Utah

Utah’s ‘shed hunting’ season to begin on time as deer conditions improve

Published

2 years ago

January 31, 2024

Utah’s ‘shed hunting’ season to begin on time as deer conditions improve

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SALT LAKE CITY — Male deer, elk, moose and other big game animals typically shed their antlers around late winter and early spring, before regrowth later in the year. When this natural process happens, many people are eager to swoop in and collect the antlers.

“Shed hunting,” as it’s called, is quite popular in Utah. State wildlife officials estimate that more than 20,000 people go out and search for dropped antlers every season.

Since late winter and early spring are typically the toughest times for wildlife, the state requires participants take an ethics course to help avoid causing any issues.

With closer-to-normal winter conditions reported statewide this winter and deer herds showing signs of improvement, this year’s antler season will begin on time after a lengthy delay last year.

Thursday marks the opening day for people who complete the free online ethics course offered by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. The course is required for anyone planning to collect wildlife antlers through mid-April. People planning to hunt for shed antlers after April 15 aren’t required to take the course.

The reason for the ethics course

Utah has required this course for people participating between February and mid-April since 2009 largely because of the stress that comes with more people heading into wildlife habitats during a fragile time for various species, especially deer.

Big game animals can have a “difficult time finding food” and usually have to rely on fat reserves to survive the winter, said Rusty Robinson, coordinator of the division’s once-in-a-lifetime species permit program. Since the animals may move around or run more with people around, they may use up their remaining energy before spring arrives.

“Being disturbed briefly, once or twice, isn’t too significant, but we have over 20,000 people who routinely shed hunt in Utah each year, so ongoing, repeated disturbances can be detrimental to deer,” he explained.

In extreme cases, the shed hunting season is put on hold. Last year’s shed hunt didn’t start until May because of the state’s record snowpack collection. Wildlife biologists conducting annual winter fieldwork found Utah’s deer, already struggling from years of drought conditions, were also struggling to make it through the harsh winter.

Deer health update

The season is back on schedule because deer conditions have improved and the landscape conditions are better.

Faith Heaton Jolley, spokeswoman for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, told KSL.com biologists are still tabulating data from the latest winter fieldwork period in December, where more than 900 deer statewide were analyzed. She said they observed the “highest statewide average body fat” among deer in at least a decade.

Doe body fat levels jumped 27% between the 2022 and 2023 December counts, Jolley said. Record-high fat percentages in does were recorded in the Cache, Monroe, Morgan, Pine Valley and Wasatch-Manti units.

Jolley noted “above-average weights” were recorded for fawns, as well, with records set in the Book Cliffs, Monroe, Pine Valley and San Juan units — all indications deer herds are healthier than in years past.

Meanwhile, Utah’s snowpack is much closer to normal. As of Wednesday morning, Utah’s snowpack average is nearly half of what was collected by the end of January last year, but it’s also 96% of the state’s average median snowpack. That’s made for better winter conditions.

“With the mild winter and great deer conditions, we are optimistic that we will see high overwinter survival for both does and fawns,” Jolley said.

What to know before shed hunting

Those who complete the ethics course are required to save their certificate of completion in the division’s hunting and fishing app, or print out a copy to carry out into the field.

While people are allowed to collect antlers throughout most of Utah, there are some limitations. Collection isn’t allowed on Native American lands, national parks, “many” national monuments or any state wildlife management area that is closed for the season, according to the division. Shed hunting on private property requires written permission of the landowner.

Division officials said people should not collect and instead report any “deadheads” — antlers or horns still attached to a skull — they come across, too, as the animal may have died in a poaching case. Conservation officers are assigned to investigate those after a report is filed. More than 650 deadheads were reported in Utah last year.

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Carter Williams is an award-winning reporter who covers general news, outdoors, history and sports for KSL.com.

Why Utah Represents Arizona State’s True Turning Point

Published

5 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Why Utah Represents Arizona State’s True Turning Point

Arizona State basketball is at a crossroads. After back-to-back road losses to Baylor and TCU, the Sun Devils are suddenly fighting just to stay above .500.

Now, with Utah coming to town Saturday afternoon, this isn’t just another conference game. It feels bigger than that. It feels like the moment that decides whether this season still has life or if it quietly fades away.

The Danger of Falling Below .500

All season long, Arizona State has had one strange pattern.

Every time they dropped to .500, they responded with a win. They never let things spiral.

But now they’re sitting right on the edge again.

A loss to Utah would push them below .500 for the first time all year. That might not sound dramatic, but it matters for team morale.

Teams feel that shift. Confidence changes. Urgency changes. And with only a few games left before the Big 12 Tournament, there isn’t much time to recover.

That’s why this Utah game feels different.

Feb 21, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears guard Isaac Williams (10) scores a basket over Arizona State Sun Devils guard Anthony Johnson (2) during the second half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Utah Is Playing Better — Especially on Defense

When these two teams met a few weeks ago, Utah was struggling.

Since then, they’ve improved. They’re still built around their top scorers, who combine for around 40 points per game, but the real difference lately has been defense.

Utah has started putting together more complete defensive performances. They’re contesting shots better. They’re finishing possessions. They’re not folding as easily in the second half.

That matters because Arizona State’s biggest issue right now isn’t effort, it’s physical depth.

Feb 21, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley disputes a call with an official during the first half against the Baylor Bears at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

The Real Niche Problem: Guard-Heavy and Worn Down

Here’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough: Arizona State’s roster balance is off.

Because of injuries, especially the likely season-ending absence of Marcus Adams Jr., the Sun Devils are extremely guard-heavy right now. More than half of the available players are guards. That creates matchup issues, especially against physical teams.

We saw it against TCU. They got to the free-throw line 36 times.

They won the physical battle. Even when their best scorer struggled, they still controlled the game inside.

ASU just doesn’t have the same frontcourt depth.

With only a few true bigs available and some undersized forwards playing bigger roles than expected, the team can get worn down.

Late in games, that shows up in missed rebounds, second-chance points, and tired legs.

It’s not about hustle. It’s about bodies.

Why Saturday Truly Matters

If Arizona State beats Utah, everything changes.

Suddenly, you’re heading into Senior Night against Kansas with momentum. Win that, and you’re talking about a possible 7–11 conference finish and a much better Big 12 Tournament matchup.

From there? Anything can happen.

But if they lose Saturday, the math and the hope get much harder.

That’s why this game isn’t just about Utah.

It’s about belief. It’s about roster limitations. And it’s about whether this team has one more push left in them before the season runs out.

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Utah

Utahns first or eroding the Utah way? House OKs measure cracking down on illegal immigration

Published

17 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Utahns first or eroding the Utah way? House OKs measure cracking down on illegal immigration

SALT LAKE CITY — A controversial Utah proposal to crack down on the presence of immigrants in the country illegally that had seemed stalled gained new life Friday, passing muster in new form in a relatively narrow vote.

In a 39-33 vote, the Utah House approved HB386 — amended with portions of HB88, which stalled in the House on Monday — and the revamped measure now goes to the Utah Senate for consideration.

The reworked version of HB386, originally meant just to repeal outdated immigration legislation, now also contains provisions prohibiting immigrants in the country illegally from being able to tap into in-state university tuition, certain home loan programs and certain professional licensing.

The new HB386 isn’t as far-reaching as HB88, which also would have prohibited immigrants in the country illegally from being able to access certain public benefits like food at food pantries, immunizations for communicable diseases and emergency housing.

Moreover, Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton and the HB88 sponsor, stressed that the new provisions in HB386 wouldn’t impact immigrants in the country legally. He touted HB88 as a means of making sure taxpayer money isn’t funneled to programming that immigrants in the country illegally can tap.

Rep. Lisa Shepherd, R-Provo, the HB386 sponsor, sounded a similar message, referencing, with chagrin, the provision allowing certain students in the country illegally to access lower in-state tuition rates at Utah’s public universities. Because of such provisions “we’re taking care of other countries’ children first, and I want to take care of Utahns first. In my campaign I ran and said Utahns first and this bill will put Utahns first,” she said.

If we stop young folks who have lived here much of their life from going to school and getting an education, it is really clear to me that we have hurt that person. It’s not clear to me at all that we have benefitted the rest of us.

–Rep. Ray Ward, R-Bountiful

The relatively narrow 39-33 vote, atypical in the GOP-dominated Utah Legislature, followed several other narrow, hotly contested procedural votes to formally amend HB386. Foes, including both Democrats and Republicans, took particular umbrage with provisions prohibiting immigrants in the country illegally from being able to pay in-state tuition and access certain scholarships.

As is, students in the country illegally who have attended high school for at least three years in Utah and meet other guidelines may pay lower in-state tuition, but if they have to pay out-of-state tuition instead, they could no longer afford to go to college.

“If we stop young folks who have lived here much of their life from going to school and getting an education, it is really clear to me that we have hurt that person. It’s not clear to me at all that we have benefitted the rest of us,” said Rep. Ray Ward, R-Bountiful.

Rep. Hoang Nguyen, D-Salt Lake City, noted her own hardscrabble upbringing as an immigrant from Vietnam and said the changes outlined in the reworked version of HB386 run counter to what she believes Utah stands for.

“I fear that what we’re doing here in Utah is we are eroding what truly makes Utah special, the Utah way. We are starting to adopt policies that are regressive and don’t take care of people. Utahns are one thing. Citizens are one thing. People is the first thing,” she said.

Rep. John Arthur, D-Cottonwood Heights, said the measure sends a negative message to the immigrant students impacted.

“If we pass this bill today, colleagues, we will be telling these young people — again, who have graduated from our high schools, these kids who have gone to at least three years of school here — that you’re no longer a Utahn,” he said.

If we are compassionate to those who come the legal way and we are compassionate to those who already live here, that does not mean that we lack compassion for others in other ways.

–Rep. Kristen Chevrier, R-Highland

Rep. Kristen Chevrier, R-Highland, said the debate underscores a “fallacy” about compassion. She backed the reworked version of HB386, saying Utah resources should be first spend on those in the country legally.

“If we are compassionate to those who come the legal way and we are compassionate to those who already live here, that does not mean that we lack compassion for others in other ways,” she said.

The original version of HB386 calls for repeal of immigration laws on the books that are outdated because other triggering requirements have not been met or they run counter to federal law.

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.

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