Learn How to Fly Fish at Free Clinic
Clinic happens Sept. 30
Price -- Are you looking for a new angle on fishing?
If you’re a fly fishing beginner—or you’ve never tried it before—the Division of Wildlife Resources is holding a free clinic you won’t want to miss.
The DWR will offer an introduction to fly fishing clinic on Sept. 30 at the agency’s Southeastern Region office. The office is at 319 N. Carbonville Rd. in Price. The clinic begins at 8:30 a.m.
“Fly fishing is a fun and versatile method of catching fish that often looks harder than it really is,” says Walt Maldonado, DWR wildlife recreation specialist in southeastern Utah. “If you’re looking for a new way to enjoy wildlife, this clinic is for you.”
Maldonado says the clinic will begin with classroom instruction and a practice session. “Then,” he says, “we’ll head to a nearby community fishery where you can try your hand at catching fish. We’ll have plenty of fly fishing rods, reels and tackle on hand for you to use.”
Local experts will teach you the basics of catching fish on flies in a variety of settings. The following are among the topics they’ll cover:
· The gear you need
· Choosing flies that work well
· Fly fishing on lakes
· Fly fishing on rivers and streams
· Casting
· Lure presentation
To register online for the free clinic, visit https://goo.gl/MS1Yfv. For more information, call the DWR’s Southeastern Region office at 435-613-3707.
Take a Young Person Duck Hunting
Two youth waterfowl hunts in Utah this month
Hunters 17 years of age and younger will have Utah’s marshes—and the ducks and geese that go with them—all to themselves during two days in September.
This season, Utah has been split into two duck hunting zones, a Northern Zone and a Southern Zone. A special Youth Waterfowl Hunt will be held in the Northern Zone on Sept. 23. In the Southern Zone, a youth hunt will be held on Sept. 30.
All youth hunters, including those who are 16 and 17 years of age, must be accompanied by someone 21 years of age or older to hunt on the youth days. (Normally, those 16 to 17 years of age can hunt in Utah without adult supervision.)
Blair Stringham, migratory game bird coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, says one of the goals of the youth hunt is to get young hunters in the marsh with adults who can teach them responsible and ethical hunting. “To accomplish that goal,” he says, “we’ve decided—on Sept. 23 and Sept. 30 only—to require 16 and 17 year olds to have an adult with them.”
Trial Hunting program
For the fourth year in a row, young people who haven’t completed a Hunter Education course can still participate in the youth hunt through the state’s Trial Hunting program. The program allows someone 21 years of age or older to take someone 12 years of age or older hunting, even if the person they’re taking hasn’t completed Hunter Education.
More information about the Trial Hunting program is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/trial.
Take a kid hunting
Stringham says taking young hunters into the marsh on Sept. 23 or Sept. 30 is the perfect way to get them interested in duck and goose hunting. He says the number of ducks in Utah peaks in mid-September.
“It’s the perfect time to be in the marsh,” he says. “The kids you take will see plenty of ducks. And they should get plenty of shots.” And the young hunters should also get your undivided attention. “Adults can’t hunt during the youth hunt,” he says, “so the kids you take will get all of your attention.”
Stringham says a youth day might be the best day you spend in the marsh all season. “Youth day is the perfect way to pass the tradition of waterfowl hunting on to the next generation,” he says. “The experiences the kids have that day are something they’ll never forget.”
Shooting on Sept. 23 starts at 6:46 a.m. On Sept. 30, shooting starts at 6:53 a.m. To participate in the hunt:
- If you’ve completed a Hunter Education course, you must be 17 years of age or younger on July 31, 2017. You must also have a current hunting license and Harvest Information Program (HIP) number, and be accompanied by an adult.
Also, if you’re 16 or 17 years old, you must have a federal duck stamp.
- If you haven’t completed a Hunter Education course, you must be between 12 and 17 years of age on July 31, 2017. You also must have a current hunting license and Harvest Information Program (HIP) number, a federal duck stamp (if you’re 16 or 17 years old) and be accompanied by someone 21 years of age or older. In addition, before you hunt, you must complete a brief online Trial Hunting Program Orientation course. The orientation course is among the items available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/trial.
- To help you find a good spot to hunt, visit www.wildlife.utah.gov/waterfowl-opener-conditions.html. Marsh conditions—at the state’s waterfowl management areas—will be posted there soon.
- If you’d like to add some fun to your hunt, consider participating in Utah’s Waterfowl Slam this season. You can learn more about the slam at wildlife.utah.gov/utah-waterfowl-slam.html.
Learn more
More information about the Youth Waterfowl Hunt, including the number of ducks and geese kids can take, is available on page 32 of the 2017 – 2018 Utah Waterfowl Guidebook. The free guidebook is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks.
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Take a Young Person Chukar or Gray Partridge Hunting
Youth partridge hunt happens Sept. 23 - 25
Three days of upland game hunting fun starts Sept. 23. That’s the first day of Utah’s three-day youth chukar and gray partridge hunt.
Those who were 17 years of age or younger on July 31, 2017 can participate in the hunt. And, for the fourth year in a row, young people who haven’t completed a Hunter Education course can still participate through Utah’s Trial Hunting program.
(The Trial Hunting program allows someone 21 years of age or older to take a person 12 to 17 years old hunting, even if the 12- to 17-year-old hasn’t completed a Hunter Education course. More information about the program is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/trial.)
To increase the chance young hunters take a chukar, biologists with the Division of Wildlife Resources will release chukars in select areas before the youth hunt. You can see which areas will receive birds online at http://arcg.is/2xvKlSr.
Take a kid hunting
Bill Bates, assistant director of the DWR, says the Sept. 23 – 25 youth chukar and gray partridge hunt is a great way to introduce young people to upland game hunting. “The hunt will be the first time the birds have been hunted this fall,” he says, “so they won’t be quite as wary as they’ll be later in the season. Also, the birds tend to stay closer together and rely more on water in early fall. Finding a good water source can get you into plenty of birds.”
A big plus for the young hunter is a chance to get complete attention from an older hunter. “Unless you’re younger than 18,” he says, “you can’t hunt during the youth hunt. That allows you to give your undivided attention to the youth hunter you take.”
Bates encourages you to take a kid hunting Sept. 23, 24 or 25. "The hunt provides a great way to pass the tradition of upland game hunting on to the next generation,” he says.
Shooting on Sept. 23 starts at 6:16 a.m. To participate in the hunt:
- If you’ve completed a Hunter Education course, you had to be 17 years of age or younger on July 31, 2017. You must also have a current hunting license. If you’re under the age of 16, you must be accompanied by an adult. If you’re 16 or 17 years old, you can hunt without adult supervision.
- If you haven’t completed a Hunter Education course, you had to be between 12 and 17 years of age on July 31. You must also have a current hunting license and be accompanied by someone 21 years of age or older. In addition, you must complete a brief online Trial Hunting Program Orientation course before Sept. 23. The orientation course is among the items available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/trial.
Learn more
More information about the youth chukar and gray partridge hunts is available on page 13 of the 2017 – 2018 Utah Upland Game and Turkey Guidebook. The free guidebook is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks.
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Chukar Numbers Back to Normal
Gray partridge hunt also opens Sept. 30
Chukar partridge numbers have been extremely high in Utah the past two years. This fall, the number of these unique birds—that thrive in some of Utah’s harshest terrain—is back to normal.
“There are still lots of birds out there,” Jason Robinson, upland game coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, says on the eve of Utah’s annual chukar hunt. “You’ll just have to walk farther, between coveys. You can still have a really great hunt, but you’ll have to put in a little more effort to find the birds.”
Biologists aren’t certain why this happens, but chukars in the West follow a population cycle that lasts about nine to 10 years. The population remains relatively stable for about eight years. Then, for a single year, numbers skyrocket. The year after the spike, numbers return to average. The population will typically stay at that level until the next spike happens about eight years later.
What’s surprising to Robinson is the last spike, which lasted for two years. “We’ve never seen that before,” he says. “Chukar hunters, myself included, were definitely happy to have two years of extremely high numbers, though.”
Utah’s general chukar hunt opens Sept. 30. Before the hunts opens, DWR biologists will release chukars in some areas in the state. You can see which areas on the web at http://arcg.is/2xvKlSr.
Helicopter survey results
In late August each year, DWR biologists climb into a helicopter and fly over chukar habitat in north-central Tooele County and central Box Elder County. Robinson says flying surveys in the two counties give biologists, hunters and birdwatchers a great picture of how chukars are doing across the West Desert.
“The West Desert has the best chukar habitat in Utah,” he says.
The flight over north-central Tooele County happened Aug. 31. Biologists counted 26 chukars per square mile. In 2016, they counted a near-record 95.
In central Box Elder County, biologists counted 12 chukars per square mile. That’s down from the 33 per square mile counted in 2016. (The 33 counted was the highest number counted in Box Elder County since surveys started there in 2009.)
Again, Robinson isn’t surprised by the results. And he still expects a good chukar hunt in Utah this fall.
In addition to the chukar hunt, Utah’s gray partridge hunt also opens on Sept. 30. Gray partridge are found almost entirely in Box Elder County. In the eastern part of the county, the birds are found mostly in grain fields. In the western part, they live mostly in sagebrush habitat. Riparian corridors are especially attractive to gray partridge that live in areas covered with sagebrush.
“Another thing to remember is that gray partridge are especially attracted to edges, places where one habitat type transitions into a different type of habitat,” Robinson says. “For example, the edge of a grain field, or where sagebrush transitions into grass, can be especially good places to hunt.”
Robinson says gray partridge numbers are down slightly from last year.
Those 17 years of age and younger can hunt chukar and gray partridge Sept. 23, 24 and 25, during Utah's annual youth partridge hunt. After Sept. 25, the hunts will close until Sept. 30 when Utah's general partridge hunt, for hunters of all ages, opens up.
Finding chukars
Finding chukars is the first step to bagging some birds. Robinson provides the following tips:
Tip 1 - See the distribution map on page 36 of the 2017 – 2018 Utah Upland Game and Turkey Guidebook. The map will show you where chukar habitat is found in Utah. The free guidebook is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks.
Robinson says Tooele, Juab and Millard counties have the highest concentration of birds in the state. "The state's best chukar habitat is found in the rocky, desert areas west of Interstate 15," he says.
Other areas in Utah do hold plenty of birds, though. Robinson says the Book Cliffs in eastern Utah, and rocky river corridors in southern Utah, are some of the best. "And every year,” he says, “hunters do take birds in the rocky foothills along the Wasatch Front."
Tip 2 - After arriving in an area that might have chukars in it, focus your efforts on steep, rocky slopes that have cheatgrass, bunch grass or sagebrush on them. These rugged, cheatgrass-covered slopes provide ideal habitat for the birds.
Tip 3 - Because chukars are very vocal, early morning is the perfect time to hunt them. "The birds feed mostly in the early morning," Robinson says. "If you listen closely, they'll often tip you off to their location."
Robinson says chukars live in coveys that typically number between five to 30 birds. "When the covey is feeding," he says, "it always posts a sentry. The sentry sits on a rock that provides it with a good view of the surrounding area. If the bird sees you, it will call out to alert the other birds. There's a flip side to that, though: the sentry's calling will alert you that a covey of chukars is in the area."
Tip 4 - Finding a water source is a good idea, but chukars aren’t completely reliant on water, even early in the season. A good idea, early in the season, is to hunt the steep slopes that are above a water source. "As the season progresses," Robinson says, "water becomes less important to chukars. Hunting near a water source isn't as important later in the season."
Tip 5 - When winter arrives, hunt slopes that face south. "The sun beats on these south-facing slopes in the winter," he says. "That warms the rocks, melts the snow and attracts the chukars."
Hunting chukars
After finding some birds, remember that chukars almost always run uphill to escape danger. "You can't outrun them," Robinson says, "so don't try to chase the birds up the slope."
Instead, try to cut off the birds' escape route by circling around the birds and getting above them. Then, hunt down the slope towards them. "If you get above the birds," he says, "they'll usually stay where they are until you get close enough to shoot at them."
When chukars flush, they almost always fly straight out from the slope before hooking to the left or the right. "Get your shots off while the birds are still in range," he says.
After hooking to the left or right, any bird that isn't bagged will typically fly into a group of rocks, into sagebrush or into bunch grasses. If you watch where the birds land, you'll often have a chance for another shot.
Robinson says dogs aren't needed to hunt chukars. "But having a dog is very helpful," he says, "both in finding birds and retrieving the birds you hit."
Reminders
Because of the steep, rough areas where chukars live, it's important to be in good physical shape. When you go afield, make sure you wear sturdy boots that give your ankles plenty of support.
"It's also important to carry plenty of water," Robinson says, "especially during the early part of the season."
Five reasons to hunt upland game
If you're not currently hunting upland game in Utah, Robinson provides five reasons to consider giving it a try. You can read his list at www.wildlife.utah.gov/blog/2015/top-5-reasons-to-hunt-upland-game-in-utah.
Upland Game Slam
If you'd like to add some fun to your hunt, consider participating in Utah's Upland Game Slam. One of the slams—the Blister Slam—will reward you for taking a five chukar limit in a single day. You can learn more about the Upland Game Slam at www.uplandgameslam.org.
Free Waterfowl Hunting Clinic Offers Coaching for Youth and Adults
Clinic happens Sept. 23
Price – You can sharpen your waterfowl hunting skills at a free clinic on Sept. 23.
The Division of Wildlife Resources will host the clinic from 8 a.m. to noon at the Desert Lake Waterfowl Management Area east of Elmo.
The clinic, which is open to both youth and adults, will occur one week before the youth waterfowl hunt in Utah’s southern waterfowl hunting zone opens. Holding the clinic on Sept. 23 will allow young hunters to brush up on skills they need before heading into the field for the youth hunt a week later.
“There will be plenty of fun and practical opportunities for both new and experienced hunters,” says Walt Maldonado, DWR wildlife recreation specialist in southeastern Utah. “There’s something here for everybody.”
The clinic will feature several stations that will help hunters practice various hunting skills. The skills include duck identification, shooting, duck calling, training dogs and decoy arrangement. Youth participants can also shoot clay pigeons from a duck blind. The targets will be thrown at various angles to simulate the different types of shots waterfowl hunters encounter in the field.
A variety of shotguns will be available for adults and youth to use. Participants will learn which firearms and ammunition are best for hunting ducks and geese, proper shooting technique, and other skills necessary for a safe and successful hunt.
The clinic will culminate in a duck calling contest, and prizes will be awarded. Inexperienced duck callers will get a crash course and time to practice before the contest.
To register online for the free clinic, visit https://goo.gl/VwrPsm. For more information, call the DWR’s Southeastern Region office at 435-613-3707.
Fishing reports - available at http://wildlife.utah.gov/hotspots .
Fly fishing - free clinic
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Youth hunt - waterfowl
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Youth hunt - chukar and gray partridge
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Preview - chukar hunt
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Waterfowl hunting - free clinic
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