Outdoor notes

FEWER COW BISON PERMITS

SALT LAKE CITY — The number of permits offered for most of Utah's big game hunts has increased this year.

There are a few exceptions to the increase, though. But even one of the decreases is good news for hunters.

At their March 31 meeting, members of the Utah Wildlife Board approved fewer permits to hunt cow bison on the Henry Mountains. Offering fewer permits will allow the bison herd on the unit to start building to a new management objective.

For more information, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR's Salt Lake City office at 801-538-4700.

ELK HUNT CHANGES MADE

SALT LAKE CITY — Elk with large antlers and more chances to hunt spike bulls are what you can expect if you hunt elk in Utah over the next five years.

At their March 31 meeting, Utah Wildlife Board members revised Utah's elk management plan, which is updated every five years.

Two highlights from the revised plan include changes that will keep plenty of bulls with large antlers on selected units in Utah and the addition of more spike bull elk hunting permits.

Utah's 15-member Elk Advisory Committee helped the Division of Wildlife Resources draft the revised plan. The group suggested the updates after reviewing a recent survey of more than 16,600 Utah elk hunters.

When they draw a Utah limited-entry elk permit, the survey showed, hunters want to take a bull that has large antlers.

And while the number of limited-entry bull elk permits will likely go down in the future, the number of general spike bull elk permits will go up starting this fall.

The board raised the number of general spike bull permits to 13,750 for both the 2010 and the 2011 seasons.

For more information, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR's Salt Lake City office at 801-538-4700.

SPRING FISHING LOOKS GOOD

If you enjoy catching trout in rivers and streams in northern Utah, you won't have to wait long to catch some this year.

Runoff this spring is expected to be lower than normal. And that means some of the best fishing of the year on rivers and streams will kick off early.