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The Colorado Wildlife Commission has approved a new big game season structure for the next five years with four separate rifle seasons, including an initial elk season where only a limited number of licenses will be available.
There will also be three combined rifle seasons with an unlimited number of bull elk licenses available as well as a limited number of deer and antlerless elk licenses.
The first elk season will run from Oct. 14-18 in 2000. Three combined rifle seasons will follow: Oct. 21-27; Nov. 4-10; and Nov. 11-15. The dates will change in each of the next four years so that each season will begin on a Saturday.
The archery, muzzleloading and antelope seasons will not change.
A limited number of bear licenses will be available through a computer drawing for the September season, with an unlimited number of bear licenses available during the regular rifle seasons for hunters who also have a deer or elk license.
An unlimited number of archery antelope licenses will continue to be available in most areas, and rifle antelope licenses will again be issued only through the Division’s computer drawing.
The season structure was essentially the same as that recommended by the Division of Wildlife’s terrestrial staff. The first limited elk season was the most major change. Rick Kahn, the Division’s wildlife management supervisor, told the Commission that the totally limited first elk season is designed to eliminate the overcrowding that occurred in the first rifle season when licenses were unlimited. And many of the limited licenses will be for cow elk to help reduce the elk population in those areas where the herd exceeds the long-term population objective. But the Commission made one substantive change after hearing concerns about the impact declining license sales is already having on Western Slope businesses because deer licenses were limited in number beginning this year.
Division game managers had recommended that the last rifle season be a limited deer hunt with no elk licenses available. That would have left two combined deer and elk seasons with unlimited bull licenses and a limited number of deer and antlerless elk licenses. Northwest Colorado residents told the Commission that businesses suffered a drop in sales of between 20 and 50 percent this fall compared to 1998 deer licenses, because licenses are no longer available over-the-counter from license agencies.
“We can’t stand additional limitations on licenses sales,” said Patty Snidow, representative of the Northwest Colorado Chambers of Commerce.
After discussing several options, Commissioners made the fourth season a combined deer and elk season to increase hunter participation.
The Commission also approved new regulations eliminating size restrictions for northern pike caught by anglers at Elevenmile and Spinney Mountain reservoirs on the South Platte River in South Park. There had been restrictions on the size of pike taken from the reservoir. But the voracious predators have taken a toll on the trout population in each reservoir, prompting the Division’s aquatic managers to urge anglers to catch and keep up to 10 pike of any size.
Uploaded: 11/26/1999
Uploaded: 11/26/1999