Starting next year, the Division of Wildlife Resources is proposing that Dedicated Hunters attend one wildlife conservation course and that they no longer be required to attend a Regional Advisory Council meeting.

"We're recommending that the wildlife conservation course requirement be reduced from two courses to one, since Dedicated Hunters are now receiving considerable wildlife management philosophy and strategy via the Division's quarterly Wildlife Review magazine," says Larry Dalton, Conservation Outreach Section chief for the Division of Wildlife Resources. "We're also recommending that the requirement that Dedicated Hunters attend a Regional Advisory Council be eliminated, but we'll still encourage them to attend and will give them three hours of wildlife conservation project credit if they attend a RAC meeting during their three-year enrollment period," Dalton said. "Explanation of the RAC and Wildlife Board process will continue to be a significant part of the program's wildlife conservation course."

More than 6,300 people are enrolled in Utah's Dedicated Hunter program. The program allows them additional deer hunting opportunities. In return, Dedicated Hunters must pay a fee and provide annual volunteer service to benefit Utah's wildlife.

A number of other items also will be discussed at the meetings and a presentation about the Antelope Island Wildlife/Habitat Management Plan will be given. The Utah Wildlife Board will consider the public input received at the RAC meetings when it meets November 13 in Salt Lake City, to decide whether changes to Utah's Dedicated Hunter program should be made.