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NOVEMBER I-70 CHECK STATION

NOVEMBER I-70 CHECK STATION NETS 22 CHARGES GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - Colorado Parks and Wildlife law enforcement officers checked nearly 180 vehicles and issued 22 citations during a wildlife check station on Interstate 70 in November. It was the first wildlife check station conducted on a major Colorado interstate in nearly 20 years. The two-day operation, held Nov. 7 and 8, diverted all west-bound I-70 traffic into the Colorado Department of Transportation's Port of Entry weigh station in Loma, 18 miles west of Grand Junction. There, wildlife officers conducted hunting and fishing satisfaction surveys, collected DNA samples from harvested big game and conducted compliance checks regarding applicable game laws. About 1,755 vehicles entered the check station. Only vehicles whose passengers had been hunting or fishing were asked to enter the search bays. Other motorists were quickly sent on their way. "We were pleased but not surprised that a vast majority of the hunters and anglers we contacted were in compliance with the law," said Check Station Supervisor and Area Wildlife Manger JT Romatzke. "We remind everyone that responsible hunters and anglers are the first line of defense for Colorado's wildlife resources." Most of the 300 people contacted were in full compliance with state laws and hunting regulations, but 13 hunters were cited for a total of 22 charges for various infractions including illegal possession of wildlife and failing to provide evidence of the sex of their harvest. One driver is being investigated for being in possession of 78 white bass and two walleye. The source of the fish is still under investigation. Officers seized all illegally harvested wildlife. Colorado State Patrol arrested one motorist for driving with a revoked license. All incidents are still under investigation and a total amount of fines has not been determined pending the final disposition of the cases. Personal contact with sportsmen - a primary goal of the check station - provided wildlife managers first-hand opinions about the current hunting season and provided valuable wildlife management information. The vast majority of sportsmen contacted not only reported their overall satisfaction with their Colorado hunting or fishing experiences, but also expressed their support for the check station. "We understand that not everyone will be 100 percent satisfied," said Romatzke. "But we were pleased to hear that the vast majority of our contacts had good, and in some cases, great hunting or fishing experiences in Colorado, and they understood the need for a check station." Approximately 120 officers participated in the 24-hour check station, including 97 from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, eight Colorado State Patrol and two Colorado State Patrol dispatchers, three Mesa County Sheriff's deputies, nine officers from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and two Utah Department of Wildlife Resources officers. In addition, CDOT Port of Entry weigh station authorities temporarily closed their facilities to commercial traffic, providing the space required for the large-scale operation. First responders from the Lower Valley Fire Protection District in Fruita were available for any medical emergencies. Small-scale wildlife check stations are conducted throughout the state on smaller roads every year. However, an Interstate check station had not been held in Colorado since 1993 because of the enormous amount of resources and ma npower necessary to staff these large-scale operations. "It was a well-executed operation by all those involved," said Area Wildlife Manager and Check Station Supervisor JT Romatzke. "We planned it for nearly five months, and it paid off, making it likely that we will conduct more of these in the future." To learn more about enforcement of game laws in Colorado, please see: http://wildlife.state.co.us/RulesRegs/LawEnforcement/Pages/LawEnforcement.aspx To report a suspected wildlife violation, call Operation Game Thief at 1-877-265-6648. Callers can remain anonymous.

Hunting is one of the safest outdoor activities!

While hunting incidents often generate news, they only do so because they are so uncommon. Think about all of the really bad looking car wrecks you see – but they rarely make the news. Why? Because they happen all the time.

Hunters in Colorado enjoy millions of hunter recreation days every year, and do so very safely. With only a handful of hunting incidents annually, hunting is about as safe as outdoor recreation gets. The latest from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) shows just how safe hunting really is. Some great information to keep handy when talking about hunting!

Thanks goes to all hunter education instructors – past and present – for the incredible difference they have made through their efforts teaching hunter education. Without you, this would not have been possible!

From the National Shooting Sports Foundation:

Hunting Is Safer Than Golf and Most Other Activities

(Not to Mention Football, Basketball and Soccer)

NEWTOWN, Conn. -- Don't let anyone tell you otherwise: Hunting with firearms is safe; in fact, hunting with firearms is one of the safest recreational activities in America.

With hunting season in full swing across the country, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms industry, has compiled data that shows hunting ranks third in safety when compared to 28 other recreational pursuits, ranging from baseball to wrestling. Hunting with firearms has an injury rate of 0.05 percent, which equates to about 1 injury per 2,000 participants, a safety level bettered only by camping (.01 percent) and billiards (.02 percent). For comparison, golf has an injury rate of 0.16 percent (1 injury per 622 participants), while tackle football topped the list of activities with an injury rate of 5.27 percent (1 injury per 19 participants).

"Many people have the misconception that hunting is unsafe, but the data tells a different story," said Jim Curcuruto, NSSF's director of industry research and analysis. "Comprehensive hunter education classes that emphasize the basic rules of firearm safety and a culture of hunters helping fellow hunters practice safe firearms handling in the field are responsible for this good record."

To put hunting's safety standing into perspective, compared to hunting a person is . . .
• 11 times more likely to be injured playing volleyball
• 19 times more likely to be injured snowboarding
• 25 times more likely to be injured cheerleading or bicycle riding
• 34 times more likely to be injured playing soccer or skateboarding
• 105 more times likely to be injured playing tackle football.

The number of hunters who went afield last year is estimated at 16.3 million. Of tha t total, approximately 8,122 sustained injuries, or 50 per 100,000 participants. The vast majority of hunting accidents--more than 6,600--were tree stand-related. Though recent accurate figures on fatalities related to hunting are not available, statistics from 2002 show 99 fatal hunting accidents.

It's not just in the hunting fields that firearms are being used safely either. The most recent data (2008) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that firearms constitute just 1/2 of 1 percent of all unintentional fatalities in the United States, including those in the home.

The injury data NSSF used to compile this hunter-safety report comes from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System of the Consumer Products Safety Commission 2010 and the International Hunter Education Association's Hunter Incident Clearinghouse. Activity participation figures are from the National Sporting Goods Association Sports Participation in 2010 report.

See NSSF's full Hunting Injury Fact Sheet.

House pass gun permits reciprocity bill

The National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011 passed 272-154 with 229 Republicans and 43 Democrats backing it, the Los Angeles Times said.

Proponents want the measure to make it easier for gun owners to travel between states without having to worry whether their permit is valid, but opponents view it as a federal infringement on states' rights, the newspaper said.

"The simple right to defend yourself and loved ones from criminals is fundamental, and it doesn't extinguish when you cross a state border," said Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., who sponsored the bill.

The bill goes to the Senate where similar legislation died in 2009.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2011/11/16/House-pass-gun-permits-reciprocity-bill/UPI-48001321500898/#ixzz1dxtS4D00

Obama Pushing Shooters Off Public Lands

Gun owners who have historically been able to use public lands for target practice would be barred from potentially millions of acres under new rules drafted by the Interior Department, the first major move by the Obama administration to impose limits on firearms.

"It's not so much a safety issue. It's a social conflict issue," ...urbanites "freak out" when they hear shooting on public lands.

In a draft retort to BLM, the council said other users of public land aren't required to be as safe as shooters. They note that shooters have a much lower injury rate than others, like ATV users. "The policy fails to recognize that recreational shooting has one of the lowest incidences of death and injury compared to virtually any other outdoor recreational activity. The policy is prejudicial and discriminatory to target shooters as compared to other recreationists," said the council's draft response, expected to be finalized today.

To read the entire article from "US NEWS" click anywhere in the above selections.

Record low support for gun control

In an article by Don Surber the point is made again:

Handgun use is up, yet gun homicides are down, contrary to what the Brady Campaign has preached for a quarter-century.

Also noted in the article, people in general are wising up and realizing that the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution is vastly important to our liberty and freedoms.

The Second Amendment has rebounded in the last half-century as support doubled since 1959, the Gallup poll reported. Nearly 3 out of every 4 Americans now opposes a ban on handguns — only 1 in four are for banning possession of a handgun. In 1959, 60% of Americans favored banning handguns — and only 36% opposed such an affront to the Second Amendment.

Click any underlined section to see the entire article.

Firearm Negligence

I found this YOUTube video entertaining and sad.

Some of the clips are old old old but some are relatively recent.

House Weighs Bill to Make Gun Permits Valid Across State Lines

From Fox news---Link at bottom of post

Lawmakers are considering a House bill that would give Americans who hold permits to carry firearms in their home states the right to carry their weapons across state lines.

Supporters say the measure would not create a federal licensing system, but would require that all states recognize lawfully issued permits -- regardless of where they were issued. Gun rights advocacy groups say it's the only way to make sure that lawful gun owners' Second Amendment rights are guaranteed when they travel away from their home states. (snip)

But opponents say the bill tramples on each state's autonomy to set the standards legislators believe are necessary to confront local problems. Foes also said that the law could allow violent offenders to hold on to their weapons.

Kind of like a drivers license.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/09/13/house-weighs-bill-to-make-gun-permits-valid-across-state-lines/#ixzz1XvzNguYt

NERF GUNS

From the "They can't really be this stupid - can they?" category, an urban anti-violence group in Buffalo, NY conducted a gun "buyback" - targeting Nerf guns. Yes, Nerf guns - the spring-loaded children's toys that fire harmless, spongy little projectiles.

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011 09/urban_gun_buyback_targets_nerf_guns.html

NRA Delivers Remarks at U.N. Concerning Proposed Arms Trade Treaty National Rifle Association's Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre addressed the United Nations this afternoon. He told the U.N. to not interfere with the Second Amendment freedoms of Americans and pledged to continue the fight to preserve civilian ownership of firearms in the U.S. He said the NRA will oppose any U.N. provision that seeks to prohibit or regulate U.S. civilian firearm ownership. LaPierre said in his remarks, "The cornerstone of our freedom is the Second Amendment. Neither the United Nations, nor any other foreign influence, has the authority to meddle with the freedoms guaranteed by our Bill of Rights, endowed by our Creator, and due to all humankind." United Nations Arms Trade Treaty Preparatory Committee - 3d Session New York, July 11-15, 2011 Statement of the National Rifle Association of America Mr. Chairman, thank you for this brief opportunity to address the committee. I am Wayne LaPierre and for 20 years now, I have served as Executive Vice President of the National Rifle Association of America. The NRA was founded in 1871, and ever since has staunchly defended the rights of its 4 million members, America's 80 million law-abiding gun owners, and freedom-loving Americans throughout our country. In 1996, the NRA was recognized as an NGO of the United Nations and, ever since then, has defended the constitutional freedom of Americans in this arena. The NRA is the largest and most active firearms rights organization in the world and, although some members of this committee may not like what I have to say, I am proud to defend the tens of millions of lawful people NRA represents. This present effort for an Arms Trade Treaty, or ATT, is now in its fifth year. We have closely monitored this process with increasing concern. We've reviewed the statements of the countries participating in these meetings. We've listened to other NGOs and read their numerous proposals and reports, as well as carefully examined the papers you have produced. We've watched, and read ... listened and monitored. Now, we must speak out. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms in defense of self, family and country is ultimately self-evident and is part of the Bill of Rights to the United States Constitution. Reduced to its core, it is about fundamental individual freedom, human worth, and self-destiny. We reject the notion that American gun owners must accept any lesser amount of freedom in order to be accepted among the international community. Our Founding Fathers long ago rejected that notion and forged our great nation on the principle of freedom for the individual citizen - not for the government. Mr. Chairman, those working on this treaty have asked us to trust them ... but they've proven to be unworthy of that trust. We are told "Trust us; an ATT will not ban possession of any civilian firearms." Yet, the proposals and statements presented to date have argued exactly the opposite, and - perhaps most importantly - proposals to ban civilian firearms ownership have not been rejected. We are told "Trust us; an ATT will not interfere with state domestic regulation of firearms." Yet, there are constant calls for exactly such measures. We are told "Trust us; an ATT will only affect the illegal trade in firearms." But then we're told that in order to control the illegal trade, all states must control the legal firearms trade. We are told, "Trust us; an ATT will not require registration of civilian firearms." Yet, there are numerous calls for record-keeping, and firearms tracking from production to eventual destruction. That's nothing more than gun registration by a different name. We are told, "Trust us; an ATT will not create a new international bureaucracy." Well, that's exactly what is now being proposed -- with a tongue-in-cheek assurance that it will just be a SMALL bureaucracy. We are told, "Trust us; an ATT will not interfere with the lawful international commerce in civilian firearms." But a manufacturer of civilian shotguns would have to comply with the same regulatory process as a manufacturer of military attack helicopters. We are told, "Trust us; an ATT will not interfere with a hunter or sport shooter travelling internationally with firearms." However, he would have to get a so-called "transit permit" merely to change airports for a connecting flight. Mr. Chairman, our list of objections extends far beyond the proposals I just mentioned. Unfortunately, my limited time today prevents me from providing greater detail on each of our objections. I can assure you, however, that each is based on American law, as well as the fundamental rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution. It is regrettable that proposals affecting civilian firearms ownership are woven throughout the proposed ATT. That being the case, however, there is only one solution to this problem: the complete removal of civilian firearms from the scope of any ATT. I will repeat that point as it is critical and not subject to negotiation - civilian firearms must not be part of any ATT. On this there can be no compromise, as American gun owners will never surrender their Second Amendment freedom. It is also regrettable to find such intense focus on record-keeping, oversight, inspections, supervision, tracking, tracing, surveillance, marking, documentation, verification, paper trails and data banks, new global agencies and data centers. Nowhere do we find a thought about respecting anyone's right of self-defense, privacy, property, due process, or observing personal freedoms of any kind. Mr. Chairman, I'd be remiss if I didn't also discuss the politics of an ATT. For the United States to be a party to an ATT, it must be ratified by a two-thirds vote of the U.S. Senate. Some do not realize that under the U.S. Constitution, the ultimate treaty power is not the President's power to negotiate and sign treaties; it is the Senate's power to approve them. To that end, it's important for the Preparatory Committee to understand that the proposed ATT is already strongly opposed in the Senate - the very body that must approve it by a two-thirds majority. There is a letter addressed to President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton that is currently being circulated for the signatures of Senators who oppose the ATT. Once complete, this letter will demonstrate that the proposed ATT will not pass the U.S. Senate. So there is extremely strong resistance to the ATT in the United States, even before the treaty is tabled. We are not aware of any precedent for this - rejecting a proposed treaty before it's even submitted for consideration - but it speaks to the level of opposition. The proposed ATT has become more than just controversial, as the Internet is awash with articles and messages calling for its rejection. And those messages are all based on the same objection - infringement on the constitutional freedom of American gun owners. The cornerstone of our freedom is the Second Amendment. Neither the United Nations, nor any other foreign influence, has the authority to meddle with the freedoms guaranteed by our Bill of Rights, endowed by our Creator, and due to all humankind. Therefore, the NRA will fight with all of its strength to oppose any ATT that includes civilian firearms within its scope. Thank you.

GET BEYOND THE BASICS OF HUNTER ED JUNE 25-26

DENVER -- Youth hunter education students in Denver can take their skills to the next level at Beyond the Basics of Hunter Education June 25-26 in Littleton. The two-day event will provide an opportunity for young hunters to learn how to hunt a variety of wildlife species, as well as practice firearm and archery safety.

"Hunter Education provides a great basic foundation of hunting ethics, species identification and firearm safety," said Vicki Vargas Madrid, district wildlife manager. "This weekend will provide an in-depth look at subjects covered in hunter education and expand on the skills and species to really help young hunters feel confident and be successful in the field."

Topics presented at the two-day class include:
--Hunting turkey, deer, and elk in Colorado
--Preparing for the hunt
--How to shoot muzzleloaders and rifles
--Outdoor survival
--How to shoot a bow and arrow
--Practicing safe firearm handling

This free workshop is limited to the first 100 preregistered attendees. With the help of event sponsors, lunch will be provided to the participants in this event.

WHO: New youth hunter education graduates and their guardians who preregister for the event

WHAT: Beyond the Basics of Hunter Education

WHEN: June 25-26, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. both days

WHERE: Kassler Education Center, Littleton

HOW: Register with Officer Vicki Vargas Madrid at 303-291-7135

Event sponsored by Mule Deer Foundation, Kassler Education Center, Denver Water, Audubon Center at Chatfield State Park, Skyline Hunting & Fishing Club, Arvada Army Navy Surplus, Midway USA, National Youth Shooting Sports Foundation, Steve's Meat's, Bass Pro Shops, Wal-Mart.

To learn more about getting outdoors with your family and friends, visit:

http://wildlife.state.co.us/Education/GetOutdoors/

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

An interesting little post I found

http://www.gunbanobama.com/Templates/c63367a2-996a-422c-9afd-0d6f49a0ca86/Documents/NRA_obamausatoday1009.pdf

Check it out.

NRA: The steel behind American freedom

What few realize is that until gun ownership became a partisan and ideological issue in the 1960s, the NRA hadn’t spent a dime on politics, didn’t have even one registered lobbyist and avoided political involvement whenever possible. Indeed, after President Johnson signed the landmark Gun Control Act of 1968, one major Senate sponsor of the bill described the NRA as a “paper tiger.”

The NRA was formed to promote civilian marksmanship in the days following the Civil War and spent a century as a service organization running firearm competitions and shooting ranges, educating generations of Americans on the safe use of firearms and providing technical information to hunters, shooters and collectors.

The entire article at the Washington Times can be read by clicking anywhere in this post! CLICK

Down-loadable manuals for firearms!!

Need a down-loadable manual for one of your old or new firearms? This web page has them all!!

Click HERE

DOW PACKS MARCH CALENDAR WITH HUNTER ED

DENVER - With the April 5 limited license application deadline looming, the Colorado Division of Wildlife and volunteer hunter education instructors are offering more than 100 hunter education classes statewide in March. Since 1970 the agency has required anyone born after 1948 to take hunter education before applying to hunt in Colorado.

Classes range from large classes like the one offered at the Division's Denver headquarters to rural offerings throughout the month in towns like Meeker, Trinidad and Antonito.

"Our goal is to make it as convenient as possible for people who need these classes to find one and complete one," said Mark Cousins, Hunter Education Coordinator for the Division of Wildlife.

A complete list of upcoming hunter education course is available on-line at http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/HunterEducation/CourseCalendar/.

Beyond traditional hunter education classes the Division is also offering internet-based courses which allow students to conduct some of the coursework on-line to help fit busy schedules or allow parents to work with their children. These classes aren't completely on-line as they still require a minimum of four hours of classroom time with an instructor, a live-fire session and a written exam to complete the course. Other hunter education courses are also offered specifically for youth, women or college-aged students.

"We recognize that people learn differently and in different environments," Cousins explained. "The important thing is that people find a class that fits their schedule and complete the course. Hunter education is for everyone interested in the outdoors and wildlife."

Colorado began requiring hunter education in 1970 after an average of nine hunting-related fatalities each year through the 1960s. By the 1990s, hunting-related fatalities had dropped to about one per year in the state.

"The numbers speak for themselves," Cousins said. "With more than 400,000 hunting licenses sold each year, hunting is one of the safest outdoor participation sports in Colorado."

Volunteers are the core of the Division's hunter education efforts. Courses are taught by volunteer instructors, keeping the cost of taking a course low at just $10.

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

Swiss vote to keep their guns at home

Sport shooters take aim at a shooting event in Switzerland
Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: An estimated 2 million guns are stored in Swiss homes
Switzerland has rejected tighter gun controls and will continue to allow citizens to keep army-issued weapons at home. A referendum that sought to have weapons stored in armories instead was rejected.

Swiss voters on Sunday rejected a proposal to ban army firearms from their homes, following a nationwide referendum.

[snip]

The government had called on the population to vote against the initiative, explaining that "current legislation assures adequate and sufficient protection of the population against the abusive use of weapons."



Advocates of the ban said the easy availability of weapons poses a danger for suicidal people, and Switzerland's suicide rate is three times higher than in the rest of Europe.

Click within the article above to go to the original article.

Meet Scott Tipton on Thursday the 24th of Feb.

IDPA Participants:

One of our shooters, Chris Herrman christopherherrman@yahoo.com

“Morning John, I'm helping organize a sportsmen reception with Congressman Scott Tipton on Thursday the 24th and want to make sure the shooting sports are represented. This will be a casual meet and greet so we can get to know the Congressman and his staff.

When: February 24, 2011, 4:30 to 6:30 PM
Where: Dolce Vita Restaurant, 336 Main Street, Grand Junction


For further information contact Chris at the email address above

No Oink About It, Feral Pig Problem Spreading

By Ruth Ravve

Published February 07, 2011

| FoxNews.com

War is being waged right now across the country -- against huge, ever-growing packs of feral pigs that are running rampant, destroying crops, killing wildlife and spreading disease everywhere they go, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports.

They’ve been spotted all the way from Texas to California to Michigan and in New York.

“It's estimated there are at least 4 million of them nationwide, but its impossible to count them all so there may be much more” said Carol Bannerman, a spokesman for the USDA Wildlife Services.

Officials say they cause more than $8 million worth of damage every year. [snip]

Animal rights groups are outraged over what they say is persecution of pigs. Don Anthony, of the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida, said he doesn’t believe the swine are causing all the problems that are claimed.

He wants state leaders to “leave them alone or find a way to neuter them to keep their population down,” he said. Since the hogs have been in the United States for five hundred years, they’re “almost natives,” so “we should be used to them by now. Killing them is barbaric and unnecessary,” he said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is taking the problem very seriously. "Because of the impact it has on everything from agriculture to natural resources and humans’ health and safety, its an extremely important problem,” Bannerman said.

Click in the article or Here to read the entire article at FOX NEWS dot COM

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/02/07/oink-feral-pigs-growing-problem/#ixzz1DNmYuMfY

Senators back change for non-Utah concealed gun permits

SB36 » A bill that would require nonstate residents to obtain concealed weapons permits from their home states before obtaining one in Utah passed through committee unanimously Tuesday.

The proposal by Sen. John Valentine, R-Orem, came as a result of complaints by holders that some states — namely New Mexico and Nevada — weren’t recognizing Utah’s concealed weapons permit and Valentine said he was troubled by the lack of reciprocity when Utah would recognize their permits.

For the full article click HERE

Utah Bill Designating State Gun Goes To House

Gun Violence Prevention Center Against Bill

-

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Utah House is debating the designation of an automatic pistol as the official state gun amid protest from a group who says it would be inappropriate because of recent mass shootings.Republican Rep. Carl Wimmer of Herriman told a House committee Monday the state should have the Browning M1911 automatic pistol as one of its state symbols.

Click in the article to see the entire post at KJCT. com

Bear Hunting Regulations may change!!

BEAR REG, DOG-WALKING ON TAP FOR COMMISSION

DENVER, Colo. -- The Wildlife Commission will consider a new regulation to prohibit the take of bears in their dens and a petition to rescind a ban on dog walking at two northeast-region state wildlife areas during its January meeting.

Commissioners will also set 2011 license numbers for bighorn sheep and mountain goat, finalize 2011 big game seasons and consider a host of changes to management of State Wildlife Areas as part of its annual review of Division properties. During the afternoon session, commissioners will consider proposals to manage predators to support Gunnison sage-grouse and desert bighorn conservation projects in southwestern Colorado.

The meeting is scheduled to be held this Wednesday, Jan. 5, at the Colorado Division of Wildlife's Hunter Education Building at 6060 Broadway in Denver. The meeting starts at 8:30 a.m.

During the morning session, the Wildlife Commission will get a first look at a new den-hunting regulation drafted by Division of Wildlife staff following an incident this fall in which a potential state record black bear was taken by a licensed hunter while in its den. The incident has prompted a discussion about whether taking hibernating black bears in their dens is ethical, safe, or adheres to the concept of fair chase.

According to the 2010-2020 Strategic Plan adopted by the Wildlife Commission, the Division should look to maintain and increase support for wildlife management activities by emphasizing ethics, safety and fair chase in hunting, fishing and other wildlife programs. Although no regulations currently prohibit it den hunting in Colorado, other states such as Pennsylvania and Michigan have adopted regulations to ban the practice. The proposed regulation is scheduled to receive a three-step review by Commissioners, who could approve a final rule in May.

Commissioners will also consider a petition from several hundred Loveland-area residents concerning the closure of two state wildlife areas to dogs except for active hunting, following a number of complaints from local citizens. The petition asks the Wildlife Commission to consider rescinding the new prohibition on dogs at Lon Hagler and Lone Tree SWAs, which they have argued was adopted without sufficient public input.

Commissioners will also get their first look at steps proposed by the Division to address public safety and user conflict issues stemming from unregulated access to Jumbo Reservoir along the lower South Platte as part of its annual review of Division properties. DOW staff is proposing to institute an annual "State Wildlife Area Permit" for Jumbo and possibly other nearby SWAs that would be required for everyone aged 19 to 64 that does not have a current hunting or fishing license. Division staff also recommends a prohibition on the possession and consumption of alcohol at Jumbo SWA.

The Wildlife Commission meets monthly and travels to communities around the state to facilitate public participation in its processes. In 2011, the Commission will meet in Salida, Grand Junction, Montrose, Alamosa, Steamboat Springs, Pueblo, Yuma, and Fort Collins and at a location to be determined in northwest Colorado. The first three meetings of 2011 will be held at the Hunter Education Building at Division headquarters in Denver.

Members of the public who are unable to attend Commission meetings or workshops can listen to the proceedings through a link on the DOW we bsite. This opportunity is provided to keep constituents better informed about the development of regulations by the Commission and how they and DOW staff are resolving issues facing Colorado's wildlife.