Dewayne Mower, big game biologist, said the check station at Salt Creek Canyon checked only about a third the number of deer as last year. Only five prime or three-and-a-half-year-old deer or older were checked over Saturday and Sunday.

He also noted that he heard more shooting early Tuesday in the area than he did on Saturday.

Dennis Southerland, big game biologist, said the three-day count at the Santaquin check station showed there were 75 fewer than were counted a year ago.

About half of the deer checked were yearling bucks.

Lynn Chamberlain, outreach coordinator, said the weather in Iron, Washington and Kane counties was dry, but was windy and cold.

"I heard of some pretty good hunting around Paragonah and Monroe Mountain, "but other than that, hunting was slow on Saturday, but improved on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday," he said.

Those hunters venturing out for the second weekend can expect good weather, but roads into the backcountry will likely be muddy.

Consensus was, too, that the bad weather opening day got some of the deer moving down to lower elevations.

Those hunters planning to hunt the final weekend will likely find hunting easier and more successful.

The hunt ended in the southern and southeastern regions on Wednesday. It will close at dusk on Sunday in the other three regions.

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