February 2, 2012 is the first day to apply

If you like to hunt bears in Utah, two big changes await you this year:

Starting Feb. 2, you can apply for a permit to hunt or pursue bears in Utah this year.

Photo by Lynn Chamberlain

• Spot-and-stalk only hunts will be held on two new units this year.
  
  The two units, the La Sal and San Juan units in southeastern Utah, are among the state's most popular and best bear hunting areas.
  
  The spot-and-stalk only hunts run Oct. 6–29. Thirty spot-and-stalk only permits will be offered for the La Sal unit, and 30 permits will be offered for the San Juan unit.
  
  Hunters may not use hounds or bait during spot-and-stalk hunts. Instead, they must spot bears and stalk them.
• For the first time, three harvest-objective bear hunts will be offered in Utah.
  
  The number of hunters who can hunt on a harvest-objective area isn't limited, so switching a limited-entry area to a harvest-objective area gives more people a chance to hunt the area.
  
  To protect bears on harvest-objective areas, the number of bears that can be taken on each area is limited. Once that limit—also known as the area's quota—is reached, the hunt on the area ends for the season.
  
  Harvest-objective hunts will be offered on three areas: The Wasatch Mountains, Currant Creek, Avintaquin unit in north central Utah, the Beaver unit in southwestern Utah and the Nine Mile unit in southeastern Utah.
  
  Harvest-objective permits go on sale March 15, 2012.

Feb 2, 2012

You can apply for a bear hunting or a bear pursuit permit starting Feb. 2 at wildlife.utah.gov.

To be included in the draw for permits, your application must be received through the website no later than 11 p.m. on Feb. 23.

Results of the 2012 Utah black bear draw will be available by March 13.

Apply for a bonus point

If you're not going to hunt bears in 2012, you can still apply for a bonus point. Bonus points increase the chance you'll draw a bear permit in the future.

Applications for bonus points will also be accepted at wildlife.utah.gov from Feb. 2 until 11 p.m. on Feb. 23.

2012 Black Bear Guidebook

Before you apply, you need a copy of the 2012 Utah Black Bear Guidebook. The guidebook is available online at wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks.

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