ST. GEORGE — Conservation efforts have increased the population of California condors from about 22 to over 500 since the 1980s. And while the birds are still at risk for other hazards, like lead poisoning, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources says hunters can help.
Beginning on Oct. 8, the division set up a condor check station on state Route 14 and another near Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park on Wednesday. About 25 people have stopped by the Cedar Canyon location, DWR wildlife recreation specialist Johnny Neil said.
Adam Kavalunas, the conservation outreach manager for the DWR’s southern region said he loves to work the station because it’s “typically really busy” and he gets to interact with “a lot of hunters and see some nice bucks along the way.”
In collaboration with the Peregrine Fund, hunters in the Zion hunting unit have been invited to stop at these check stations to receive a coupon at a value of up to $50 to obtain a free box of non-lead ammunition and participate in a prize drawing, according to a recent news release published by the DWR.
However, the stations are open to anyone who wants to stop by for information, JC Ballard, a DWR outreach specialist said. Some visitors have stopped by the station for a condor pamphlet or hat, Kavalunas added.
The Hunters Helping Condors program was launched in 2011 to support the birds’ recovery. Currently, California condors are protected under the Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
The animals were listed in 1967, but by 1982, they were on the brink of extinction with only 22 specimens left in California, according to the release.
The remaining birds were captured and kept in captivity, giving rise to “a tremendously successful captive breeding program that has allowed for reintroduction of the endangered birds back to the wild,” the release states.
There are now over 500 condors alive and more than half live in the wild. The Arizona and Utah populations consist of over 100 birds.
“This collaborative effort demonstrates a deep-seated conservation ethic demonstrating that hunters are leading the way in conservation,” the release reads.
Condors are at risk of lead poisoning, which is the leading cause of death for free-flying condors in both Utah and Arizona, DWR Avian Conservation Program Coordinator Russell Norvell said in the news release.
“A frequent source of that lead is the remains of shot animals, a common meal for condors and other scavenging wildlife,” he said. “The Hunters Helping Condors program is helping to reduce lead exposure, which is helping in the recovery of these unique birds that play an important role in the ecosystem.”
After clearing a deer or elk, some hunters have left “gut piles,” a food source to which condors are attracted. Neil said these remains could contain lead fragments.
Non-lead ammunition has “come a long way in the last few years,” Kavalunas said, and now there is a wider selection.
“The bullets shoot better,” he said. “The bullets perform better. Early on a lot of people, I think, were hesitant to use copper because they just didn’t think it had the killing power.”
Those interested in entering the prize drawing must have a legal weapon permit to hunt big game in the Zion Unit and show that they are either using non-lead ammunition or that they have removed all of the animal’s remains from the field if using lead ammunition, according to the DWR’s website.
Additionally, Kavalunas said that the bullets must match the caliber of the rifles being used to qualify for entry and a chance to win one of five $800 gift certificates to Sportsman’s Warehouse.
“Stop by a check station or any DWR regional office no later than Dec. 31, 2022, to verify participation and be entered into the drawing,” the DWR’s website states.
Testing deer for disease
Additionally, Neil said that the staff manning the stations can check deer for chronic wasting disease or COVID-19.
Chronic wasting disease is rare and not widespread in Utah, according to a news release from DWR that was published on St. George News. Hunters can receive a free test if they’ve harvested deer on the Zion unit or others that are being sampled this year.
Those interested will need to leave approximately 6 inches of the animal’s neck and windpipe so its lymph nodes can be removed for sampling.
Because COVID-19 is transmittable to some wildlife, including deer, DWR staff manning the check stations are offering to test deer taken in by hunters. The test is done with two swabs, Kavalunas said.
First, they use one to clear the animal’s nostrils of blood, and then another swipe is done and put in a vial on ice, he said.
There is no evidence that people can catch COVID-19 by preparing or eating game meat in the United States, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the organization said hunters should practice good hygiene and follow CDC recommendations to avoid becoming ill.
Check Stations
There are two check stations visitors can stop at to enter the drawing, receive a coupon and have their deer checked for chronic wasting disease and COVID-19.
They are both open from about 11 a.m. until dusk. Kavalunas said the stations are typically manned until approximately 6 p.m.
The first is near Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, at the intersection of Yellowjacket Road and Hancock Road.
Click here to view this location on Google Maps. It will be open on Oct. 15-16, 22-25 and 29-30.
The second is located at the “Old Mill” pull-off on SR 14 in Cedar Canyon, about a half mile east of Canyon Park and a three-quarter mile west of Rusty’s Ranch House.
The Cedar Canyon location can be found on Google Maps here. It will be open Oct. 15-16, 22-24 and 29-30.
To learn more about the Hunters Helping Condors program, click here. More information about how to have deer checked for chronic wasting disease can be found here.
Photo Gallery
Deer at Navajo Lake, Utah, Oct. 7, 2022 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News A condor in flight, date and location not specified | Photo courtesy of Jim Shane and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, St. George News A flying condor, date and location not specified | Photo courtesy of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, St. George News A condor in its nest, date and location not specified | Photo courtesy of Zion National Park via the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, St. George News JC Ballard (right) and Adam Kavalunas (left) manning a condor check station, near Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, Utah, Oct. 12, 2022 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News a map showing the October condor check stations | Image courtesy of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, St. George News An orange Day of the Condor hat at the condor check station near Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, Utah, Oct. 12, 2022 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News JC Ballard (left) and Adam Kavalunas (left) manning a condor check station, near Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, Utah, Oct. 12, 2022 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News Johnny Neil manning the condor check station on State Route 14, at the mouth of Cedar Canyon, Utah, Oct. 12, 2022 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, St. George News
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