The best news comes from Utah. This year Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) has proposed increasing the number of general season deer tags from 64,725 to 71,525. To be clear, these additional tags are not directed at the Northern or Central units given the high winter mortality last year. Instead, the vast majority of these tags (5,375) would be added to units in the Southeast region.

Several of these units will see a 40 percent increase over last year. The availability of more tags will mean more hunting opportunities for more people. The rational provided by the DWR for these increases were: 1) improving conditions of deer and their habitats and 2) that in the past the agency had quickly reduced tag numbers in poor situations but increased them more slowly when favorable conditions returned. A larger number of tags will primarily affect the number and age of bucks harvested not the overall deer population. This trade-off — more tags but potentially fewer older bucks — seems like a defensible decision.

By contrast, the number of Utah tags for elk, mountain goat and bighorn sheep are essentially unchanged. The only meaningful deviations in other species are a more than 10 percent increase in pronghorn buck tags and the 40 percent decline in the number of bison permits.

The biggest change in Idaho was not the number of tags available but that only 18,329 mule deer were harvested last year. This is 5,000 less than any other year in the last decade. Much of the reduced harvest was due to poor winter conditions in the southeast prior to last year’s hunting season.

Idaho continues to sell tags over the counter to residents. The first-come-first-serve nonresident tags sell out within a few days of when they become available in December. In Idaho, the ability to get a nonresident tag is about timing and persistence.

The deep snow of 2023 also greatly reduced the number of deer, elk and antelope tags in western Wyoming. The other big change in this state was the increased cost of special tags. Once the number of nonresident tags is determined, 60 percent of these are general tags while the remaining 40 percent are more costly special tags. As a nonresident you can apply for either type of tag with the idea being fewer people will apply for the higher cost special tag.

In prior years, a special tag for elk cost $1,270 and around $650 for mule deer or antelope. This year a special elk tag costs nearly $2,000 and special deer and antelope tags cost $1,200. This huge markup will cause most people to apply for general tags whose cost did not increase, making them much harder to draw. The higher cost of special tags will benefit people willing to pay this exorbitant cost by allowing them to hunt more often. For me, these added costs mean that once I use up my existing Wyoming preference points, I will probably stop applying for big game tags in that state.

There are many other smaller changes that will affect hunters next year. One simple addition is Utah, like Idaho, will require all big game hunters to report their harvest. Reports for elk will include measuring the length of the main beams and the number and length of points. Measurements of deer will include the distance between the main beams (spread) and the number of points. Digitally collecting these data from all big game hunters should reduce data collection cost and improve management. Both Idaho and Utah will make it more difficult to receive a future tag if you do not complete this report.

Applications for big game tags are now being taken in Utah, Idaho and Wyoming. Utah’s application period covers all big game species and is open until April 25. In Idaho, you can apply for moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goats from now until the end of April. Idaho’s applications for limited entry deer, elk and antelope tags will be accepted between May 1 and June 5. Finally, Wyoming’s nonresident application period for deer and antelope is open and runs until the end of May.

Good luck.