Colorado Hunting News

The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) will hold two separate public meetings to gather input on a proposal to reduce the size of the goose closures at Empire Reservoir as well as the duck AND goose closure on Vancil Reservoir. Empire Reservoir is 7 miles southwest of Orchard; Vancil Reservoir is about 8 miles northeast of Fort Morgan. Both bodies of water are privately owned irrigation reservoirs. Waterfowl season dates will also be discussed at the meeting.

The Fort Morgan meeting will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., March 20 in the Founders Room at the Morgan Community College, 920 Barlow Rd., Fort Morgan. The Greeley meeting will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., March 21 at the Best Western at 701 Eighth St., Greeley.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife is the state agency responsible for managing wildlife and its habitat, as well as providing wildlife related recreation. The Division is funded through hunting and fishing license fees, federal grants and Colorado Lottery proceeds through Great Outdoors Colorado.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) reminds small game hunters that the season for shooting prairie dogs on public lands is closed from March 1 through June 14. The seasonal closure was enacted by the Colorado Wildlife Commission to protect dependent young during the spring.

The closure does not affect private lands, where landowners are allowed to control prairie dogs year round to prevent property damage.

The new regulations bring Colorado in-line with other western states that have seasonal closures in place. In addition, by establishing a single statewide closure covering all three prairie dog species in Colorado (white-tailed, black-tailed and Gunnison), the regulations are simplified statewide.

Prior to the change, several sets of regulations governed hunting prairie dogs. “While small game hunters in some parts of the state will have to get used to the change,” explained Brett Ackerman, CDOW regulations manager, “having one statewide regulation should make it easier for sportsmen to understand the rules no matter where they are at the time.”

The CDOW is hopeful that the new regulations will assist in keeping Colorado’s prairie dog species from being listed under the Endangered Species Act. Such a listing could have a significant negative impact on land use statewide, including potential impacts on the ability of private landowners to control prairie dog populations.

PRAIRIE DOG FACTS

Black-tailed prairie dogs are found mostly in eastern Colorado, while white-tailed and Gunnison prairie dogs are found in the mountains and western Colorado.

Black-tailed prairie dogs are active year around. White-tailed and Gunnison prairie dogs hibernate during the winter.

Adult prairie dogs weigh from one to three pounds, and are 14 to 17 inches long.

Females have only one litter each year.

The typical litter size is three to five pups, but there can be as many as eight in a litter.

Prairie dogs have a life-span of three to five years in the wild.

Prairie dogs are known for creating an elaborate system of underground burrows (the burrow system isn’t really called a town.)

Prairie dogs communicate using a variety of calls, especially the “alarm” or “bark” to alert the community to danger.

Prairie dogs are an integral part of the ecosystem. Many other wildlife species, including black-footed ferrets, rattlesnakes, burrowing owls, foxes, eagles, hawks, badgers and weasels interact with, or depend on, prairie dog towns for their survival.

Prairie dogs eat grass, seeds and some insects.

Prairie dogs “clip” grass to keep it low so they can see predators approaching from a distance.

It is illegal to keep prairie dogs as pets in Colorado or capture prairie dogs and move them without a permit.

Nature is once again putting on one of its greatest displays in the San Luis Valley – the annual migration of the greater Sandhill Cranes. To honor this wildlife wonder, area organizations and wildlife agencies are holding the 24rd Annual Monte Vista Crane Festival, March 9-11.

The cranes start arriving in the San Luis Valley in mid-February as they travel north from their winter homes in Mexico, New Mexico and Arizona to their summer nesting and breeding grounds in Idaho, Montana and Canada. The number of cranes in the valley peaks in mid-March and many linger through the month.

About 25,000 cranes land in the valley to eat and rest before continuing north. For the cranes, the San Luis Valley provides wetland areas and a ready source of food on huge grain fields.

The birds are abundant in areas near the town of Monte Vista and are easy to spot. Wildlife watchers can see the birds most readily at the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge, the Rio Grande State Wildlife Area, the Higel State Wildlife Area and the Russell Lakes State Wildlife Area.. The big birds – 4 feet tall with wingspans of 6 feet - can also be seen from numerous rural roads.

Many other bird species - including eagles, turkeys and a variety of waterfowl – can also be seen in the area.

Birdwatchers are cautioned to be careful when parking and getting out of vehicles. People are also asked to view birds from a distance with binoculars and spotting scopes and to observe trail signs and closure notices.

Those entering state wildlife areas also are reminded that they need to possess a Colorado Habitat Stamp. The stamps are sold wherever hunting and fishing licenses are sold and on the DOW web site.

The crane festival is organized by the Colorado Division of Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce.

A variety of guided tours and programs are offered during the weekend’s event. The headquarters meeting place is at the Ski Hi Park building located near U.S. Highway 160 on County Road 4E on the east side of Monte Vista.

Approximate distances to Monte Vista: Denver, 220 miles; Colorado Springs, 182 miles; Salida, 85 miles; Vail, 175 miles; Durango, 135 miles; Grand Junction, 230 miles.

For more information, see: www.cranefest.com.

You’ll never know when you need blood. But when you do, there is only one source – human donors.
An auto accident on the Front Range in January might appear to have no connection to southwest Colorado. But the accident touched home for a Bayfield man and illustrates the need for a continual and reliable supply of blood everywhere.

Tyler Carron and Nikko Landeros, high school students in Berthoud, were struck by a vehicle on a snowy road on Jan. 15 while they were removing a spare tire from the back of a truck. Both boys’ lost both of their legs at the knees.

Tyler is the nephew of Cary Carron, a district wildlife manager for the Colorado Division of Wildlife in Bayfield. The youngster has been operated on 15 times since the accident.

Combined, the boys needed 20 pints of blood during their ordeal. On average, the human body contains from about eight to 12 pints of blood.

To help bolster supplies in the Four Corners area, the Durango office of the Colorado Division of Wildlife and United Blood Services are holding two blood drives in Durango and Bayfield.

March 5: Bayfield, 2-6 p.m. at the Pine Valley Four Square Church, 1328 County Road 501.

March 6: Durango, 1-6 p.m. Durango Recreation Center, 2700 Main Street.

The blood donated will not go to the injured boys but will be used to maintain supplies for the Four Corners region in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona, explained Nancy Kline, a representative of United Blood Services in Durango.

“After people heard about this accident we had a lot of calls from individuals in this area asking how they could help,” Kline said. “Accidents like this show how crucial it is to always maintain strong supplies of blood everywhere.”

In the Four Corners, about 700 units of blood are needed every month. A unit is one pint – 16 ounces. Blood is good for only 42 days.

“We always need blood,” Kline said. “In a severe auto accident it’s not uncommon for emergency workers and hospitals to need 50 units. And blood is always needed for surgery patients in area hospitals.”

After blood is taken, it is sent to a laboratory in Albuquerque to be tested. After it is deemed safe it is distributed throughout the Four Corners.

Patt Dorsey, area wildlife manager for the DOW in Durango, asked area residents to consider that they could be in a situation someday when they need blood in an emergency.

“When it comes to blood, we’re all in this together,” Dorsey said.

At the blood drives, the DOW will also provide some entertainment and shooting practice with its DART trailer. The trailer uses computer simulation to present various shooting scenarios in hunting situations. The trailer offers great fun and a test of skill. Children and adults can participate.

At the drives people can also make donations that will go to the families of the injured boys. Businesses or individuals also are invited to contribute items for a silent auction.

Donors can go directly to the blood drive sites or make an appointment by calling the United Blood Center office at 385-4601. Donors can also go on-line at www.bloodhero.com; use the code TCNL for the March 5 blood drive in Bayfield or tylernikko for the March 6 blood drive in Durango.

Anyone who would like to contribute silent auction items should call Dorsey at the DOW’s Durango office: 274-0855.

For those who can’t attend either of these days, a city-sponsored drive is scheduled for 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. March 7 at the Durango Recreation Center.

Information Meeting February 28

What happens when a concerned citizen calls the Division of Wildlife (DOW) to report she has found sick, injured or orphaned wildlife? In many cases, the Division of Wildlife’s volunteers spring into action to capture and transport that creature to a rehabilitator. Armed with training and the right tools, the team helps with small mammals, as well as birds and raptors. A songbird with a broken wing, a raccoon hit by a car, or a pelican caught in a fishing line may each be a beneficiary of the Wildlife Transport team.

Interested people are needed to join the team in the Denver metro area including Boulder, Lafayette, and Louisville. To participate, you must be a registered volunteer with the Division of Wildlife, attend a general orientation and separate mandatory project training, have reliable transportation and be willing to travel large distances in the metro area, and finally, be comfortable working with sick and injured animals. Interested and dedicated citizens who believe that wildlife should be saved regardless of the time, effort or species involved are welcome to join.

Volunteers are trained in the use of the equipment and the best means of capturing and handling wildlife. Once trained, they carry pagers and cover a 24-hour on-call period, midnight to midnight and must be available at least two weekdays per month. Approximately 20 volunteers are needed at this time.

An information meeting is scheduled for 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 at the DOW Hunter Education building in Denver. Call Elaine Lockey at (303) 291-7226 to register.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife reminds hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts that seasonal closures are in effect at State Wildlife Areas (SWA) in the Ridgway, Montrose and Delta areas.

• Billy Creek SWA: Closed Jan. 1 through April 30 to protect wintering big game herds. The closure includes all seven tracts and applies to all activities – including walking in. The wildlife viewing area is open in the tract just east of Highway 550 about 5 miles south Colona.
• Escalante SWA: Hamilton and Lower Roubideau tracts closed March 15 through July 31 too all activity to protect nesting waterfowl and upland birds.

An important function of wildlife areas is to provide safe winter havens for a variety of species. Winter is a difficult time for wildlife, especially deer and elk. To stay alive, they need to use all available energy. The closures allow wildlife to get through the winter months without being disturbed by human activity.

Closures also allow waterfowl and upland birds to nest and hatch young without being disturbed.

Because deer and elk gather during the winter months, they are often easier to see from roadways. Please, observe wildlife from a distance. If animals begin to move as you are viewing them that means you are too close. If animals are forced to move needlessly during winter months their energy stores become depleted and their chances for survival decrease.

Signs noting the closures are posted at all the areas. If you see someone violating a closure, please call the Montrose CDOW office at (970) 252-6000. When reporting a violation, please include: location, when the violation occurred and descriptions of people and vehicles.

The CDOW also reminds anyone who uses a state wildlife area that a Colorado Wildlife Habitat Stamp is required for entry. All persons, aged 19 to 64 must have a stamp in their possession. The stamp costs $5 for those buying hunting and fishing licenses; and $10.25 for non license buyers. Those who purchase a stamp also are provided search and rescue services if needed.

Two members of the Colorado Wildlife Commission will hold a public meeting in Gunnison, 6:30 p.m., March 1 in the multi-purpose building at the Gunnison County Fairgrounds. The commissioners will discuss local and state wildlife issues, and also want to hear from local residents about wildlife concerns.

Attending the meeting will be Dick Ray, a commissioner from Pagosa Springs, and Robert Bray, a commissioner from the Montrose area. Local Colorado Division of Wildlife staff members will also attend.

The Colorado Wildlife Commission is a volunteer board that sets regulations and policies for the Division of Wildlife. There are nine wildlife commissioners who represent five different districts in Colorado. They are appointed from each of the following groups: livestock producers; agricultural or produce growers; sportsmen or outfitters; wildlife organizations; and boards of county commissioners. The remaining three commissioners are appointed from the public at large.