Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting recap for November 17 - 18, 2022
Joey Livingston
Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting recap for November 17-18, 2022GATEWAY, Colo. – At the November 17-18 meeting, the Parks and Wildlife Commission heard proposed changes to regulations as follows. All final regulations approved at the November 17-18, 2022 meeting will go into effect on January 1, 2023 unless otherwise noted.
FINAL REGULATIONS
Agenda Item 9: Chapter P-3 - “River Outfitters” – 2 CCR 405-3 (Step 2 of 2)
The Commission finalized the following regulations:
- Revising personal floatation device types to match U.S. Coast Guard changes.
The Commission finalized the following regulations:
- Removing the high-use fee at certain parks, and changing the daily vehicle pass fee to $10.00 at all parks.
- Modifications to the Centennial Pass.
- Removing Panorama Point, at Golden Gate Canyon, from the designated event facility list.
- Revising regulations to provide discounted camping rates for seniors who purchase the non motor vehicle individual annual pass and adopting regulation for the replacement of a lost or stolen non-motor vehicle individual annual pass. (Step 1 of 1)
The Commission finalized the following regulations:
- Revising the walleye bag and possession limits at Rifle Gap.
- Revising a fishing restriction in Vallecito Creek from the CR 501 Bridge to the standing water line of Vallecito Reservoir.
Agenda Item 12: Chapter W-3 - “Furbearers and Small Game, except Migratory Birds” 2 CCR 406-3 (Step 2 of 2)
The Commission finalized the following regulations:
- Expanding the southwest youth extended season for fall turkey to all available Game Management Units (GMU) in the state.
- Adopting regulation to allow air gun hunting of turkey in the fall and late seasons.
- Annual changes to turkey seasons and quotas. (Step 1 of 1)
The Commission finalized the following regulations:
- Revising a Bighorn Sheep Unit boundary name that was changed by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. (Step 1 of 1)
- Revising license fees and license agent commission rates according to adjustments to the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood Consumer Price Index.
- Modifications to the low-income annual Colorado State Wildlife Area pass.
The Commission finalized the following regulations:
- Revising Game Management Unit boundary name that was changed by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. (Step 1 of 1)
- Modifying the limited license application and drawing allocation processes for deer, elk, pronghorn and bear to include a rolling three-year average for licenses requiring six or more preference points.
ISSUE IDENTIFICATION
Agenda Item 15: Chapter W-2 - “Big Game” 2 CCR 406-2 and those related provisions of Chapter W 0 (“General Provisions” 2 CCR 406-0) necessary to accommodate changes to or ensure consistency with Chapter W-2 (Step 1 of 2)
The Commission initiated its annual review of the entire chapter, including, but not limited to:
Multiple Species
- Amending the definition of an adult novice hunter and revising the license list classification for the adult novice hunting license and adult novice ranching for wildlife license.
- Modifying the Game Management Unit boundaries for 123, 124, 125, 128 and 129.
- Modifying the Game Management Unit boundaries for 008 and 191.
- Modifying the hunting closure on Mount Evans.
- Creating a new 4th rifle antlered deer hunting season in Game Management Units 31 and 32.
- Creating a new 4th rifle antlered deer hunting season in Game Management Unit 30.
- Creating a list B, private land only, antlerless whitetail season in Game Management Units 6, 16, 17, 161, and 171 from December 1 through December 31.
- Adding early season doe hunt codes in Game Management Units 54, 55, and 551.
- Expanding D-E-411-P6-R to include portions of Game Management Units 52 and 521 and changing the hunt code to D-E-052-P6-R.
- Adding hunt codes for either-sex deer, doe, and cow elk valid only on Centennial Cone Open Space in Game Management Unit 38.
- Splitting Data Analysis Unit E-10 cow elk hunt codes in Game Management Units 21, 22, 30, 31, and 32.
- Restoring Game Management Unit-specific cow rifle licenses for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th seasons in Data Analysis Unit E-16 and the extended private land only cow season in Game Management Unit 444.
- Limiting archery elk licenses in Data Analysis Unit E-14 and/or Game Management Unit 521.
- Creating private land only hunt codes in Data Analysis Unit PH-5.
- Adding bull and cow moose hunting codes in Game Management Units 33 and 34.
- Adding cow moose hunt codes in Game Management Units 44 and 45.
- Replacing the hunt codes for cow (MF047O1X) and bull (MM047O1X) moose in Game Management Unit 47 to create four separate hunt codes in Game Management Units 47, 444, and 471.
- Adding a bighorn sheep ewe hunt code to Data Analysis Unit S-36.
- Re-opening either-sex mountain goat hunt code GEG18O1R in Game Management Unit G18.
ISSUE IDENTIFICATION
Agenda Item 29.1: Chapter W-2 - “Big Game” 2 CCR 406-2 and those related provisions of Chapter W-0 (“General Provisions” 2 CCR 406-0) necessary to accommodate changes to or ensure consistency with Chapter W-2
The Commission initiated its annual review of the entire chapter, including, but not limited to:
- Modifying the hunt code DM951P7R to be a general private land only antlered license.
- Removing the private land only designation from all mule deer and pronghorn licenses in Game Management Unit 83.
- Revising the Bighorn Sheep Access Program Option C.
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 for virtual meetings are available on the CPW website.
The commission meets regularly and travels to communities around the state to facilitate public participation. Anyone can listen to Commission meetings through the CPW website. 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 scheduled to take place virtually on December 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
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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.