UTAH CLOSING WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS – Winter can be a very difficult time of year for wildlife. It is difficult for them to find food. It is also difficult for them to travel through the deep snow. Due to these circumstances, Utah closes seven Wildlife Management Areas every winter.
Winter Ranges
Animals on the winter range face a tough situation. Many nonprofit agencies work tirelessly to provide as much relief as possible during these tough months. If you’ve ever wanted to provide more help in conservation, the winter range is a great place to start.
Northern Utah can have some of the worse winter conditions. Depending on the year, they can receive several feet of snow through the winter months. The deep snow makes it very difficult for elk, deer, antelope and many other wild animals. On top of that concern, these animals have been chased by hunters for several months. Some hunts begin in August. While others, like the late cow elk hunts, don’t end until late December. For this reason, these wildlife need a break.
7 WMA’s Close
To provide some relief to the animals on the winter range, Utah has decided to close 7 Wildlife Management Areas. The management areas will be closed from January 1, 2021 through April 9th, 2021. The areas that will be closed are:
- Millville-Providence WMA
- Richmond WMA
- Brigham Face WMA
- Coldwater Canyon WMA
- Middle Fork WMA
- East Canyon WMA
- Henefer-Echo WMA
In the Henefer-Echo Wildlife Management Area, the Utah DWR will allow cow elk hunting from January 1 to January 21, 2021. This is for those individuals that have obtained a tag for the late cow elk hunt that extends into January. However, no other activities will be permitted on that area during that time.
An impact that these closures will have is on shed hunting. Typically, shed hunters hit the mountains in February or March. Due to the closure, shed hunters will need to wait until April 10th, 2021 to enter the areas.
Do you think it’s a good idea to close these areas during the winter?
