This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The Utah Wildlife Board will meet Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the Salt Lake City office of the Department of Natural Resources to set 2017 waterfowl hunt, black bear rules and other minor actions.

The board will consider increasing the number of limited entry bear permits offered in Utah by 46 permits. Almost all are in southeastern Utah where bears are coming into conflict with livestock.

Biologists say that the state bear population has grown about four percent each of the past three years.

The DWR is recommending splitting Utah into two waterfowl hunting zones, one in the north and one in the south, that will extend the season. It wants to reduce the number of pintail ducks hunters can kill and to establish a rest area at Ogden Bay.