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Votes at a glance: Utah Wildlife Board actions, May 1, 2025
Summary
A compact summary of motions the Utah Wildlife Board approved at its May 1 meeting. Items range from rule amendments to permit recommendations and several action-log additions.
The following is a summary of formal motions recorded in the Utah Wildlife Board meeting on May 1, 2025. This list captures the motion text (as recorded), mover, seconder (if recorded in the transcript), outcome and any follow-up direction recorded in the meeting.
1) Taking Big Game Rule amendments (agenda item 5) Motion: "Make a motion to approve the Taking Big Game rule amendments as presented." Mover: Kent Johnson. Second: Bryce Thurgood. Outcome: Approved; transcript records "Motion carries unanimous." Follow-up: Division to add guidance to the Big Game field regulations guidebook; staff to report back if regulatory changes are proposed.
2) Action-log addition: aerial equipment for hunting/retrieval Motion: "Place the use of aerial equipment for hunting and retrieval (helicopters, fixed-wing, drones) on the action log for further review and recommendation." Mover: Bryce Thurgood. Second: Kent Johnson. Outcome: Approved (unanimous). Follow-up: Division to prepare analysis addressing FAA and federal land-management rules and options for guidance or rule changes.
3) Deer permit recommendations (agenda item 6) Motion: "Approve the division's deer permit recommendations as presented." Mover: Kent Johnson. Second: Bryce Thurgood. Outcome: Approved; included division revision reducing Beaver West proposed permits from 900 to 500. Follow-up: Monitor post-season buck:doe ratios, collar movement and classification data; division to report if further changes are recommended.
4) Once-in-a-lifetime permit recommendations (agenda item 7) Motion: "Accept the once in a lifetime permit recommendations as presented." Mover: Brett Selman. Second: Kent Johnson. Outcome: Approved (unanimous).
5) Bull elk permit recommendations (agenda item 8) Motion: "Pass as presented." Mover: Brett Selman. Second: Randy Dearth. Outcome: Approved (unanimous). Follow-up: Mid-plan conversations about spike/general rotation were discussed for future elk committee review.
6) Buck pronghorn permit recommendations (agenda item 9) Motion: "Accept the Buck Pronghorn permit recommendations as presented." Mover: Paula Richmond. Second: Gary Nelson. Outcome: Approved (unanimous).
7) Antlerless permit recommendations (agenda item 10) Motion: "Accept the division's antlerless permit recommendations as presented." Mover: Kent Johnson. Second: Brett Selman. Outcome: Approved (unanimous). Noted: Some RACs requested small local adjustments (Pine Valley additional permits) that were discussed.
8) CWMU analyst permit recommendations (agenda item 11) Motion: "Accept the CWMU analyst permit recommendations as presented." Mover: Bridal/Brett Selman (recorded as motion by Bridal). Second: Gary Nelson. Outcome: Approved; one board member (Randy Dearth) recused from the vote.
9) Landowner permit rule amendments / HB202 implementation (agenda item 12) Motion: "Accept the division's proposal as presented with the addition that the division evaluate public benefit as a criterion for HB202 vouchers." Mover: Kent Johnson. Second: Gary Nelson. Outcome: Approved. Follow-up: Division to draft public-benefit criteria and return with options for points-loss/waiting-period rules; board placed a separate action-log item to analyze point-loss application.
10) Expo/conservation-permit rule amendments (agenda item 13) Motion: "Accept the expo rule amendments as presented." Mover: Gary Nelson. Second: Brett Selman. Outcome: Approved (unanimous). Discussion included contractor flexibility for a small online validation allowance; majority favored in-person expo validation to preserve resident advantage.
11) CWMU acreage/permit corrections (late agenda item) Motion: "Approve the CWMU acreage/permit corrections as presented." Mover: Kent Johnson. Second: Paula Richmond. Outcome: Approved (unanimous).
Several votes were recorded as unanimous in the meeting transcript; where individual roll-call tallies were not recorded in the transcript we note only the recorded outcome. Several items produced follow-up directions recorded above; those are the board's next steps.
The board adjourned after completing the agenda; staff will return with the above follow-ups according to the due-dates directed in the meeting.
