Colorado Hunting News

The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) is opening 87,500 acres of private land in the southeast portion of the state for the public to hunt pronghorn and deer through the Big Game Access Pilot Program (BGAP). The program begins with the opening of the archery pronghorn season on August 15.

This is the first year of the 3-year pilot program that aims to provide additional big game hunting access to the public. The property enrolled for this year is in Game Management Units (GMUs) 120, 121, 122, and 126.
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The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) will hold a public meeting in Wellington to gather input on pronghorn (often called antelope) herd management in DAUs PH 33 and 36, which comprises Game Management Units 7, 8, 9 and 191. The meeting will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Aug. 8 at the Leeper Community Center, 3800 Wilson Ave., Wellington.

“Pronghorn hunting is a popular activity in this region,” said Dave Clarkson, area wildlife manager for the DOW. “We’d like to ensure we are managing pronghorn to the best of our abilities, using input and information from the public who enjoy having these animals as part of our landscape.”
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The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) has announced a new pilot program for the 2007 Big Game hunting season. The new program will be known as the Big Game Access Program (BGAP).

This pilot will focus on deer and pronghorn hunting in southeast Colorado during the regular seasons on private lands. The following Game Management Units will potentially be included: 116, 117, 120, 121, 122, 125, 126, and 127.
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The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) is requesting public comments on two big game herds in the Front Range. Deer management in Game Management Units (GMUs) 104, 105, and 106 and pronghorn management in GMUs 51, 104, and 105 are being reviewed.

“Colorado’s wildlife is enjoyed by everyone and everyone has a say in how it’s managed,” said Joe Padia, District Wildlife Manager for these game management units. “We would like the public’s input to help establish herd size and male to female ratio objectives for a ten-year management plan.”

People interested in providing input can obtain a questionnaire from http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/

Those members of the public who wish to comment but do not have access to the Internet, can request a copy by calling Jennifer Churchill at 303-291-7234.

The deadline for submitting comments has been extended to May 2, 2007.

Colorado Division of Wildlife officials will discuss big game license recommendations for fall 2007 at two meeting in the San Luis Valley.

DOW biologists will discuss deer, elk, pronghorn and moose. They will also explain the current status of the herds in the region, DOW big game planning efforts and license allocations.

The public is invited to ask questions and to discuss concerns.

The meetings:

• 7 p.m., April 9, at the South Fork Community Building in South Fork on Highway 149.

• 7 p.m., April 10, Room A103 in the student center building at Adams State College. Parking is available across the street from the student center. No parking pass is required.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) would like to remind big game hunters who are interested in applying for an elk, deer, pronghorn, moose or bear license for the upcoming 2007 big game hunting seasons that their applications must be postmarked by April 3.

The option for banking preference points will not be available in 2007. Preference point banking was a one time option that took place last year. It allowed hunters to keep any excess preference points that were not required to draw the license they applied for. This year, any first choice license that is received will use all of the hunter’s preference points for that species.

Another change for 2007 is that hunters will not receive their licenses in the mail until their habitat stamp requirement has been met. A Colorado Wildlife Habitat Stamp is required of people ages 19-64 who buy hunting or fishing licenses. With a license purchase, the stamp is $5 and required with each of the first 2 licenses bought in a calendar year ($10 total). The stamp also allows access to state wildlife areas and state trust lands leased by the DOW. Those who apply by using the DOW Web site (www.wildlife.state.co.us) can purchase a habitat stamp when submitting their application. Those who use mail in applications can buy their habitat stamps prior to applying or they can include $5 check with each of their license applications.

Also new in 2007, all muzzleloading pronghorn licenses are now limited and available in specific game management units.

The purging of preference points will also begin for hunters who are inactive in 2007. If a hunter has not applied for a deer, elk, pronghorn or bear license at least once since 2004 they will loose their preference points for that species.

The youth big game license program has been expanded to include 16 and 17-year-olds in 2007.

Hunters are encouraged to apply for big game licenses online at the DOW Web site. By applying online hunters will save time and money over mailing in their applications. It is also much more difficult to make an error when applying online.

For additional information on these and other changes for the 2007 big game seasons please read a copy of the 2007 Big Game brochure. A copy of the brochure and applications are available at the DOW Web site (www.wildlife.state.co.us). They can also be found at license agents and DOW offices throughout the state. Non-resident hunters can request a mailed copy by visiting the DOW Web site.

If hunters have questions about applying for a 2007 big game license they can watch the streaming video tutorial on the DOW Web site or contact the DOW customer service center at (303) 297-1192.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife is the state agency responsible for managing wildlife and wildlife habitat, as well as providing wildlife related recreation and maintaining a balance between human activities and wildlife. The Division of Wildlife’s primary funding comes from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses and the habitat fees collected in conjunction with those sales. The Division does not receive tax dollars from the state’s general fund.

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.