This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Utah's hunters continue to have increasing opportunities with more seasons opening this week.
The mourning dove, cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hare, forest grouse, white-winged doves and crow seasons open Thursday and the sandhill crane hunt begins Saturday in the state.
Regulations and season dates are complex, so it's a good idea to check the upland game proclamation on the Division of Wildlife Resources' website or pick up a brochure at a DWR office.Jason Robinson, upland game coordinator for the DWR, said cottontail rabbit hunting should be as good as it gets this fall and winter.
"If you're a new hunter who's just getting started," he says, "or you know a youngster or an adult you'd like to introduce to hunting, hunting cottontails is a great way to get started. And I can't think of a better year to start than this one."
Cottontails experience a 10-year population cycle and, this season the cottontail population are close to the top of that cycle. Best hunting should be found in Duchesne and Uinta counties.
The DWR suggests hunters look near the bottom of valleys that have tall sagebrush and deep, loose soil. Best hunting occurs early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
Snowshoe hares live in high elevation stands of conifer and aspen trees. Strands of young pine trees are especially attractive to hares. Best places to hunt are along the Wasatch Plateau through the center of the state and east into the Uinta Basin.
Robinson said that while biologists lack hard data on forest grouse, studies have been launched in Logan Canyon and the Strawberry Reservoir area. He expects hunting to be good this year.
Ruffed grouse are usually found in or close to stands of aspen trees along the Wasatch Plateau that run north to south through the center of the state.
"You'll often find ruffed grouse along streams, near aspen stands, that have willows and chokecherry bushes along their edges," Robinson says.
Dusky grouse can be found in a wider range. Best places to hunt include Cache County, the Wasatch Plateau, Cedar Mountain and Pine Valley. They live in higher elevations. Look at the zone where the aspen tree stands transition into the forest, especially ridge lines.
Dove hunting numbers are not out yet from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, but hunting is expected to be decent.
"The number of doves that are born and reared each year is usually pretty steady. It doesn't fluctuate much," said Blair Stringham, the DWRs migratory bird coordinator. "The biggest factor is the weather. If the weather stays warm and dry, plenty of doves should be available for the Sept. 1 opener."
Best places to look for doves are in concentrations of trees near grain fields and watering holes. Sunflower patches are good place to look. Box Elder, Millard and Utah counties are the best bets. Birds will move into southern Utah later in the year.
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