Natural Resources

Wildlife Resources

Rule 69: Turkey Depredation

Effective Date: 08/22/2026

Admin. Code Reference: R657-69

Rule Type: Current Rule

NOTICE OF SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE

TYPE OF FILING: Amendment

Filing ID: 58079

Rule or section number:

R657-69

1. Agency Information

Title catchline:

Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources

Building:

DNR Complex

Street address:

1594 W North Temple

City, state:

Salt Lake City, UT 84416

Mailing address:

PO Box 146301

City, state and zip:

Salt Lake City, UT 84414-6301

2. Contact Persons

Name:

Phone:

Email:

Staci Coons

801-450-3093

stacicoons@utah.gov

Please address questions regarding information on this notice to the persons listed above.

3. General Information

A. Rule or section catchline:

R657-69. Turkey Depredation

B. Purpose of the new rule or reason for the change:

This rule is being amended pursuant to Regional Advisory Council and Wildlife Board meetings conducted annually for taking public input and reviewing the Division of Wildlife Resources' (DWR) rules pursuant to wild turkey depredation.

C. Summary of the new rule or change:

The amendment to this rule:

1) adds nuisance hunter pools in addition to the existing depredation hunter pool hunts;

2) increases the number of control permits from two to five;

3) removes language that prohibits the selling of vouchers or charging excess fees;

4) allows multiple landowners to hunt adjacent properties with permits and vouchers; and

5) technical corrections as needed.

5. Fiscal Information

Provide an estimate and written explanation of the aggregate anticipated cost or savings to:

A. State budget:

The amendments to Rule R657-69 are administrative in nature, the DWR determines that these changes can be initiated within the current workload and resources of the DWR, therefore, the DWR does not believe that these amendments would create a cost or savings impact to the state budget or the DWR's budget since the changes will not increase workload and can be carried out with existing budget.

The amendments to this rule may cause a financial benefit to landowners wishing to sell vouchers or charge access fee, however the DWR does not benefit from these sales.

B. Local governments:

Local governments are not directly or indirectly impacted by these proposed amendments because this rule does not create a situation requiring services from local governments.

C. Small businesses ("small business" means a business employing 1-49 persons):

The proposed rule amendments will not directly impact small businesses because a service is not required of them.

D. Non-small businesses ("non-small business" means a business employing 50 or more persons):

The proposed rule amendments will not directly impact non-small businesses because a service is not required of them.

E. Persons other than small businesses, non-small businesses, state, or local government entities ("person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, association, governmental entity, or public or private organization of any character other than an agency):

The proposed rule amendments do have the potential to impact other persons who wish to sell vouchers or charge access fees for turkey hunting within their private property in Utah.

Because access fees are not regulated, it is impossible to estimate the dollar amount a private property hunter with vouchers could accumulate.

F. Compliance costs for affected persons:

The DWR has determined that this amendment may not create additional costs for those individuals wishing to sell vouchers or charge access fees for turkey hunts on private property, however the amendments may create additional financial benefits to those landowners wishing to sell vouchers or charge access fees for turkey hunts on private property.

6. Regulatory Impact Summary Table

Enter the cost or savings in the relevant cell. If there is no cost or savings, enter, "$0." If a cost or savings is inestimable, enter, "inestimable."

Fiscal Cost

FY2027

FY2028

FY2029

FY2030

FY2031

State Budget

Local Governments

Small Businesses

Non-Small Businesses

Other Persons

Total Fiscal Cost

Fiscal Benefits

FY2027

FY2028

FY2029

FY2030

FY2031

State Budget

Local Governments

Small Businesses

Non-Small Businesses

Other Persons

$inestimable

Total Fiscal Benefits

Net Fiscal Benefits

7. Regulatory Impact Analysis Approval

After conducting a thorough analysis, it was determined that this proposed rule amendment will not result in a measurable fiscal impact to businesses.

The Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, Joel Ferry, has reviewed and approved this fiscal analysis.

8. Family Impact Information

A. The agency has considered this rule's impact on family health, stability, and formation:

☒

9. Citation Information

Provide citations to the statutory authority for the rule. If there is also a federal requirement for the rule, provide a citation to that requirement:

Section 23A-8-302

Section 23A-12-201

11. Public Notice Information

The public may submit written or oral comments to the agency identified in box 1.

A. Comments will be accepted until:

08/14/2026

12. Effective Date Information

This rule change MAY become effective on:

(NOTE: This is the date the agency anticipates making the filing effective. It is NOT the effective date)

08/21/2026

13. Agency Authorization Information

Agency head or

designee and title:

Riley Peck, Director

Date:

06/18/2026

R657. Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources.

R657-69. Turkey Depredation.

R657-69-1. Purpose and Authority.

[(1) ]Under authority of Sections 23A-8-302[,] and 23A-12-201[,] this rule provides:

([a]1) the procedures for responding to and verifying reports of material damage caused by turkey;

([b]2) the procedures, standards, requirements, and limits for addressing instances of material damage caused by turkeys; and

([c]3) a description of the various hunts that may be held to minimize future instances of material damage caused by turkeys.

R657-69-2. Definitions.

[(1) As used in this rule, "turkey" means a wild, free-ranging turkey and does not include a privately-owned wild turkey, domestic turkey,

or wild-domestic hybrids.

(2](1) "Alternate limited entry drawing list" means a chronological list, based upon the permit drawing procedures described in the

Upland Game and Turkey Guidebook, of those persons who were unsuccessful in drawing a limited entry turkey hunting permit and would have been successful were additional permits available.

([3]2) "Commercial poultry or gamebird facility" means the building licensed by the Department of Agriculture (UDAF) facility licensed

by the Department of Agriculture that raises more than 1,000 poultry or gamebirds per year.

([4]3) "Control permit" means a nontransferable turkey hunting permit issued by the division under Section R657-69-6 or R657-69-7 that

authorizes the holder to take a turkey for personal use within the described permit boundaries and described dates.

([5]4) "Control permit voucher" means a document issued to a landowner or lessee that may be retained for personal use or transferred to a

third party, and which allows the holder to purchase a turkey control permit from the division.

([6]5) "Depredation Hunt" means a turkey hunt organized pursuant to Section R657-69-5, the Wildlife Code, and proclamations of the

Wildlife Board.

([7]6) "Director" means the director of the division.

([8]7) "Division" means the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

([9]8) "Employee" means an individual regularly employed by the landowner or lessee for purposes unassociated with hunting on the

private property owned or managed by the landowner or lessee.

([10]9) "Gamebird" means any captive-raised animal identified as a "Pen-reared Gamebird" in Section R657-4-2.

([11]10) "Hatchery" means hatchery equipment on one premises operated or controlled by any person for the production of baby poultry,

as defined in Rule R58-6.

([12]11) "Immediate family member" means the landowner's or lessee's spouse, child, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, father, mother, father-

in-law, mother-in-law, brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, stepchild, and grandchild.

([13]12) "Infection zone" means any area within [.25]1/4 mile of a commercial poultry or gamebird facility that poses a disease risk.

([14]13) "Landowner" means any person, partnership, or corporation who owns private property in Utah and whose name appears on a

deed as the owner or whose name appears as the purchaser on a contract for sale of private property.

([15]14) "Lessee" means any person, partnership, or corporation whose name appears as the lessee on a written lease, for at least a one-

year period, of private property, and who is in physical control of the private property.

([16]15) "Material damage" means physical impacts to private property caused by turkeys that are visible, persistent, and detrimental to the

landowner or lessee's use of the private property.

(16) "Nuisance hunt" means a turkey hunt organized with the Division of State Parks to mitigate material damages on Division of State

Parks property.

(17) "Personal property" means any movable and tangible thing owned by the landowner or lessee.

(18) "Poultry" means domestic fowl including chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl, pea fowl, pigeons, and ratites or other captive-bred birds not listed in Subsection R657-4-2(2)(c) which are bred for the primary purposes of producing eggs or meat whether kept for production or exhibition.

(19) "Private property" means land in private fee ownership, structures located thereon, and personal property of the landowner or lessee on or adjacent to the land of the landowner or lessee, but not including tribal trust lands.

(20) "Turkey" means a wild, free-ranging turkey or wild-domestic hybrid and does not include a privately-owned domestic turkey.

R657-69-4. Turkey Damage Mitigation and Prevention Plans.

(1) A damage mitigation and prevention plan may authorize the division to undertake any of the following actions:

(a) provide educational materials regarding turkeys and turkey damage to the landowner or lessee, including strategies on how to alleviate damage;

(b) use, or allow the landowner or lessee to use, nonlethal methods to haze turkeys on private property experiencing material damage and, if necessary, provide the landowner or lessee equipment and supplies necessary to carry out hazing;

(c) exclude turkeys from areas in which material damage has occurred and is expected to continue to occur, using fencing, tarpaulins, or other similar materials;

(d) capture and relocate any turkeys causing, or reasonably likely to cause, material damage to the property to a location on the Wildlife Board approved turkey transplant list and according to the [Wildlife Board approved mitigation plan]"Damage Mitigation and Prevention Plan" in

Section 23A-8-302;

(e) allow expanded harvest of turkeys by:

(i) increasing permit numbers during limited entry or general season hunts;

(ii) expanding or increasing the areas for turkey hunts;

(iii) enrolling the property in the division's Walk-In Access Program in accordance with Rule R657-56;

(iv) enrolling the property in the division's Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit Program in accordance with Rule R657-37;

(v) enrolling the property in the division's Cooperative Agreement pursuant to Rule R657-74;

(vi) schedule and hold a depredation hunt pursuant to Section R657-69-5;

([vi)]vii) issue control permits pursuant to Section R657-69-6; or

([vii)]viii) issue control permit vouchers pursuant to Section R657-69-7;

(f) allow landowners or lessees to capture and relocate turkeys causing, or reasonably likely to cause, material damage to the property to a location on the Wildlife Board approved turkey transplant list;

(g) allow landowners or lessees to use weapons or methods otherwise prohibited to take a turkey if traditional weapons are unsuitable for the location of the property[;] and[

(h) ] other reasonable measures aimed at reducing instances of material damage to the private property in question[.];

[(2](h) subject to the limitations provided in Subsection (3), provide a landowner monetary compensation, up to $5,000 annually per

green-belt eligible property for:

(i) verified turkey damage to hay bales. This will only occur once per landowner, as tarps or other coverings will be provided for

protection of hay bales in the future. The landowner must be willing to cover hay, as it will not be subject to monetary compensation once tarps are

provided;

(ii) bags of seed, given that planted seed has been removed from the soil and assessments prove this to be attributed to turkeys;

(iii) silage; and

(iv) any other perceived or actual damage from turkeys will not be monetarily compensated, including:

(A) labor for seeding, stacking hay, or any other physically laborious activity;

(B) damage to standing crops; and

(2) To be eligible to receive compensation as provided in this section, the claimant shall:

(a) notify the division of the damage within 72 hours after the damage is discovered; and

(b) allow division personnel reasonable access to the property to verify an alleviate the depredation problem.

(3)(a) The claimant and the division shall make an appraisal of the damage as soon as possible after notification.

(b) In determining damage payment, the division and claimant shall consider:

(i) the extent of damage experienced; and

(ii) revenue the landowner derives from:

(A) participation in a cooperative wildlife management unit;

(B) use of landowner association permits;

(D) charging for hunter access or the sale of vouchers.

(c) The division and claimant may not include speculative damages or claims of future value in an appraisal or damage payment beyond

the growing season when the damage occurred under this section.

(d) If the claimant and the division are unable to agree on a fair and equitable damage payment, the claimant and division shall designate a

third party, consisting of one or more persons familiar with hay, silage, or seed destruction and turkeys, to appraise damage.

(4)(a) A claim of $1,000 or less may be paid after appraisal of the damage as provided in Subsection (3), unless the claim brings the total

amount of claims submitted by the claimant in the fiscal year to an amount over $1,000.

(b)(i) A claim over $1,000, or claim that brings the total amount of claims submitted by the claimant in the fiscal year to an amount over

$1,000, shall be treated as follows:

(A) $1,000 may be paid pursuant to the conditions of this section; and

(B) the amount over $1,000 may not be paid until the total amount of the approved claims of all the claimants in the fiscal year have been

determined.

(ii) If the total exceeds the amount appropriated by the DWR pursuant to Subsection (4)(a), claims over $1,000, or a claim that brings the

total amount of a claimant's claims in a fiscal year to an amount over $1,000, shall be prorated.

(5) The division may deny or limit compensation if the claimant:

(a) fails to exercise reasonable care and diligence to avoid the loss or minimize the damage;

(b) fails to provide the division reasonable access to the property;

(d) unreasonably restricts hunting on land under the claimant's control or passage through the land to access public lands for hunting, after

receiving written notification from the division of the necessity of allowing the hunting or access to control or mitigate damage by turkeys; or

(e) fails to provide supporting evidence of hay, seed, or silage values and claimed costs to the division during the damage appraisal

process.

(6) Damage mitigation and prevention plans shall have:

(a) a description of the private property covered by the plan;

(b) a specific effective date and effective term for the plan;

(d) an assurance by the landowner or lessee that members of the public holding a control permit or a turkey depredation permit may access the private property at no charge during the hunts for which they hold a permit.

([3]7) Damage mitigation and prevention plans may be amended or renewed with written consent of the division and the landowner or

lessee during their effective term.

([4]8)(a) The landowner or lessee may unilaterally revoke and withdraw from a damage mitigation and prevention plan by providing the

division 30 days prior written notice.

(b) A landowner or lessee's revocation of approval of a damage mitigation and prevention plan eliminates the division's obligations described in the plan.

(c) A landowner or lessee may not revoke approval of a damage mitigation and prevention plan after a depredation hunt has been scheduled on their private property until after the depredation hunt has taken place.

([5]9) The division may unilaterally revoke and withdraw from a damage mitigation and prevention plan if:

(a) the landowner or lessee fails to exercise reasonable care and diligence to avoid loss or minimize the damage caused by turkeys;

(b) the landowner or lessee fails to comply with the terms of the damage mitigation and prevention plan; or

([6]10) The expiration or revocation of a damage mitigation and prevention plan does not preclude the landowner or lessee from making

future requests for action.

([7]11) The division [shall]may not be financially liable for damage to private property caused by:

(a) turkeys;

(b) its efforts to remove or drive off turkeys in response to a request for action; or

([8]12) A landowner or lessee shall have a copy of the damage prevention and mitigation plan in their possession while undertaking any

action authorized in the plan that otherwise violates Title 23A, the Wildlife Resources Code of Utah, including, the hazing, capturing, and transplanting of turkeys.

R657-69-5. Depredation or Nuisance Hunts for Turkey.

(1) Turkey depredation or nuisance hunts are intended to:

(a) mitigate verified reports of material damage by turkeys and prevent future instances of material damage in the vicinity of the hunt area;

(b) be a focused response to verified reports of material damage;

(d) be a rapid response mechanism to verified reports of material damage; and

([d]e) have limited permit numbers.

(2) Turkey depredation or nuisance hunts shall operate consistent with the following guidelines:

(a) turkey depredation or nuisance hunts may be held August 1 through March 14;

(b) parameters for a turkey depredation or nuisance hunt must comply with the provisions established in the current Wild Turkey

Management Plan approved by the Wildlife Board; and

(c) the boundaries of the hunts, specific season dates, bag limits, sex of birds that may be taken, and allowable weapon types will be further defined in a depredation hunt plan by the division Regional Supervisor.

(3) Hunters will be selected to receive a depredation or nuisance permit in the following order, based on permit availability:

(a) randomly selected individuals in the depredation or nuisance hunter pool; and

(b) individuals on the alternate limited entry drawing list, in chronological order.

(4)(a) The turkey hunter depredation or nuisance pool provides hunters an opportunity to be placed on a [wait-list]waitlist and become

eligible to receive a depredation permit as the availability for depredation permits allows.

(b) Applications for the turkey hunter depredation or nuisance pool must be submitted pursuant to instructions in the current year's Upland

Game and Turkey Guidebook [of the Wildlife Board ]for wild turkey.

(c) Applications must be received by the date published in the Upland Game and Turkey Guidebook [of the Wildlife Board ]for wild

turkey.

(d) Applications received after the date published in the [proclamation ]Upland Game and Turkey Guidebook [of the Wildlife Board ]for

wild turkey may be used after the list of individuals within the depredation or nuisance hunter pool and the alternate limited entry drawing list has

been exhausted.

(5) If a hunter is successful in the depredation or nuisance permit drawing and possesses a valid unfilled turkey permit for a hunt in the

same [calendar]fiscal year as the depredation or nuisance hunt, that hunter may receive a depredation or nuisance permit at no cost.

(6) Hunters selected to receive a depredation or nuisance permit who do not possess a valid unfilled turkey permit must purchase the

appropriate permit before participating in the depredation or nuisance hunt.

(7) Hunters selected to receive a depredation or nuisance permit will not lose bonus points associated with the limited entry application

process.

(8) Wild turkey depredation or nuisance permits qualify toward permit possession limits identified in Rule R657-54a.

(9) Depredation or nuisance permits may be withheld from persons who have violated Title 23A, the Wildlife Resources Code of Utah,

this rule, any other rule, or proclamation of the Wildlife Board, or who are otherwise ineligible to receive a permit.

R657-69-6. Control Permits for Turkey.

(1)(a) As part of a damage mitigation and prevention plan, the division may issue a turkey control permit at no cost directly to the affected landowner or lessee, or to their immediate family member or employee.

(b) No more than [two]five control permits may collectively be issued per [calendar]fiscal year under each damage prevention and

mitigation plan.

(2) A control permit allows the permit holder to take a single turkey of either sex within the boundaries designated in the damage mitigation and prevention plan.

(3) Control permit turkey hunts may be held August 1 through March 14.

(4)(a) If the landowner or lessee, or the landowner or lessee's immediate family member or employee, who receives the control permit does not possess a valid hunting or combination license, the division may issue a special turkey control license at no cost to the designated permit holder for the purposes of obtaining a control permit.

(b) A special turkey control license does not authorize the license holder to take any other protected wildlife or to obtain any other permit other than a turkey control permit.

(5) Hunters who receive a control permit will not lose any bonus points accrued as part of the limited entry turkey application process.

(6) Control permits may be withheld from persons who have violated Title 23A, the Wildlife Resources Code of Utah, this rule, any other rule or proclamation of the Wildlife Board, or who are otherwise ineligible to receive a permit.

(7) Control permits issued under this section do not count toward permit possession limits identified in Rule R657-54a.

(8) Rimfire firearms may be used as a legal weapon for wild turkey permits issued pursuant to this section.

R657-69-7. Control Permit Vouchers for Turkey.

(1)(a) As part of the damage mitigation and prevention plan, the division may issue turkey control permit vouchers to the landowner or lessee.

(b) The number of control permit vouchers [shall]may not exceed 10% of the documented turkeys on the private property or 15 vouchers

per [calendar]fiscal year, whichever is less.

(2)(a) Control permit vouchers do not allow turkey hunting and must be redeemed for a control permit before going afield.

(b) Control permit vouchers may be redeemed for a turkey control permit at a division office before the closing date of the control permit turkey hunt for which the voucher was issued.

(3[)(]) Vouchers may be issued to:

(a) [A]the landowner or lessee[ transferring control permit vouchers to another individual may not receive any form]; or

(b) an assemblage of [compensation or remuneration for the transfer or for allowing access]landowners that:

(i) apply in writing to the [private land for turkey hunting under]division;

(ii) provide a [control permit on]map of the [landowner or lessee's private property.]associated lands;

[(b](iii) provide signatures of the landowners who agree to this collective effort; and

(iv) designates a representative to act as a liaison with the division.

(c) Turkey control permit vouchers are only transferable between the landowner or lessee and an individual redeeming that voucher for a

turkey control permit.

([c]d) Redeemed turkey control permit vouchers do not qualify toward permit possession limits identified in Rule R657-54a.

(4) An individual may redeem up to three control permit vouchers per fall season.

(5) Individuals redeeming a control permit voucher for a control permit will not lose accrued bonus points for limited entry turkey hunting as a result of redeeming the voucher.

R657-69-12. Appeal Procedures.

Upon the petition of an aggrieved party to a final division action relative to material damage caused by turkeys and this rule the landowner or lessee may [petition the mitigation review panel]appeal for relief as provided in [Section]Rule R657-[44-4]2.

R657-69-13. Hunting or Combination License Required.

(1)(a) A person must possess or obtain a valid Utah hunting or combination license, or a special turkey control license, to receive a turkey control permit pursuant to Section R657-69-6.

(b) A person must possess or obtain a valid Utah hunting or combination license to:

(i) receive a turkey depredation or nuisance permit; or

(ii) or redeem a control permit voucher for the corresponding permit.

(2)(a) Special turkey control licenses are only issued to landowners or lessees, immediate family members, and employees that are designated to receive a turkey control permit under Section R657-69-6 and do not possess a valid Utah hunting or combination license.

(b) Special turkey control licenses may not be used in lieu of a hunting or combination license to obtain a depredation or nuisance permit

or a control permit under a control permit voucher.

KEY: wildlife, turkey, depredation

Date of Last Change: 2026[November 4, 2024]

Notice of Continuation: September 30, 2024

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 23A-8-302; 23A-12-201

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