Waterfowl hunting takes flight this weekend at Utah Lake

Grab your gun. It’s hunting season.

Of course, you won’t find much big game around Utah Lake. But starting this Saturday, anxious hunters will return to find something the lake has a reputation for: waterfowl hunting.

“With preparation and proper equipment, Utah Lake can offer some of the best wingshooting in the state,” says avid hunter Matt Clark. The reason: “Because of the size of Utah Lake and depth of its waters, virtually anywhere around the lake is accessible to duck and geese hunters especially those with boats,” he says.

It also has several rivers and canals that feed into it which provide good late season hunting when the lake is frozen, he adds, noting how many hunters enjoy hunting on the ice as well, “as much of the waterfowl that migrate through the state use Utah Lake as a resting stop along their route,” he says.

Not only that, but “great efforts are being taken to improve the habitat for waterfowl to increase hunter success and satisfaction at the lake,” Clark says. Shoreline restoration efforts chief among them.

Ducks or geese not your thing? No worries. There are active opportunities for pheasant hunting along the shores, too. “The pheasant hunt is a much shorter hunt typically starting the 1st week in November and runs through the end of November,” Clark says. “The waterfowl hunting starts the 1st week in October and runs through the end of January.” (See proclamations for exact dates.)

Interested in hunting Utah Lake? The best way to get involved is to reach out to fellow hunters, Clark concludes. “This can be done by getting involved with some of the local conservation organizations such as Utah Waterfowl Association, Ducks Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl. Most waterfowlers are eager to help new hunters and acquaint them with the areas available to hunting.”

Photo credit: Matt Clark