New land acquired for East Canyon Wildlife Management Area [Video]

HENEFER, Utah — East Canyon Wildlife Management Area has added 2,600 more acres through a recent land purchase. The area now encompasses 6,200 acres. 

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation helped the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources with the purchase. The foundation said the original landowner planned to re-zone the area for residential development. 

“The subsequent project conserves the wildlife values of the land and enhances hunting, fishing, camping, and other recreational activities,” members of the RMEF said on its website. 

RMEF said that the area lies within a critical migration corridor for mule deer. The Secretary of the Interior identified the site in Secretarial Order 3362. 

The order was meant to improve winter range qualities used by big game, as well as their migrational corridors. 

The RMEF said that over 20,000 mule deer and 2,900 elk live in the newly expanded East Canyon area. Additionally, moose, greater sage-grouse, wild turkey, and mountain lions are on the list of …