CPW seeks public comment on plan to manage the Rampart Range deer herd in the Pikes Peak region over the next decade

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bill Vogrin
Southeast Region Public Information Officer
719-466-3927 / [email protected]

Courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife

May 12, 2022

CPW seeks public input on the future of Rampart Range deer herd

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Public input is being sought by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) about how it proposes to manage the Rampart Range deer herd in the Pikes Peak region over the next decade.

Big game populations are managed by CPW biologists to achieve population and sex-ratio objectives established for various herds. Typically, decisions are made based on a management plan written and revised every 10 years.

This plan is for deer in CPW’s Data Analysis Unit (DAU) 50, which covers parts of El Paso, Teller, Pueblo and Fremont counties. Boundaries for DAU 50 generally are Interstate 25 on the east, Colorado Highway 67 on the west, the El Paso/Douglas County line on the north and U.S. Highway 50 on the south.

The plan will govern how CPW manages deer in the area, which includes CPW Game Management Units (GMU) 59, 511, 512 and 591. It reflects CPW’s efforts to balance the biological capabilities of the herd and its habitat with the public’s demand for wildlife recreational opportunities.

The final plan will guide CPW officials as they decide how many deer should exist in each GMU and the entire herd management region. The plan will also help CPW decide the proper ratio of males to females over the next decade.

Population goals and sex-ratio objectives drive important decisions including:

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.

To develop the draft plan, CPW staff is conducting various deer population surveys, a landowner survey, a hunter survey and a survey of the general public.

Comments will be used to identify a number of alternative proposals for herd management objectives. These will be used in drafting a new herd management plan and presented to the public at a later date for comment.

To comment, simply fill out the online survey. Surveys must be completed by May 31.

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.