Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting recap for August 21-22, 2025
Joey Livingston
August 28, 2025DENVER — At its August 21-22, 2025 meeting, the Parks and Wildlife Commission heard proposed changes to regulations as follows. All final regulations approved at the August 21-22, 2025 meeting will go into effect on October 1, 2025 unless otherwise noted.
Updated chapters include: P-01, P-02, P-08 and W-03.
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.
Agenda Item 15: Chapter W-17 - “Damage Caused by Wildlife” 2 CCR406-17 (Step 1 of 2)
- Open for review of regulations pertaining to allowing producers acting under the direction of a licensed veterinarian to receive reimbursement for labor expenses for the treatment of livestock and livestock guard and herding animals injured by gray wolves.
- Open for consideration to increase the daily vehicle fees for the following state parks:
- Elkhead Reservoir, Pearl Lake, Stagecoach, and Steamboat Lake State Parks for the adoption of a $2.00 Local Access fee pursuant to SB 23-059.
- Open for consideration of increasing the search and rescue fee to increase funding for the Backcountry Search and Rescue fund.
- 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:
- Prohibiting fishing around the George Creek Fish Barrier.
- Modifying the take regulations for tiger muskie at Lake Granby, Grand Lake and the Colorado River downstream of Shadow Mountain Reservoir.
- Modifying take regulations on current native Greenback Cutthroat Trout waters to protect declining populations.
- Modifying take regulations at Sloan Lake in Hinsdale County.
- Modifying the closure date on Tenmile Creek and Blue River upstream of Dillon Reservoir from September 1 to September 15.
Agenda Item 12: Chapter W-1 - “Fishing” 2 CCR 406-1
- The Commission denied the agency-supported petition to allow spearfishing in select bodies of water.
Final Regulations
Agenda Item 24.2: Chapter P-1 – “Parks and Outdoor Recreation Lands” 2 CCR 405-1
The Commission finalized changes:
- Updating the vehicle timed entry system at Eldorado Canyon State Park.
- Modifying the hunting reservation system at Sweitzer Lake State Park.
The Commission finalized changes:
- Adopting requirements for wearing an engine cutoff switch on Class A or Class 1 vessels operated above a wakeless speed to match federal requirements.
- Updating the fire extinguisher regulations to be consistent with federal requirements.
The Commission finalized changes adding the Golden Mussel to the list of Aquatic Nuisance Species
Emergency Regulations
Agenda Item 24.5: Chapter W-3 - " Furbearers and Small Game, except Migratory Birds”" 2 CCR 406-3:
- The Commission finalized emergency regulations to correct a clerical error to regulation #304 with the regulatory filings between the January and March 2025 commission meetings to remove the ability to hunt coyotes on an unfilled big game license.
Citizen Petitions
Agenda Item 24.6: Chapter W-0 - “General Provisions” 2 CCR 406-0 and Chapter W-10 - “Nongame Wildlife” 2 CCR 406-10:
The Commission adopted the Director’s written recommendation to deny two petitions
for rulemaking related to reptiles, as follows:
- A citizen petition requesting a change in the possession regulations for captive-bred reptiles.
- A citizen petition requesting a change in the possession regulations for captive-bred hognose snakes.
The Commission adopted the Director’s written recommendation to deny a petition for
rulemaking related to live baitfish, as follows:
- A citizen petition requesting a prohibition of the use of live baitfish.
The public is encouraged to email written comments to the commission at [email protected]. Details on providing public comments for hybrid meetings are available on CPW’s website.
The commission meets regularly and travels to communities around the state to facilitate public participation. 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.
Learn more about the Parks and Wildlife Commission on CPW’s 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.
DISCLAIMER: The Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) website maintains press releases containing historical information that may no longer be accurate. Press releases are dated, which should be noted to determine whether the information provided is current. Please review our current regulations and brochures for up-to-date information.