[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86,98,110],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6202044,"mediaKeyId","3788097-e6649362b580cd49e840c9cb0447522d","parentId",3788097,"title","Wildlife board approves targeted sage‑grouse translocations to fill vacant habitat","audioSeconds",365,"startMs",6858000,"endMs",7223000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3788097-e6649362b580cd49e840c9cb0447522d&start=6858&end=7223","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3788097-e6649362b580cd49e840c9cb0447522d/thumbnail_6858000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6202044/Utah/Wildlife-board-approves-targeted-sagegrouse-translocations-to-fill-vacant-habitat","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202044-c9b64d2e18f8d608b3610749b398ae10/orig.mp4?Expires=1770871990&Signature=OuFfoCVntDM9dzCieD2OkThCCFv3Oit8tdWbYjiwzNWki2L9rd0lS2is67J0ivT2vMwRwd5EWoarfQeyHG7ZNmDvCireFyx~QbODADSHimCrTuPAgy7WJX1AW4Z9kYS5kzafexIQO21sgvcqqVYeGxPUGlJzpF2LE-WvtPV9c1LFBp1dIBGNH794Q6SnSNSv7WJU55tSQ8SiWTIYQfRMOnZKjBWckg5Wpv9-Pf37pUqhXJkqBiyeEUQ0w5hKw2x3onrFY~tdC2ftDfY~LcPfCbu5nWbAsX5vLecI1DmUzHs-OXwmGIzcBqcS1Qzf7bfAVvn-JVHpzkW7QSoDXsB4qw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-06-13T05:29:13Z","article","The Utah Wildlife Board voted June 12 to approve a Division of Wildlife Resources plan to translocate sage‑grouse from areas with robust populations to vacant but high‑quality habitat in other parts of the state.

Kobe (DWR) summarized the plan: take birds from Blue Mountain, Diamond Mountain and Parker areas and release them at Tidwell Slopes, Tabby Mountain and Browns Park to occupy vacant sagebrush habitat. Staff explained release locations were selected to be far enough from capture sites that translocated birds would be less likely to return home. The board heard that the species is not federally listed; past evaluations found listing “warranted but precluded” and later not warranted because conservation actions were under way.

The plan received unanimous RAC support and the board approved translocation as presented. Board members praised staff work and partnerships, and the division said monitoring will continue after releases.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Wildlife Board Meeting 6/12/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board approved DWR proposals to move sage‑grouse from areas with strong populations into vacant but suitable habitat in places including Tidwell Slopes, Tabby Mountain and Browns Park to bolster populations and occupancy.","taxTitle","Utah Department of Natural Resources, Utah Government Divisions, Utah Legislative Branch, Utah","taxId",7888,"location","Utah","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":46,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6202049,"Wildlife board largely approves CWMU variance requests; some regions urge closer review for public‑access parcels",2448,4775000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3788097-e6649362b580cd49e840c9cb0447522d&start=4775&end=7223","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3788097-e6649362b580cd49e840c9cb0447522d/thumbnail_4775000.jpg","/articles/6202049/Utah/Wildlife-board-largely-approves-CWMU-variance-requests-some-regions-urge-closer-review-for-publicaccess-parcels","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202049-d9ccbc71f1309702d6ca87651c759e46/orig.mp4?Expires=1770871990&Signature=jRX4XX~-9mpZFx3QOXbSuNIvIjDk3yyosLXt6cG10pZs8zOrLlUwERXfcsd5f2XFyjOGSYswE-HHEPy1VHwjS54Fb2TFbLE7Iw8Ap2gtP3Eo5OK1-LkTvQUXNO438G8qy3WW9I6m72zSqHN3ICrt890d71j22CwjiqMYb9xFzIC5lkmWoAJdxzCo4xvmGYqlzB~xUHJ0FcPDLEwckAP1Ur26o-00v9KC6ZF-fsle8Ru9YF1Mfe2CPs-TaUt2M1smFkNiOPE1GsnbLrtmLKikoontWnbyJmTf09DRUsqEXl47r31L3TGaeGPlS9BAdDcoxcS3Xl~tIgCd1aujNEUeWA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Utah Wildlife Board on June 12 approved the majority of Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit (CWMU) variance requests presented by the Division of Wildlife Resources, after discussion among RACs and board members about public‑land inclusions and how recently adopted corner‑crossing rules might change public access.

Division staff said two CWMUs drew additional scrutiny: Ingham Peak (recommended for approval) and TL Bar Ranch (an antelope‑only CWMU with 640 acres of adjacent public land, of which staff said roughly 600 acres is salt flats and only about 40 acres was likely usable). The Central and Southeast RACs expressed caution about renewals that include accessible public land; the Central RAC recommended denying two renewals and approving two new applications, while the Southeast RAC voted to deny the TL Bar Ranch variance because corner‑crossing could open access there. Other RACs recommended approval with minor edits.

Board members emphasized the program’s role in building landowner tolerance of wildlife and supporting production agriculture, while also noting the need for clear, enforceable boundaries. The board approved the staff recommendations with an added instruction that division staff explain new options — such as the recently created landowner permit program — to landowners when they apply for CWMU renewals.

Action: Motion to accept as presented with the caveat that landowners be informed of alternate programs (e.g., landowner permits) passed; vote carried. Staff said CWMA advisory committee recommendations carried weight in board deliberations and that the division reevaluates public‑land inclusions on renewal.","The Utah Wildlife Board approved most CWMU (Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit) applications with public‑land variances but heard divergent regional recommendations and questions about the impact of recent corner‑crossing law changes on access.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6202053,"Wildlife board adopts rule implementing HB309; federal employee exemptions debated",1179,6066000,7245000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3788097-e6649362b580cd49e840c9cb0447522d&start=6066&end=7245","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3788097-e6649362b580cd49e840c9cb0447522d/thumbnail_6066000.jpg","/articles/6202053/Utah/Wildlife-board-adopts-rule-implementing-HB309-federal-employee-exemptions-debated","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202053-3c8556163f42fd88750f68fff214ca6c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770871990&Signature=S4aDkjXtRJ7C8laq7mKs1Wc893QWW--W-MbX0hKEMzoj53~lHZGF1nzRyt~BvY6m85YXsBhhXE~p1ST4F1zLNu4I4DI5R62GQOX6OIqqfYamyr6BA-2UcW6RY428THExyXgAzjjDWkTxLgNlES9HlnvddjUj069IMlWwZFRnXVaObjB~GkScTShd~5Y05HGxHdBwg0XgOMSHsraFnCHO15aXvI5-OFHSKWPuZjfTs0a-TmXieQhgDwRHc45a6pcAGe1-CLUTz5xdSCb6Tc7aymHwCNpBcK8LMrg3k8uE7-Oqxl94275YL7C4maWSKE~NNWu4IWBUlTh2CtKdnjLuFA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Utah Wildlife Board voted June 12 to adopt rule language to implement House Bill 309, which added a license requirement for people accessing certain Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in Utah’s first‑ and second‑class counties.

Chelsea (staff) told the board HB309 took effect May 7 and that the law limits the board’s authority: it may define exemptions and what qualifies as an educational program or visitor center, and it applies to WMAs in specified counties. Several RACs recommended adding an exemption for federal land‑management agency employees conducting official duties; board staff said current statute already allows the division to grant written permission or enter contracts, and the board voted to include a license exemption for federal employees performing official duties.

Director Riley Peck summarized online public input: 17 submissions, many expressing concern the change was government overreach or a “money grab,” while other commenters supported license purchases as a means to contribute to WMA acquisition and management. Several board members emphasized that WMAs are managed for wildlife and are funded largely through hunting and fishing license revenue and associated excise funds.

Board action: The board approved the division’s proposal as presented and added an explicit exemption in rule for federal land‑management employees while conducting official duties. Staff said they can also manage exemptions by written contract if desired.","The board approved a rule implementing House Bill 309 that requires valid hunting or fishing licenses to access certain Wildlife Management Areas and added an exemption for federal land‑management employees performing official duties.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6202057,"Utah Wildlife Board approves interim rules to implement new guides and outfitters law amid stakeholder concerns",180,2160000,2340000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3788097-e6649362b580cd49e840c9cb0447522d&start=2160&end=2340","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3788097-e6649362b580cd49e840c9cb0447522d/thumbnail_2160000.jpg","/articles/6202057/Utah/Utah-Wildlife-Board-approves-interim-rules-to-implement-new-guides-and-outfitters-law-amid-stakeholder-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202057-ede0156803508d5daba29ce748c994b4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770871990&Signature=TXFR-VkxxHLDXTQLVm0tsMaA1CwGotWqqTT8iseWqPUa8fVvvif97K0LBSBFmn0wMR5LQD5925xEvOr4gbI1DvCNeyZhqzkP~JA~u8KbvHZTvj79EKyIcrAsNGFD5-2zv3Nw4WApSHEkme~1tIGCOhY-h5EWCi9TSaE~ghudRTcsodvPgrIT9IMSSSDv2j70Uop4y9BdEp8WRwx1itDsQqXg5PD706YQIX-FY2L08RI7cuGmNfccQmNNEiCMQOVf2gVaB2IAxiU3gJNl8D8EYgAMu~gQY0cybEq2iRnf2~leMHjq7WzT72EvyyxLruBWf3M3KRnUPHr371eDo66zxQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Utah Wildlife Board on June 12 approved administrative rules to implement a newly enacted state law that moves regulation of commercial guides and outfitters from the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing to the Division of Wildlife Resources and establishes a certificate‑of‑registration program for guides, outfitters and spotters.

Chad Betridge of DNR law enforcement and Kyle Maynard, assistant attorney general, briefed the board. Maynard said the legislation originated as House Bill 153 and moved through the session as Senate Bill 149; it requires the division to operate a licensing program beginning this fall. “This is a new program for the division of wildlife,” Maynard said. He described the adopted rule as a “living rule” that provides the mechanism to collect fees and issue certificates this season while stakeholders continue to refine specifics.

Board and RAC discussion focused on fee levels, the role of outfitters in certifying guides, complication with federal special‑use permits for operating on U.S. Forest Service or BLM lands, and worker‑compensation and liability insurance for hired helpers. Chad Betridge explained two edits adopted during the RAC process: requiring an attestation that applicants seeking to operate on federal land have the relevant federal permits rather than conditioning state registration on having the federal permit in hand, and removing prescriptive insurance language so applicants follow state and federal insurance law.

The board also discussed stakeholder calls for additional training or certification for guides, concerns about the jump from a $40‑every‑other‑year fee under the former program to the statutory fee in the current law (the AG’s office said the fee is set in statute), and whether a graduated fee schedule for low‑volume guides should be considered in future code changes. Several RACs recommended the division convene a stakeholder committee to refine implementation; the Southeast RAC passed a motion requesting that committee, which the board and staff said could be formed by the division.

The board approved the rule package as presented; two members recused themselves from the vote because of family or business involvement with outfitting. Staff said the rule will be revisited after interim legislative discussions and stakeholder input. Kyle Maynard advised that issues requiring statutory change will need to move through the Legislature; he and division staff encouraged affected parties to participate in next week’s interim discussions.","The board approved rule language to start licensing guides, outfitters and spotters after the Legislature moved the program from DOPL to the Division of Wildlife Resources; staff and the attorney general’s office said the rule is a starting point and will be refined after stakeholder discussions and potential statutory cleanup.",{"_33":111,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":112,"_41":113,"_43":114,"_45":115,"_47":116,"_49":117,"_51":118,"_53":119,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":120,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":121,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6202062,"Utah wildlife officials report major hatchery gains for tiger muskie, walleye and hybrid striped bass",155,660000,815000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3788097-e6649362b580cd49e840c9cb0447522d&start=660&end=815","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3788097-e6649362b580cd49e840c9cb0447522d/thumbnail_660000.jpg","/articles/6202062/Utah/Utah-wildlife-officials-report-major-hatchery-gains-for-tiger-muskie-walleye-and-hybrid-striped-bass","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202062-fb530a35508f42490cac90259125f006/orig.mp4?Expires=1770871990&Signature=lt4IQp1l81HwpzQXi-31ke~4h70DrR5AvFrnAlMjtc4P8cvt4ACEOjPwiG47eOOh21FdYYd49qv6Ogrib~SBieVHeGD2R5E8XOLpYUuVAjJZMZhzRUH3H~Ij0d05-9C6YkpWDnU8KStHocHhQRCJsWM8scQe344z3-wywrIdnPj2W0p-lWcQ9xYgfhVgwddAVFTsNx37LjK9vy03-GOPuHRCsZGDBrw07CEppFiMNqOJ2sITGFO1d9nfl1X0Va8Yiy7xnlJa66FvzbeTiUyBllj~aNLHVrs25QzolfsruUIdF3UW81lXD4g~qpWItW2h~9tSeA5pHf6EIiQBqm~6ww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Riley Peck, director of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, told the Utah Wildlife Board on June 12 that DWR hatcheries had an unusually productive rearing season for several sport-fish species and that habitat work and accessibility projects were under way at the Eccles Wildlife Education Center.

Peck said the division incubated “750,000 tiger muskie eggs,” stocked more than 80,000 2‑inch tiger muskie and had another 12,000 fish ready to stock at 8 inches. He reported collection of “9,700,000 walleye eggs,” stocking more than 1,000,000 walleye into Willard Bay and other waters, and about 500,000 three‑inch sterile walleye available for additional stocking. For hybrid striped bass, using female striped bass and male white bass from Utah Lake, he reported “over a thousand 100,000 at our Wall Week facility and 400,000 at our hatchery in Springville.”

The board was also told the division’s aquatic research center had advanced rearing techniques for warm‑water species that staff described as unusually successful this year. “These numbers sound really, really large, and they should,” Peck said.

Peck also summarized habitat work and visitor improvements: restoration and spring projects to combat conifer encroachment, ongoing field seasons for habitat work and a new accessibility feature at the Eccles center — a Braille legacy trail — intended to broaden access to wildlife viewing. He noted ongoing field studies in collaboration with Brigham Young University, neonate elk and deer monitoring, and a bighorn sheep nursery project that this week released 25 bighorn sheep relocated from Nevada.

Board members and several public speakers praised the releases and volunteer involvement; Sportsmen & Fish Wildlife representative Troy Justerson thanked the division for allowing volunteers to participate in field work and nursery releases. Peck emphasized the role of partners and said the nursery facility expands future restoration options.

Board action: none. This was an informational divisional update.","Division of Wildlife Resources director Riley Peck told the Utah Wildlife Board that DWR hatcheries produced and stocked unusually large numbers of tiger muskie, walleye and hybrid striped bass this season and celebrated new habitat and accessibility projects at the Eccles Wildlife Education Center.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Wildlife board approves targeted sage‑grouse translocations to fill vacant habitat

Wildlife board largely approves CWMU variance requests; some regions urge closer review for public‑access parcels

Wildlife board adopts rule implementing HB309; federal employee exemptions debated

Utah Wildlife Board approves interim rules to implement new guides and outfitters law amid stakeholder concerns

Utah wildlife officials report major hatchery gains for tiger muskie, walleye and hybrid striped bass