BigGameHoundsmen.com

Here is the press release from the DWR about the Utah bear changes:

Bear Pursuit Changes for 2010

More hunting permits also approved

Salt Lake City -- Three areas that are popular places to pursue bears with dogs should be quieter this summer. On Jan. 6, the Utah Wildlife Board approved the following bear pursuit changes on the Book Cliffs, San Juan and La Sal units in eastern Utah:

* The number of permits offered to pursue bears with dogs will be limited this summer. And the summer pursuit season has been split into an early season and a late season. The following number of permits will be available:

Early season

Unit Season dates Resident Nonresident

Book Cliffs July 8 - 22 15 2
San Juan July 8 - 22 18 2
La Sal July 8 - 22 12 1

Late season

Unit Season dates Resident Nonresident

Book Cliffs July 29 – Aug. 12 15 2
San Juan July 29 – Aug. 12 18 2
La Sal July 29 – Aug. 12 12 1

The season dates have been set so no pursuit takes place during the July 24 weekend, which is a state holiday in Utah. (There’s a seven-day break between the two pursuit seasons.)

* The number of hounds houndsmen can use to pursue bears on ANY unit in the state during the summer pursuit season will also be limited. Houndsmen may not use more than eight hounds to pursue a single bear in the summer.
This change applies to the summer pursuit season only. The number of dogs houndsmen can use during the spring and fall pursuit and hunting seasons is not limited.

Those changes—and more permits for bear hunts this spring and fall—are among changes the board approved at their meeting in Salt Lake City.

All of the changes the board approved will be available in the 2010 Utah Black Bear Guidebook. The guidebook should be available at http://www.wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks by late January.

A quieter summer

The Book Cliffs, San Juan and La Sal units are three of the most popular places in Utah to pursue bears with trained hounds. Unfortunately, that popularity has caused some problems. “Last summer, we received more than 150 complaints from campers, hikers and others who were recreating in the area,” says Justin Dolling, game mammals coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources.
“Some of the houndsmen were using as many as 20 hounds to pursue a single bear,” Dolling says. “When these hounds get on a bear’s track, they bark a lot, and they’re extremely noisy. The noise and the commotion they and the houndsmen caused bothered some of the people who were camping and hiking in the area.”

More hunting permits

The board also approved more hunting permits for this year’s bear hunts.
In 2009, a total of 319 permits were available. The board approved 368 permits for 2010. Based on an average success rate of just over 40 percent, the extra 49 permits should result in hunters taking about 21 additional bears in 2010.
In 2009, hunters took 147 bears in Utah.

First spot and stalk only hunt

The board also approved Utah’s first spot and stalk only hunt. This hunt will be held in the Roadless area in the Book Cliffs. Hunters may not use hounds during the hunt.
“Very few bear hunters hunt this area,” Dolling says. “As a result, the bear population is growing. Horseback riders and big game hunters are encountering more and more bears in the area.” The area’s small size is among the challenges houndsmen face in taking bears in the area. The hounds can chase bears off the unit before the hunters take the bears.

“That’s why we decided to go with a spot and stalk hunt,” Dolling says. “There are plenty of bears in the area, so there’s a good chance that spot and stalk hunters will find success. And the chance that a spot and stalk hunter chases a bear off the unit before he or she takes it is much lower than those hunting with hounds.”

For more information, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR’s Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700. Contact: Mark Hadley, DWR Relations with the Public Specialist (801) 538-4737

That is too bad. Alot of good folks are going to have to change a life style. It would be real hard to make bear dogs with that kind of hunting.
It started with Idaho and now Utah. Arizona, Califonia and New Mexico will be next. People will have to travel to those states just to run their dogs and they will get flooded just like Utah did.

First time I ever heard Hound Music referred to as noise!

ike

Tree hugger don't think like you Ike.

Yeah ike. sadly, some people are to dumb to appreciate fine music

They are going to regulate the houndsmen in the woods, are they going to put a number on the campers and hikers in the woods! Only seems fair if they do. I guess if they don't I will call and complain every time one of them even looks in the wrong direction, that's what they do to us!

Wonder if there will be bonus points? If they will be seperate from bear tags points or the points will be used for both?

We were taling about that yewsterday, probably have to buy a special license if drawn, pay for the draw and probably have bonus points......hell sakes, I think I'll even put in for the draw!

ike

Just got off the phone with the DWR and needless to say the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing. Had a couple of questions and they could not agree on an answer maybee someone can help.

I am talking about the 3 units at hand.

1st - if i draw a bear tag do i have to draw a persuit permit also.
2nd- if my 15yr old son draws a bear tag can i run the bear with our dogs or even for a friend if i so desire or do i have to draw a persuit permit. My understanding a standard persuit permit is not valid for thoes units it will be a special tag like a havest permit.


Junk

krk hunting wrote:Just got off the phone with the DWR and needless to say the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.

I got news for you amigo. NEITHER hand at the DWR in Utah has any ****** idea what they are doing!!

Go read that press release again and if that isn't living proof of perpetual idiocy I don't know what is.

Toss in those dumbasses from the SFW and you got a recipe for Incompetence that is unbeatable.

Kevin,
As far as I am aware the pursuit restrictions are only for the summer hunts, check out the dates posted above. (FOR NOW) If you happen to draw a bear tag you will still have to buy an over the counter pursuit permit for the spring or fall hunts. There is no open pursuit during the fall hunts your only legal to pursuit if you have a valid limited entry harvest permit or are with someone who has one. A valid pursuit permit should be valid for these units for spring and fall,the only restrictions are on the summer training season. They also limited the number of dogs to run a single bear to 8. This also is only applied to the summer training season on ANY unit. (FOR NOW) One thing to also keep in mind Utah has passed a new Guideing and Outfitting Law read IKEs post on that. You might want to be careful as far as taking a friend hunting!!

From what Ike posted in the other thread, like in MT, as long as money, services and/or goods are not exchanged, it isn't considered outfitting or guiding

You Utah boys better watch out, next thing you know the regulation book in UT will read the exact same as the one in MT.

This is sad :'(

The king of the La Sals can run bear whenever him, Sky, Cabo, Bonita, Xzena, Ocho, and all the other great lost hounds want to!

RIP Dad!

I have been wondering when or if this would happen, I have a feeling this is just the start of bigger regulations.