Utah

Photo by Danita Delimont

Utah's turkey population continues to grow and expand, and that's good news for the birds and turkey hunters. Access to public land is excellent, and limited and unlimited licenses are offered in every region. Nonresidents must consider the cost of travel and the license expense (you only get one turkey in Utah), but even so, areas of the state offer pretty good odds and room to roam on public ground. Added together, when it comes to a Western turkey destination, Utah's not a bad option. The satisfactory C Turkey Hunting Nation grade seems about right.

Since the 1920s, Rio, Merriam's and even Eastern turkeys have been introduced into Utah with varying degrees of success. The earliest transplants were done by interested sportsmen and landowners who wanted to see turkeys thrive in the Beehive State. Since then, management efforts have primarily focused on Merriam’s and Rios. Transplanting efforts through the years have been an effective management practice and are still an active part of Utah’s overall turkey management plan. Turkey hunting in Utah is broken up into five regions (Northern, Central, Northeastern, Southeastern and Southern), and without question, the best opportunities are found in the two southern regions, insiders say. Areas near Cedar City, the Boulder Mountains, Enterprise and Pine Valley are good places to start. Each of those areas offers excellent public access, and all are good options for those with an unlimited tag.

Utah has a unique and simple license system that offers limited and general unlimited hunting opportunities within the same regions (check early application dates).