Black bears

• 2022
• 2021
• 2020
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• 2018

Updates

Page 31: The "Changes to trail camera and night-vision device rules" informational box was updated to include the full Utah code and administrative rules citations that now apply: Utah code § 23A-5-307 and Utah Admin. Rules R657-5-7, R657-33-9 and R657-10-9. Additionally, the content was edited to clarify that the rule regarding the sale or purchase of trail camera (or other non-handheld device) media for the take or attempted take of protected wildlife was a 2022 Utah Wildlife Board decision.

The digital edition of this guidebook has been updated with these changes.

License and permit fee changes July 1, 2023: The Utah Legislature approved several proposed changes to Utah's fishing and hunting license and permit fees, which went into effect on July 1, 2023. Please see the full list of license and permit fee changes that now apply since this guidebook was published.

This is the first fee increase for Utah residents since 2014. The DWR is currently 92% self-funded through license and permit fees, and receives only limited funding from the state's General Fund, which is appropriated for specific issues that impact all Utahns. Note: If you drew a hunting permit prior to June 30, 2023, you will not be charged the new permit fee.

May 3, 2023: Changes to the cougar regulatory cycle

In March 2023, the Utah Legislature changed the state's rules and regulatory cycle for cougar hunting, which no longer align with the bear regulatory cycle and permit requirements. Mentions of requiring a permit for hunting cougars have been struck from pages 3 and 20 of the 2023 Utah Black Bear Guidebook.

The digital edition of the guidebook has been updated with these changes.

May 3, 2023: Changes to trail camera rules

The Utah Legislature made changes to the state's trail camera rules, effective May 3, 2023. Trail cameras are prohibited on public land from July 31 to Dec. 31, with some exceptions for research and monitoring by land management agencies. The sale or purchase of trail camera footage in the take — or attempted take — of big game, cougar or bear is still prohibited. The new law allows the use of trail cameras that utilize internal data storage to be used on private property.

These changes went into effect after the 2023 Utah Black Bear Guidebook was printed. The digital edition of this guidebook has been updated with the following changes:

Page 3: What's new
Changes to trail camera regulations: The Utah Legislature made changes to the state's trail camera rules, effective May 3, 2023. Trail cameras are prohibited on public land from July 31 to Dec. 31, with some exceptions for research and monitoring by land management agencies. The sale or purchase of trail camera footage in the take — or attempted take — of big game, cougar or bear is still prohibited. The new law allows the use of trail cameras that utilize internal data storage to be used on private property. For details, see the information box on page 31 and visit wildlife.utah.gov/trailcams.

Page 29: Field regulations
Trail cameras and their data (new)
Utah Admin. Rule R657-5-7 and Utah Code § 23-13-18

At the direction of the Utah Legislature, changes to the state's trail camera laws went into effect May 3, 2023.

Trail cameras — other non-handheld devices capable of capturing image, video, location, time, or date data in the field to take, attempt to take, or aid in the take or attempted take of big game — are prohibited on public land from July 31 to Dec. 31. There are some exceptions for research and monitoring by land management agencies (and other approved applications).

The sale or purchase of footage or data from any trail camera (or non-handheld device) that could be used to take, attempt to take, or aid in the take or attempted take of big game, cougars or bears is prohibited. That includes images or video, location information, time and date of the footage, and any other data that could aid in the harvest or attempted take of big game, cougars or bears.

The new law allows for the use of trail cameras that utilize internal data storage to be used on private property for the purposes of taking protected wildlife.

For details, see the information box on page 31, definitions on pages 46–47, and visit wildlife.utah.gov/trailcams for answers to frequently asked questions.

Page 31: Trail camera and night-vision device rules information box
Changes to trail camera regulations and night-vision device rules
Utah Admin. Rule R657-5-7 and Utah Code § 23-13-18

The Utah Legislature made several wildlife-related amendments in March 2023, including laws regarding the use of trail cameras that went into effect May 3, 2023.

What is a trail camera?

• "Trail camera" means a device that is not held or manually operated by a person, and is capable of capturing images, video or location data of wildlife using heat or motion to trigger the device.

What are the trail camera regulations in Utah?

• All trail cameras are prohibited on public land from July 31 to Dec. 31 (with some exceptions, listed below).
• A trail camera using internal data storage and not capable of transmitting live data is permitted for use on private land for the purposes of legal hunting.
• The sale or purchase of footage or data from any trail camera (or non-handheld device) that could be used to take, attempt to take, or aid in the take or attempted take of big game, cougars or bears is prohibited. That includes images or video, location information, time and date of the footage, and any other data that could aid in the harvest or attempted take of big game, cougars or bears.

The seasonal restrictions on trail camera use do not apply to:

• Monitoring and research conducted by the DWR.
• A land management agency in the course of its regular duties.
• Approved organizations or individuals conducting research or monitoring in collaboration with the DWR. These include non-governmental organizations, educational institutions, individuals or groups monitoring active agricultural operations (including the take of a bear or cougar that is causing livestock depredation), or municipalities participating in the Urban Deer Program.
• Private landowners may use any trail camera or other non-handheld device to monitor their property for trespass and active agricultural operations.

What should I do if I see a trail camera in use during the seasonal closure?

Leave it alone and contact our conservation officers with the camera coordinates. Do not attempt to remove or damage the camera — it's someone else's property and may be in use legally.

What are the rules for night-vision devices?

• The rule prohibits the use of any night-vision device to locate or attempt to locate big game, cougars or bears from 48 hours before any hunt in the area through 48 hours after any big game, cougar or bear hunt ends in the area.
• A night-vision device is defined as anything that enhances visible and non-visible light and includes the use of night-vision devices, thermal-imaging devices, infrared-imaged devices and other electronic devices that enhance the visible and non-visible light spectrum.
• A trail camera is not a night-vision device.

For more information

Visit wildlife.utah.gov/trailcams for more details about these rules.

Corrections

page 27: In the Bear baiting, using bait section of the printed guidebook, the list of disallowed materials should include metal. The following change (noted in red) has been made to the digital edition of this guidebook:

"Bait may not be contained in—nor can it include—any metal, glass, porcelain, plastic, cardboard or paper."

Due to an inconsistency in RAC presentation materials, the printed edition of the guidebook lists the closing date for the spring hound hunt and opening date of the summer bait season as May 30, 2023. The Utah Wildlife Board intended that the closing date for the spring hound hunt and opening date of the summer bait season should be May 29 (to overlap on Memorial Day, 2023). The following changes (noted here in red) have been made to the digital edition of this guidebook to reflect this correction.

page 3: Bait season changes: The board also eliminated the fall bait season so that it will not overlap with seasons allowing dogs. (It is illegal to use both bait and hounds at the same time during the same hunt.) The only season that allows bait is the summer limited-entry season, May 29–June 30, 2023, on specified hunt units. See the hunt tables beginning on page 36 for more information.

page 6: KEY DATES
Pursuit season dates (units not designated as restricted)
Spring April 1–May 29, 2023

Pursuit season dates for restricted pursuit units:
Spring (all three units, restricted only for nonresidents) April 1–May 29, 2023

page 36: Spring limited-entry hunts table
update end date on all hunts to April 1–May 29

page 37: Summer limited-entry hunts table
update start date on all hunts to May 29–June 30

page 38: Summer limited-entry hunts table, continued
update start date on all three hunts to May 29–June 30

page 42: Restricted pursuit limited-entry units table

Book Cliffs (BR1015)	April 1–May 29
La Sal (BR1017)	April 1–May 29
San Juan (BR1016)	April 1–May 29

Important: The spring pursuit seasons on these units are not restricted for residents. If you're a resident, you do not need to apply for a pursuit permit in the drawing. To pursue bear during the spring pursuit season (April 1–May 29, 2023) on the Book Cliffs, La Sal or San Juan units, you can simply obtain a pursuit permit at wildlife.utah.gov, from a license agent or at any Division office.

page 43: Harvest-objective hunts
updates for the following three hunts

Nine Mile	April 1–May 29
North Slope, Three Corners/West Daggett	April 1–May 29
South Slope, Yellowstone	April 1–May 29

page 44: Harvest-objective hunts, continued

Wasatch Mtns, Avintaquin/Currant Creek

April 1–May 29