DAVIS COUNTY — Bull elk are some of the most prized catches for a hunter, no matter which weapon a hunter chooses.

This year, more than 29,000 permits to hunt bull elk with a rifle or muzzleloader have already gone on sale. The general archery hunting permitting for bull elk has started as well, with an unlimited supply of archery hunts available.

On Tuesday, July 17, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources began selling the permits for this season, which begins as early as Aug. 18 for some hunts.

Before purchasing a permit, however, hunters need to know which kind of animal they are going after. “Any Bull Unit” permits allow hunters to take a bull of any size while “Spike-only Unit” permits only allow hunting of young bulls with very short antlers. All hunters with a permit can hunt in either area.

Hunters can get a copy of the Utah Big Game Field Regulations Guidebook, which is available for download on the Utah DWR website. The guide books may also be picked up at any DWR office in Utah for free.

For more information, call the DWR main office at 801-538-4700 or visit wildlife.utah.gov.

sgillet@davisclipper.com