Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting recap for August 22 - 23
Joey Livingston
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo – At the August 22-23, 2024 meeting, the Parks and Wildlife Commission heard proposed changes to regulations as follows. All final regulations approved at the meeting will go into effect on October 1, 2024, unless otherwise noted.Updated chapters include P-01, P-07, W-10 and W-14.
DRAFT REGULATIONS
Agenda Item 11: Chapter W-0 - “General Provisions” 2 CCR 406-0, and those related provisions of Chapter W-2 (“Big Game” 2 CCR 406-2), Chapter W-3 (“Furbearers and Small Game, Except Migratory Birds” 2 CCR 406-3), and Chapter W- 16 (“Parks and Wildlife Procedural Rules” – 2 CCR 406-16) necessary to accommodate changes to or ensure consistency with Chapter W-0 (Step 1 of 2)
- Open for annual consideration of regulations including, but not limited to, adjusting license fees and license agent commission rates according to adjustments to the Denver-Aurora- Lakewood Consumer Price Index.
- Open for consideration of changes to commercial use on state parks and state wildlife areas.
Agenda Item 13: Chapter P-7 - “Passes, Permits and Registrations” 2 CCR 405-7 (Step 1 of 2)
- Open for consideration to increase the daily vehicle fees for the following state parks:
- Chatfield State Park for the adoption of a $2.00 Water Quality fee pursuant to SB 23-267.
- State Forest State Park for the adoption of a $2.00 Local Access fee pursuant to SB 23-059.
- Golden Gate Canyon State Park for the adoption of a $2.00 Local Access fee pursuant to SB 23-059.
- Open for annual review of the entire chapter including, but not limited to, consideration of regulations regarding season dates, bag and possession limits, licensing requirements, manner of take provisions and special conditions or restrictions applicable to waters of the state. Specific regulatory changes include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Modifying the take regulations on current and planned native greenback cutthroat trout conservation waters.
- Modifying the white bass size limit at Boyd Lake State Park.
- Modifying the East River Fishing closure to improve fishing opportunity.
- Adopting a fall fishing closure on Fish Creek, a tributary to the Yampa River.
- Modifying the brown trout bag and possession limits on the Fryingpan River.
- Modifying the walleye bag, possession and size limits at Horsetooth Reservoir.
- Modifying the take regulations for lake trout and kokanee salmon on Lake Granby.
- Modifying the take regulations for all waters in the Sand Creek Drainage, Rito Hondo Reservoir and creek above the reservoir.
- Modifying the water specific restrictions on Rocky Fork Creek.
- Modifying wiper special regulations at Union Reservoir.
- Modifying take regulations on Wolf Creek.
Final Regulations
Agenda Item 3.1: Chapter P-1 – “Parks and Outdoor Recreation Lands” 2 CCR 405-1
- The Commission finalized changes necessary to:
- Adopt a permanent timed entry reservation system at Eldorado Canyon State Park.
- Update the property specific hunting regulations at Fishers Peak State Park.
- Adopt a spring turkey hunting opportunity at Lone Mesa State Park.
- The Commission finalized changes necessary to:
- Extend the Keep Colorado Wild pass refund opportunity for accidental purchases.
- Modify the Aspen Leaf Lifetime pass program.
- *Remove Harmsen Ranch House from the Guest House Program at Golden Gate Canyon State Park.
- *This regulation change goes into effect November 1, 2024.
- The Commission finalized changes modifying license distribution timing for wildlife rehabilitation.
Agenda Item 3.4: Chapter W-1 - “Fishing” 2 CCR 406-1 and those related provisions of Chapter W-0 (“General Provisions” 2 CCR 406-0) and Chapter W-9 (“Wildlife Properties” 2 CCR 406-9) necessary to accommodate changes to or ensure consistency with Chapter W-1
- Open for annual review of the entire chapter including, but not limited to, regulations pertaining to eligibility requirements and fees for individual and vehicle park passes, use permits, vessel, snowmobile and off-highway vehicle registrations and license agent requirements. Specific regulatory changes include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Removing salvage regulations on Bonny Reservoir.
- Modifying the take regulations for walleye and saugeye at Horseshoe Reservoir.
- Modifying take regulations for trout on Kerr Lake.
- Modifying take regulations on Los Pinos and Cochetopa Creeks.
- Removing Walker Lake State Wildlife Area from Chapter W-1 “Fishing.”
- Open for annual review of the entire chapter including but not limited to:
- Adding GMU 63 to the valid units for the Over-the-Counter Fall Turkey hunting opportunity.
Agenda Item 3.6: Chapter W-10 - "Nongame Wildlife" 2 CCR 406-10:
- **The Commission finalized emergency regulations to correct a clerical error and continue defining domestic bison as livestock.
- **This change went into effect immediately after the adoption of the emergency rules by the commission on August 22, 2024.
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 a hybrid meeting scheduled to take place in Denver on October 3.
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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.