CPW to host public meetings seeking input for draft Elk Herd Management Plans
Rachael GonzalesNorthwest Region Public Information Officer
970-773-8587 / [email protected]
Twitter: @CPW_NW CPW to host public meetings seeking input for draft Elk Herd Management Plans
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife Northwest Region is seeking input on elk management as we draft Herd Management Plans (HMPs) for 15 elk herds in northwest Colorado. The Northwest Region will host a series of open house and town hall public meetings over the coming months. During these meetings members of the public will be able to provide feedback on the future of elk management in the NW Region.
CPW is evaluating management objectives for 14 of the 16 elk herds in the Region. Recommended updates are being proposed for the E-1 Cold Springs elk herd, E-2 Bear’s Ears elk herd, E-3 North Park elk herd, E-6 White River elk herd, E-8 Troublesome elk herd, E-12 Piney River elk herd, E-13 Williams Fork elk herd, E-14 Grand Mesa elk herd, E-15 Avalanche Creek elk herd, E-16 Frying Pan elk herd, E-19 Glade Park elk herd, E-21 Rangely/Blue Mountain elk herd, and E-47 Green River elk herd.
“At this point we are early in the drafting process and want to hear from all stakeholders about whether we should be managing for more, the same, or fewer elk numbers in the individual herds over the next 10 years,” said NW Senior Wildlife Biologist Brad Banulis. "We also recognize that we had a significant winter that impacted some of these elk herds and want to hear what other issues may be impacting these herds as well. Objectives ultimately will have to consider habitat conditions and capability, predation, and chronic wasting disease prevalence.”
Open house meetings will consist of stations where members of the public can learn more about each plan's proposed changes, ask questions, and give verbal feedback directly to staff.
Town hall meetings will consist of a presentation, with an opportunity for attendees to ask questions and provide verbal feedback to staff on each plan's proposed changes.
Upcoming public meetings details
Area 8, Gypsum (open house)
Wednesday, August 16 from 6 - 8 p.m.
Gypsum Recreation Center, 52 Lundgren Blvd., Gypsum, CO 81637
Attendees will have the opportunity to provide feedback on proposed changes for E-12 Piney River, E-15 Avalanche Creek, E-16 Frying Pan River elk herds.
Area 9, Kremmling (open house)
Tuesday, August 22 from 6 - 8 p.m.
Kremmling CSU Extension Hall, 210 11th St, Kremmling, CO 80459
Attendees will have the opportunity to provide feedback on proposed changes for E-8 Troublesome, E-12 Piney River, and E-13 Williams Fork elk herds.
Area 8, Roaring Fork (open house)
Wednesday, August 23 from 6 - 8 p.m.
Eagle County Community Center, 20 Eagle County Dr., El Jebel, CO 81623
Attendees will have the opportunity to provide feedback on proposed changes for E-12 Piney River, E-14 Grand Mesa, E-15 Avalanche Creek, and E-16 Frying Pan River elk herds.
Area 7, Grand Junction (open house)
Monday, August 28 from 6 - 8 p.m.
Mesa County Fairgrounds, 2785 U.S. Highway 50, Grand Junction, 81503
Attendees will have the opportunity to provide feedback on proposed changes for E-14 Grand Mesa and E-19 Glade Park elk herds.
Additional public meetings in Meeker, Craig, and Walden will be held later this fall.
This new approach to create a Regional roll-up of all HMPs for a single big game species in the region, updating or establishing new population and sex ratio objectives, was first done last year. The Regional plans also describe the individual HMPs for each herd, significant management issues for herds within each Region, and public input used to develop proposed objectives. Previously, Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff have presented one Herd Management Plan at a time for approval to the Parks and Wildlife Commission.
In 2024, Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff will present a Regional HMPs document for approval to the Parks and Wildlife Commission.
About Herd Management Plans (HMPs)
The purpose of a HMP plan 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.
In preparing a HMP plan, agency personnel attempt to balance the biological capabilities of the herd and its habitat with the public's demand for wildlife recreational opportunities.
HMPs are used to establish management objectives for each herd in terms of a desired population size range and sex ratio. Each plan also describes additional strategies and techniques that will be used to achieve the desired herd objectives. The goal for the 10-year term of these plans is to manage to the most appropriate population level within the objective range based on climatic patterns, habitat conditions, forage availability and public desires. The management alternatives selected in these plans will help drive annual license setting decisions.
To view all Herd Management Plans for CPW’s Northwest Region, visit our website.
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.