Rabbits, quail plentiful this year

A long, snowy winter and a hot, dry summer were not kind to upland gamebirds in Utah. Quail and rabbits are doing well.

As Utah's upland game hunts get under way, however, there are some bright spots.

Utah's 2008-09 upland game season started Aug. 23 with the white-tailed ptarmigan hunt. Since then, other hunts have started or will start soon.

Season dates are available on pages 32-35 of the 2008-09 Utah Upland Game Guidebook. The books are available on www.wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks or from hunting license agents.

California and Gambel's quail are doing well in Utah this year. Both species are found in only a few areas in the state.

One of the best places to find quail is the Uintah Basin in northeastern Utah. Parts of south-central and southwestern Utah, especially Millard County, also have good numbers of birds.

Depending on where you hunt, you could find yourself in the middle of a bunch of cottontail rabbits this season.

Cottontail rabbits are known for their cyclic population patterns, which means the population will erupt and then crash over a certain period of time. What this means is hunters will find different rabbit numbers in different areas of the state.

"Focus your efforts in northern, south-central and southwestern Utah," said Dave Olsen, upland game coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. "That's where the state's rabbit populations are doing the best this year."

In other areas of the state, rabbit numbers are down a bit.

Whether they're in an area that has lots of rabbits or just a few, hunters should still find enough rabbits to keep them interested.

Olsen said the number of forest grouse and ring-necked pheasants available in Utah should be similar to last season.

Chukar and Hungarian partridge numbers should also be similar to last season, and last season, their numbers weren't that good.

Those looking for areas to hunt can visit www.wildlife.utah.gov/walkinaccess. The Web site lists private land that's now open to public hunters through the DWR's Walk-In Access program.