SALT LAKE CITY — Firearm hunting season kicks off this week in Utah and runs through October, so now is the time for hunters and other recreators to be aware of each other while on the trails.
With Utah's population growing each year and more people heading outside to take advantage of the state's glorious outdoor views, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is emphasizing that respect is key.
"Kind of just being aware that hunts are going on, there may be hunters in the area," explained Faith Heaton Jolley with the Utah DWR.
It's easy to know where hunters are after they take their first shot, but especially during deer hunts, hunters remain quiet as they wait for their prey.
The responsibility to stay safe is shared among hunters and other recreators, whether holding a rifle or not.
"One thing that we recommend is hikers to wear bright colored clothing just again to kind of draw attention to themselves if they're in some of these overlapping areas where hunts may be taking place just to make themselves more visible," Heaton Jolley said.
However, hunters are required to know the rules before they head out for a hunt by taking an educational course through the Utah DWR.
Some things the course emphasizes include always treating a firearm as loaded and always knowing exactly what you're shooting at.
"If they miss the animal or something, we they want to be able to know exactly what their bullet could potentially hit," Heaton Jolley explained.
The comforting thing is that even in areas where hunters and hikers meet, safety is still possible.
Heaton Jolley reports they only receive three or four reported incidents a year and "hardly any" of those involve death.
Upland game bird hunting continues through September, the muzzleloader deer hunt begins Wednesday with the general season rifle hunt beginning in a couple of weeks through the end of October.
