Speak Up for Utah’s Cougars!

2021-08-26: Update

Utah Wildlife Board approves excessive 2021-22 hunt recommendations

Utah’s newly approved hunting targets for mountain lions are excessive and unsustainable, according to an analysis by conservation advocates. The Utah Wildlife Board voted Thursday to allow unlimited cougar hunting in most of the state, and to place harvest limits elsewhere. During the 2020-21 cougar hunting season, a record 702 kills by hunters and Wildlife Services were reported by the Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR).

Under the plan, 33 of the 53 cougar hunting units will allow unlimited year-round harvest and have a goal of >40% female harvest. For the remaining 20 cougar hunt units, DWR recommended that hunters be permitted to kill up to 297 cougars. The policy allows a single hunter to kill up to 2 cougars per year, but does not allow the killing of cougars that have been collared by researchers statewide.

Read our full press release here.

Speak Up for Utah’s Cougars!

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has released their cougar hunt recommendations for the upcoming season. If you live in Utah, please attend the Wildlife Board meeting on August 26, 2021 to give your feedback on their recommendations. You can also submit written comment to the Wildlife Board. The deadlines for comment and meeting schedule are posted below.

To submit your comments, visit: https://wildlife.utah.gov/agendas-materials-minutes.html:

Commenting instructions:
- Click on “Proposals: Share your feedback”
- Select the Wildlife Board to send comments to the members
- Scroll down to the 2021-22 Cougar Recommendations and watch the video
- Click on “I have watched this presentation and would like to give feedback.”
- Check on your position and include comments in the box titled, “Do you have any additional comments about these recommendations?”
- Lastly, scroll down to “Contact Information” and complete the required fields to submit.

Wildlife Board meeting schedule:

Utah Wildlife Board meeting: Aug. 26 at 9 a.m. MDT (Written comments must be submitted by Aug. 19 at 11:59 p.m. MDT)
Location: 1594 W North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84116