An Auction Tag We Can Get on Board With

At this year’s Hunt Expo in Salt Lake City a Utah state representative and mule deer aficionado bought the Antelope Island mule deer tag, arguably the best mule deer tag in the entire country for a whopping $310,000. A win for Utah conservation, but then he did something that was even more unthinkable to most- he turned around and gave it away! 

And who did he give it to? Well, this is the best part. Representative Shultz is giving this highly coveted mule deer tag to a more than deserving disabled Utah veteran named Tyler Jones. 

As most of you know, I have been somewhat of an outspoken critic of these auction tags in the past, but I can honestly say, this is one case where I am on board 100%. 

We all look forward to watching Tyler’s mule deer rut hunt on Antelope Island in November. Maybe he will even submit his story to the magazine. That is one mule deer buck we would be more than ecstatic to plaster on the cover of EHJ. 

Hat tip to Representative Shultz and the crew at KSL in Salt Lake City. Good luck on your hunt of a lifetime Tyler and thank you for your service, sir. -Guy Eastman

“At this year’s Western Hunting and Conservation Expo, Representative Mike Shultz, a longtime hunter and advocate of conservation, did something no one has ever done in Utah. Mike won the bid on the Antelope Island Conservation deer tag for $310,000. But Mike didn’t buy this tag for himself. He got the tag to give it away. So, Mike decided the Antelope Island deer tag was going to go to a disabled Utah Veteran. Hunts for the Brave nominated veteran Tyler Jones. Come November, we’ll introduce you to Tyler, tell you his story and show you his hunt on Antelope Island. It’s going to be a blast.” –KSL Outdoors, Salt Lake City, Utah