Genola leaders may revive pheasant hunting

GENOLA, Utah County — Pheasant hunting has been off limits in Genola recently, but that may change with the upcoming season.

The rural, south Utah County town has no gun restrictions.

"They still come," town public works director Phil Harold said of the pheasant hunters.

And when they come, hunters disregard the property rights of residents by trampling their property, shooting toward houses and ignoring no trespassing signs, Harold said.

Pheasant hunting starts the first Saturday in November and runs three weeks. But with Harold's proposal, it will last just three days and require permits from the town. Regulating the hunt in the rural community would allow the town to build up the bird numbers, he said.

No trespassing signs still would be posted on some properties so the landowners can hunt their own spreads, Harold said.

Under the proposal, the town would regulate the hunt and sell permits, likely for less than $30 each. Town leaders would require hunters to clip the tags to their hats for easy identification.

Meanwhile, Harold said he'd like to see the town acquire seeds to plant and provide food for the birds.

"It's always been a good area (for hunting)," he said. "This is probably our best way to build up the bird population."

e-mail: rodger@desnews.com