Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to purchase more land for wildlife management area

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources plans to purchase 318 acres of private property that is located within the East Canyon Wildlife Management Area.

In July, in a partnership with the Utah Division of State Parks, Utah Legislature and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the DWR purchased 2,600 acres to the south of the property bringing the wildlife management area to 6,200 acres. It already owned 3,600 acres to the north. This made the private property in-holding, a privately owned piece of land located within a publicly owned, protected area when the boundaries of the wildlife management area (or national park, national forest or state park) were expanded to include it.

The area is a big game habitat, and a deer migration corridor passes through the property, DWR representative Kate Richardson told Morgan County Commissioners at their Oct. 29 meeting. The area is also part of the Summit Sage Grouse Management area which is under development.

“We’re always excited to remove in-holdings,” she said. “It makes things easier for hunters and for us as far as management goes. This piece of property really benefits us. It’s great winter range and some summer habitat for deer, elk. We’ve got sage grouse in the area, and there’s some forest grouse as well as many other wildlife species. 

“In Morgan County there’s not a lot of public land so we love more continuous hunting area access as well,” she added.

That evening commissioners signed a letter to Gov. Spencer W. Cox supporting this purchase. 

“We appreciate the efforts in acquiring some more property, and hopefully it’ll be good access for the public,” Commission Chair Mike Newton said. λ