Chapter 2 - Big Game

FILING - 01/28/2016

Basis and Purpose

Chapter W-2 - Big Game

Basis and Purpose:

These regulations amend Chapter 2 – Big Game – of the Parks and Wildlife Commission Regulations and implement 2016 bighorn sheep and mountain goat license numbers. They also amend season dates for the 2016 big game seasons. These regulations are designed to manage statewide big game herds at herd objective levels and provide a diversity of hunting recreation opportunities for resident and nonresident hunters throughout Colorado; to minimize or control local game damage situations; and to provide opportunity for landowners to cooperatively manage wildlife with the Division. These modifications are the result of extensive public involvement and application of biological information on deer, elk, pronghorn, bear and moose. All regulation changes are based on the best available biological information and are designed to manage big game herds towards stated objectives and to ensure long-term viability. Specific changes include:

Restrictions on the Extended Youth Season in DAU E-20

The Uncompahgre elk herd (DAU E-20) is managed for a quality hunting experience in game management unit (GMU) 61 and for hunter opportunity in GMU 62. Concurrently, the new big game season structure now allows youth hunters to hunt any of the antlerless deer or antlerless elk seasons within the entire DAU following the season for which they purchased a license, as long as they did not fill their original license. This allows youth to now acquire licenses in GMU 62 for muzzleloader cow, or any antlerless license during the rifle seasons, and then hunt in GMU 61 after the season on their original license has ended, until they fill their license. Doing so could create additional hunting pressure and crowding in GMU 61, reducing the quality elk hunting experience for antlered and antlerless license hunters. Bull hunters in GMU 61 in particular, expect a quality hunt after spending 8-22 points to draw a license. To reduce the crowding impacts in GMU 61, youth licenses for DAU E-20 used during the extended youth season will only be valid for the same GMU (61 or 62) for which they purchased their original license.

Prohibiting Hunting in GMU 512 during the Extended Youth Season

GMU 512 is the US Air Force Academy (USAFA). The USAFA offers limited deer and elk hunting during December but opportunities are strictly regulated. GMU 512 deer license holders are only allowed to hunt during one weekend in December and they must be accompanied at all times by a representative from USAFA or CPW. Since the installation is unable to accommodate youth hunters wishing to take advantage of the extended youth season, GMU 512 is now excluded from the extended youth opportunity.

James M John SWA Permits

Hunters wishing to hunt the James M John SWA, the only public land in GMU 140, must apply for access permits that are distributed to hunters through a drawing held in the Pueblo Office on July 1st, annually. In 2014, in response to the new Landowner Voucher program, CPW separated deer licenses in GMU 140 from their prior association with GMUs 85 and 851; which are found west of interstate 25. Prior to 2014, deer hunters that drew a deer license, but did not draw a James M John SWA access permit, could hunt areas outside of GMU 140 in GMUs 85 and 851. By restricting licenses to just GMU 140, public land access for deer hunters that draw a GMU 140 deer license is extremely limited.

This regulatory change increases the number of permits that are available to rifle hunters from 10 to 12, with five of those permits going to hunters that have a valid deer license for GMU 140 during the 2nd and 3rd combined seasons. If additional access permits are available after the minimum 5 are drawn they will go to the next person in line or on a first come first served basis regardless of the species hunted.

Option C for the Bighorn Sheep Access Program

While the existing BSAP significantly improves bighorn sheep hunting opportunities in existing herds, it does not provide a clear opportunity for the creation of new bighorn sheep herds by the trapping and transplant (and subsequent hunting) of bighorn sheep into suitable private land habitats not currently occupied. This new regulation adds a third license allocation option (option C) to the BSAP, to allow for these possibilities in the future. The 1:1 ram ratio for the first 10 years is intended to recognize CPW's contribution of bighorn sheep to the project while continuing to recognize the value private lands can contribute to hunting opportunities. Publicly-accessible land will continue to be first priority for all bighorn sheep trap and transplant operations.

Expansion of the Archery Sub-Unit Boundary in S-54

Since the early 2000’s, bighorn sheep GMU S-54 had been managed using two sub-units. One sub-unit was designated an archery only unit, while the other was designated a rifle only unit. The rationale behind the sub-unit designation was that S-54 essentially includes two sub-herds of bighorn sheep; one herd resides primarily in the southern portion of the unit at lower elevations near Blue Mesa Reservoir, while the other sub-herd resides primarily in high elevation alpine habitat within the West Elk Wilderness. The low elevation sub-herd has historically been more vulnerable to hunter harvest based on easier access, thus managers determined that an archery only sub-unit would not only provide a novel hunting opportunity, but also manage hunter harvest from the two sub-herds.

Recently, unexpectedly large groups of rams have been observed in the West Elk Wilderness during the summer and fall, and ram groups have been observed in transitional habitats between sub-herds. The concern is that rams may be migrating out of the archery subunit into the rifle subunit during the summer, making them unavailable to the archery hunter during the August season. Removing the unit boundary restriction for the archery hunt code will ensure that archery hunters have access to the ram component of this population.

Reopening Unit S-2 to Ram Hunting

Since S-2 closed to hunting in 2009, the minimum population of the herd wintering at Booth Creek was stagnant for a few years. However the population has been increasing in the past 3 years, averaging 31 sheep. Lamb production and recruitment have also been good in recent years. As of winter 2014/2015, there are at least 6 legal rams in the herd, including at least 3 mature (3/4-curl or larger) rams. The herd currently has a sufficient ram segment to support 1 ram license per year.

Sheep in S2 tend to congregate on slopes within ½ mile immediately to the north of the town of Vail, particularly as they concentrate on winter range in the later months of the fall. They are highly visible in this location and are of great local interest and watchable wildlife potential. When the unit was open previously, these slopes were open to hunting and more than one incident occurred where a sheep was taken in full view of the town, generating backlash from the non-hunting public. To reduce the likelihood for future conflicts, a ½ mile hunting closure north of I-70 from Bighorn Creek to Spraddle Creek has been implemented for this unit.

Realigning GMU Boundaries for S-13 and S-26

In winter 2012/2013, CPW began a radio collar study of bighorn rams in the Elk Mountains, funded by the Auction & Raffle program, Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society, and Wild Sheep Foundation. One of the project’s objectives was to characterize population distributions to better delineate herd boundaries for harvest management and to provide better information on appropriate game management unit boundaries. GPS collar data from bighorn rams captured in S-13 and the northern portion of S-26 demonstrated that the majority of collared rams cross freely between both sides of the previous GMU boundary. Most of these rams wintered on the previous S-26 side, but spend the remainder of the year traversing both sides of the old boundary.

Therefore, the GMU/DAU boundaries for S-13 and S-26 have been modified to more correctly reflect herd movements, to make future harvest and population survey data more biologically appropriate, and to minimize confusion on S-13 and S-26 license regulations.

Opening Unit S-41 to Ewe Hunting

Recent surveys have shown a general increase in the number of ewes and lambs occupying sheep unit S-41. Based on these surveys, sheep unit S-41 is now open to limited ewe hunting in addition to the annual ram license. The ewe season does not open until September 17th to reduce conflicts with ram hunters and to increase the age of orphaned lambs. Research has shown that establishing conservative ewe harvest may reduce intraspecific competition, increase juvenile survival, lower age at first reproduction, provide hunter opportunity, increase hunter attained herd information, encourage use of new habitats/dispersal, and possibly reduce the risk and severity of disease outbreaks. Harvesting a minimum of 3 ewes from this entire DAU is conservative, while still providing hunter opportunity.

Reopening Unit S-77 to Ram Hunting

Bighorn sheep historically occupied the Gore Canyon until the late 1960’s when they were extirpated. However, there had been bighorn sheep sightings in Gore Canyon occasionally through the early 2000’s. Colorado Parks and Wildlife began planning a reintroduction of bighorn sheep in Gore Canyon in the late 1990’s and finalized a plan in 2004. In January 2009, CPW reintroduced 14 bighorn sheep into the Gore Canyon. Another supplemental transplant was conducted in 2014. As of March 2015, an inventory of Gore Canyon found 18 ewes, 11 lambs, and 12 rams (at least 3 ¾ curl and 3 5/8 curl rams). Due to successful transplants and the fact that the majority of S-77 is on public land, CPW is reopening the unit to limited ram hunting.

Splitting S-63 and S-64 into Separate Desert Bighorn Sheep Huntcodes

Desert bighorn sheep DAU DBS-61 has been growing in population over the last few years. The growth in both S-63 and S-64 follows a transplant of 30 bighorn sheep between 2010 and 2011 when they were caught by helicopter in S-64 and transplanted into S-63. Through the range expansion project, transplanted radio-collared sheep were used to locate resident S-63 bighorns, which have been very difficult to survey. Additionally, during survey efforts, good lamb production was documented. While a lot of insight into the productivity potential and habitat use of these populations was gained, surveys are still very difficult to conduct across the Dolores River canyon and population estimates are considered conservative for this population.

By creating specific huntcodes for both S-63 licenses and S-64 licenses, harvest can be distributed across the entire DAU. Another benefit to focusing harvest into S-63 will be the collection bighorn observation data about the unit from hunters.

Clarification Added on Auction and Raffle Licenses

The original intent of auction and raffle regulation W-229(B)(4) was that auction and raffle licenses would be valid anywhere that is open to hunting that species, but not in areas that are closed to hunting a particular species. To add additional clarification, an extra sentence has been added, which states “Licenses are not valid in units, or portions of units, that do not have an open season for that species or have any other restrictions provided herein”.

Addition of an Early Rifle Either Sex Elk and Bear Season in Unit 61

To reduce conflicts between antlered and antlerless elk hunters, staff has added an early October either-sex rifle hunt to GMU 61. This will create a very high quality hunt during the rut that will not have any antlerless hunters. In addition, this will be a highly sought after season with the highest point holders potentially selecting this season over the 1st-4th rifle seasons, so there is a potential for a decrease in preference points needed to hunt the 1st-4th rifle seasons. This early October season will run from October 1 – 7 so as not to overlap with the 1st rifle season and provide a break between seasons. License numbers will be reduced from the existing antlered huntcodes to populate the early October hunt code.

Additionally, due to the robust bear population and quality bear habitat, staff proposes a new bear hunting season that runs concurrently with the early either-sex elk season. To participate in this bear season, hunters are required to also have an elk license for the same unit and season. Bear licenses for the new season would be valid on public or private land and sold Over-The-Counter with caps with the like license requirement. Regular rifle season elk and deer hunters that have purchased a concurrent regular rifle bear license would not be allowed to hunt in the early season.

Addition of Private Land Only Bear Hunts in Middle Park

In 2008, PLO huntcodes were created for GMU’s 18, 28, and 37 since the bulk of the urban conflicts arose from these GMUs within Middle Park. GMUs 15, 27, 181, and 371 were left out of these PLO licenses primarily since they did not have an urban interface associated with them. However, CPW has documented bear game damage and conflicts within these GMUs since 2008. Adding PLO licenses to these GMUs provides flexibility and harvest opportunity on private land and may reduce bear game damage within these units.

Converting Huntcode DE059O1A to a Buck Only License

Since 2011, DAU D-50 (GMUs 59, 511, 512, and 591) has been modeling under the population objective. This is due in part to low adult survival rates but also from the high rate of doe harvest in GMU 591. The agency responded by reducing the quota for huntcodes which have included GMUs 59 and 511, resulting in a substantial loss of opportunity for sportsmen who hunt in the National Forest west of Colorado Springs.