Colorado Hunting News

Two members of the Colorado Wildlife Commission will hold a public meeting in Monte Vista, 6:30 p.m., Feb. 28, at the Monte Vista Co-op, 1901 E. Highway 160. The commissioners will discuss local and state wildlife issues, and also will ask to hear about wildlife concerns of area residents.
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.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) continues to test Northern Shoveler ducks at their Fort Collins laboratory, as the undetermined cause of duck deaths reaches the 4-week mark. To date, 600+ ducks have been collected from various sites around the Metro area, including Metro Wastewater, Northglenn Water Treatment Facility, Boulder Wastewater, Littleton/Englewood Wastewater and Sunfish Lake near The Breakers apartments in Denver.

CDOW veterinarians have only been able to identify ailments that are not affecting the birds at this point. Avian Influenza and Avian Cholera test results have come back negative and histology from the birds shows no clinical signs of disease. There are no conclusive test results pointing to the cause–additional tests are being conducted at United States Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) labs in Ashland, Oregon and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) labs in Madison, Wisconsin. CDOW and USFWS are confident there is no significant risk to public health.

“We are focusing on what causes the ducks to lose their waterproofing as well as the cause of the malnutrition evident in many of the birds,” said Dr. Laurie Baeten, CDOW Veterinarian, “There are many factors we need to consider in trying to investigate a die-off and we are doing all we can to methodically apply the science available to us.”

Many ducks from the Metro Wastewater plant have been rescued by their staff and brought to rehabilitation clinics throughout the Front Range, an effort the CDOW greatly appreciates.

“We are pleased with the commitment of all of the agencies in reporting the problem and helping us try to solve it,” said Melanie Kaknes, District Wildlife Officer for the CDOW.

Colorado Division of Wildlife is continuing to investigate the duck deaths. The public is encouraged to report sick or dead ducks by calling the Colorado Help Line at 1-877-462-2911.

The Colorado Wildlife Commission (WC) has authorized up to $160,000 for emergency wildlife management because of severe winter conditions in southeast Colorado. “The severe winter the SE Region is experiencing has been a high priority of discussion at the Wildlife Commission. We need to do what we can to help our big game herds survive the rest of this hard winter,” said Commissioner Ken Torres.

Deep snow and sub-freezing conditions have persisted since a series of storms moved across the region. “The biggest impacts are to pronghorn,” said DOW Southeast Regional Manager Dan Prenzlow, “but deer and elk are suffering ill effects as well.”

The WC authorized the Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) to feed big game animals in areas where natural food sources are still covered by deep snow. “Initially we were using food to lure animals away from highways, train tracks and haystacks,” said Prenzlow. “Now we are feeding some of those same groups of animals that are struggling to survive because severe winter conditions have not loosened their grip in southeast Colorado.”

DOW aircraft are combing southeast Colorado to locate animals in distress. Flights have determined that some areas are in worse shape than others are. Up to 2,000 deer and pronghorn might be affected, but they are not all in once place. There are some large groups, but in most cases small clusters of 50 to 100 are stranded where the snow is too deep for them to find food.

It appears that critical conditions exist in a snow belt stretching from Burlington south to Lamar and west to Trinidad, but in other locations, conditions are not much different than in a normal winter.

The Wildlife Commission only authorizes the DOW to feed big game when conditions are severe. Now that the DOW has started a feeding program, it will continue until such time it is determined it is no longer needed for the targeted animals to survive.

DOW workers will use snow machines to deliver specialized food supplements, and more equipment and personnel will be brought in if needed.

Wild animals have very specific dietary needs. Studies done by the DOW have established which types of specialized feeds contain the proper mixtures of grains for optimal results in deer, elk and pronghorn.

The DOW is especially mindful of places where game animals are getting into haystacks or causing agricultural damage. Landowners are asked to please contact their local wildlife officer if damage is occurring, or they know of animals in distress.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) and the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation (DPOR) have joined forces to lease water from the Pueblo Board of Water Works to maintain stream flows in the Arkansas River through Pueblo.

“This is a win-win situation,” said Dan Prenzlow, the DOW Southeast Regional Manager. “Water released from Pueblo Reservoir will assure adequate flows to protect the fishery through Pueblo County and ultimately increase the storage content of the permanent pool at John Martin Reservoir.”

“This is very good news for anglers,” said Prenzlow. In the past two years, the amount of water that could be legally stored in John Martin Reservoir has reached dangerously low levels. “The added storage at John Martin will result in better fishing conditions next summer.”

State Parks and the DOW will split the cost to purchase up to a maximum of 3,082-acre feet. The water will be released at a rate to maintain a minimum outflow of 50 cubic feet per second (cfs) below the Pueblo dam.

Once the water reaches John Martin Reservoir, it will become part of the permanent storage pool. John Martin Reservoir is bordered on the east and north by a state park; and on the west and south by a state wildlife area.

“During winter storage conditions, most downstream users won’t call for water until after March 15,” said John Tonko, a water specialist with the DOW. “Under those conditions, there are times when the Arkansas River through Pueblo could be reduced to a trickle. By keeping the flow at 50 cfs, we can protect the fish and continue to provide angling opportunities.”

Tonko said that if downstream users do call for water, and stream flows are maintained at a minimum of 50 cfs, then Pueblo Water Works will retain the water in Pueblo Reservoir thereby reducing the final cost to the DOW and DPOR.

“We are pleased to be involved in this cooperative effort to enhance the flow of the Arkansas River through Pueblo,” said Alan Ward, a Water Resources Specialist Board of Water Works of Pueblo.

Tonko also thanked the staff of Colorado Division of Water Resources at the Division 2 office in Pueblo. “The DOW has gone to great lengths to establish the stretch of the Arkansas River through Pueblo as an outstanding place to fish,” said Tonko. “This cooperative agreement is an excellent insurance policy to protect those fish.”

The Colorado Division of Wildlife is the state agency responsible for managing wildlife and its habitat, as well as providing wildlife related recreation and maintaining a balance between human activities and wildlife. The Division is funded primarily through the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, with some support from federal grants and the Colorado Lottery via Great Outdoors Colorado.

The Colorado Wildlife Commission will discuss recommendations and proposals for managing elk in Rocky Mountain National Park at their workshop at 9:00 a.m., Thursday, February 8 in Estes Park at the Holiday Inn Rocky Mountain Park, 101 S. St. Vrain.

The Commission recommends the use of public hunting as an appropriate method to achieve the population reduction necessary for this elk herd. The Commission adopted a resolution to that effect in July 2006. For an outline of the resolution, please go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us/WildlifeCommission/Archives/2006/July2006.htm and click Minutes. The resolution is on page 49-50.

Colorado Division of Wildlife staff will discuss herd management in Unit 20 (E-9) outside of the Park, as well as present information on the impacts of too many elk in the Estes Park area.

Vaughn Baker, the superintendent of Rocky Mountain National Park, will be there to give an update on the Park’s elk/vegetation management environmental impact study (EIS). The Park Service will make their decision on the alternatives presented in the EIS by May/June of this year.

Commission workshops, while open to the public, are intended to update the commission on current wildlife issues and on Colorado Division of Wildlife staff activities. There is normally no regulatory action or public comment taken at workshops.

The Colorado Wildlife Commission is an 11-member board appointed by the governor. The Commission sets DOW regulations and policies for hunting, fishing, watchable wildlife and nongame and threatened and endangered species. The commission also oversees DOW land purchases and property regulations.

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 (DOW) will hold two separate public meetings to gather input on two big game herds in the Red Feather/Poudre Canyon area. Elk management in Game Management Units (GMUs) 7, 8, 9, 19, and 191 will be discussed, as well as deer management in GMUs 7, 8, 9, 19, and 191. The Greeley meeting will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., February 6 at the Best Western Ramkota Inn at 701 Eighth St., Greeley. The Fort Collins meeting will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., February 15 at the Fort Collins Hilton, 425 West Prospect Road, Fort Collins.

“The DOW is eager to gather input from landowners, outdoor enthusiasts, and hunters to help us gauge the size of these herds and direct population the male-to-female ratio objectives for a ten-year management plan,” said DOW biologist Mark Vieira. “Wildlife belongs to all of the public and we’d like everyone to have a say.”

People interested in providing input who cannot attend one of the meetings can obtain a questionnaire from http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/.
The deadline for returning completed surveys will be midnight, March 1, 2007.

For a copy of the survey, you may also call the Fort Collins office at 970-472-4300.

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 Wildlife Commission will hold a workshop from 8:30 a.m, to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 8 in Estes Park at the Holiday Inn Rocky Mountain Park, 101 S. St. Vrain.

Some of the issues the commission will be discussing at this workshop are: Rocky Mountain National Park Elk/Vegetation Management, ATV/OHV usage, the South Platte waterfowl harvest study, and a general discussion on license fees/revenue projections.

For an agenda for the workshop, please visit: http://wildlife.state.co.us/WildlifeCommission

Commission workshops, while open to the public, are intended to update the commission on current wildlife issues and on Colorado Division of Wildlife staff activities. There is normally no regulatory action or public comment taken at workshops.

The Colorado Wildlife Commission is an 11-member board appointed by the governor. The Commission sets DOW regulations and policies for hunting, fishing, watchable wildlife and nongame and threatened and endangered species. The commission also oversees DOW land purchases and property regulations.

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.