CPW hosting public meetings to discuss potential changes to archery hunting across Grand Mesa

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  John Livingston
Southwest Region Public Information Officer
970-759-9590 / [email protected]
@CPW_SW

GUNNISON, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife will host two virtual public meetings to discuss potential changes to over-the-counter archery licensing for Game Management Units (GMUs) across the Grand Mesa.

A public survey is currently available that focuses on elk hunting and archery season for the Grand Mesa Elk Data Analysis Unit (DAU) E-14. This DAU includes GMUs 41, 42, 52, 411, 421 and 521.

The units in E-14 are managed by both the Northwest and Southwest Regions of CPW. Currently, unlimited over-the-counter either sex archery licenses are valid across all six GMUs.

However, CPW is gathering public feedback regarding the possibility of limiting archery licenses based on substantial increases in hunting pressure, reduced archery hunter satisfaction, declining archery hunter harvest success and changing elk distribution between public and private lands.

The public is urged to submit comments through the DAU E-14 Archery Poll. To provide additional information and to answer questions, CPW staff will hold virtual public meetings Sept. 28 and Oct. 10. Both meetings will be conducted via Zoom and will be held from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The meetings will begin with a brief presentation from CPW staff before opening up for questions.

“We have been discussing potential archery limitations in GMU 521 for several years, but now the conversation has expanded to the broader Grand Mesa.  We appreciate the public’s feedback on this issue to help guide our decision making process,” said Brandon Diamond, CPW’s Area Wildlife Manager out of the Gunnison office. “What’s most important to us is maintaining a healthy and well distributed elk population, while also providing a quality hunting experience for archers.”

To attend the Sept. 28 meeting, go to  https://cpw.info/3dhVCME and enter passcode 663938.

To attend the Oct. 10 meeting, go to https://cpw.info/3RIH1J1 and enter passcode 151080.

Wildlife managers have intentionally reduced the E-14 elk herd from a high of more than 20,000 elk in the early 1990s to a 2021 post-hunt population estimate of approximately 14,000 elk. The current population objective for this herd is 15,000-19,000 elk.
 
Participation in the elk archery season has increased significantly in E-14, with the number of archery hunters approximately doubling during the last 10 years.

The survey is intended to gauge the level of support or opposition for limiting elk archery licenses in E-14. The intent behind potential archery limitation is not 'trophy' bull management. Rather it would be to address hunter crowding issues, provide an enhanced hunting experience and acknowledge that elk distribution between public and private lands is influenced by increasing hunting pressure. 

For questions regarding the upcoming public meetings, contact the Grand Junction Office at 970-255-6100 or Gunnison office 970-641-7060.