Meeker Office Closure
The Meeker office is closed until further notice due to the Lee Fire. Please view the news release for additional details and alternative office information.
Elk - Conservation and Management
Colorado’s robust elk population – estimated to be more than 290,000 – is a result of sound science-based management and conservation. One of the great aspects of our state is sharing the picturesque landscape with these magnificent animals. Researchers believe the passion people have for our natural resources can lead to sustainable elk populations for generations to come.
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife researchers have set out to evaluate how human recreation may be influencing our elk populations and created a film titled ‘Emblems of the West’ to help tell that story.
Research
Emblems of the West
Colorado’s robust elk population – estimated to be more than 290,000 – is a result of sound science-based management and conservation. One of the great aspects of our state is sharing the picturesque landscape with these magnificent animals. Researchers believe the passion people have for our natural resources can lead to sustainable elk populations for generations to come.
Partner Spotlight
Colorado Wildlife Habitat Program (CWHP)
As the state’s population continues to grow, so too does the pressure on our state’s wildlife habitat. It is critical for CPW and our partners to continue protecting the integrity of our natural landscape for current and future generations.
The Colorado Wildlife Habitat Program (CWHP) brings together private landowners, local governments and conservation organizations to protect and enhance important wildlife habitat.
Herd Management Plans
Elk Herd Management
The purpose of a Herd Management plan (HMP) is to integrate the plans and intentions of Colorado Parks and Wildlife with the concerns and ideas of land management agencies and interested public to determine how a big game herd in a Data Analysis Unit (DAU) should be managed.
Big game populations are managed to achieve population and sex ratio objectives established for Data Analysis Units. A DAU is the geographic area that represents the year-around range of a big game herd and includes all of the seasonal ranges of a specific herd. Each DAU usually is composed of several Game Management Units (GMUs), but in some cases only one GMU makes up a DAU.
Draft Herd Management Plans
There are currently no draft plans open for public comment. When comment periods are available, they are open for 30 days.
About the Draft Plan Process
Traditionally, Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff have presented one herd management plan at a time for approval to the Parks and Wildlife Commission. In order to address the large numbers of HMPS that need to be updated, staff have taken a new approach to develop a regional roll-up of all HMPs in a CPW region for a single big game species to update or establish new population and sex ration objectives. The regional plans also describe the significant management issue for herds within each Region, what public input was used to develop proposed objectives, and the individual HMPs for each herd.
Finalized Herd Management Plans
- Southwest Elk
- Includes HMPs for E05, E11, E20, E24, E25, E26, E30, E31, E32, E34, E35, E40, E43, and E55.
- E1 - Cold Springs
- E2 - Bear's Ears
- E3 - North Park
- E4 - Red Feather/Poudre Canyon
- E6 - White River
- E7 - Gore Pass
- E8 - Troublesome
- E9 - St. Vrain
- E10 - Yellow Creek
- E12 - Piney River
- E13 - Williams Fork
- E14 - Grand Mesa
- E15 - Avalanche Creek
- E16 - Frying Pan River
- E17 - Collegiate Range
- E18 - Kenosha Pass
- E19 - Glade Park
- E22 - Buffalo Peaks
- E23 - Eleven Mile
- E27 - Sangre de Cristo
- E28 - Grape Creek
- E33 - Trinchera
- E38 - Clear Creek
- E39 - Mount Evans
About Preparing an HMP
In preparing an HMP, agency personnel attempt to balance the biological capabilities of the herd and its habitat with the public's demand for wildlife recreational opportunities.
The primary decisions needed for each HMP plan are how many animals should exist in the DAU and what is the desired sex ratio for the population of big game animals (e.g., the number of males per 100 females).
The selection of population and sex ratio objectives (which are set for a 10-year period of time) drive important decisions in the big game season setting process, namely:
- How many animals must be harvested to maintain or move toward the objectives
- What types of hunting seasons are required to achieve the harvest objective
Video: Ranching for Wildlife
Partner Spotlight
Ranching for Wildlife
Habitat, Hunting, and Heritage
Through the Ranching for Wildlife program, hunters can play an important role in helping CPW and landowners manage wildlife populations on private land. In addition to providing public hunting access to successful applicants, participating landowners are required to improve habitat on their ranch for both game and non-game animals. These efforts help preserve and enhance open spaces for wildlife to live and thrive and keep the hunting heritage alive for you and future generations.
Big Game Hunting
5-Year Season Structure
Every five years, the Parks and Wildlife Commission adopts a Big Game Season Structure (BGSS) to provide an overall framework for hunting.
The five year time frame which is designed to provide sportspersons, hunting-related businesses, landowners, and communities an opportunity to plan ahead for the upcoming seasons by considering what, when and where types of big game hunting is available, and how the timing of hunting opportunities is divided among hunters.