Hunter Education Updates:

Summary: 

SB 15-226 was passed in May of 2015 and updated the hunter education (HE) statute. In order for CPW to implement these changes, new regulations needed to be made. A small committee of personnel from the Law Enforcement Unit, the Information and Education branch, and various field staff came together to craft a new regulation. CPW was able to utilize the two-step regulation re-view process through the PWC to facilitate the creation of Parks and Wildlife Regulation 002(L). Below is a list of key highlights of the new bill and regulation. These changes take effect April 6, 2016.

Apprentice License:

 A free, one (1) year waiver from hunter education requirement, after which the hunter must obtain HE certification (card) to continue hunting.

 Valid April 1– March 31 annually (much like small game or fishing license).

 Apprentice must be 10 or older, but has to conform to all rules pertaining to licensing (i.e., a 10 year old hunter cannot obtain a big game license).

 Apprentice must be accompanied by a mentor who is 18 or older, has hunter education card or is age exempt.

 Apprentice shall be in voice and visual contact with a mentor at all times.

 Mentor can accompany two (2) apprentices in the field.

 Mentor must carry proof of HE (if required) and age while in the field.

 When checking a customer in the field or at an office, “apprentice hunter” will print on the second panel of the license with all other valid licenses.

Test-Out 50+ :

 Test is available online only!

 Must have a CID prior to taking online test.

 The Test-Out will cost $25, can be taken on a mobile device.

 Test-Out is a one (1) time opportunity to prove HE knowledge.

 Must pass with 90% or better. If failed, can to take HE class, or obtain apprentice license.

 Test must be completed in one internet session and will be timed.

 After passing test, customer will be issued a HE number electronically. Customer will have to wait up to 24 hours before purchasing a license. The 24 hours is required because there is a once-a-day download from the online provider to CPW to transfer customer informa-tion. Once that happens, the information is then verified to their CID.

 Customer will not receive a HE card, and if they need one, they can go to any agent and purchase the $5 replacement card via TLS.

 When checking in the field or at offices, HE number will look like TS###### (all cur-rent HE numbers begin with two (2) alpha characters and are followed with six (6) numeric characters).

Test-Out Military Personnel: 

 U.S. Military defined in 002(L) as active-duty, reserve-duty, veteran, and National Guard.

 Same test and standards as 50+ Test-Out (see previous page).

 Test is available online only!

 After passing the test, must print and bring certificate and military I.D. to CPW of-fice.

 We accept the following military IDs:

     DD 214

     DD Form 2

     DD Form 2765

     Active, retired, veteran military identification card;

     A current Colorado Drivers License or state issued identification card with the word “veteran” printed on it as specified in 42-2-303(5)(a) C.R.S.

    VA medical card.

 HE number is printed on their passing test certificate.

 CSRs need to verify HE number to customer’s CID.

 Customer will not receive a HE card, and if they need one, they can go to any agent and purchase the $5 replacement card via TLS.

 When checking in the field or at offices, HE number will look like TM###### (all cur-rent HE numbers begin with two (2) alpha characters and are followed with six (6) numeric characters).

Young novice hunters can apply for a mentored hunt near Craig!

More mentored hunting opportunities for novice youth! Colorado Parks and Wildlife is encouraging young, aspiring hunters to apply for the second of two mentored, private land turkey hunts in the Northwest Region this spring. The 3rd Annual Douglas Mountain Spring Turkey Hunt will take place May 7-8 on private land west of Craig, and is open to four, true novices that have a desire to hunt but do not know someone that can show them how.

Bowhunter Education

Bowhunter Education is a key to success!

Bowhunting is great, and Bowhunter Education is one way to increase your chance of success!  Colorado Parks and Wildlife is inviting both novice and experienced bowhunters interested in learning new skills to a Bowhunter Safety Course at the Horsethief Canyon State Wildlife Area near Fruita, May 14-15.

'License Application 101'

'License Application 101' in Grand Junction!

Do you have questions about the draw application? CPW has answers! The application
deadline for the 2016 limited, big game license draw is April 5. If you need help,
come to our 'License Application 101' class, Tuesday, March 29 from 6 - 8 p.m at the
Northwest Region Hunter Education Complex, 711 Independent Avenue, Grand Junction.

CPW TO OFFER PREDATOR CALLING AND TRAPPING 101 CLASS IN GRAND JUNCTION

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - Novice trappers and small game predator hunters interested in increasing their chance of success are invited to learn about trapping and the fine art of calling during Colorado Parks and Wildlife's Predator Calling and Trapping 101. The one-time class will be held Tuesday, Dec. 15 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the CPW Hunter Education Building, 711 Independent Avenue in Grand Junction. There is no fee for the class; however, pre-registration is required. Click on this link, www.register-ed.com/events/view/70523,  or go to www.register-ed.com, select 'Colorado', then select 'View Upcoming Events" under the 'Colorado Outreach' link, then scroll down to the 'Predator Calling and Trapping 101' section.  Registration is also available by phone at 970-255-6100. "Learning how to call properly is one of the most effective ways to be successful when hunting predators like coyotes, bobcats and foxes," said Kathleen Tadvick, education coordinator for CPW. "Although the difference between a good call and a bad call may be small, it makes a huge difference in the field.  Also, there is much to know about how to trap legally and ethically in Colorado." Instructor, and Senior HuntMaster, Dan Uhrich and CPW staff will provide guidance about a wide variety of topics including the Harvest Information Program, the variety of predator calls and decoys, day calling vs night calling, camouflage clothing, the variety of live traps and lures that can be legally used in Colorado and other state rules and regulations. "This a great opportunity for the novice trapper and predator hunter," said Tadvick. "We expect there will be quite a lot of interest, so we encourage people to sign up right away." For more information about small game hunting in Colorado, visit cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/SmallGame.aspx ### CPW is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 42 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.

http://coloradooutdoorsmag.com/2015/11/13/an-important-message-from-cpw-director-bob-broscheid/

Posted on November 13, 2015 by Jerry L. Neal 3 comments

A bull elk. Photo by © Jerry Neal/CPW.

​​A century ago, wildlife conservation in the United States was focused on the protection and improvement of our lands and wildlife populations. Game wardens were hired and charged with enforcing new regula​tions on wildlife take, designed to ensure that wildlife species would remain abundant for future generations. Hatcheries were developed to provide more opportunities for fishing in the nation’s vast network of lakes and streams. Hunting, fishing and exploring the outdoors were considered hardy sports that improved the national character and provided opportunities for individuals to prove their worth. These examples and many others were made possible by sportsmen and women’s willingness to pay directly for conservation.
Much has changed over the last 100 years, but the value of wildlife and the outdoor experience has not. Today, Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages the largest elk herd in North America, raises more than 90 million fish annually and is busy tracking disease, mitigating invasive species and educating outdoor enthusiasts on how to safely recreate on Colorado’s rivers and in the backcountry. Simultaneously, Colorado’s strong economy is bringing in new residents who want to be here because of Colorado’s natural beauty, diverse landscapes and access to outdoor recreation. Cities have developed where small towns had been and a growing population is filling in all corners of Colorado’s landscape. Oil and gas development is expanding as new technology allows access to resources that were previously impossible to extract. These sweeping changes have altered the landscape upon which Colorado’s wildlife depends. However, none of these trends change the fact that hunters and anglers continue to pay for the management of fish and wildlife.

Photo by © Wayne D. Lewis/CPW.

As threats to wildlife and the complexities of management increase, Colorado Parks and Wildlife continues to adapt to these challenges with an ever-shrinking revenue dollar by becoming more efficient and scaling back on services and programs. In the past several years alone, we have cut more than $40 million out of our wildlife program budgets and defunded more than 50 wildlife positions.
​At the end of 2011, the Division of Wildlife merged with Colorado State Parks to create Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The merger allowed the Parks and Wildlife Commission to take advantage of additional efficiencies and reduce costs; it also provided opportunity for two of Colorado’s premier outdoor recreation agencies to speak with one voice. Our wildlife managers serve and protect as their game warden counterparts did a century ago, while taking on new responsibilities such as education, land-use planning and biological monitoring. Similarly, park rangers are patrolling and keeping our state parks safe while introducing people to unique outdoor recreation experiences. The roles in which our employees serve have expanded to include education specialists, researchers, biologists and customer service representatives to name a few — all designed to serve Colorado more effectively. The combination of our skills allows us to be stronger as an agency, and better at not only managing our natural resources, but also reminding people why that management is important and providing more opportunities to get outdoors.

​Although the merger allowed for certain efficiencies, it was not a magic bullet to solve budgetary problems on either “side of the agency.” The two agencies merged, but the funding sources that provide support remain separate, as mandated by state and federal law. The Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson Acts passed 78 and 65 years ago, respectively, require that revenues collected through hunting and fishing licenses must fund wildlife programs and cannot be used for unrelated purposes. As a result, ​our agency’s budgets remain separate. Revenues that support both sides of our agency budget, wildlife programs and parks, have not kept pace with the cost of doing business today. Historically, Colorado fishing and hunting fees have been increased every 7-10 years. Our last resident price increase was passed by the legislature in 2005; the one before that was approved in 1988. Part of the reason why we have been able to extend the period between increases is because nonresident big-game licenses have been tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) since 2000.
Nonresident big-game license fees increase slightly in most years, helping us to keep revenue in line with costs to a degree. However, as a result of CPI, resident big-game hunters are paying less now than they have historically when compared to their nonresident counterparts. Resident fees are also low in comparison to historic prices and resident prices in other states. A resident elk hunter in 1984 paid today’s equivalent of $66 for an elk tag; in 1955 his father would have paid $88. Colorado’s prices are also typically below the average when looking at our neighboring Western states.
Although potentially compelling, none of these facts makes it any easier to open our wallets and support increasing fees to hunt and fish. Colorado’s economy is growing, but that doesn’t mean that folks don’t have to work hard to raise their families and earn a living wage. However, hunters and anglers have always been strong supporters of wildlife and habitat conservation and are the reason we enjoy such abundant fish and wildlife populations today. Even as a shrinking percentage of Colorado’s booming population, we have the ability to raise our voices and speak about what Colorado means to us. The Colorado we all cherish has healthy wildlife populations, open spaces and abundant outdoor recreational opportunities that allow everyone to explore our natural world and discover themselves, in no small part made possible by the financial contributions of sportsmen and women. How much does that Colorado mean to you?

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Written by Bob Broscheid. Broscheid is an avid outdoorsman who loves Colorado and its abundant natural and recreational resources. Broscheid took the helm at Colorado Parks and Wildlife in 2013.

HUNTERS ADVISED ABOUT HIGHWAY 9 SAFETY PROJECT

 - GET INFO NOW AND AVOID DELAYS

KREMMLING, Colo. - Colorado Parks and Wildlife advises all hunters
planning to travel on State Highway 9 this fall that now is the time to
get information, plan an alternate route or anticipate extended delays
due to major road construction. The highway, one of the main routes from
Interstate 70 to prime hunting areas in Colorado's Northwest Region, is
undergoing an extensive two-year improvement project from mile marker
126 at the north edge of Summit County to mile marker 137, south of
Kremmling.

After consulting with CPW officials from Hot Sulphur Springs for design
recommendations, and with matching funds raised by area landowners,
concerned citizens and local governments, the Colorado Department of
Transportation's project will feature wider lanes, improved sightlines
and seven wildlife crossings, including two overpasses - the first of
their kind in Colorado. 

Construction will not occur during the winter season, according to CDOT.

"There are several options to get information and we strongly advise
that hunters do that now, then check again when it gets closer to
hunting season," said Area Wildlife Manager Lyle Sidener of Hot Sulphur
Springs. "Construction is very heavy and traffic will be slow on Highway
9 for the duration of the project, but hunters should be able to access
the units they are heading to."

For more information about the project, including construction dates and
alternate routes, hunters can visit http://www.codot.gov/projects/sh9wildlife

<https://www.codot.gov/projects/sh9wildlife> In addition, hunters can
call the project hotline at 970-724-4724, request information by sending
an email to SH9Kremmling@publicinfoteam.com
<SH9Kremmling@publicinfoteam.com> , or contact CPW's area office
in Hot Sulphur Springs at 970-725-6200.