Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting recap for January 10 - 11
Joey Livingston
DENVER – At the January 10-11, 2024 meeting, the Parks and Wildlife Commission heard proposed changes to regulations as follows. All final regulations approved at the January 10-11, 2024 meeting will go into effect on March 1, 2024 unless otherwise noted. Updated chapters include: P-7, W-0, W-2, W-3
FINAL REGULATIONS
Agenda Item 10: Chapter W-0 - “General Provisions” 2 CCR 406-0, and those related provisions of Chapter W-2 (“Big Game” 2 CCR 406-2), and Chapter W-3 (“Furbearers and Small Game, Except Migratory Birds” 2 CCR 406-3) necessary to accommodate changes to or ensure consistency with Chapter W-0 (Step 2 of 2)
The Commission finalized regulations including, but not limited to, the following:
- Revising Mount Evans to Mount Blue Sky as changed by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.
- Modifying the Game Management Unit (GMU) 43 and creating GMU 431.
- Modifying the Game Management Unit boundaries for 79 and 791.
The Commission finalized regulations including, but not limited to, the following:
Multiple Species
- Annual changes to season dates, limited license areas, and quotas and manner of take provisions for bighorn sheep and mountain goat (statewide). (Step 1 of 1)
- Annual changes to season dates, limited license areas, and manner of take provisions for deer, elk, pronghorn antelope, moose, and bear (statewide). (Step 1 of 1)
- Creating a Disabled Veterans Outreach License.
- Opening game management unit S-79 to hunting.
- Modifying game management unit 61 archery, muzzleloader, and early October rifle bear hunt codes to be add-on over-the-counter licenses.
- Limiting hunt codes for private land only in data analysis unit B-7.
- Creating limited antlerless deer hunt codes in data analysis unit D-35.
- Modifying boundary language for the early season, high country rifle antlered deer hunt in GMU 74.
- Creating a new 4th rifle antlered mule deer hunting season in data analysis Unit D-12.
- Creating a new 4th rifle antlered deer hunting season in Game Management Units 85, 140 and 851.
- Modifying the private land only antlerless elk licenses in GMU 104 to be list C.
- Modifying antler point restrictions on Ranching For Wildlife properties located in the Bear’s Ears (E-2) and White River (E-6).
- Remove hunt codes EF851O1M and EF851O3R.
- Modifying unlimited bull licenses in data analysis unit E-2 and GMUs 11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 131, 211, and 231 from data analysis unit E-6.
- Remove hunt code EF003E1R.
- Replacing either-sex hunt codes in data analysis unit E-2 with antlered hunt codes.
- Closing pronghorn doe hunting in data analysis unit PH-9 for all methods of take.
- Replacing hunt code AF110L1R with four hunt codes in data analysis unit PH-8.
- Creating private land only rifle pronghorn licenses in data analysis unit PH-20.
- Creating a late pronghorn season in data analysis unit PH-20.
- Replacing hunt code AF128P5R with two hunt codes in data analysis unit PH-7.
- Adding a wilderness only hunt code to data analysis unit M-8.
The Commission finalized regulations including, but not limited to, the following:
- Revising Annual changes to season dates, and harvest limits for mountain lion (statewide). (Step 1 of 1)
- Removing electronic calls as a legal method of take for mountain lions statewide.
Agenda Item 19: Chapter W-5 - “Small Game - Migratory Game Birds” 2 CCR 406-5 (Step 1 of 2)
The Commission considered annual changes to waterfowl and migratory bird hunting seasons and related provisions, including season dates, bag and possession limits, and manner of take provisions.
CONSENT AGENDA (Agenda Item 31)
Citizen Petition
Agenda Item 31.1: Chapter W-3 - “Furbearers and Small Game, Except Migratory Birds” 2 CCR 406-3 (Step 1 of 1)
- At its January meeting, the Parks and Wildlife Commission adopted the Director’s written recommendation to DENY a petition for rulemaking related to furbearers and small game, as follows:
- A citizen petition requesting a change in the daily bag and possession limits for yellow bellied marmots.
Agenda Item 31.2: Chapter P-7 - “Passes, Permits and Registrations” 2 CCR 405-7 (Step 1 of 1)
- Open for final consideration of a cleanup to realign division agent regulations in Chapter P-7 with regulations in Chapter W-15.
A complete agenda along with all materials for public review for this meeting can be found on the CPW website. The public is encouraged to email written comments to the commission at [email protected]. Details on providing public comments at meetings are available on the CPW website.
The commission meets regularly and travels to communities around the state to facilitate public participation. Anyone can view Commission meetings on Youtube. This opportunity keeps constituents informed about the development of regulations and how the commission works with Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff to manage the parks, wildlife and outdoor recreation programs administered by the agency. Find out more about the commission on the CPW website.
The next commission meeting is scheduled to take place on March 13-14 in Denver.
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.