State wildlife division presents Yankee Meadows and Perrin Valley management plans to Iron County

State wildlife staff presented two habitat‑management plans and asked the commission for local feedback.

Mikayla Randy, aquatics biologist with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, summarized a visitor survey at Yankee Meadows WMA showing high recreational use (estimated ~8,000 angler hours and ~3,000 fish caught during survey periods) and recommended continuing current stocking (about 6,000 rainbow, 2,000 brook and 4,000 cutthroat annually) and monitoring. "We estimate almost 8,000 hours of recreational use at the WMA," Mikayla said, noting high youth participation and user satisfaction.

Barbara Sugarman, the division’s Utah prairie dog recovery biologist, presented the Perrin Valley WMA plan, describing the WMA’s purpose for prairie dog conservation, stakeholder coordination (US Fish and Wildlife Service, Nature Conservancy, neighboring landowners) and proposed measures: maintain and repair a temporary silt fence, seek funding for a permanent visual barrier fence on key borders, increase vegetation species diversity through NRCS cooperation, and continue annual spring counts and disease (flea/plague) prevention treatments. Sugarman noted the USFWS species status assessment is underway and estimated an 18–24 month federal timetable.

DWR staff asked the county to submit written comments or use the RDCC review process. Commissioners asked technical questions about sediment after the Brandhead fire, stocking details and timing for trapping and translocation efforts; DWR provided specific dates for live trapping (June 15–September 30) and described coordination requirements with USFWS for population management.