a valid pursuit permit and be

accompanied by a licensed hunter

OR

Have a valid limited-entry permit (either

archery or any legal weapon) or thelimited-entry unit being hunted

Bear baitingUtah Code 23-20-3 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-33-13

You can only bait a bear i you obtain a bear

premium limited-entry archery permit or a bear

limited-entry archery permit. You must also have

a certicate o registration or baiting.You may not bait i you have a bear harvest-

objective permit.

Only hunters listed on the certicate o reg-

istration may hunt over the bait station, and the

certicate o registration must be in the hunters

possession while hunting over the bait station.

You may not:

Engage in a canned hunt

Take a bear rom an airplane or any other

airborne vehicle or device, or rom any

motorized terrestrial, aquatic or recreational

vehicle

SpotlightingUtah Code 23-20-3, 76-10-504, 76-10-523 and Utah Admin.

Rule R657-33-10

You may not use spotlighting to take a black

bear.

You may not use a spotlight, headlight or

other articial light to locate any protected

wildlie while having in your possession a rearmor other weapon or device that could be used to

take or injure protected wildlie.

The use o a spotlight or other articial light

in any area where protected wildlie are generally

ound is prima acie evidence o attempting to

locate protected wildlie. (Prima acie evidence

means that i youre spotlighting, the burden

o proo alls on you to prove that you were not

attempting to locate protected wildlie.)

The provisions o this section do not apply

to the use o the headlights o a motor vehicle

or other articial light in a usual manner where

there is no attempt or intent to locate protected

wildlie.

In addition, the above restrictions do not

apply to concealed carry permit holders car-

rying a concealed weapon in accordance with

Utah Code 76-10-504 and 76-10-523. See

wildlie.utah.gov/rules or more inormation.

Party huntingUtah Admin. Rule R657-33-11

A person may not harvest a bear or another

person.

Use o dogsUtah Code 23-20-3 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-33-12

You may use dogs to harvest or pursue bear

only during the open seasons and hours listed in

this guidebook.


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You may not place bait in either o the ollow-

ing areas:

Within 100 yards o water, a public road or a

designated trail

Within a hal-mile o any permanent dwell-

ing or campgroundNote: There may be additional bait-

placement restrictions, depending upon historical

human and bear activityespecially nuisance

complaintswithin any given area.

Obtaining a certicate oregistrationUtah Code 23-20-3

The Division issues certicates o registration

only to hunters who have valid bear limited-entry

archery permits.

You can obtain the certicate o registration

by visiting the Division oce in the region where

you plan to set up your bait station.

To obtain a certicate o registration or bait-

ing, you must provide the ollowing inormationto the Division:

The type o bait you will use

The GPS coordinates (UTM, including the

datum, or latitude and longitude) o the

bait station

Written permission rom the appropriate

landowner i you want to bait and hunt on

private landThe Division will need timesometimes

a day or twoto review your request or a certi-

cate o registration. Please keep that in mind

when submitting your request.

I you want to move a bait station, you must

rst remove all materials used as bait rom the

original station. Then, you must apply or a new

certicate o registration. The Division will notissue a certicate o registration or your new

station until you clean up your old station.

I you are interested in baiting on lands

administered by the U.S. Forest Service or Bureau

o Land Management, you must veriy that these

areas are open to baiting beore you apply or

a bear limited-entry archery permit. I you bait

Any person who tends a bait station must also

be listed on the certicate o registration.

I you are listed on a bait-station certicate

The ollowing sections provide essential inorma-

tion about using bait and obtaining a certicate

o registration.

Using baitUtah Code 23-20-3 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-33-14

You may establish or use no more than two

bait stations at one time during either open

season.

I a bait station lures a bear, you may not use

a rearm or dogs to take the bear. With a bear

premium limited-entry archery permit or limited-

entry archery permit, you may use archery tackle

only, even when hunting bear away rom the bait

station.

Bait may not be contained innor can it

includeany metal, glass, porcelain, plastic,

cardboard or paper. The bait station must be

marked with a sign provided by the Division and

posted within 10 eet o the bait.

You may place bait only in areas open to

hunting and only during the open seasons. All

materials used as bait must be removed within

72 hours ater the season ends or within 72 hours

ater the person or persons who are registered or

that bait station harvest a bear.

You may use nongame sh as bait, except shlisted as prohibited in Utah Admin. Rule R657-13

and in the 2012 Utah Fishing Guidebook. You may

not use any other species o protected wildlie as

bait.

You may use domestic livestock or its parts

including processed meat scrapsas bait, as long

as you have all o the ollowing documentation in

your possession:A certicate rom a licensed veterinarian

that certies the domestic livestock or its

parts does not have a contagious disease,

and that states the cause and date o death

A certicate o brand inspection or other

proo o ownership or legal possession


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Note: You may not remove more than one

notch indicating date or sex, nor tag more than

one carcass using the same tag.

You may not hunt or pursue a bear ater any

o the notches have been removed rom the tag or

ater the tag has been detached rom the permit.You may not possess a bear pelt or unskinned

carcass without a valid permanent possession tag

axed to the pelt or unskinned carcass. This pro-

vision does not apply to a person in possession o

a properly tagged carcass or pelt within 48 hours

ater the kill, provided the person was issued and

is in possession o a valid permit.

Evidence o sex and ageUtah Admin. Rule R657-33-16

Evidence o the bears sex must remain at-

tached to the bears carcass or pelt until a Division

employee attaches a permanent tag.

The permit holder must bring the pelt and

skull to a conservation ocer or Division oce in

an unrozen condition. This allows Division biolo-

gists to gather management data.

The Division may seize any pelt not accompa-

nied by its skull.

Permanent tagUtah Code 23-20-3 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-33-17

The permit holder must take the harvested

bear to a conservation ocer or Division oce

within 48 hours ater the date o kill. A Divisionemployee will ax a permanent possession tag to

the pelt or unskinned carcass.

I you need to reach a conservation ocer

ater regular business hours, over the weekend,

or on a holiday, contact your local police dispatch

oce.

You may not possess an unskinned carcass

or a green pelt ater the 48-hour check-in period

without a permanent tag. In addition, you cannot

ship a green pelt out o Utah or present it to a

taxidermist i the pelt does not have a permanent

possession tag attached.

a bear illegally on ederal lands, you can be

prosecuted under ederal law.

You can learn whether ederal lands are open

by contacting district oces. Baiting locations and

applicable travel restrictions must be veried by

the district supervisor beore you can apply or acerticate o registration.

Areas generally closed to baiting stations by

these ederal agencies include:

Designated wilderness areas

Heavily used drainages or recreation areas

Critical watersheds

The Division will send a copy o the certicate

o registration to the private landowner or ap-propriate district oce o the land management

agency that manages the land where the bait

station will be placed, as identied by the hunter

on the application or a certicate o registration.

I you apply or a certicate o registration,

there is a $10 nonreundable application ee.

Possession andtransportationAter you harvest a bear, there are several

rules governing its possession and transportation.

Tagging requirementsUtah Code 23-20-3 and 23-20-30 and Utah Admin. Rule

R657-33-15

Beore you move the bears carcass or leave

the site o the kill, you must tag the carcass with

a temporary possession tag. The tag is only valid

or 48 hours ater the date o kill and must remain

attached to the pelt or unskinned carcass until the

permanent possession tag is attached.

To tag a carcass with a temporary possession

tag, you should perorm the ollowing steps:

Completely detach the tag rom the permitCompletely remove the notches that cor-

respond with the date the animal was taken

and the sex o the animal

Attach the tag to the carcass so that the tag

remains securely astened and visible


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Purchasing or sellingUtah Code 23-20-3 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-33-21

You may purchase or sell legally obtained,

tanned bear hides.

You may not purchase, sell, oer or sale or

barter a green pelt, gall bladder, tooth, claw, pawor skull o any bear.

Wasting wildlieUtah Code 23-20-8 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-33-22

You may not wasteor permit to be

wastedany protected wildlie or its parts.

Note: The skinned carcass o a bear may be

let in the eld and does not constitute a waste o

wildlie. However, the Division recommends that

hunters remove the carcass rom the eld.

Livestock depredationUtah Admin. Rule R657-33-23

I a bear is harassing, chasing, disturbing,

harming, attacking or killing livestock (cattle,

sheep, goats and turkeys), or has committed such

an act within the past 72 hours, livestock ownershave the ollowing options:

In depredation cases, the livestock owner,

an immediate amily member or an em-

ployee o the owner on a regular payroll

(not someone hired specically to take the

bear), may kill the bear.

A landowner or livestock owner may notiy

the Division o the depredation or any

human health and saety concerns. The

Division can then authorize a local hunter

to take the oending bear or notiy a USDA-

Wildlie Services specialist.

The livestock owner may notiy a USDA-

Wildlie Services specialist o the depreda-

tion, and that specialist or another agency

employee may then take the depredating

bear.

A depredating bear may be taken at any

time by a USDA-Wildlie Services specialist. This

individual must be supervised by the USDA-

Wildlie Services program and be perorming their

assigned duties in accordance with procedures

approved by the Division.

Transporting a bearUtah Admin. Rule R657-33-18

I you are a permit holder who has legally

harvested a bear, you may transport the carcass

under the ollowing conditions:

The bear is properly tagged.You have physical possession o the ap-

propriate permit.

Exporting a bear rom UtahUtah Admin. Rule R657-33-19

You may export a legally taken bear or its

parts i you have a valid bear permit, and the bear

is properly tagged with a permanent possession

tag.

You may not ship a bear pelt rom Utahor

cause one to be shippedwithout rst obtaining

a shipping permit issued by an authorized Division

representative.

Disposal o wildlie

DonatingUtah Code 23-20-9 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-33-20

A person may donate protected wildlie or its

parts to another person only at one o the ollow-

ing locations:

The residence o the donor

The residence o the recipient

A meat locker

A storage plantA meat-processing acility

A written statement o donation must be kept

with the protected wildlie or parts showing all o

the ollowing inormation:

The number and species o protected

wildlie or parts donated

The date o donation

The license or permit number o the donorand the permanent possession tag number

The signature o the donor

A green pelt o any bear donated to another

person must have a permanent possession tag a-

xed. Along with the pelt, the recipient must also

retain the written statement o donation.


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or the raising o crops, land used or the raising o

crops, or a pasture that is articially irrigated.

Permission means written authorization

rom the owner or person in charge to enter upon

private land that is cultivated or properly posted.

Permission must include all o the ollowingdetails:

The signature o the owner or person in

charge

The name o the person being given permis-

sion

The approved access dates

A general description o the land

Properly posted means that No Trespass-ing signsor a minimum o 100 square inches

o bright yellow, bright orange or fuorescent

paintare displayed at all corners, on shing

streams crossing property lines, and on roads,

gates and rights-o-way entering the land. I

metal ence posts are used, the entire exterior side

must be painted.

You may not post private property you do notown or legally control or land that is open to the

public as provided by Utah Code 23-21-4. In ad-

dition, it is unlawul to take protected wildlie or

their parts while trespassing in violation o Utah

Code 23-20-14.

You are guilty o a class B misdemeanor i you

violate any provision described in this section.

Your license, tag or permit privileges may also besuspended.

Harvest and pursuitrestrictionsUtah Code 23-20-3 and Utah Admin. Rules R657-33-25 and

R657-33-26

Depending on the type o permit you obtain,

various restrictions apply.

Harvest restrictionsI you obtain a valid permit to harvest a bear,

you may take only one bear in the season and

area specied on your permit. Likewise, you may

use only the weapon listed on your permit.

A depredating bear may be taken with any

weapon authorized or taking bear. It may also be

taken with snares, i the Division director provides

written authorization. The use o snares will be

authorized only when numerous livestock have

been killed by a depredating bear and the killshave been veried by Wildlie Services or Division

personnel.

Ater harvest, the depredating bear must be

delivered to a Division oce or employee within

72 hours.

The pelt o the depredating bear shall remain

the property o the state, unless the Division sells

a bear damage permit to the person who killed it.A person may acquire only one bear annually.

Hunters interested in taking depredating bear

may contact the Division, and the agency will call

them as needed.

Extended and preseasonhunts

Utah Admin. Rule R657-33-25The Division may authorize an extended or

preseason hunt on selected limited-entry hunting

units to control depredation or nuisance problems.

The Division director may authorize only

those hunters who drew a limited-entry permit to

hunt in that area to participate in a preseason or

extended season hunt.

TrespassingUtah Code 23-20-14, 23-21-14 and 23-20-3.5

While taking wildlie or engaging in wildlie-

related activities, you may not do any o the

ollowing activities:

Enter upon privately owned land that is

cultivated or properly posted without the

permission o the owner or the person incharge o the land

Reuse to immediately leave the private

land i requested to do so by the owner or

person in charge

Obstruct any entrance or exit to private

property

Cultivated land is land that is readily identi-

able as land whose soil is loosened or broken up


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Pursuit restrictions dier, depending on type

o permit you have.

Restricted pursuit permitsI you have a valid restricted pursuit permit,

you may pursue bears in the ollowing areas and

seasons:

The restricted pursuit unit and season listed

on your permit

Any restricted pursuit unit during the spring

and all pursuit seasons

Any pursuit unit that is not designated as

restricted during all three pursuit seasons

You may not pursue bears in the other re-

stricted pursuit units during either o the summer

pursuit seasons.

Individuals who combine packs o dogs to

pursue a bear during either summer season on

a restricted pursuit unit must comply with the

eight-dog limit. They must also have at least one

restricted pursuit permit in their possession.

On a restricted summer pursuit unit, the dogowner must remain close enough to the permit

holder to maintain visual contact and verbal

communication without the assistance o any

electronic device. The only time a dog owner may

separate rom the pursuit-permit holder is to

retrieve dogs that leave the pack. The dog owner

must do all o the ollowing:

Take reasonable steps to keep the packtogether beore and during pursuit

Only separate rom the permit holder to

retrieve stray dogs (and not actively pursue

a bear during the retrieval process)

Immediately release any bear that is

incidentally treed or held at bay by the stray

dogs

See the table on page 33 or detailedinormation about restricted pursuit units and

season dates.

You may apply or a restricted pursuit permit

in the states bear drawing, beginning Feb. 2,

2012. See page 12 or more inormation on

how to apply or a permit.

Theres no limit to the number o dogs you

may use to harvest a bear.

I you are the owner or handler o dogs being

used to harvest a bearand there is not an open

pursuit seasonyou must:

Have either a valid pursuit permit and beaccompanied by a licensed hunter

OR

Have a valid permit or the unit being

hunted

You may harvest any bearexcept a cub

or a emale accompanied by cubsduring the

seasons listed in the hunt tables beginning on

page 28.Important: Preliminary research indicates

you may be able to determine the sex o a black

bear by the size o the animals track. There is an

86 percent chance that a black bear track with a

ront paw width o 4.5 inches or wider is a male

bear. The Division recommends that you pursue or

harvest only male bears.

Pursuit restrictionsA pursuit permit o any kind does not allow

you to kill a bear.

During the summer pursuit season, you may

not use more than eight dogs at one time to

pursue a black bear on any unit.

Obtain permission tohunt private property

I you want to hunt on private property,

you must obtain written permission rom

the landowner beore you can hunt. Ideally,you should have permission beore you even

apply or a permit.

I you obtain written permission in

advance, you know youll be able to use the

permit i you draw it.

The Division cannot guarantee access

to private land, and the agency does not

have the names o landowners who ownproperty where hunts occur.


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Pursuit permitsI you have a valid pursuit permit, you may

pursue bears in the ollowing areas and seasons:

Any pursuit unit that is not designated as

restricted during all three pursuit seasons.

Any restricted pursuit unit during the springand all pursuit seasons.

You may not pursue a bear on any o the

restricted pursuit units during either o the sum-

mer pursuit seasons.

You may purchase a pursuit permit at any

time rom Division oces, license agents and at

wildlie.utah.gov.

Eligible hunters may obtain both a bearpursuit permit and a bear limited-entry permit

(either archery or any legal weapon).

Guides and outfttersI you are a Utah-licensed guide or outtter

and you charge a customer more than $100 or a

bear hunting or pursuit tripyou do not have to

purchase a separate bear pursuit permit to guidethat customer in the eld.

Guides and outtters must be licensed to op-

erate in the state o Utah beore they can legally

accompany hunters in the eld to pursue or har-

vest a bear. To learn more about this requirement,

see the box on page 14.

General restrictionsEven with a pursuit permit (or a restricted

pursuit permit), you may not perorm any o the

ollowing actions:

Pursue a cub or a emale bear with cubs

Repeatedly pursue, chase, tree, corner or

hold at bay the same bear during the same

day

Possess a rearm or any device that couldbe used to kill a bear while pursuing bear

(unless you are licensed to carry a concealed

weapon in accordance with Utah Code

53-5-7, and you are not trying to use the

concealed weapon to injure or kill the bear)


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HUNT TABLES

Spring limited-entry huntsPermit ee: Resident $83, Nonresident $308.Use the 4-digit hunt number to apply. Bonus point code: BER

Hunt # Bear management unit Season dates Resident Nonresident

7000 Beaver April 7June 3 9 1

7001 Book Clis, Bitter Creek/South April 7May 29 22 2

7002 Cache/East Canyon/Morgan Rich/

Ogden

April 7June 3 3 0

7003 Central Mtns, Manti-North April 7June 3 17 2

7004 Central Mtns, Manti-South April 7June 3 4 0

7005 Central Mtns, Nebo April 7June 3 13 1

7006 Chalk Creek/Kamas/North Slope,Summit

April 7June 3 4 1

7007 Fillmore, Pahvant April 7May 29 1 0

7008 La Sal April 7May 29 31 4

7009 Mt Dutton April 7May 29 2 0

7010 Nine Mile April 7May 29 22 3

7011 North Slope, Daggett-Three Corners April 7June 3 5 1

7012 Panguitch Lake/Zion April 7May 29 7 1

7013 Paunsaugunt April 7May 29 2 0

7014 Plateau, Boulder/Kaiparowits April 7June 3 21 2

7015 Plateau, Fishlake/Thousand Lakes April 7May 29 4 0

7016 San Juan April 7May 29 31 4

7017 South Slope, Bonanza/Diamond Mtn/Vernal

April 7June 3 17 2

7018 South Slope, Yellowstone April 7June 3 9 1

7019 Wasatch Mtns, West (bear) April 7June 3 31 4

The Division does not guarantee access to any private or public land. Hunt unit boundaries may include private property orother excluded areas. Hunters must research land accessibility beore hunting.


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HUNT TABLES

Fall limited-entry huntsPermit ee: Resident $83, Nonresident $308.Use the 4-digit hunt number to apply. Bonus point code: BER

Hunt # Bear management unit Season dates Resident Nonresident

7100 Beaver Aug. 25Sept. 30 5 1

7101 Book Clis, Bitter Creek/South Aug. 25Sept. 30,Nov. 1Nov. 20

5 1

7102 Cache/East Canyon/Morgan Rich/Ogden

Aug. 25Sept. 30,Nov. 1Nov. 20

1 0

7103 Central Mtns, Manti-North Aug. 25Sept. 30,Nov. 1Nov. 20

4 1

7104 Central Mtns, Manti-South Aug. 25Sept. 30,Nov. 1Nov. 20

8 1

7105 Central Mtns, Nebo Aug. 25Sept. 30,Nov. 1Nov. 20

4 0

7106 Chalk Creek/Kamas/North Slope,Summit

Aug. 25Sept. 30,Nov. 1Nov. 20

5 1

7107 Fillmore, Pahvant Aug. 25Sept. 30,Nov. 1Nov. 20

1 0

7108 La Sal Aug. 20Sept. 14,Nov. 1Nov. 20

4 1

7109 Monroe Aug. 25Sept. 30,

Nov. 1Nov. 20

1 0

7110 Mt Dutton Aug. 25Sept. 30,Nov. 1Nov. 20

1 0

7111 Nine Mile Aug. 25Sept. 30 13 2

7112 North Slope, Daggett-Three Corners Aug. 25Sept. 30,Nov. 1Nov. 20

4 0

7113 Panguitch Lake/Zion Aug. 25Sept. 30,

Nov. 1Nov. 20

4 1

Documents

2012 UT Black Bear Regulations