Utah's general session adjourned on March 6, wrapping up a short 45-day legislative session. Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation volunteers and members prioritized one bill this session, HB-431 on wildlife crossings. In addition, several bills of interest to elk, wildlife and sportsmen issues also passed with broad support. 

• HB 431 — Wildlife crossing amendments. We supported this bill, which establishes an ongoing funding mechanism for wildlife crossing infrastructure and will help Utah to access matching federal funds. This is a direct win for elk, mule deer and other wildlife that depend on connected habitat across Utah's landscapes. The bill passed 61-5 in the House and 25-1 in the Senate. 

• HB 30 — Wildlife Management Area access. WMAs in Utah are funded primarily by hunting and fishing license fees and federal Pittman-Robertson excise taxes — sportsmen's dollars. This bill requires non-license holders to complete a short educational video before accessing a WMA. It is a reasonable step toward recognizing the financial contributions sportsmen and women make to these areas while keeping them accessible for multiple use. 

• HB 93 — Goshen Bay Waterfowl Management Area. This bill establishes a new WMA at Utah Lake, expanding hunting access and habitat protection in a heavily used recreational area. Policies that grow the WMA system and protect habitat are aligned with our conservation mission. 

• Budget – Predator control program funding. Utah's predator control program faced an approximate $200,000 funding shortfall due to increased participation. The program pays bounties for coyotes from the state’s general fund and has done so since legislation passed in 2012, but bounties doubled in 2025 to $100 if taken in designated mule-deer habitat. Legislators allocated additional funding to fill this gap.  

• HB 111 — Wildlife and hunting amendments. This bill reduces the required distance from a building to discharge a firearm from 600 feet to 300 feet to accommodate development that is encroaching on state WMA. It also sets policy to remove any grizzly bears that arrive in the state until they are removed from the ESA. The bill also creates a poaching mitigation fund and captures fines and restitution to pay for enforcement. It also changes some of the recent restrictions on guides and outfitters operating in the state. 

About Hunt 2 Conserve 

Hunt 2 Conserve is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Its mission is to advance a legacy of hunting and conservation by educating, activating and developing stewards and defenders of these fundamentally American ideals. For more information, go to hunt2conserve.org. 

(Photo credit: Andrew Smith)