In a recent government meeting, discussions centered around wildlife management strategies, particularly concerning bison and sheep hunting permits. The meeting revealed a mix of support and opposition regarding the proposed redo of the bison hunt in the Book Cliffs area. Four comments were received against the hunt, citing concerns about setting poor precedents and the perception that it is an opportunity rather than a guarantee for hunters. Additionally, two comments suggested relocating bison to other units or allowing public harvesting instead of selling them to private parties.

The rationale behind the redo of the bison hunt was explained by officials, noting that previous hunters had not encountered any bison in the designated area, prompting the decision to allow those with tags from the previous year to hunt again. This decision was made to ensure that tags are not issued for areas lacking the species during the hunting season.

The meeting also included updates from various Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) regarding once-in-a-lifetime permit recommendations. The Southeastern RAC unanimously passed a motion supporting permit management for mountain goats and bighorn sheep, while the Southern RAC accepted the division's permit recommendations with a notable dissent from an agricultural representative concerned about significant cuts to bison permits on the Henry Mountains. The Northeastern and Northern RACs also passed motions to accept the recommendations unanimously.

In the Central region, discussions highlighted the North Slope Moose unit, which was reported to be significantly over its management objective. A motion was passed to increase moose permits in that area to 25, exceeding the division's recommendation of 22.

Overall, the meeting underscored the complexities of wildlife management and the varying perspectives among stakeholders regarding hunting permits and species conservation efforts.