2 CCR 406-2-210 - RANCHING FOR WILDLIFE - DEER, ELK, PRONGHORN, BLACK BEAR, MOOSE, AND BIGHORN SHEEP
A.
Implementation Authority
1. The Director is
authorized to implement the Ranching for Wildlife program, including the
authority to determine ranch enrollment status, enter into cooperative
agreements with ranches, establish and modify public and private season dates
on each ranch, and establish and modify license allocations to each ranch
including the subsequent distribution of licenses to the public and private
share annually, and may establish additional Ranching for Wildlife operating
guidelines subject to the following provisions.
B. Ranch Entry and Maintenance
1. Ranches must have a minimum of 10,000
acres of privately owned land in one contiguous unit. Ranches that meet this
10,000-acre minimum requirement may include privately owned non-contiguous
parcels in the program if the Director determines that their inclusion will
contribute to meeting the performance standards for the ranch.
2. Ranches must develop a Ranching for
Wildlife Management Plan that includes goals, objectives, and strategies for
achieving such goals and objectives for wildlife habitat management, species
management, and public hunting management. The Management Plan shall identify
the Tier category in which the ranch seeks to be placed and what specific
actions the ranch will take to achieve the appropriate Tier placement criteria.
The Management Plan must be approved by the Division prior to execution of a
Cooperative Agreement for Ranching for Wildlife.
3. Ranches may not charge public hunters an
access fee for hunting.
4. Except
as agreed to in writing by the Division when necessary to meet the ranch
performance standards or as mutually agreed and contained in the Management
Plan, ranches must provide for equality of access in terms of geographical area
and mode of transportation for both public and private hunters. No closure or
restriction of land or roads shall apply to public hunters that do not also
apply to private hunters.
5. Public
hunts must be established at a time when the species to be hunted are present
and available for harvest. No public seasons shall be established during times
when normal winter conditions would prevent access to most of the ranch, nor
when normal migration patterns of the species to be hunted result in the
species having migrated off the ranch.
6. Ranches that establish coinciding or
overlapping public and private hunts may not exclude public hunters from any
portion of the ranch due to the presence of private hunters.
7. The Ranch and the Division will mutually
agree to ranch rules regarding access to and hunting on the ranch by public
hunters. The ranch rules will be provided to hunters prior to seasons on the
ranch in accordance with other provisions contained in this
regulation.
8. Enrolled ranches
shall not be eligible for game damage payments or materials for those species
hunted in the program when damage occurs within the boundaries of the enrolled
portions of the ranch.
9. The
Division may, at its sole discretion, require ranches with public bighorn sheep
hunting seasons to provide scouting access to those hunters and their
companions prior to such seasons. Provisions for this scouting access shall be
contained in the Management Plan.
C. Cooperative Agreements, Enrollment, Denial
of Enrollment, Termination of Enrollment
1.
The Division is authorized to enter into Cooperative Agreements with
ranches.
2. Ranches may appeal
enrollment decisions to the Commission.
3. Cooperative Agreements shall incorporate
approved Ranching For Wildlife Management Plans as part of the Cooperative
Agreement.
4. The Division shall
periodically evaluate ranches for enrollment, contract performance, and Tier
placement, and shall establish minimum performance standards for ranches
enrolled in the program, including wildlife habitat management and improvement,
public recreation opportunity and experience, and any factors intended to
contribute to meeting Data Analysis Unit (DAU) management objectives. Such
performance standards shall be incorporated into the Cooperative Agreement with
the ranch.
D. Season
Structures, Manner of Take, License Restrictions
1. Public and private seasons opening and
closing date parameters
a. Deer, elk,
pronghorn, moose, and bighorn sheep seasons may not begin before the first day
of the statewide archery season for that species, nor extend beyond January
31.
b. Black bear season may not
begin before September 2, nor extend beyond October 31.
2. Private season length
a. Deer, elk, or pronghorn private seasons
are restricted to a maximum of ninety (90) days.
b. Moose or bighorn sheep private seasons are
restricted to a maximum of 30 days.
3. Public season length
a. Deer and elk public season length
1. Antlered or either sex public hunting
seasons shall be a minimum of ten (10) days in length for every licensed public
hunter, either as a minimum of ten (10) consecutive days in length or divided
into two (2) or more five (5) day periods.
2. Ranches must offer a total of at least ten
(10) days of antlerless public hunting. The season may run a minimum of ten
(10) consecutive days; or may be split into two (2) or more five (5) day
periods in which a hunter's license is valid in each period; or may be split
into two (2) or more five (5) day seasons in which a hunter's license is valid
in one but not any other five (5) day season. Ranches electing to split seasons
and limit hunter participation to a single five (5) day season must assure that
total public hunter harvest and licenses available are as much or more than
would be achieved in the other two antlerless season alternatives.
3. All public seasons or periods will include
one full weekend, but seasons need not open on weekend days.
b. Pronghorn public season length
1. Buck or doe hunting seasons shall be a
minimum of five (5) days in length. All public seasons shall include one full
weekend, but seasons need not open on weekend days.
c. Black Bear public season length
1. Shall be a minimum of fifteen (15) days in
length.
d. Moose public
season length
1. Antlered or antlerless public
hunting seasons shall be a minimum of ten (10) days in length. Antlered seasons
shall include a minimum of five (5) consecutive days without overlapping any
antlerless moose hunting season on the ranch.
e. Bighorn sheep public season length
1. Public hunting seasons for rams shall be a
minimum of thirty (30) days in length and shall include a minimum of fifteen
(15) consecutive days of hunting without overlapping any ewe hunting season on
the ranch.
2. Public hunting
seasons for ewes shall be a minimum of fifteen (15) days in length.
f. Additional primitive weapon
seasons may be established provided that the season is structured so there is a
minimum of 5 days of opportunity in which the method of take is restricted to
archery or muzzleloading rifles.
1. These
seasons shall be in addition to the previously mentioned minimum season
lengths. Hunters drawing licenses for these seasons shall be allowed to hunt in
the season with the restricted method of take and also in at least 10
additional days of opportunity with rifle method of take for moose, or antlered
or either sex deer, elk, or black bear licenses; at least 5 additional days of
opportunity with rifle method of take for pronghorn, or antlerless deer or elk
licenses; at least 30 additional days of opportunity with rifle method of take
for ram bighorn sheep licenses; and at least 15 additional days of opportunity
with rifle method of take for ewe bighorn sheep. Additional primitive weapon
seasons will include one full weekend.
4. Manner of Take
a. Rifle hunting shall be the designated
manner of take. Provided further that additional public hunting seasons beyond
the previously mentioned minimum levels may be established with more restricted
manner of take. Any such seasons and licenses allocated to those seasons are
additional public hunting opportunity and shall not reduce licenses that would
otherwise be allocated for the rifle seasons.
5. License Restrictions
a. Ranching for Wildlife licenses are the
only licenses valid for hunting of species under contract on the ranch, except
as follows:
1. Auction and raffle licenses may
be used when there is not a public season for the same species in progress on
the ranch.
2. Antlerless deer or
elk licenses may be used on a ranch when authorized in writing by the Division,
subject to the following provisions:
a. There
is an established season in which such licenses would be valid in the Game
Management Unit (GMU) in which the ranch is located.
b. Such licenses shall not be used
concurrently with any Ranching for Wildlife season, or at any other time when
the Division determines that it would result in elk, deer, pronghorn, bighorn
sheep, moose, or black bear not being available to Ranching for Wildlife public
hunters.
c. The Division determines
that any resulting harvest achieved will contribute to achieving DAU management
objectives.
3. Any Dream
Hunt or Youth Outreach license may be used on a ranch when authorized in
writing by the Division, subject to the following provisions:
a. Such licenses shall not be used
concurrently with any public Ranching for Wildlife season, or at any other time
when the Division determines that it would result in species under contract on
the ranch not being available to Ranching for Wildlife public
hunters.
E. License Allocation
1. A maximum of 1,000 licenses of each
species and sex for deer, elk, and pronghorn, a maximum of 30 black bear
licenses, a maximum of 20 licenses of each sex for bighorn sheep, and a maximum
of 50 licenses of each sex for moose may be allocated to each ranch annually,
and subsequently distributed to the public and private share according to the
distribution table established in this regulation.
2. Division staff recommendations regarding
license allocations for each ranch shall be forwarded to and approved by the
Director based upon Data Analysis Unit harvest objectives, relative ranch land
base and occupied habitat for each species on the ranch to that of the Data
Analysis Unit, hunter crowding, enhancement of hunter harvest, and relative
densities of the species on the ranch.
3. Substitution of licenses of one species or
sex for licenses of another species or sex shall not be permitted.
4. For purposes of determining distribution
of licenses allocated to each ranch, either sex licenses will be treated as
antlered licenses for deer and elk and buck licenses for pronghorn.
5. Landowner preference shall not be used for
any public or private Ranching For Wildlife license. In addition, Ranching for
Wildlife property may not be used to qualify for or receive landowner
preference pursuant to ยง
33-4-103, C.R.S.
6. The public share of the licenses in the
following distribution tables represents the minimum for each species.
Fractions of licenses shall be rounded up for public distribution licenses.
|
DEER, ELK, AND PRONGHORN |
||||
|
Private Share of Licenses |
Public Share of Licenses |
|||
|
% of total allocation to each ranch |
% of total allocation to each ranch |
|||
|
Tier |
Buck, Antlered, or Either Sex |
Doe or Antlerless |
Buck, Antlered, or Either Sex |
Doe or Antlerless |
|
A |
90 |
0 |
10 |
100 |
|
B |
85 |
0 |
15 |
100 |
|
C |
80 |
0 |
20 |
100 |
|
BLACK BEAR |
|
|
Private Share of Licenses |
Public Share of Licenses |
|
% of total allocation to each ranch |
% of total allocation to each ranch |
|
Either Sex |
Either Sex |
|
60 |
40 |
|
BIGHORN SHEEP |
|
|
Private Share of Licenses |
Public Share of Licenses |
|
% of total allocation to each ranch |
% of total allocation to each ranch |
|
Ram Ewe |
Ram Ewe |
|
50 0 |
50 100 |
|
MOOSE |
|||
|
Private Share of Licenses |
Public Share of Licenses |
||
|
% of total allocation to each ranch |
% of total allocation to each ranch |
||
|
Antlered, or Either Sex |
Antlerless |
Antlered, or Either Sex |
Antlerless |
|
50 |
0 |
50 |
100 |
F. Youth Licenses
1. The Division and the ranch may formulate
and implement youth hunting opportunities on any ranch through Division
approved youth hunting programs. The Division must approve the youth hunting
program on the ranch prior to any season or license allocation for such youth
hunts.
2. A maximum of 15% of the
total number for deer, elk, pronghorn, or black bear licenses allocated for a
ranch may be allocated as youth hunting licenses on each ranch, over and above
the total number of licenses allocated for a ranch.
3. Youth hunting seasons may occur at any
time within the broad parameters for seasons within the Ranching For Wildlife
program.
4. Youth licenses shall be
distributed to individual youth hunters by mechanisms of the approved youth
hunting program on the ranch. Youth licenses shall not count as either private
or public licenses for purposes of calculating the relative share of other
licenses allocated for the ranch.
G. Novice Adult Licenses
1. Starting in 2020, the Division and the
ranch may formulate and implement novice adult hunting opportunities on any
ranch through Division approved novice adult hunting programs. The Division
must approve the novice adult hunting program on the ranch prior to any season
or license allocation for such novice adult hunts.
2. A maximum of 15% of the total number for
deer, elk, pronghorn, or black bear licenses allocated for a ranch may be
allocated as novice adult hunting licenses on each ranch, over and above the
total number of licenses allocated for a ranch.
3. Novice adult hunting seasons may occur at
any time within the broad parameters for seasons within the Ranching for
Wildlife program.
4. Novice adult
licenses shall be distributed to individual novice adult hunters by mechanisms
of the approved novice adult hunting program on the ranch. Novice adult
licenses shall not count as either private or public licenses for purposes of
calculating the relative share of other licenses allocated for the
ranch.
H. License
Distribution
1. Applications
a. Applications for private hunter licenses
stamped with the ranch name and season dates shall be available to the
landowner for distribution.
b.
Public hunter licenses shall be available through application and selection
from the Division during the annual limited license drawing process, except as
provided in this regulation.
c.
Leftover Ranching for Wildlife Licenses: Ranching for Wildlife licenses which
are not issued through the regular drawing will be issued as "leftover"
licenses, only through the "leftover" drawing process, rather than through the
over-the-counter leftover license process.
I. Special Restrictions
1. Unless otherwise provided in these
Ranching for Wildlife regulations all hunters must comply with other applicable
regulations, including, but not limited to, manner of take (except that private
hunters may use any legal weapon during private seasons), hunting hours,
application requirements and deadlines, bag limits, season participation,
mandatory checks, OHV restrictions, and other generally applicable regulations
for big game hunting.
2. A copy of
the mutually agreed upon ranch rules will be provided to all public hunters
prior to their hunting season. All public hunters will be required to sign a
statement acknowledging that they have read, understand, and agree to comply
with all ranch rules, before the hunter is allowed access to the ranch.
a. Compliance with ranch rules is a specific
condition of the Ranching For Wildlife public licenses and subsequent access to
the ranch. In addition to criminal penalties, non-compliance with ranch rules
constitutes grounds for suspension and revocation of the license and/or being
prohibited from further participation in hunting on the ranch, and/or in the
Ranching For Wildlife program as a public hunter.
b. Final determination on any legal action
taken towards hunters found in non-compliance with ranch rules shall be made
solely by officers of the Division. This includes any citation that may be
issued for non-compliance with the provisions of a license, or directing a
hunter to leave a ranch. Ranch personnel may not direct a hunter to leave a
ranch without specific authorization of a Division officer.
Notes
State regulations are updated quarterly; we currently have two versions available. Below is a comparison between our most recent version and the prior quarterly release. More comparison features will be added as we have more versions to compare.
No prior version found.