The following are legal methods of take for game species
listed in this chapter. Any method of take not listed herein shall be
prohibited, except as otherwise provided by Statute or Commission regulation or
by 35-40-100.2-115, C.R.S.
A.
Special Conditions
1. Contests
involving black-tailed, white-tailed and Gunnison's prairie dogs, Wyoming
(Richardson's) ground squirrel, or Furbearers are prohibited.
a. For the purpose of these regulations, a
contest is any competitive event where money or other valuable prizes are
awarded for the taking of such small game and furbearers. "Valuable prizes"
shall not include certificates or other similar tokens of recognition not
having any significant monetary value.
b. Commercial and noncommercial wildlife
parks and field trials licensed by the Division are exempt from these
provisions.
2.
Live
Capture
a. Furbearers captured in live
traps cannot be moved from the capture site and must be killed or released on
site when the trap is checked.
3.
Accidental Capture - Except
for Canada lynx, which are subject to the provisions of Chapter 10, any person
accidentally trapping any wildlife for which the
trapping season is closed or for which trapping is not a legal manner of
taking, shall, in the event of live capture of such wildlife, release such
wildlife immediately. Nothing in this section permits the killing of such
accidentally captured wildlife, unless the wildlife cannot be released without
human endangerment. In the event of mortality resulting from such accidental
capture, the carcass of such wildlife shall be delivered to a Division wildlife
officer or office within five (5) days. Failure to deliver the carcass shall be
prima facie evidence of unlawful possession of such wildlife. Provided further
that any trapper who complies with this provision shall not be charged with
illegal possession of such accidentally captured wildlife.
4.
Non-toxic shot requirements
a. Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge (Jackson
County).
No person shall use or possess shot (either in shot-shells
or as loose shot for muzzle-loading) other than non-toxic shot while taking or
attempting to take any resident small game species with a shotgun. "Non-toxic
shot" - means any shot type approved for use to take migratory game birds by
the US Fish and Wildlife Service as set forth in #500 of these
regulations.
5.
Labeling of traps - All live traps (limited to cage or box traps)
placed on public lands must be labeled permanently and legibly with the
trapper's Customer Identification Number (CID) in a location that is visible
without having to manipulate the live trap in any way. If the trapper does not
have a CID, all live traps placed on public lands must be labeled with the
trapper's name. Live traps not properly labeled may be confiscated by any
Wildlife Officer.
B.
Game Mammals
1. Any rifle or
handgun.
2. Any shotgun not larger
than 10 gauge, incapable of holding more than three (3) shells in magazine and
chamber combined.
3. Handheld bows
and crossbows.
4. Air guns and
slingshots.
5. Hawking.
C.
Game Birds, except
Migratory Birds
1. Any rifle or handgun
for dusky (blue) grouse, ptarmigan or turkey during the fall and late seasons.
Rifles and handguns used for the taking of turkeys shall use bullets of at
least seventeen (17) grains in weight, with a manufacturer's energy rating of
at least one-hundred ten (110) foot pounds at one-hundred (100) yards from the
muzzle.
2. Shotguns not larger than
10 gauge not firing a single slug, and incapable of holding more than three (3)
shells in the magazine and chamber combined. No shot (lead or steel) larger
than size #2 shall be used to hunt turkey.
3. Handheld bows and crossbows.
4. Air guns and slingshots for dusky (blue)
grouse and ptarmigan. Pre-charged pneumatic air guns .25 caliber or larger
during the fall or late seasons for turkey.
5. Hawking.
6. Artificial decoys and calls, except
recorded or electrically amplified calls or sounds; for turkey.
D.
Species listed in
#300(D)(3).
1. Any method not otherwise
prohibited.
E.
Furbearers
1. Any rifle or
handgun.
2. Any shotgun.
3. Handheld bows and crossbows.
4. Any air gun, except that for coyote or
bobcat the air gun must be a pre-charged pneumatic air gun .25 caliber or
larger.
5. Live traps, limited to
cage or box traps. All live-trapped wildlife shall be released immediately or
dispatched by any legal method of take for that species in regulations
#303.E.1-4. If local ordinances or public safety prohibit all legal methods of
take from being used, American Veterinary Medical Association Guidelines for
Euthanasia of Free-Ranging Wildlife, as provided in S7.6 of the 2013 edition of
the AVMA Guidelines for Euthanasia of Animals, may alternatively be used to the
extent allowable by law.
6.
Electronic call devices.
7.
Artificial light (private land) may be used at night to take
beaver, bobcat, coyote, gray fox, raccoon, red fox, striped skunk and swift fox
on private land with written permission of the landowner, designated agent,
lessee, or authorized employee.
8.
Artificial light (public land) may be used at night to take
beaver, bobcat, coyote, gray fox, raccoon, red fox, striped skunk and swift fox
on public lands by permit only, as follows:
a.
Each permit shall be valid only for the time, species, and location specified
on the permit. No permit will be valid during any deer, elk or pronghorn rifle
season or during the 24-hour period prior to the opening weekend; nor during
the opening weekend of any grouse, pheasant, quail, turkey, or waterfowl season
in those areas where such seasons are in progress.
b. An artificial light which is permanently
attached to, or projected from within a vehicle, is prohibited.
c. Taking shall not be permitted within 500
yards of a dwelling, building, or other structure, or in any area of public
concentration where human safety would be jeopardized.
d. Such permit shall be carried while hunting
and available for inspection upon demand.
e. Area wildlife managers and district
wildlife managers may deny a permit where there is a potential that night
hunting activities may result in significant adverse impact on wildlife
resources by causing movement of large numbers of big game or
otherwise.
f. Provided further that
night hunting permits for bobcat will not be issued on public lands in the
Canada lynx recovery area where Canada lynx are known to be present. When one
Canada lynx has been taken by a bobcat hunter during the current year's hunting
season no night hunting permits for bobcat will be issued for the remainder of
the calendar year in the Canada lynx recovery area or in the area outside the
Canada lynx recovery area where the Canada lynx was taken. In such instance,
any night hunting permits for bobcat already issued under this provision shall
be terminated.
g. A permit shall
not be required of any person, member of the person's family, lessee,
designated agent, authorized employee, or identified designee with written
authorization when necessary to protect such person's property. Refer to
Chapter W-17, Damage Caused by Wildlife for applicable regulations.
9.
Baits
a. Furbearers may be taken with the aid of
baiting. Where permitted, baits shall consist solely of material of animal or
plant origin and shall not contain any materials of metal, glass, porcelain,
plastic, cardboard or paper. Wildlife used as bait shall be the carcass, or
parts thereof, of legally taken furbearers, carp, shad, white and longnose
suckers, and nonedible portions of legally obtained game mammals, birds and
game fish.
Notes
C.R.S.
2 CCR 406-3-303
37
CR 15, August 10, 2014, effective 9/1/2014
37
CR 23, December 10, 2014, effective 1/1/2015
38
CR 15, August 10, 2015, effective 9/1/2015
38
CR 23, December 10, 2015, effective 1/1/2016
39
CR 07, April 10, 2016, effective
5/1/2016
39
CR 23, December 10, 2016, effective
1/1/2017
40
CR 03, February 10, 2017, effective
3/2/2017
40
CR 11, June 10, 2017, effective
7/1/2017
40
CR 23, December 10, 2017, effective
1/1/2018
41
CR 03, February 10, 2018, effective
3/2/2018
41
CR 07, April 10, 2018, effective
5/1/2018
41
CR 23, December 10, 2018, effective
1/1/2019
42
CR 11, June 10, 2019, effective
7/1/2019
42
CR 23, December 10, 2019, effective
1/1/2020
43
CR 03, February 10, 2020, effective
3/1/2020
43
CR 11, June 10, 2020, effective
6/30/2020
43
CR 15, August 10, 2020, effective
9/1/2020
44
CR 03, February 10, 2021, effective
3/2/2021
44
CR 07, April 10, 2021, effective
5/1/2021
44
CR 19, October 10, 2021, effective
11/1/2021
44
CR 23, December 10, 2021, effective
1/1/2022
45
CR 07, April 10, 2022, effective
5/1/2022
45
CR 15, August 10, 2022, effective
9/1/2022
45
CR 23, December 10, 2022, effective
1/1/2023
46
CR 03, February 10, 2022, effective
3/2/2023
46
CR 07, April 10, 2023, effective
5/1/2023
48
CR 07, April 10, 2025, effective
5/1/2025