License dollars used to conserve Utah's wildlife

Looking for that perfect gift for the angler or hunter on your Christmas list? If so, a Utah fishing or hunting license might be the answer. These licenses make great Christmas gifts. And they're easy to buy!

A Utah fishing or hunting license could be the perfect Christmas gift for the angler or hunter on your list.

Photo by Brent Stettler

The easiest way to buy one is at the Division of Wildlife Resources' Web site (wildlife.utah.gov). They're also available at DWR offices and from more than 350 fishing and hunting license agents across Utah.

Combination licenses—which allow the license holder to fish and hunt small game—are also available at the same locations and at the Web site.

They're good for 365 days

In addition to enjoying the outdoors in 2009, the person you give the license to will receive an added bonus—they won't have to wait until Jan. 1 to use it. These licenses are 365-day licenses. That means they're good for 365 days from the day you buy them.

For example, if you buy the license on Dec. 12, 2009, the person you give it to can use it immediately. And they can continue using it until Dec. 11, 2010.

One note: hunting and combination licenses do not include a deer or elk permit and do not allow someone to hunt deer or elk.

Hunters can apply for a 2010 general buck deer permit in February. General elk permits will be available in June on a first-come, first-served basis.

In addition to the three licenses, two-pole fishing permits, setline fishing permits and permits that allow people to chase cougars with hounds are also available.

Order early

If you buy a license or permit at the Web site (wildlife.utah.gov), you can have it mailed to you (so you can wrap it and give it as a gift), or you can have the license mailed directly to the person you're buying it for. It usually takes about five days for the license to arrive in the mail.

Costs

Utah resident license and permit costs are as follows:

License	Rate
Combination license	$30
Fishing license (14–64 years old)	$26
Fishing license (65 years old and older)	$21
Fishing license (12 and 13 years old)	$5
Two-pole permit	$15
Setline permit	$15
Hunting license (under 14 years of age)	$11
Hunting license (14 years old and older)	$26
Cougar pursuit permit	$30

They're easy to buy

"It's easy to buy a license for someone," says Judi Tutorow, wildlife licensing coordinator for the DWR. "About the only information you need to provide is the person's name, height, weight, eye color, hair color, date of birth, address and phone number."

If you buy a hunting or combination license from a license agent or the DWR's Web site, you must also supply the person's "blue card" number. This number verifies that the person you're buying the license for has completed a DWR-approved hunter education course. The course is required for anyone born after Dec. 31, 1965 who wants to hunt in Utah.

"Using the computers at our offices, we can verify that the person you're buying the permit for has completed hunter education," Tutorow says. "License agents don't have a way to do that. If you buy a hunting or combination license from a license agent, you'll have to supply the agent with the person's blue card number."

Two-pole and setline permits

Two-pole permits allow anglers—who must also possess a fishing license—to fish with two fishing poles at any water that's open to fishing in Utah.

Setline permits allow anglers to fish with one setline at Utah Lake; in the Bear River proper downstream from the Idaho state line, including Cutler Reservoir and the outlet canals; the Little Bear River below Valley View Highway (SR-30); and the Malad River.

Just like with two-pole permits, anglers must also possess a fishing license to fish with a setline. Anglers may not use setlines that contain more than 15 hooks.

For more information about Utah fishing and hunting licenses, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR's Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.