In an effort to help wintering big game, particularly deer, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources announced a statewide emergency closure to “shed hunting,” effective today through April 30.
According to the announcement, DWR biologists have been monitoring Utah snow depths and winter temperatures, as well as the condition of the deer — such as body fat levels and fawn weights of the animals going into winter — since early December. The biologists also measured animal migration survival by placing GPS collars on deer, according to the announcement.
“Data from these monitoring efforts and GPS tracking show that the extreme cold and increased snowpack across the state are starting to impact mule deer fawn survival rates, and may negatively impact the ability of the adult deer to survive the winter,” the announcement states.
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This story is made possible thanks to a community reporting partnership between The Herald Journal and Utah Public Radio.
