SALT LAKE CITY — A little more than 1,000 animals were illegally killed in Utah last year, representing about a 5% decrease from the year before. New state data also shows a rise in the number of deer, elk and other big game illegally killed.
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources officials released its annual poaching report on Tuesday, finding that 1,007 animals were illegally taken in 2024. The list includes 216 deer and 140 elk — 32 of which were considered trophy animals — as well as 12 cougars, seven moose, five bears and four bison, among big game animals.
That’s about a 26% increase from what the agency reported in 2023. The largest spike came within the deer population, where there was a 62% increase in poaching cases. That said, the number of trophy animals killed between deer and elk did drop by over 40%.
The uptick comes as the division adopted a new management plan that seeks to get deer populations back to a goal of over 400,000 statewide. Utah was over 125,000 deer shy of that goal last year after years of drought and other weather conditions decimated herds across the state.
Faith Heaton Jolley, a spokeswoman for the division, told KSL.com it’s unclear what caused the spike but it’s something that biologists and law enforcement both find discouraging even if it likely won’t change populations drastically.
“With any species, it’s frustrating, but, in particular, when we have been trying to increase our deer populations over the last couple of years, that is frustrating to see those numbers go up,” she said.
There were also three bald eagles illegally killed last year, among animals that are protected both at state and federal levels. Various fish species accounted for the remaining 371 animals on the list, down from 485 in 2023.
“Each animal that is illegally killed in Utah is one less animal for legal hunters, wildlife enthusiasts and everyday residents to enjoy,” added Utah Division of Law Enforcement Lt. Casey Mickelsen in a statement.
Wildlife officials said they issued nearly 1,500 citations after more than 6,000 violations were detected. Hunting or fishing without a valid license remained the top violation in 2024. Forty-six people also had hunting or fishing privileges suspended, mirroring the number reported in 2023.
The division no longer attaches monetary values to the number of animals illegally killed because it switched from a dollar amount to an aggregate point value to handle the severity of poaching cases. State officials also raised the restitution fees for animals illegally killed through the new law, which is why they did not compare costs this year as compared to previous years.
Fees can now range from $8 for protected wildlife not listed by the state to as much as $45,000 for a trophy desert or rocky mountain bighorn sheep.
Mickelsen also said Tuesday that the division relies heavily on the public to ensure animals aren’t killed illegally. People who notice anything suspicious or have information about poaching cases are encouraged to call the division at 800-662-3337 or contact wildlife officials through DWR’s many online methods.
“Our officers each patrol roughly 2,000 square miles and can’t be everywhere at once,” he said. “Working together, we can enforce wildlife laws to maintain healthy populations, and to also keep those recreating outdoors safe.”
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