The state's first big game hunt, the archery deer hunt, will open at dawn on Aug. 18.

The early forecast is that bow hunters should expect to see more bucks.

"The buck-to-doe ratio has been right around the minimum objective of 15 bucks per 100 does since 1998. We've had a couple of years where it's peaked at 17 bucks per 100 does though 2000 and now again this year," said Anis Aoude, big game coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources.

DWR biologists determine the ratio by conducting on-the-ground surveys after the hunting seasons in the fall. This past winter was mild in Utah, so most of the bucks biologists saw last fall, and many of the buck fawns, should be available to hunters this fall.

According to the DWR survey:

• In the Northern Region, the ratio was 16 per 100 in 2005 and went up to 18 bucks per 100 does in 2006.

• In the Central and Northeastern regions, numbers remain stable at 15 per 100 does and 16 per 100 does, respectively.

• The Southeastern Region jumped from 17 to 20 bucks per 100 does from 2005 to 2006.

• The only drop was in the Southern Region where it went from 17 to 16 per 100 does from 2005 to 2006.

Aoude said it is estimated there were roughly 320,000 adult deer in Utah this past spring, which is up from 296,000 counted in the spring of 2006.

"Conditions for deer in Utah started improving in about 2003," he said. "We've had fair moisture over the past few years, and the winters have been mild."

While deer were affected by some of the wildfires in Utah this summer, the biggest fire — the Milford Flats fire in south-central Utah — burned an area that few deer use during the hunting season.

"If you've traditionally hunted in an area that's now burned, I'd strongly encourage (hunters) to get out before the hunt opens and see what the area looks like," Aoude says.

"The terrain is going to be dry and noisy at lower elevations. If you hunt in these areas, your best chance for success is to hunt water holes and the trails that lead to them. If you hunt above 7,000 feet, you'll find plenty of water. Your best bet in these high elevation areas is to do some pre-season scouting and learn the travel patterns of the deer. Then hunt the trails the animals use. You can also spot and stalk deer at the higher elevations because it's quieter and easier to move around."

For information on fire restrictions visit www.utahfireinfo.gov.