Share, reuse, and discover new-to-you toys at the Community Toy Swap at Wasatch County Library! Bring unwanted, clean, like-new or gently used toys with no missing parts to the library on November 5 and 6, during regular library hours. Then join us on Saturday, November 7, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to find something new to take home.

The Community Toy Swap is a fun, sustainable way to give toys a second life, reduce waste, and help families discover something new.

For guidelines or questions about toy donations, please email dbrosnahan@wasatch.utah.gov

Toy Drop-Off: November 5–6, during library hours (10 a.m. – 8 p.m.)

Toy Swap: Saturday, November 7, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.

Post expires at 1:18am on Sunday November 8th, 2026

For Immediate Release

Oct. 13, 2026

Apply for Utah’s most prized hunting permits, starting Oct. 20

SALT LAKE CITY — Sportsman permits are among Utah’s most prized hunting permits, and the time for Utah residents to apply for the 2027 permits is coming up soon.

Utahns can begin submitting applications for the 2027 sportsman permits on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 8 a.m. MDT. Utah residents can apply for permits online, by calling or visiting the nearest Utah Division of Wildlife Resources office or by calling the hunt-drawing helpline at 855-UTDRAWS (855-883-7297). To be included in the permit drawing, you must submit your application by Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 11 p.m. MST. (But if you are calling a DWR office for assistance in submitting your application, keep in mind that the office closes at 5 p.m.) The deadline to withdraw an application is also Nov. 10 at 11 p.m. MST.

“If you draw a sportsman permit, you can hunt on almost every unit in Utah that’s open to hunting the species you drew a permit for,” DWR Administrative Services Assistant Chief Lindy Varney said. “Also, the season dates are much longer, so you’ll have more time to scout different places to harvest an animal. It’s truly the hunt of a lifetime.”

Utahns may apply for as many species as they’d like, but only one sportsman permit is offered for each of the following species:

• Bison

• Black bear

• Buck deer

• Buck pronghorn

• Bull elk

• Bull moose

• Desert bighorn sheep

• Mountain goat

• Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep

• Wild turkey (a two-bird permit)

There’s a non-refundable $10 application fee to apply for each species. If you successfully draw a permit, the permit fees range from $40 to $564, depending on the species. Visit the DWR website to see the cost of each permit.

Applicants cannot earn or use bonus points in the sportsman drawing, and only Utah residents may apply for sportsman permits. (Review state code for the Utah residency requirements.)

In order to apply for a sportsman permit, each species has different age restrictions. If you apply for any big game species, you must turn 12 years old by Dec. 31, 2027 and must be 12 years old before the season ends. To be eligible to apply for a Sportsman black bear permit, you must be 12 years old by Dec. 31, 2027. There are no age restrictions to apply for a turkey permit. A valid Utah hunting or combination license is also required to apply for any of the sportsman permits.

Application results will be available on Thursday, Nov. 19. You can also find the drawing results online or by calling 855-883-7297 (855-UTDRAWS).

Post expires at 10:39am on Wednesday November 11th, 2026

Get ready for winter! Find gently used ski clothing and winter sports gear for adults and children at great prices.

Friday, Nov. 13: 9 AM–6 PM
Saturday, Nov. 14: 9 AM–4 PM
Wasatch County Recreation Center
345 W. 600 S., Heber City, UT

FREE ADMISSION!

Please note: No dressing rooms. No overnight camping.

Come early for the best selection!

Post expires at 10:09am on Sunday November 15th, 2026

Warm Bodies, Warm Souls Clothing Drive Returns to Help Utahns Stay Warm This Winter

Utahns encouraged to donate coats, blankets and other winter essentials at Bank of Utah, Arctic Circle and Red Hanger locations Oct. 19–Nov. 20

SALT LAKE CITY (Oct. 19, 2026) — As colder weather approaches, Bank of Utah, Arctic Circle and Red Hanger invite Utahns to help their neighbors through the annual Warm Bodies, Warm Souls clothing drive. From Oct. 19–Nov. 20, the drive will collect winter clothing and other essentials for 15 nonprofit organizations serving individuals and families from Logan to St. George.

Donors can drop off gently used coats, hats, scarves, gloves and blankets, as well as new socks and underwear, at participating Bank of Utah branches, Arctic Circle restaurants and Red Hanger locations statewide.

“Every coat, blanket, hat or pair of gloves donated through Warm Bodies, Warm Souls helps our most vulnerable neighbors stay warm and comfortable through the winter,” said Jodi Lunt, Chief Development Officer at Switchpoint, an organization dedicated to ending homelessness in Utah by pairing housing with care and opportunity. “We’re grateful for the generosity of Utahns who give their time and resources to support those in need. This annual drive is a wonderful reminder of what we can accomplish when we come together to care for our neighbors.”

This year’s donations will support:

• Cache Community Food Pantry
• Tremonton Community Pantry, Tremonton
• The Family Support Center, Brigham City and Ogden
• Catholic Community Services (Joyce Hansen Hall Food Bank), Ogden
• The Lantern House, Ogden
• Bountiful Community Pantry, Bountiful
• Crossroads Urban Center, Salt Lake City
• The Road Home’s Men’s Resource Center
• Heber Valley Center Stage / Christian Center of Park City
• Community Action Services and Food Bank / Food and Care Coalition
• The Well (formerly Hope Pregnancy Center)
• United Way of Eastern Utah
• Tabitha’s Way
• Switchpoint
• Cache Valley Humanitarian Center

Since 2011, Warm Bodies, Warm Souls has brought Utah communities together to support neighbors in need, collecting hundreds of bags of warm clothing each season for local charities to distribute. Last year, community members donated 561 bags of warm clothing and $10,040 in cash contributions gathered from 73 collection sites statewide.

As a thank-you for participating, each donor will receive a coupon for a free Double Cheeseburger from Arctic Circle or a free shirt cleaning from Red Hanger.

For a complete list of participating donation locations and the 15 benefiting organizations, visit www.bankofutah.com/clothing-drive.

FOR MEDIA: Photos and b-roll from previous years’ donations are available here.

Post expires at 11:15am on Saturday November 21st, 2026

Post expires at 8:10am on Sunday December 6th, 2026

Post expires at 11:18am on Thursday December 10th, 2026

SALT LAKE CITY (Oct. 13, 2026) — The American Red Cross of Utah is expanding efforts to help communities across the state prepare before natural disasters happen by training local volunteers and strengthening the ability of communities to respond when emergencies occur.

The work is part of the Red Cross approach to disaster risk reduction, which puts greater emphasis on preparedness before a disaster rather than beginning the work only after an emergency occurs. The effort recognizes that people who live in a community understand its needs, challenges and resources and can play an important role in preparing for and responding to disasters.

“These people are the experts of their own community,” said Jeremiah Lafranca, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Greater Salt Lake Chapter. “We’re working together to provide them with tools, training and support that turns everyday members of the community into Red Crossers ready to take action.”

Building Local Disaster Response Capacity

The Red Cross is expanding disaster volunteer training opportunities across Utah, with an emphasis on reaching rural and at-risk communities. The trainings are free and open to anyone, with no previous disaster response experience required.

Training local volunteers means communities can have people who already understand Red Cross disaster operations and are prepared to help when an emergency occurs. Volunteers can train for roles ranging from supporting shelters to helping families following a disaster.

“Disasters can happen anywhere, and every community benefits from having people who are prepared to respond,” said Lafranca. “You don’t have to have previous disaster response experience to make a difference. We want to make these trainings accessible to anyone who wants to learn, get involved and be there for their community when help is needed most.”

International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction

The effort is being highlighted as part of International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction on Oct. 13. The observance began in 1989 following a call by the United Nations General Assembly to promote greater awareness of disaster risk and ways communities can reduce those risks.

The annual observance focuses on steps communities can take before disasters occur to reduce risks and strengthen their ability to respond and recover.

Opportunities to Volunteer

The Red Cross of Utah offers training for people interested in supporting disaster response in their communities. Training is available for roles including operating Red Cross shelters, providing assistance to families following disasters and other response functions.

Training is free and no previous Red Cross experience is required. More information about volunteering with the Red Cross is available at RedCross.org/Volunteer.

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds, and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members, and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.

Post expires at 8:27am on Thursday December 31st, 2026

Requirements

With the exception of tundra swans (which require a permit from the hunt drawing that ended July 14), the rest of the waterfowl hunts in Utah are open to anyone with a hunting or combination license. However, you are also required to have a Harvest Information Program (HIP) number to hunt any waterfowl or migratory game bird species. You can register for a free HIP number on the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources website.

If you’re 16 years old or older, you must also obtain a federal migratory bird hunting and conservation stamp (duck stamp) annually to hunt ducks, geese and tundra swans. You can choose to purchase either a printed or electronic duck stamp before you go into the field to hunt. Duck stamps are valid July 1 through June 30 each hunting season.

There are a few options for purchasing a duck stamp:

• Printed stamp: Purchase a printed duck stamp from your local post office, some license agents or by phone at 800-782-6724.

• Electronic stamp: Purchase an electronic duck stamp through the DWR license sales site. If you purchase an e-duck stamp through the DWR website, you can download it to your Utah Hunting and Fishing app to show proof of purchase.

• Duckstamp.com and digital wallet download: Purchase an electronic duck stamp through this third-party online vendor. If you purchase an e-duck stamp from duckstamp.com, you can download it to your Google or Apple wallet.

“Federal duck stamps help fund wildlife conservation across the U.S., with 98% of the purchase fee going directly to help acquire and protect wetland habitat and purchase conservation easements for the National Wildlife Refuge System,” DWR Waterfowl and Migratory Game Birds Coordinator Jason Jones said.

The season dates for the duck hunts are:

• Northern zone general-season hunt: Oct. 3 to Jan. 16, 2027

• Northern zone youth hunt: Saturday, Sept. 19

• Southern zone general-season hunt: Oct. 10 to Jan. 23, 2027

• Southern zone youth hunt: Saturday, Sept. 26

Check page 64 of the Utah Waterfowl, Upland Game and Turkey Guidebook for the boundaries of the two zones and to see the bag limits for ducks.

Dark and white-fronted geese season dates:

• Northern area: Oct. 3-10 and Oct. 26 to Jan. 31, 2027

• Wasatch Front area: Oct. 3-10 and Nov. 10 to Feb. 15, 2027

• Eastern Box Elder area: Oct. 3 to Jan. 16, 2027

• Southern area: Oct. 10 to Jan. 23, 2027

Light geese season dates:

• Eastern Box Elder, Northern and Wasatch Front goose areas: Oct. 15 to Dec. 22 and Feb. 1 to March 10, 2027

• Southern goose area: Oct. 26 to Dec. 15 and Jan. 15 to March 10, 2027

Hunters should also note that most light goose hunting takes place on private property. Make sure to get documented permission from landowners before hunting on their property.

The youth waterfowl hunt will be held on Sept. 26 in the southern zone. Check page 65 of the Utah Waterfowl, Upland Game and Turkey Guidebook for the boundaries of the four goose areas and to see the bag limits for geese.

Swans:

Within 72 hours of harvesting a swan, hunters are required to check in the bird at a DWR office or at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge (open on Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon and 2-7 p.m.). Hunters must also complete a mandatory harvest survey within 30 days of the season ending, even if they didn’t harvest a swan or go hunting. New this year, hunters were given the option when applying for a swan permit to opt in to electronic tagging for their harvested swan, which would fulfill the required harvest survey.

Hunters should also be sure of the swan species they are targeting before attempting to harvest one. Trumpeter and tundra swans both migrate through the state, but as of 2023, it is illegal to harvest trumpeter swans in Utah — only tundra swan hunting permits are issued to hunters.

Any harvested trumpeter swans will be seized, and the hunter may face a citation. In addition, hunters who harvest a trumpeter swan will also be prohibited from being able to apply for a tundra swan hunting permit for several years. Youth who harvest a trumpeter swan must wait three years until they can apply for a tundra swan permit, and adults must wait five years.

“Each swan species can be identified by size and sound,” Jones said. “Trumpeter swans are significantly larger than tundra swans. Trumpeter swans do not have a yellow-colored area near their eyes, and they also make a distinctive trumpet-like sound, hence their name.”

Utah is one of only nine states in the U.S. that allows hunting for swans.

The tundra swan season runs from Oct. 3 to Dec. 13. However, if the federal quota of 20 trumpeter swans is met before Dec. 13, the swan hunting season will close early. Those with a tundra swan permit may harvest only one tundra swan during the 2026 hunting season.

Places to go waterfowl hunting 

There are more than 20 waterfowl management areas throughout Utah that are owned and managed by the DWR. Waterfowl management areas in Utah typically open for scouting on the Thursday before the northern zone youth waterfowl hunt, which is Sept. 17 this year.

Access and water conditions at the majority of the waterfowl management areas are fair this year, but have declined from last year due to drought conditions. For specific details and condition reports about each WMA, visit the DWR website. Be sure to check the conditions before attempting to launch an airboat at a WMA. Hunters should note that some current improvement projects at the Ogden Bay WMA will restrict access during the first youth hunt.

“Food resources and access around the associated wetlands of the Great Salt Lake are still suffering, due to long-term drought conditions,” Jones said. “Because of that, waterfowl may migrate through Utah quicker this year, which will make hunting more difficult later in the season.”

The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge — managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — is another great location for waterfowl hunting in Utah.

As a reminder, hunters cannot transport unsecured phragmites plants to use as blind covers. Utah law prohibits the transportation of weed seeds that are not contained, in an effort to prevent the spread of invasive plants.

Utah Waterfowl Slam

If you’d like to add some fun and challenge to your hunt, consider completing the Utah Waterfowl Slam. Hunters earn a slam by completing different requirements, such as harvesting a group of species in a certain time period or location. There are currently 10 slams with different levels of difficulty, so you can find a variety of fun, unique challenges. Along with trying something new, hunters who complete the slam can also earn colorful, collectible leg bands.

The money earned from the slam is used to complete habitat-improvement projects on the different WMAs across the state. Learn more about the Utah Waterfowl Slam on the DWR website.

Post expires at 11:06am on Thursday December 31st, 2026

Post expires at 12:50pm on Thursday December 31st, 2026