Hunting changes on agenda

One of the proposals going before the Utah Wildlife Board in August is the opportunity to hunt Canada geese into late January.

Another topic will be recommendations for the 2005-2006 cougars hunting season.

Biologists from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources are trying to determine the number of cougar hunting permits that will be available next season and possible changes in how cougars are hunted in Utah.

One possible change involves a split season on Utah's harvest objective units. During the first few weeks of the season, the units would be open to a limited number of hunters. After the first few weeks, the units would open to all hunters with a harvest objective permit.

"The Utah Wildlife Board has directed us to consider a split season on harvest objective units, and we're working out the details," said Kevin Bunnell, mammals program coordinator for the DWR.

Utah hunters could hunt geese into late January under a DWR proposal that would shut Utah's 107-day Canada goose season down for two weeks in December. The season would reopen in December and would run until the end of January.

"We think this proposal will increase the success Canada goose hunters find next season," said Tom Aldrich, waterfowl coordinator for the DWR.

Aldrich said as soon as the hunting season starts in October, many of the Canada geese in Utah head for urban areas where they spend most of the season. In January, the geese begin moving back to the marshes in preparation for the breeding season. Data the DWR has collected from four independent harvest surveys across the state show the number of Canada geese taken by hunters starts to climb in early January.

"If the season is extended until the end of January, we think Canada goose hunters will be in for some great hunting and will take more geese," Aldrich said.

He also noted that the number of Canada geese in Utah has increased over the past 40 years.

"There are three times as many geese in Utah now as there was 30 to 40 years ago," he said.

Remaining meetings include:

Tonight — Northeastern Region will meet at 6:30 p.m. at the Uintah Basin Applied Technology College, 1100 E. Lagoon St. in Roosevelt.

Tuesday — Central Region will meet at 6:30 p.m. Springville Junior High School, 165 S. 700 East in Springville.

Wednesday — Northern Region will meet at 6 p.m. at the Brigham City Community Center, 24 N. 300 West in Brigham City.