Elk, deer and moose permits are among the permits DWR biologists believe can be increased.

Biologists manage Utah's limited-entry elk units to take bulls in one of four age categories: 6 to 7 years old, 5 to 6 years old, 4 to 5 years old, or 3 to 4 years old. The age of the bull a hunter might take depends on the unit.

Utah has 28 limited-entry bull elk units. On 26 of the 28 units, hunters are taking bulls that are older than the age objective for the unit.

"For example, a hunter can go onto a unit expecting to take, say, a 5- to 6-year-old bull, and end up taking one that's one or two years older.

"We need to increase the number of permits so more bulls can be taken and we can get the herds to their age objectives," Aoude said.

"That's good news for hunters. It means we can offer more elk hunting permits for this fall's hunts and still provide quality bulls for hunters to take."

Biologists manage Utah's limited entry deer units so there will be plenty of big bucks for hunters each fall.

The Paunsaugunt and Henry Mountains units are the two premium limited-entry units in Utah. Biologists manage these units so at least 35 bucks per 100 does are left in the herds after the hunts are over each fall.

The rest of Utah's limited-entry units are managed so at least 25 bucks per 100 does are still in the herds after the fall hunts.

Only two units in southern Utah aren't meeting that goal. On the rest of the state's units, the number of bucks biologists are finding after the hunts is higher than the buck-to-doe ratio for each unit.

"We have plenty of bucks on these units. And that's great news for hunters. It means more of them can hunt these units this fall," Aoude said.

Utah's moose herds are also doing well. In many of the herds, there are almost as many bulls in the herds as cows.

The recommendations:

• General season buck deer — 94,000 (2007) to 94,000 (2008)

• Limited entry deer — 1,014 (2007) to 1,102 (2008)

• Limited entry bull elk — 2,090 (2007) to 2,447 (2008)

• Pronghorn antelope — 853 (2007) to 945 (2008)

• Moose — 151 (2007) to 184 (2008)

• Bison — 145 (2007) to 172 (2008)

• Rocky Mountain goat — 90 (2007) to 91 (2008)

• Desert bighorn sheep — 39 (2007) to 36 (2008)

• Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep — 18 (2007) to 23 (2008)