The first big game hunts of Utah’s fall season begin Saturday, August 16th, and the Department of Wildlife Resources has compiled a list of information hunters need to know for the deer and elk hunts. An update on the nutritional condition of deer across the state was included. “During our big game captures this last winter, adult deer across the state were in average to above-average nutritional condition,” Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Big Game Coordinator Dax Mangus said. “6-month-old fawn weights were very good, with several fawns that were captured in December weighing over 100 pounds. While these numbers are encouraging, dry conditions this spring and summer have resulted in less forage available for deer to put on weight…We’re hoping for some late-season monsoon rains to improve range conditions before winter sets in.” For information about all the new changes and laws for hunting big game this fall, hunters should check the 2025 Utah Big Game Field Regulations Guidebook. The entire list of information compiled for hunters is available at wildlife.utah.gov.
