Utah Admin. Code R657-41-7 - Awarding Conservation Permits

(1)

(a) Distribution of conservation permits will be based on a sequential selection process where each eligible conservation organization is assigned a position or positions in the selection order among the other participating organizations and awarded credits with which to purchase permits at an assigned value.

(b) Conservation organizations may not consult or coordinate with other conservation organizations regarding which conservation permits they intend to acquire before the permit selection process.

(2) Permits will be awarded to eligible conservation organizations for no more than three years.

(3) The division will determine the number of permits available.

(a) Season types for area conservation permits for elk on any given hunt unit will be designated and assigned in the following order:

(i) first permit -- multi-season;

(ii) second permit -- hunter's choice of season;

(iii) third permit -- any-weapon, late season;

(iv) fourth permit -- archery;

(v) fifth permit -- any-weapon, mid season;

(vi) sixth permit -- muzzleloader;

(vii) seventh permit -- multi-season; and

(viii) eighth permit -- hunter's choice of season.

(b) Season types for area conservation permits for deer on any given hunt unit will be designated and assigned in the following order:

(i) first permit -- multi-season;

(ii) second permit -- hunter's choice of season;

(iii) third permit -- muzzleloader;

(iv) fourth permit -- archery;

(v) fifth permit -- multi-season;

(vi) sixth permit -- hunter's choice of season;

(vii) seventh permit -- muzzleloader; and

(viii) eighth permit -- archery.

(c) If a unit is missing any of the season types listed in Subsection (3)(a) or (3)(b), that season type will be skipped and the next available season type will be assigned to the permit.

(d) Notwithstanding the availability of multiple seasons, an any-weapon permit opportunity offered in Subsections (3)(a) and (3)(b) is restricted to a single season, which the recipient of the permit must designate before receiving the permit.

(4) The division will assign a credit amount for each permit based on the average return for the permit during the previous three-year period. If a history is not available, the value will be estimated.

(5) The division will calculate the market total for the permit draft by summing all credit amounts from available conservation permits.

(6)

(a) The division will calculate a market share for each eligible conservation organization applying for permits.

(b) Market share will be calculated and determined based on:

(i) the conservation organization's previous three years performance;

(ii) all conservation permits issued to a conservation organization; and

(iii) the percent of conservation permit revenue raised by a conservation organization during the three-year period relative to all conservation permit revenue raised during the same period by all conservation organizations applying for conservation permits.

(7) The division will determine the credits available to spend by each group in the selection process based on their market share multiplied by the market total.

(8)

(a) If substantial changes to a hunt boundary or season date of a conservation permit occur during its three-year term, the division may cancel the permit for the remainder of the three-year term and assign an average sales price using prices from prior years within its three-year term.

(b) If minor changes to a hunt boundary or season date of a conservation permit occur during its three-year term, the division may:

(i) cancel the permit for the remainder of the three-year term and assign a sales price under Subsection (8)(a); or

(ii) allow the conservation organization to sell the permit for the remainder of the three-year term.

(9) The division will establish a selection order for the participating conservation organizations based on the relative value of each groups market share as follows:

(a) groups will be ordered based on their percent of market share;

(b) each selection position will cost a group 10% of the total market share except the last selection by a group will cost whatever percent a group has remaining;

(c) no group can have more than three positions in the selection order; and

(d) the selection order will be established as follows:

(i) the group with the highest market share will be assigned the first position and 10% will be subtracted from their total market share;

(ii) the group with the highest remaining market share will be assigned the second position and 10% will be subtracted from their market share; and

(iii) this procedure will continue until all groups have three positions or their market share is exhausted.

(10) At least one week before the permit selection meeting, the division will provide each conservation organization applying for permits the following items:

(a) a list of permits available with assigned value;

(b) documentation of the calculation of market share;

(c) credits available to each conservation group to use in the selection process;

(d) the selection order; and

(e) date, time and location of the selection meeting.

(11) At the selection meeting, conservation organizations will select permits from the available pool according to their respective positions in the selection order. For each permit selected, the value of that permit will be deducted from the conservation organization's available credits. The selection order will repeat itself until all available credits are used or all available permits are selected.

(12) Conservation organizations may continue to select a single permit each time their turn comes up in the selection order until all available credits are used or all available permits are selected.

(13) A conservation organization may not exceed its available credits, except a group may select their last permit for up to 10% of the permit credit amount above their remaining credits.

(14) Conservation organizations may not trade or transfer permits.

(15) The division will notify the Wildlife Board as to the results of the conservation permit distribution.

(16) Conservation organizations failing to comply with the reporting requirements in any given year during the period may lose the conservation permits for the balance of the award period.

(17) If a conservation organization cannot complete the terms of auctioning or otherwise selling assigned permits, the permits will be returned to the regular public drawing process for the duration of the allocation period.

Notes

Utah Admin. Code R657-41-7

Amended by Utah State Bulletin Number 2016-24, effective 11/28/2016 Amended by Utah State Bulletin Number 2018-5, effective 2/7/2018 Amended by Utah State Bulletin Number 2018-17, effective 8/9/2018 Amended by Utah State Bulletin Number 2019-16, effective 7/22/2019 Amended by Utah State Bulletin Number 2021-14, effective 7/9/2021 Amended by Utah State Bulletin Number 2024-17, effective 8/21/2024