Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting recap for January 12 - 13, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Travis Duncan
Statewide Public Information Officer
720-595-8294 / travis.duncan@state.co.us

DENVER – At its January 12 - 13 meeting, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission heard proposed changes to regulations as follows. All final regulations approved at the January 12 - 13, 2022 meeting will go into effect on March 2, 2022 unless otherwise noted. The emergency regulations approved at the January meeting went into effect immediately upon adoption.

FINAL REGULATIONS

Agenda Item 11: Chapter P-1 - “Parks and Outdoor Recreation Lands” - 2 CCR 405-1 (Step 2 of 2)

The Commission adopted regulations, including, but not limited to:

• Requiring reservations for big game and small game hunting in the Jefferson County portion of Golden Gate Canyon State Park where hunting is permitted.
• Permitting kiteboarding through special activity permits at Navajo State Park.

Agenda Item 12: Chapter W-0 - “General Provisions” 2 CCR 406-0 (Step 2 of 2)

The Commission finalized regulations in its annual review of the entire chapter, including but not limited to, Game Management Unit boundary modifications, regulations relating to fish management, health, importation, prohibited species, and other annual changes. Specific changes include, but are not limited to:

• Changing the fee charged for exchanged licenses.
• Modifying Game Management Unit boundaries for units 3, 4, 11, 12, 13, 22, 23, 32, 33, 211, and 301.
• Extending the boundary of mountain goat Game Management Unit G12.

Agenda Item 13: Chapter W-2 - “Big Game” 2 CCR 406-2 (Step 2 of 2)

The Commission considered final regulations in its annual review of the entire chapter. The Commission opted to deny the citizen petition for rulemaking requesting that the maximum allowable let-off percentage for handheld bows be increased from 80% to 85% and instead adopted the staff recommendation to remove the let-off restriction entirely. The Commission considered potential regulations amending fluorescent orange/pink requirements during the overlapping archery and muzzleloader seasons and opted to table the proposal, instead looking at the overlapping seasons further during the next Big Game Season Structure planning process. Additionally, the Commission instructed staff to include an announcement in the big game brochure encouraging archery hunters to wear fluorescent orange/pink during the overlapping seasons. The Commission adopted final regulations, including, but not limited to the following:

Multiple Species
•    Annual changes to season dates, limited license areas, quotas and manner of take provisions for bighorn sheep and mountain goat (statewide, throughout Chapter W-2).
•    Annual changes to season dates, limited license areas, and manner of take provisions for deer, elk, pronghorn antelope, moose and bear (statewide, throughout Chapter W-2).
•    Clarifying that youth only hunt codes also fall into the youth preference draw and the same hunt code choice stipulations for youth preference apply.
•    Excluding five preference point or more licenses and public Ranching for Wildlife licenses returned or not paid for in the Primary Draw from the Secondary Draw.
•    Modifying regulations related to the process and application deadline for the hunting access permit drawing on the James M. John SWA.

Sheep
•    Creating two ram sheep seasons in sheep Game Unit S16.
•    Replacing the individual ram bighorn sheep hunt code for S-19 with an either sex hunt code.
•    Modifying the sheep Game Management Unit S54 hunt codes by shifting archery season to be after the rifle season and changing the rifle sub-unit boundary to match the West Elk Wilderness boundary.

Bear
•    Creating an Over-The-Counter (OTC), Private-Land-Only (PLO) rifle bear season for units 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 23, 24, 33, 214, and 441 from October 1 through the end of the concurrent 4th rifle season.

Deer
•    Creating new deer hunt codes for Game Management Units 122, 125, 126, 127, 129, 130, 132, 137, 138, 139, 143, 144, 145, and 146.
•    Adding 2nd and 3rd rifle season doe hunt codes DF054O2R and DF054O3R.
•    Adding PLO doe hunt codes for Game Management Unit 72.

Elk
•    Limiting archery elk licenses in Game Management Units 80 and 81.
•    Removing OTC antlerless hunt codes for Game Management Units 14 and 214.
•    Eliminating hunt codes EF073P5R, EF077P5R, and EM74104R.
•    Extending the E-3 antlerless elk PLO season dates for hunt code EF006P5R.
•    Clarifying regulations related to National Wildlife Refuge hunting permits.

Pronghorn
•    Modifying the hunt code structure for muzzleloader season in pronghorn Data Analysis Unit PH30.

Moose
•    Removing Game Management Units 51, 59, 511, and 581 from current hunt codes MM050 and MF050 and creating new moose hunt codes including units 51, 59, 511, and 581.
•    Adding a cow moose hunt code for Game Management Unit 55.
•    Adding antlered moose hunt codes for Game Management Units 4 and 5.

Agenda Item 15: Section #1001 of Chapter W-10 - “Nongame Wildlife” 2 CCR 406-10 (Step 2 of 2)

The Commission adopted new regulations making it unlawful for any person to place any olfactory attractant with the intent to lure gray wolves unless permitted by the division.

Agenda Item 16a: Section #1000.A of Chapter W-10 - “Nongame Wildlife” 2 CCR 406-10 (Step 2 of 2)
 
The Commission adopted regulations authorizing livestock owners and their agents to haze gray wolves to prevent or reduce injury to livestock.

Agenda Item 16b: Section #1005 of Chapter W-10 - “Nongame Wildlife” 2 CCR 406-10 (Step 1 of 1)

The Commission adopted EMERGENCY regulations authorizing livestock owners and their agents to haze gray wolves to prevent or reduce injury to livestock.

CITIZEN PETITIONS

Agenda Item 17: Chapter W-6 - “Raptors” 2 CCR 406-6 (Step 1 of 2/3)

The Parks and Wildlife Commission heard the following Citizen Petition for Rulemaking related to raptors and instructed staff to initiate rulemaking.

•    A Citizen Petition requesting revisions to provisions related to the capture of peregrine falcons by falconers.

Agenda Item 18: Chapter W-0 - “General Provisions” 2 CCR 406-0 (Step 1 of 2/3)

The Parks and Wildlife Commission heard the following Citizen Petition for Rulemaking related to general provisions and instructed staff to initiate rulemaking.

•    A Citizen Petition requesting the release of privately-owned game birds for falconry training.

ISSUES IDENTIFICATION

Agenda Item 19: Chapter W-5 – “Small Game - Migratory Birds” (Step 1 of 2)

The Commission initiated its annual review of waterfowl and migratory bird hunting seasons and related provisions, including season dates, bag and possession limits and manner of take provisions.

Agenda Item 20: Chapter W-9 – “Wildlife Properties” (Step 1 of 2)

The Commission initiated its annual review of the entire chapter including, but not limited to, generally applicable and property-specific requirements for, or restrictions on use of wildlife properties controlled by the Division of Parks and Wildlife, including State Trust Lands leased by the Division. Specific regulatory changes include, but are not limited to, the following:

•    Changing regulations for the Big Springs, Brett Gray Ranch, Karval, and Punkin Center State Trust Lands (STLs) to prevent overcrowding and provide consistency with other STLs.
•    Creating a seasonal closure on Fish Creek SWA from December 1 – June 30th annually

CONSENT AGENDA (Agenda Item 39)

FINAL REGULATIONS (Step 1 of 1)

Agenda Item 39.2 - Chapter P-8 – “Aquatic Nuisance Species” 2 CCR 405-8

The Commission adopted final regulations amending the definition of vessel or other floating device to ensure consistency with the statutory definition of vessel.

ISSUES IDENTIFICATION (Step 1 of 2)
 
Agenda Item 39.3 - Chapter W-9 – “Wildlife Properties”

The Commission initiated its annual review of the entire chapter, including, but not limited to:

•    Changing the opening dates of recently enrolled STL properties in Moffat County to August 15th.
•    Clarifying regulations on John Martin Reservoir SWA and Queens SWA.
•    Updating regulations for San Luis Lakes SWA.
•    Updating regulations for Creede SWA.

About CPW Commission Meetings
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 for virtual meetings are available on the CPW website.

The commission meets regularly and travels to communities around the state to facilitate public participation. Anyone can listen to commission meetings through the CPW website. 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 9 and 10.