The Utah Wildlife Board approved additional antlerless elk permits and updates to bison hunts during a public meeting on Thursday, according to an August 21 statement. The decisions were prompted by extreme drought conditions in Utah and a pneumonia outbreak within a Book Cliffs bison herd.
To prevent habitat damage caused by over-objective elk populations and limited forage, the board approved 450 additional antlerless elk permits for the 2026 hunting season. These permits will be distributed via an alternate draw list for specific units in Southern Utah, Northeastern Utah, and Central Utah. DWR Big Game Coordinator Mike Wardle stated that issuing these permits aims to redistribute elk to reduce pressure on limited forage due to ongoing drought conditions.
The board also approved changes for bison hunters following a significant die-off in the Book Cliffs, Bitter Creek area caused by pneumonia. The DWR confirmed the event reduced the local adult bison population by nearly 40%.
For hunter's choice any-legal-weapon hunts from Sept. 12-20 and Oct. 3-15, the 30-day surrender requirement is waived, allowing hunters to choose whether to retain or surrender permits. If surrendered, hunters receive a refund minus a $25 processing fee, reinstated bonus points plus one additional point, and a waived once-in-a-lifetime waiting period.
A similar waiver applies to the cow-only any-legal-weapon hunt from Nov. 14-29, which will feature a modified hunt boundary for the Book Cliffs, Little Creek/South unit. The board also voted to cancel the cow-only any-legal-weapon bison hunt in this area for 2027 to allow the herd to grow.
DWR Once-in-a-lifetime Species Coordinator Rusty Robinson noted that this type of die-off is unlike anything state biologists have witnessed in 20 years of GPS collaring bison in the area. Because the affected herd is near the Book Cliffs, Little Creek/South unit, the DWR will monitor that population for disease spread. The board granted the DWR authority to make similar hunter accommodations for that unit if necessary.
The DWR is also monitoring wildfire impacts on hunting. Relief for entire units may be authorized by the DWR director if more than 50% of hunting opportunities are unavailable and more than 50% of public land access is closed through state or federal administrative action.
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