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If you want to hunt cougars in Utah this season, but you didn't draw a limited entry permit earlier this fall, mark Nov. 6 on your calendar.
That's the day permits to hunt cougars on harvest objective units go on sale.
What's a harvest objective unit?
Judi Tutorow, wildlife licensing coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, says there are three major differences between harvest objective units and limited entry units.
"There is no limit on the number of permits we can sell for a harvest objective unit. And you can buy harvest objective permits on the Internet or over-the-counter," Tutorow says.
"The hunt on a harvest objective unit can close before the season ends, however, if hunters take the number of cougars biologists want taken," she says. "For example, let's say the harvest objective on a unit is 10 cougars. The hunt on that unit will close when 10 cougars are taken, even if the date when the season is supposed to end hasn't arrived yet."
The chance a unit might close early shouldn't be a big challenge for you, though. Harvest objective hunting is allowed on 32 units in Utah. If the unit you want to hunt closes, you can still hunt on any harvest objective unit that's still open to hunting.
Reminders
Utah's 2008–2009 cougar harvest objective season begins Nov. 19, 2008 on some units and Feb. 14, 2009 on others. "The dates for each unit are available on pages 25, 26 and 27 of the 2008–2009 Utah Cougar Guidebook," Tutorow says.
The guidebook is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/proclamations and from hunting and fishing license agents and DWR offices statewide.
Tutorow reminds you that you may not buy a harvest objective permit if you've already obtained a limited entry cougar permit for the 2008–2009 season.
Before each hunting trip, you must call 1-888-668-LION (5466), or visit the DWR's Web site, to verify that the unit you'd like to hunt the next day is still open to hunting. The phone line and the Web site are updated by noon with information for the following day.
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