Southern RAC approves changes to big-game rule including eased limits on importing antlered skulls; CWD concerns remain

CEDAR CITY, Utah — The Southern Region Advisory Council approved changes to Utah’s big-game rule R657-5 on April 15, voting 9–2 to adopt a package of amendments that include a firm Feb. 15 deadline for mandatory harvest reporting, clarifications about youth privileges on restricted-rifle hunts and a rollback of the prohibition on importing antlered skulls from states where chronic wasting disease (CWD) is present.

The rule changes were presented to the council by Dax, the division’s big-game coordinator, who described the importation change as a response to low compliance and requests from hunters who want to bring complete skulls for European-style mounts. “We’re recommending walking that back just a tiny bit to allow for the importation of a head — a skull with the brain material still in it,” Dax said, adding that the division judged the practice a low risk because most heads taken to Utah are sent to taxidermists rather than discarded outdoors.

Why it matters: CWD is a fatal, long-lived prion disease that persists in the environment and has been a focal point of statewide wildlife management. The council’s vote effectively permits antlered…