Hunting

Bison are hardy, long lived megafauna, so biologists were shocked when 40% of a herd in Utah's Book Cliffs died in just six days. Testing revealed the culprit, but some big questions still remain.

One fire is burning west of Bear River City, while the other is in the Hansel Valley. In other news, bison hunts in the Book Cliffs area are changing after a massive die-off from pneumonia.

As the state of Utah debates mountain lion removal, Utah Mountain Lion Conservation Founder Denise Peterson and houndsman Aaron Johnson join us to talk about the cats.

Mountain lions are elusive, misunderstood and at the center of a heated debate. Scientists and conservationists weigh in on the future of Utah's wildlife management.

Currently, park superintendents can add more restrictions on top of state rules. A new federal directive, however, questions whether some restrictions are already "unlawful barriers" to hunting.

At annual banquet, hunters, researchers, and conservationists came together to support wildlife across Utah’s high deserts. Their work is helping hundreds of species beyond the iconic chukar.

A recent study suggests that coyotes are more abundant in areas where hunting them is allowed.

In other news, Utah hunters have tried to donate game meat to food pantries, but have been turned away due to food and public health regulations on donated food.

In other news, Spanish Fork is receiving $1.2 million in federal funds to assist in flood repair. And, roads in two northern Utah cities have closed due to malfunctioning railroad crossing arms.

Once considered the Mountain West's apex predator, a rise in hunting over the last 200 years has lead to a heavy decline in the mountain lion population.