Frances Xavier Cabrini Day Office Closures
Colorado Parks and Wildlife offices, including park visitor centers, will be closed for the state holiday, Monday, Oct. 6. Some offices may have limited operations for the hunting season. Call ahead and plan accordingly.
Colorado wildlife law generally prohibits the live possession of both native and exotic wildlife.
However, Special Wildlife Licenses can be issued which authorize the private possession of live wildlife for a limited number of particular purposes (such as rehabilitation, falconry, or scientific collection).
Colorado Parks and Wildlife has biological reasons to regulate the possession of live wildlife. An escaped exotic animal could potentially hybridize with a native species; cause habitat destruction; or compete for habitat space with native species. Captive-raised wildlife also pose a potential threat for the introduction of disease into native populations. All of these complex factors must be taken into account when managing privately held live wildlife in the state of Colorado.
Licenses
Aquatic licenses or permits allow for the commercial or nonprofit importation, stocking, possession, and/or operation of fishing lakes. Prior to stocking fish anywhere in Colorado, an individual must acquire CPW permission, however, a special permit is required west of the Continental Divide.
This license is specific to holding field trials with dogs on Colorado Parks and Wildlife-managed properties. Please familiarize yourself with the regulations (linked below) prior to conducting any field trial as you may not need a license, but you may need to notify CPW of your event.
"Field Trial" means any hunting dog trial held under the rules of a dog- or kennel-club for the purpose of gaining points toward a hunting dog championship, including any sanctioned practice or training trial where there is organized competition; and any hunt test or other performance event in which hunting dogs compete against an accepted standard.
A field trial license must be obtained prior to holding any field trial or group training on any CPW property. Participants in field trials may be charged a nominal fee by the licensee to cover the costs associated with the field trial.
Start and end date
Minimum and maximum number of participants
Minimum and maximum number of dogs
Minimum and maximum number of horses
Name(s) of designated gunner(s) (must hold valid small game licenses)
State Wildlife Area(s), the counties they are located in, the portions of them and how many acres you will be using (remember: if you are not using a CPW property, you need to file a Field Trial Notification, not apply for a license)
If you are releasing birds, the common and scientific names of them
How many birds you are releasing
Any anticipated impacts to wildlife resources and habitat, including any actions proposed to avoid or remediate the impact
Use CPWshop, linked below, to submit your application
Within 45 days of your application being received it will be reviewed and a letter will be emailed notifying and explaining the approval or denial of your application. You will also receive a paper copy of the letter by regular mail. Approved licenses will include conditional provisions or maps to describe areas of allowed use.
If an applicant is noncompliant with application requirements, CPW will contact the applicant and describe what additional information or what specific modifications would be necessary for the application to be complete.
As part of the field trial, CPW and the applicant will have discussions via phone before (pre-field trial) your field trial to answer any questions and help you complete the trial free from violations. If needed, CPW may request an in-person discussion with the applicant.
Within 10 working days after the field trial, CPW and the applicant will have a wrap-up discussion and review. These conversations are usually conducted by phone, unless damage occurred to the property. If damage occurred during the trial, the conversation afterward will be in-person at the trial location.
If any violations happened during the trial, CPW will immediately notify the applicant by phone and/or email.
This permit is for those wishing to conduct group hunting dog training on Colorado Parks and Wildlife owned land. Please familiarize yourself with the regulations (linked below) prior to conducting any group dog training.
"Training" means the noncommercial act of a person(s) instructing a hunting dog(s) to follow scent, point or flush birds, retrieve and respond to related verbal and nonverbal commands to improve the dog's performance in hunting wildlife or for field trials. Merely exercising or conditioning a dog is not training. "Group training" means training involving ten or more people and their associated hunting dogs.
An annual dog training permit, valid from April 1 through March 31, must be obtained by each individual who wishes to train dogs under the following conditions:
Start and end date
Minimum and maximum number of participants
Minimum and maximum number of dogs
Minimum and maximum number of horses
Name(s) of designated gunner(s) (must hold valid small game licenses)
State Wildlife Area(s), the counties they are located in, the portions of them and how many acres you will be using (remember: if you are not using a CPW property, you may not need to apply for a permit)
If you are releasing birds, the common and scientific names of them
How many birds you are releasing
Any anticipated impacts to wildlife resources and habitat, including any actions proposed to avoid or remediate the impact
Applications must be submitted at least 30 days prior to the training
Falconry is a sport that allows an individual to hunt quarry with a trained raptor. There are multiple license applications and forms available related to falconry. Please familiarize yourself with this information prior to applying.
Carefully review the state regulations pertinent to falconry which can be found in Chapters W-00, W-03, W-05, and W-06 of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Regulations, which are linked below.
Please note that you must be at least 12 years of age and a Colorado resident at the time of your application. Residency is established by living in this state for at least six consecutive months immediately prior to the date of your license application.
Applicants must complete a two-year apprenticeship program. Find a falconer licensed by Colorado as a master or as a general (with at least three years experience at that level) by contacting the Apprentice Director at one of the state’s falconry clubs for assistance in locating a sponsor. A Falconry Sponsor Form completed by your sponsor must be included with your application.
We recommend you contact the Apprentice Director at one of the state’s falconry clubs for assistance with locating a sponsor. Currently there are two active clubs in Colorado: the Colorado Hawking Club and High Plains Falconers.
Pass the Colorado falconry exam with a score of 80% or better.
You will have two hours to complete the exam. There will be a total of 100 questions which are a mix of true/false, multiple choice, and short answers drawn from three categories: falconry practices, the biology/ecology of raptors, and regulations/laws. You will be allowed up to two hours to complete the exam. To prepare for testing, work with your sponsor and study all available reference materials such as those recommended below. Exams are administered at Colorado Parks and Wildlife offices located throughout the state. When you are ready to set up a time and place for testing contact Special Licensing at (720) 660-1001.
After passing the exam you are required to construct a facility to house falconry raptors which meets the minimum facility requirements as outlined in Chapter 6 Falconry Regulations.
Have your sponsor complete the Falconry Sponsor Form, submit your Resident Falconry License Application with the sponsor form attached through CPWshop.com.
After you submit your application and sponsor form, Special Licensing will review for completeness and accuracy, and notify your local District Wildlife Manager (DWM). The DWM will contact you to set up and conduct an inspection of your facility (mews).
When Special Licensing receives an approved facility (mews) inspection from your DWM, your Apprentice Resident Falconry License will be issued and mailed to you.
You will be considered an apprentice falconer, and must follow the applicable rules and regulations, for at least two years. After at least two years, you can submit a Falconry Upgrade Certification Form to request an upgrade to a General Falconry License. When you have held a falconry license at the General level for at least five years, you may apply to upgrade to the Master level.
In order to be considered for a General Falconry License, you must be at least 16 years old.
Falconry Regulations
Falconry Books
Falconry Suppliers
P.O. Box 874
Rainier, WA 98576
Phone (360) 446-3212
4700 SE Chase Rd.
Gresham, OR 97080
Phone (888) 663-5601
P.O. Box 939
Ranchester, WY 82839-0939
Phone (307) 672-0445
845 W. Center St.
North Salt Lake, UT 84054
Phone (800) 729-7123
State reporting
Colorado Department of Natural Resources Falconry Reporting Site:
Federal reporting and permits
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Falconry Reporting Site:
Applications for either of these CPW falconry limited take licenses are online at CPWshop.com.
Quota Type |
Original Quota |
Remaining Quota |
|---|---|---|
|
Ferruginous Hawk Take Quota |
4 |
4 |
Ferruginous hawk limited quota take season is: May 1st - September 30th.
Note: From October 1st - January 31st, this limited quota take restriction does not apply.
Any Ferruginous Hawk captured between May 1st and September 30th must be reported within 24 hours by calling CPW at: 720-660-1001.
This is in addition to the required CPW & USFWS online reporting that must be submitted within 10 days of acquisition.
Quota Type |
Original Quota |
Remaining Quota |
|---|---|---|
|
Resident Peregrine Falcon Take License |
4 |
1 |
Peregrine falcon take season is: June 1st - August 31st only.
Applications for drawing are accepted the first business day in March - April 1st.
Applications submitted after the drawing deadline are processed first-come, first-served for any remaining quota.
Quota Type |
Original Quota |
Remaining Quota |
|---|---|---|
|
Non-Resident Raptor Take License |
20 |
18 |
Non-resident falconry raptor take season is: October 1st - December 31st only.
Applications for drawing are accepted the first business day in August through the last Tuesday in August.
Applications submitted after the drawing deadline are processed first-come, first-served for any remaining quota.
Avian influenza virus can be transmitted to birds of prey from feeding on infected birds. As a precaution, we advise falconers to avoid hunting wild avian species and not to feed wild species (particularly waterfowl) to raptors during this HPAI outbreak. Minimize contact with wild birds, enhance cleaning and biosecurity practices and consult with a veterinarian immediately if any of your birds show signs of illness.
These licenses are for marking or banding wildlife, temporary or permanent possession of wildlife, and collection of specimens outside of established seasons and bag and possession limits for the purpose of collecting scientific data.
Scientific collection applications can be grouped into five categories:
Applications for scientific collection can be submitted through our online application site. You will be able to save a draft of your application prior to submission. You will be able to upload your federal permit(s) through this site as well.
Issued for trading, selling, propagating, bartering, shooting, brokering, and transporting live wildlife (except birds) and wildlife parts.
Issued for the exhibition of live wildlife (except birds) for educational or promotional activities.
Issued for the propagation and release of commercially raised upland game birds and waterfowl for preserve shooting.
Issued for the operation of facilities, other than AZA-accredited zoos, open to the public for wildlife exhibition.
Issued to nonprofit entities for the conditional operation of a wildlife sanctuary.
No new licenses - renewals ONLY.
Issued for hunting privately-owned big game animals on private property. No new big game hunting park licenses shall be issued after July 1, 1996, except when a change of ownership occurs on an existing Big Game Hunting Park.
Non-commercial Wildlife Park licenses are issued to a person or persons for the purpose of keeping birds other than raptors.
Issued for the importation and exhibition of live regulated wildlife for educational, training or entertainment purposes from a facility outside Colorado that is properly licensed by the state of origin.
Licensees are required by law to submit dispositions (i. e. birth, death and type of death, import, export, etc.) of animals at their licensed facility to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Wildlife rehabilitation is the process of providing aid to injured, orphaned, displaced, or distressed wild animals in such a way that they may survive when released to their native habitats. The spectrum of activities ranges from direct care of wildlife to arranging suitable release sites. Wildlife rehabilitation also involves anticipating and helping to prevent problems with wildlife as well as humanely resolving human-wildlife conflicts. Wildlife rehabilitation is part science, part education, part problem-solving, and part care-giving.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife regulates and licenses wildlife rehabilitators operating within the state. To find out more about wildlife rehabilitation, including reference materials, how to get licensed, and to find a list of licensed rehabilitators, please visit our wildlife rehabilitation page.
FAQs
The statutory definition of "wildlife " means wild vertebrates, mollusks, and crustaceans, whether alive or dead, including any part, product, egg or offspring thereof, that exist as a species in a natural wild state in their place of origin, presently or historically, except those species determined to be domestic animals by rule or regulation by the commission and the state agriculture commission.
That will depend greatly upon:
Visit the Wildlife Are Not Pets page for a list of species that may be possessed without a license.
Please review the Colorado's Prohibited Species (Chapter 0 #008 A & B) for a list of Colorado's prohibited species. The live possession of these species is severely restricted.
Live venomous snakes may only be possessed through a Commercial Wildlife Park License issued by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Private, noncommercial possession or the possession of a live venomous snake as a pet is prohibited. Once a Commercial Wildlife Park License is issued, a licensee must ensure continued compliance with all inspection, facility, record keeping and reporting requirements, including the acquisition, production and disposition of all venomous snakes. Licensees are required to renew their Commercial Wildlife Park License on an annual basis.
Prior to the issuance of a Commercial Wildlife Park License where venomous snakes will be housed, a license applicant must:
Any escape of a venomous snake from a licensed facility must be reported to Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the local law enforcement agency within 24 hours of discovery.
Applicants should also contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Colorado Department of Agriculture and their local jurisdiction (city or county) for additional requirements that may apply to their proposed possession of venomous snakes.
Generally it can be assumed that ownership of wildlife may require regulation by several agencies. No matter which agency or agencies regulate the wildlife you are interested in, the agency that has the most restrictive law is the law that applies. For example: if the city of Denver prohibits the possession of wildlife for any reason, there is no agency or law that will override this local law. There would simply be no way to own wildlife in that city unless the local laws were to change.
Follow these steps to ensure you are abiding by all applicable laws, regulations, and rules:
Wildlife can NOT be taken from the wild in the State of Colorado. Wildlife may be obtained for private possession by purchase from a propagated (commercially raised) legal source, but only with the appropriate licenses and intended uses.
Most wildlife requires a health certificate issued by a veterinarian within 30 days of the date of the proposed importation. Contact the State of Colorado Veterinarian's Office by phone (303) 239-4161 to obtain an Entry Permit Number.
For the importation of raptors (birds of prey) and fish, a Colorado Parks and Wildlife Raptor Importation License is also required.
In most cases, the business importing live crayfish will apply for the importation license and a copy of the approved license must accompany the shipment of crayfish. Consumers buying live crayfish from a vendor must receive a copy of the importation license along with the required receipt. Consumers buying cooked crayfish from a restaurant do not need an importation license.
