Utah Division Of Wildlife Resources
Disabled Veterans-Free Fishing License-Utah

A disabled veteran of the United States armed forces who is domiciled in a veterans hospital or veterans nursing home in Utah may receive an annual fishing license free of charge upon furnishing proof to a Division office of his or her disability and domicile in a veterans hospital or veterans nursing home in Utah.

Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge

WATERFOWL HUNTING REGULATIONS

Hunting is permitted for ducks, coots, and mergansers in the designated public hunting area. Hunting of all species of geese, swans, snipe, and upland game birds in NOT permitted on the refuge.

A Special Blind Area, for use by the mobility impaired, is available. This site is available by reservation only and can be reserved by calling the refuge office during business hours (7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday). Trespass for any reason into the Special Blind Area by any individual not registered to utilize that area is strictly prohibited.

All hunters MUST register at the visitor information station BEFORE entering the open hunting areas and PRIOR to exiting the refuge. All members of a party who are hunting, including any junior hunters who are less than 16 years of age, must register.

SPECIAL BLIND AREA REGULATIONS

This site is made available to individuals who have mobility impairments. Such as individual must be accompanied by one non-impaired hunting or non-hunting companion or a capable retrieving dog. The site is only available for hunting use on Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesdays during the waterfowl hunting season and must be reserved in advance by calling the Refuge Office from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday-Friday.

All hunters and companions registered to use this site must sign in and out on the Special Blind Area Register at the VISITOR INFORMATION STATION located at the entrance to the Refuge Headquarters Area.

Vehicles may be driven into the blind site to unload prior to hunting and to load after hunting but MUST be driven back out and parked at the parking lot located in the general hunting area adjacent to the beginning of the Special Blind Area access road. Vehicles utilized by hunters registered to use the Special Blind Area must have either a Utah Department of Motor Vehicle disabled license plate or window placard or proof of eligibility thereof.

The area within 100 feet around the blind site is the designated Special Blind Area hunting zone. Beyond the hunting zone for approximately 100 yards is a posted retrieving zone. Hunters registered to use the Special Blind Area may go into this zone to retrieve downed waterfowl but may not possess a loaded firearm. At the far edge of the retrieving zone is the beginning of the posted closed area. No one may enter this zone at any time for any public use purpose.

All hunters, regardless of their degree of mobility, must make a reasonable effort to retrieve birds downed in an area where birds can legally be retrieved.

Observe all applicable State and Federal regulations.

Litter is ugly. Empty shell casings and ammunition boxes are litter.

GENERAL INFORMATION regarding season dates, bag limits and shooting times are available at the VISITOR INFORMATION STATION, located near the entrance to the Refuge Headquarters. When in DOUBT as to any regulation or use of the Refuge, contact a Refuge staff member.

Utah Disabled Hunting General Provision Companion Hunting

23-19-1 & R657-5-6

• A person may take a deer for a person who is legally blind provided the blind person:
  • meets hunter education requirements as provided in Section 23-19-11;
  • purchases a wildlife habitat authorization and the appropriate permit and tag;
  • obtains a certificate of registration from the Division; and
  • is accompanied by a companion hunter who has obtained a wildlife habitat authorization and has completed a Division approved hunter education course as provided in Section 23-19-11.
• A certificate of registration may be obtained from the Division by submitting a signed statement by a licensed ophthalmologist, optometrist, or physician verifying that the applicant:
  • has no more than 20/200 visual acuity in the better eye when corrected; or
  • has, in the case of better than 20/200 central vision, a restriction of the field of vision in the better eye which subtends an angle of vision 20 degrees or less.
• The blind person must be accompanied by the companion hunter as the time of kill and while transporting the deer.

Special Season Extension For Disabled Persons

R657-5-7

• A person may request a certificate of registration for an extension of 30 days for any limited entry hunt, provided the person requesting the extension:
  • is quadriplegic;
  • meets hunter education requirements as provided in Section 23-19-11; and
  • obtains a wildlife habitat authorization and the appropriate permit and tag.