SALT LAKE CITY Wildlife experts are urging for people to know their bear safety before they head out into the Utah wilderness this spring and summer because the lingering drought across the state could lead to more aggressive bear encounters.
Officials with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources advise that conflicts with bears normally increase during drought years due to a drought s impact on a bear s food supply.
Darren DeBloois, the game mammals coordinator for the division, explained that Utah s below-average snowpack this winter mixed with earlier warmer weather led to bears ending their hibernation schedules earlier this year. He added that plants and other vegetation make up about 90% of a black bears diet; however, that type of food supply suffers during drought years.
KUER
A new mural honoring late community activist Margarita Satini has gone up. Satini died from COVID-19 last October. Local artist Bill Louis painted the mural. This story and more in Friday evening s news brief.
Friday evening, May 14, 2021
State
Fishing In An Extreme Drought
Low water levels and drought conditions in Utah this year could have an impact on fishing, according to Faith Heaton Jolley with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. She said people should be aware of lake conditions before going out because boat ramps may be closed due to low water levels. Jolley said the drought could also impact how many fish are stocked in bodies of water. If people are planning to catch and release fish this summer, she said to do so quickly into deeper, cooler water to avoid stressing them out.
Fishing may be impacted by the statewide drought affecting water levels in Utah s streams and reservoirs, but the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is suggesting ways to protect the fish that anglers catch and release.
Family, wildlife officials react to Utah man s cougar encounter
Posted at 9:04 PM, May 13, 2021
and last updated 2021-05-15 22:55:51-04
SALT LAKE CITY â A Salt Lake City man had a terrifying confrontation with a mountain lion Thursday while hiking in Big Cottonwood Canyon, and he captured the encounter on video.
Jared Smith told FOX 13 he was hiking on Broads Fork Trail when the cougar suddenly appeared and followed him within 20-30 feet. I was running back down the trail and was probably about a mile from getting back to the parking lot when I heard something off to the side of the trail, he said. [I] looked and there was a cougar probably 15-20 feet away from me⦠Definitely startled me.
SALT LAKE CITY State wildlife officials announced last week a handful of proposed waterfowl hunting changes that align with a new law that went into effect this month and results from a recent hunting survey.
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources officials say the proposed changes, which were first announced Wednesday, could help reduce crowding at state-owned waterfowl management areas and improve the hunting experience.
The changes proposed are:
Banning guided hunting at all DWR waterfowl management areas
Creating a permit process to allow guides to use waterfowl management areas to access non-DWR lands for guided hunting
Banning the construction of new permanent blinds on DWR wildlife management areas