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Utah Administrative Code (Current through November 1, 2019) |
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R657. Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources |
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R657-54. Taking Wild Turkey |
| R657-54-1. Purpose and Authority |
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(1) Under authority of Sections 23-14-18 and 23-14-19 and in accordance with 50 CFR 20, 2003 edition, which is incorporated by reference, the Wildlife Board has established this rule for taking wild turkey. (2) Specific season dates, bag and possession limits, areas open, number of permits and other administrative details that may change annually are published in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking upland game and wild turkey. |
| R657-54-2. Definitions |
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(1) Terms used in this rule are defined in Section 23-13-2. (2) In addition: (a) "Bait" means shelled, shucked or unshucked corn, wheat or other grain, salt or other feed that lures, attracts or entices wild turkey. (b) "Baiting" means the direct or indirect placing, exposing, depositing, distributing, or scattering of salt, grain, or other feed that could serve as a lure or attraction for upland game to, on, or over any areas where hunters are attempting to take them. (c) "CFR" means the Code of Federal Regulations. (d) "Falconry" means the sport of taking quarry by means of a trained raptor. (e) "Fall season permit" means any turkey hunting permit having season dates on or between August 1 to March 14, excluding turkey permits issued pursuant to R657-41 and turkey control permits issued pursuant to R657-69-6. (f) "Spring season permit" means any turkey hunting permit having season dates on or between March 15 to July 31, excluding turkey permits issued pursuant to R657-41 and turkey control permits issued pursuant to R657-69-6. (g) "Wild Turkey" as used in this rule means a wild, free-ranging turkey and does not include a privately-owned wild turkey, domestic turkey, or wild-domestic hybrids. |
| R657-54-3. Obtaining Permits for Wild Turkey |
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(1) A person must possess or obtain a valid hunting or combination license in order to apply for or obtain a wild turkey permit. (2) General season wild turkey permits are issued over-the-counter consistent with this rule and the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking upland game and wild turkey. (3) Limited entry permits for wild turkey are issued pursuant to R657-62-25. (4) Wild turkey control permits and turkey control permit vouchers are issued pursuant to R657-69. (5) Wild turkey conservation and sportsman's permits are issued pursuant to R657-41. (6) Wild turkey permits available through the Expo are issued pursuant to R657-55. (7) Wild turkey poaching-reported reward permits are issued pursuant to R657-51. |
| R657-54-4. Authorized Weapons |
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Wild turkey may be taken only with: (a) Archery equipment, including a draw-lock, or a crossbow using broadhead tipped arrows or bolts; (b) a shotgun, firing shot sizes BB and smaller diameter; or (c) a rimfire firearm during any fall season permit. |
| R657-54-5. Shooting Hours |
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(1) Wild turkey may be taken only between one-half hour before official sunrise through one-half hour after official sunset. (2) A person must add to or subtract from the official sunrise and sunset depending on the geographic location of the state. Specific times are provided in a time zone map in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking upland game and wild turkey. |
| R657-54-6. State Parks |
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(1) Hunting of any wildlife is prohibited within the boundaries of all state park areas, except those areas designated open to hunting by the Division of Parks and Recreation in Rule R651-614-4. (2) Hunting with rifles and handguns in park areas designated open is prohibited within one mile of all park facilities including buildings, camp or picnic sites, overlooks, golf courses, boat ramps, and developed beaches. (3) Hunting with shotguns, crossbows or archery tackle is prohibited within one quarter mile of the above stated areas. |
| R657-54-7. Falconry |
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Falconers may not release a raptor on wild turkeys during the spring seasons. Falconers may release a raptor on wild turkeys during the fall season, as published in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking upland game and wild turkey. |
| R657-54-8. Live Decoys and Electronic Calls |
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A person may not take a wild turkey by the use or aid of live decoys, recorded turkey calls or sounds, or electronically amplified imitations of turkey calls. |
| R657-54-9. Baiting |
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A person may not hunt turkey using bait, or on or over any baited area where a person knows or reasonably should know that the area is or has been baited. An area is considered baited for 10 days after bait is removed, or 10 days after bait in an area is eaten. |
| R657-54-10. Sitting or Roosting Turkeys |
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A person may not take or attempt to take any turkey sitting or roosting in a tree. |
| R657-54-11. Tagging Requirements |
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(1) The carcass of a turkey must be tagged before the carcass is moved from, or the hunter leaves, the site of kill. (2) To tag a carcass, a person shall: (a) completely detach the tag from the license or permit; (b) completely remove the appropriate notches to correspond with: (i) the date the animal was taken; (ii) the sex of the animal; and (c) attach the tag to the carcass so that the tag remains securely fastened and visible. (3) A person may not: (a) remove more than one notch indicating date or sex; or (b) tag more than one carcass using the same tag. (4) A person may not hunt or pursue turkey after any of the notches have been removed from the tag or the tag has been detached from the permit. |
| R657-54-12. Identification of Species and Sex |
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(1) During the spring seasons the head and beard must remain attached to the carcass of wild turkey while being transported. (2) During the fall season only the head must remain attached to the carcass of wild turkey while being transported. |
| R657-54-13. Use of Dogs |
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(1) An individual may not use or permit a dog to harass, pursue, or take protected wildlife unless otherwise allowed for in the Wildlife Code, administrative rules issued under Wildlife Code, or a guidebook of the Wildlife Board. (2) Dogs may be used to locate and retrieve turkey during open turkey hunting seasons. (3) Dogs are generally allowed on state wildlife management and waterfowl management areas, subject to the following conditions. (a) dogs are not allowed on the following state wildlife management areas and waterfowl management areas between March 10 and August 31 annually or as posted by the Division: (i) Annabella; (ii) Bear River Trenton Property Parcel; (iii) Bicknell Bottoms; (iv) Blue Lake; (v) Browns Park; (vi) Bud Phelps; (vii) Clear Lake; (viii) Desert Lake; (ix) Farmington Bay; (x) Harold S. Crane; (xi) Hatt's Ranch (xii) Howard Slough; (xiii) Huntington; (xiv) James Walter Fitzgerald; (xv) Kevin Conway; (xvi) Locomotive Springs; (xvii) Manti Meadows; (xviii) Mills Meadows; (xix) Montes Creek; (xx) Nephi; (xxi) Ogden Bay; (xxii) Pahvant; (xxiv) Public Shooting Grounds; (xxv) Redmond Marsh; (xxvi) Richfield; (xxvii) Roosevelt; (xxviii) Salt Creek; (xxix) Scott M. Matheson Wetland Preserve; (xxx) Steward Lake; (xxxi) Timpie Springs; (xxxii) Topaz Slough; (xxxiii) Vernal; and (xxxiv) Willard Bay. (b) The Division may establish special restrictions for Division-managed properties, such as on-leash requirements and temporary or locational closures for dogs, and post them at specific Division properties and at Regional offices; (c) Organized events or group gatherings of twenty-five (25) or more individuals that involve the use of dogs, such as dog training or trials, that occur on Division properties may require a special use permit as described in R657-28; and (d) Dog training may be allowed in designated areas on Lee Kay Center and Willard Bay WMA by the Division without a special use permit. |
| R657-54-14. Closed Areas |
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A person may not hunt wild turkey in any area posted closed by the Division or any of the following areas: (1) Salt Lake Airport boundaries as posted. (2) Incorporated municipalities: Many incorporated municipalities prohibit the discharge of firearms and other weapons. Check with the respective city officials for specific boundaries and limitations. (3) All State Waterfowl Management Areas except Browns Park and Stewart Lake (4) All National Wildlife Refuges unless declared open by the managing authority. (5) Military installations, including Camp Williams, are closed to hunting and trespassing. |
| R657-54-15. Possession of Live Protected Wildlife |
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It is unlawful for any person to hold in captivity at any time any protected wildlife, except as provided by Title 23, Wildlife Resources Code or any rules and regulations of the Wildlife Board. Protected wildlife that is wounded must be immediately killed and shall be included in the hunter's bag limit. |
| R657-54-16. Spotlighting |
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(1) Except as provided in Section 23-13-17: (a) a person may not use or cast the rays of any spotlight, headlight or other artificial light to locate protected wildlife while having in possession a firearm or other weapon or device that could be used to take or injure protected wildlife; and (b) the use of a spotlight or other artificial light in a field, woodland or forest where protected wildlife are generally found is probable cause of attempting to locate protected wildlife. (2) The provisions of this section do not apply to: (a) the use of the headlights of a motor vehicle or other artificial light in a usual manner where there is no attempt or intent to locate protected wildlife; or (b) a person licensed to carry a concealed weapon in accordance with Title 53, Chapter 5, Part 7 of the Utah Code, provided the person is not utilizing the concealed firearm to hunt or take wildlife. |
| R657-54-17. Exporting Wild Turkey from Utah |
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A person may export wild turkey or their parts from Utah only if: (1) the person who harvested the turkey accompanies it and possess a valid permit corresponding to the tag; or (2) the person exporting the turkey or its parts, if it is not the person who harvested the turkey, has obtained a shipping permit from the Division. |
| R657-54-18. Waste of Game |
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(1) A person may not waste or permit to be wasted or spoiled any protected wildlife or their parts. (2) A person shall not kill or cripple any wild turkey without making a reasonable effort to retrieve the turkey. |
| R657-54-19. Wild Turkey Poaching -Reported Reward Permits |
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Wild turkey poaching-reported reward permits are issued pursuant to R657-51. |
| R657-54-20. Season Dates, Bag and Possession Limits, and Areas Open |
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(1) Season dates, bag and possession limits, areas open, and number of permits for taking wild turkey are provided in the guidebook of the Wildlife Board for taking upland game and wild turkey. (2) A person may not obtain or possess more than: (a) one permit during the spring season annually; or (b) three permits during the fall season annually. |