Minor changes to bear hunting in La Sals

The Utah Wildlife Board approved a few minor changes for bear hunting in Utah, along with other rule amendments, during a recent public meeting.
The first year of the current three-year bear recommendation cycle recently ended. The Utah Wildlife Board approved a few minor changes for the 2026 bear seasons, including: 
• Creating a new bear hunt for the new Dolores Triangle hunting unit — and separating it from the La Sal hunting unit — in order to match the current boundaries of big game hunting units. 
• Allocating 10 bear permits for the new Dolores Triangle unit, including two spring permits, six summer permits and two fall permits. 
• Keeping the La Sal unit bear permit numbers the same. 
Bear and cougar populations in Utah remain stable. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources provided information about a new five-year study where targeted cougar removals will occur for the next three years on six hunting units: the Boulder, Monroe, Stansbury, Pine Valley, Wasatch East and Zion.
The study aims to assess whether targeted reductions in mountain lion populations can result in a corresponding increase in mule deer populations where deer GPS collar data suggests that mountain lions are suppressing deer population growth. 
In addition, starting this year, the guidebooks for cougar, bear and furbearer species will be combined into one book and will only be digitally available. The new, combined guidebook will be available on te DWR website and on the DWR Hunting and Fishing App.
The board also voted to have the DWR look into the feasibility of removing the requirement to have a furbearer license prior to obtaining a bobcat permit.