Below is a news release from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

The Utah Wildlife Board approved some additional hunting permits on various hunt units and CWMUs and made a few updates to some license and permit rules — including allowing the option of electronically tagging a harvested animal — during a recent public meeting.

Tagging requirements

Previously, hunters who harvested wildlife in Utah that required a permit had to notch the paper permit and physically attach it to the animal. The Utah Wildlife Board approved an update to the tagging rule to also allow for the use of a new e-tagging option with a digital permit.

“With more services transitioning to digital, we wanted to provide another option for hunters to make things more convenient during their hunting trip,” said Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Licensing Coordinator Lindy Varney. “We hope this new e-tagging option will help streamline the process, making animal tagging and harvest survey reporting simpler for hunters.”

For electronically tagging a carcass under this new rule, a hunter will need to:

  • Electronically notch the digital permit (in the Utah Hunting and Fishing app) to correspond with the date the animal was harvested and to provide other required information
  • Keep the electronic harvest code in their possession

With this new option and rule update, a hunter will not be allowed to:

  • Remove more than one notch indicating the date
  • Tag more than one carcass using the same physical or electronic permit
  • Hunt or pursue the species after shooting and retrieving the animal being hunted or after detaching the tag from the permit and notching the tag (either physically or electronically)

For physically tagging a carcass under this new rule, a hunter needs to:

  • Completely detach the tag from the permit
  • Completely remove the appropriate notches to correspond with the date the animal was harvested
  • Attach the physical tag to the carcass so that the tag is securely fastened and visible

In a change from the previous process, a hunter will no longer be required to have the tag remain with the largest portion of the meat until the animal is entirely consumed.

This new e-tagging option may be available by the late October big game hunts. For more information on how to use this new tool, visit the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources website.

(Photo credit: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources)