Salt Lake City — While some people may not be thinking about hunting, fishing or bird-watching during December, there are still plenty of opportunities for all three activities this time of year. Surprise your outdoorsy friends or family members with a Utah fishing or hunting license for Christmas or by paying for their registration fee for a hunting, fishing or bird-watching challenge! They make thoughtful presents, are easy to purchase, and can be used year-round.
Along with ice fishing, Utah also offers several hunts during the winter months. Hunts for several upland game species — including cottontail rabbit, chukar and gray (Hungarian) partridge, snowshoe hare and the fall turkey hunts — run through most of the winter. Annual Utah fishing and hunting licenses are 365-day licenses, so the license is valid starting the day you buy it, and the recipient can start using it immediately.
"Hunting and fishing are some of the most incredible ways to experience the beautiful outdoors of Utah because you get to explore an area in ways you likely wouldn't otherwise," Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Licensing Coordinator Lindy Varney said. "A combination license is the gift that keeps on giving because you can use it year-round for both fishing and hunting. It's a healthy, fun way to spend time outdoors with your loved ones. Buying a license is also a great way to fund wildlife conservation in the state, since the majority of the license funds go toward important habitat restoration, research and other conservation projects."
Buying a hunting or fishing license online is the easiest way to get one. However, you can also buy a fishing or hunting license at one of the six DWR offices or from any fishing and hunting license agent across Utah. Combination licenses — which allow the license holder to fish and hunt small game — are also available at the same locations and on the website.
To buy a license for someone, you need some of their information, including:
- Name
- Approximate height and weight
- Eye color
- Hair color
- Date of birth
- Mailing address
- Phone number
If you buy a license online, you can have it mailed to you so you can wrap it and give it as a gift, or have it mailed directly to the person you're buying it for. It usually takes about 10 days for a license to arrive in the mail, so order one early if you want it to arrive in time for Christmas.
If the person you're buying the license for is 18 years of age or older, instead of buying a one-year license, you also have the option of buying a license that's valid for up to five years.
If the person you're buying for already has a license, you can extend the period of time when their current license is valid. For example, if the person you'd like to buy for has a license that will expire next April, you can buy a license extension for them now. The extension will keep their license valid for one, two, three, four or five years from the day the license was supposed to expire. However, a license extension may be bought only for a license that will expire within six months from the day you buy the extension. For example, if a license doesn't expire until November 2026, the earliest you can buy an extension for it is May 2026, six months before it expires.
You can find the cost of each of the licenses on the DWR website. Gift givers should also note that hunting and combination licenses do not include a deer or elk permit and do not allow someone to hunt big game. Hunters can apply for a 2026 general-season buck deer permit in March 2026. General-season elk permits will be available, on a first-come, first-served basis, in July.
Utah Birding Slam
For those who don't hunt or fish but enjoy wildlife, another gift idea is to pay for the registration fee for the new Utah Birding Slam. Launched in September, the Utah Birding Slam is a self-guided, bird-watching challenge that offers six different slams, each with varying difficulty levels. The slams have specific requirements that encourage and challenge birders to seek out and learn to identify different bird species found in various parts of Utah. Registration for each individual slam costs $20 for adults and $10 for youth (17 years of age or younger). You can pay for the entry fee online or at any available license agent. Funds help support a variety of habitat improvement and research projects for various bird species.
Utah Cutthroat Slam
Another great gift idea for the angler in your life is a registration fee for the Utah Cutthroat Slam. Launched in 2016 by Utah Trout Unlimited and DWR, the goal of the slam is for anglers to catch each of the four native subspecies of cutthroat trout in Utah — Bonneville, Colorado River, Bear River and Yellowstone — in their historic ranges. Registration costs $20 for adults and $10 for youth, and you can register online. All but $1 of the registration cost is dedicated to conservation projects throughout the state that help native cutthroat trout.
Anglers who complete the Utah Cutthroat Slam now have the option of selecting one of the four available medallions. The slam can provide a fun challenge and a great way to get outdoors.
Waterfowl Slam
If you have an avid hunter in your life, consider gifting them the opportunity to add an extra challenge to their hunting season. Hunters earn one of the Utah Waterfowl Slams by completing different requirements, such as harvesting a group of species in a certain time period or location. There are currently 10 waterfowl slams with different difficulty levels, so you can find a variety of fun, unique challenges. Along with trying something new, hunters who complete the slams also earn colorful, collectible leg bands.
The entry fee for the waterfowl slams is $20 for hunters 18 years of age or older or $10 for hunters 17 years of age or younger. You can pay for the entry fee online or at any available license agent. The money earned from the slam is used to complete habitat-improvement projects on waterfowl management areas across the state.
Upland Game Slam
Similar to the waterfowl slams, hunters can complete the eight Utah Upland Game Slams by harvesting the required amount of the target species. Each one is designed to give you an extra challenge while you're hunting, as well as the opportunity to earn a commemorative, collectible coin.
The entry fee is $20 for hunters 18 years of age or older, or $10 for hunters 17 years of age or younger. You can pay for the entry fee on the DWR website or at available license agents. Funds earned from the slams help pay for upland game habitat projects, which have improved multiple sites and allowed DWR biologists to establish upland species in new areas across the state.
