Birds, bucks and bright orange: Utah’s top hunting and wildlife-related bills passed this year

A bird flies in the Willard Bay portion of the Great Salt Lake on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

Whether it’s bucking national guidelines on bird names or requiring hunters wear more orange-colored clothing, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox recently signed into law a number of hunting and wildlife-related bills passed by lawmakers this session. 

Probably the biggest wildlife and hunting-related bill this session was HB382, sponsored by Rep. Casey Snider, a sweeping, thousand-plus line law that:

• Considers new development “infringing on existing wildlife habitat” which could prevent anyone involved from qualifying for a wildlife damage or nuisance claim. 
• Allows the Utah Wildlife Board to create a season for recreational antler or horn gathering. 
• Prevents a butcher or taxidermist from accepting the carcass of a protected animal — like a prairie dog or tortoise — unless it was properly tagged or donated. 
• Increases fines for things like illegally taking or destroying wildlife, or assisting someone in a wildlife violation. 

The bill also directs the Division of Wildlife Resources to use the existing names of bird species in Utah, a response to a recent decision from the American Ornithological Society to change the name of birds with English monikers — for example, Wilson’s Warbler or Nelson’s Sparrow, both found in Utah. 

Sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Gricius, R-Eagle Mountain, is HB222, which would increase the amount of hunter orange worn when hunting big game like elk, deer or bighorn sheep. 

• Now, hunters will be required to wear either a hat, shirt, jacket, coat, vest or sweater that is bright orange and on the person’s exterior. 
• It also allows the DWR director to require other recreators, like anglers, campers or hikers, to wear hunter orange when recreating on a wildlife management area during a big game hunting season. 

HB469, sponsored by Rep. Ryan Wilcox, R-Ogden, would create an entirely new division within the Utah Department of Natural Resources — the Division of Law Enforcement. Law enforcement officers from the state’s Division of Wildlife, Division of Forestry Fire and State Lands, and Division of Outdoor Recreation and State Parks will be consolidated into the single entity, with hope that it will improve communication and break down silos between departments. 

Lawmakers also appropriated $8.5 million to acquire 2,600 acres of private property in Morgan County that will mostly be included in the DWR’s East Canyon Wildlife Management Area and East Canyon State Park. 

And an additional $2 million will go to the Endangered Species Mitigation Fund to prevent native species from being listed under the Endangered Species Act by increasing conservation efforts. 

The post Birds, bucks and bright orange: Utah’s top hunting and wildlife-related bills passed this year appeared first on Utah News Dispatch.

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