What’s new for hunting in western Colorado this year? Plenty, affecting everything from license sales to youth hunting options and GMUs. We checked in with Colorado Parks & Wildlife for changes to put on your radar.
▶FUTURE GENERATIONS ACT PASSED: Hunters and anglers helped support 2018’s Future Generations Act, which and Colorado Parks and Wildlife recognizes as a huge step for funding wildlife conservation. Changes for 2019 include a small fee increase for resident licenses and the Wildlife Education Fund.
▶APPLICATION FEE INCREASE: The application processing fee will be $7 for residents and $9 for nonresidents in 2019. The fees are based on the cost of processing in-state and out-of-state applications.
▶ALL APPLICANTS, INCLUDING YOUTH, MUST PURCHASE A QUALIFYING LICENSE TO APPLY FOR THE BIG GAME DRAW: Qualifying licenses are spring turkey, annual small game, annual resident combination small game/fishing and veteran’s lifetime resident combination small game/fishing. Licenses must be valid for the current license year, April 1, 2019–March 31, 2020. Applicants must purchase a qualifying license even if applying for a preference point as a first-choice option. Note: Online draw applications will not be accessible until you purchase your qualifying license. Info: cpw.state.co.us/feechanges
▶NEW PREFERENCE, WEIGHTED POINT FEE FOR MOOSE, ROCKY MOUNTAIN BIGHORN SHEEP AND MOUNTAIN GOAT: Draw applicants who are unsuccessful in drawing their first choice hunt, or who apply for a preference point hunt code as their first choice, will be charged a $50 resident or $100 non-resident preference point fee for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, mountain goat and moose. The fee is waived for youth, resident lifetime license holders and residents who are in the military on active duty outside Colorado. All other big-game species no longer have a preference point fee.
▶MANDATORY CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE (CWD) TESTING IN SELECT GMUs: In 2019, CPW will require mandatory submission of CWD test samples (heads) from all deer harvested during any of the rifle seasons from select GMUs (all of the plains GMUs and some GMUs west of I-25). There is no charge for mandatory testing. All deer harvested with a Season Choice license are also included in mandatory testing, regardless of the season. Info: cpw. state.co.us/cwd
▶VOLUNTARY CWD TESTING FEE WAIVED FOR SELECT GMUs: In 2019, testing fees for voluntary submissions will be waived for all deer harvested (e.g. for archery, muzzleloader seasons) within the same GMUs that are selected for mandatory testing. All other GMUs will have a voluntary testing fee of $25.
▶NO PREFERENCE POINT RESTRICTION FOR PRIVATE-LAND-ONLY YOUTH OUT- REACH LICENSES: Starting in 2019, private-land-only hunts available for youth outreach licenses will no longer require six or more preference points to hunt.
▶RANCHING FOR WILDLIFE CHANGES:Check the hunt tables in the 2019 Big Game Brochure for multiple changes to RFW properties, hunt codes and dates.
2019 Fees (fee charged if you are successful in drawing your license, or get an unsuccessful option; $10 2019 Habitat Stamp required)
Deer: Draw (limited)
- Resident — $39.75
- Youth resident — $15.50
- Non-resident (w/ fishing) — $396.75
- Youth non-resident (w/ fishing) — $101.50
Elk: Draw (limited)
- Resident — $54.75
- Youth resident — $15.50
- Non-resident bull/either sex (w/ fishing) — $661.75
- Non-resident cow (w/ fishing) — $496.75
- Non-resident either sex (w/ fishing) — $661.75
- Youth non-resident (w/ fishing) — $101.50
Pronghorn: Draw (limited)
- Resident — $39.75
- Youth resident — $15.50
- Non-resident — $396.75
- Youth non-resident — $101.50
Bear: Draw (limited)
- Resident — $49.75
- Non-resident — $101.75
Moose: Draw (limited)
- Resident — $301.75
- Non-resident — $2,211.75
*Nonresident fishing licenses are good through March 31, 2020. Prices include a 25-cent search-and-rescue fee, a 75-cent surcharge for the Wildlife Management Education Fund.
2019 Hunting seasons
DEAR SEASON
Archery: Aug. 31-Sept. 29
Muzzleloader: Sept. 14-22
2nd Rifle: Oct. 19-27
3rd Rifle: Nov. 2-10
4th Rifle: Nov. 13-17
ELK SEASON
Archery: Aug. 31-Sept. 29
Muzzleloader: Sept. 14-22
1st Rifle: Oct. 12-16
2nd Rifle: Oct. 19-27
3rd Rifle: Nov. 2-10
4th Rifle: Nov. 13-17
PRONGHORN SEASON
Archery: Aug. 15-Sept. 20
Muzzleloader: Sept. 21-29
Rifle: Oct. 5-11
MOOSE SEASON
Archery:Sept. 7-29
Muzzleloader:Sept. 14-22
Rifle:Oct. 1-14
BEAR SEASON
Rifle limited (by draw): Sept. 2-30
Archery (over-the-counter w/caps): Sept. 2-30
Muzzleloading (over-the-counter w/caps): Sept. 14-22
Concurrent rifle (over-the-counter w/caps):Oct. 12-Nov. 17