Utah has also experienced a long-term decline in the number of upland game hunters in general

The State of Utah, Division of Wildlife Resources received a $237,858 Formula Grant award from the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 6 under the Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education and Safety program (CFDA 15.611). The objective of this one-year project is to increase the number of pheasant and chukar hunters in Utah by 5% to 23,165 and 7,228 respectively by the end of the 2020-2021 hunting season. To achieve this, the Division will purchase and release pen-raised pheasants and chukars statewide, as well as raise awareness and evaluate the project's impact. The funding will also support the Division's ongoing wildlife conservation, habitat protection, and recreational access activities aligned with the state's Wildlife Action Plan, including through sub-awards to partners like Utah State University.

There were OVER100,000 upland game hunters in utah in the late 1970S. Last year, less than 33,000 upland game hunters. There isgrowing concern nationwide, as well as in utah, over the loss of hunters. The objective of this project is to increase the number of participants in pheasant and chukar hunting by fivepercent (22,062 to 23,165 for pheasants, and 6,884 to 7,228 for chukars) by the end of the 2020-2021 huntingseason. This objective was created due to the drastic decline in upland game hunters since the 1970S.the approach is to purchase healthy, disease-free ring-necked pheasants and chukar partridge from certifiedgrowers, and release pen-raised pheasants and chukars in appropriate areas statewide to maximize the likelihoodof hunter harvest, prior to and during the hunting seasons. We will also raise awareness for participation andfor the project, and evaluate the project. The expected benefit of this project is to continue to increaserecruitment, retention, and reactivation through providing an additional hunting opportunity to the public.