The utah division of wildlife resources udwr has an opportunity to acquire approximately 200 acres of contiguous privately owned undeveloped land and 1 water right in wasatch county utah

The Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 6 awarded the State of Utah, Division of Wildlife Resources $1,333,333.33 on January 1, 2026, under the Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education and Safety program (CFDA 15.611) to acquire approximately 200 acres of contiguous privately owned undeveloped land and one water right in Wasatch County, Utah.

The acquired property abuts the Wallsburg Wildlife Management Area on three sides and provides critical winter habitat for big game species, particularly mule deer and elk that migrate from higher elevation summer ranges on the Wasatch Plateau. The property will be incorporated into the existing Wallsburg WMA and managed under the established Wallsburg Habitat Management Plan. The water right will secure critical water resources and enable habitat management on the WMA. The acquisition protects habitat used seasonally by six to eight hundred mule deer, two to three hundred elk, and occasional moose, while providing wildlife-related recreation and public access.

Period of performance runs through June 30, 2026.

Acquisition of this property will protect important summer and winter habitat for big game species and other wildlife and provide wildlife related recreation public access. This property abuts the wallsburg wildlife management area WMA on 3 sides and provides crucial habitat for big game species especially during winter months when big game come down from higher elevation summer ranges of the wasatch plateau to winter in the wallsburg valley. In most winters six to eight hundred mule deer and two to three hundred ELK spend the winter on the WMA. Moose can occasionally be found on the WMA in the winter and spring. Due to the high probability of being developed loss of crucial winter range and the available water right udwr identified this as critical property. This acquisition will increase the acreage of the wallsburg management area for the protection of wildlife resources propagation of wildlife and will provide additional recreational opportunities for hunting and wildlife related recreation. The associated water right will secure critical water and allow for habitat management on the WMA. Under udwr ownership and management the property will be incorporated into the existing wallsburg WMA and the established wallsburg habitat management plan will govern the management of the newly acquired property.