Outdoor notes

FAIR OFFERS WILDLIFE EVENTS

Plenty of activities are available in and around the Wildlife Building at this year's Utah State Fair.

Children can catch fish at a fishing pond. Many live animals will be on display. Pellet-gun shooting will be offered at a shooting trailer. And, after a one-year hiatus, many species of wild trout will be swimming in tanks inside the building.

In addition, live kingsnakes, desert tortoises and tiger salamanders will be on display. And wildlife rehabilitators with live birds of prey will be at the building from time to time.

The 2009 Utah State Fair opens today and runs through Sept. 10. The building will be open every day of the fair.

The fishing pond on the south side of the building will also be open from 4 to 8 p.m. each day. Anyone 13 years old and younger can fish at the pond. Anglers who are 12 and 13 years old must have a fishing license, however.

The Utah State Fairpark is located at 155 N. 1000 West in Salt Lake City.

More information about the 2009 fair is available at www.utah-state-fair.com/public_area.

YOUTH HUNTING DAY

Utah's special Youth Hunting Day will be held on Saturday, Sept. 19, this year.

That's two full weeks before the general waterfowl season begins on Oct. 3. It's also a week earlier than it's been held in the past.

"We want to give young hunters as many chances to hunt as possible, so we decided to move the youth hunt up one week," said Tom Aldrich, migratory game bird coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. "That way, kids can participate in it and also participate in the start of the general chukar hunt the following Saturday."

The youth waterfowl hunt is open to hunters who will be 15 years of age or younger on Sept. 19. To qualify, you must complete the state's hunter-education course, have a current hunting license and Harvest Information Program (HIP) number, and be accompanied by an adult.

Shooting starts at 6:42 a.m. that day.

More information about the Youth Hunting Day is available on Page 30 of the 2009-10 Utah Waterfowl Guidebook. The guidebook is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks.

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