Big game hunting limited license applications due by April 3

Big game hunting limited license applications due by April 3

Mar. 27, 2001

BY THE COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE

DENVER — The Colorado Division of Wildlife is reminding hunters that applications for limited licenses for the 2001 deer, elk and antelope hunting seasons must be postmarked by midnight April 3, 2001.

All deer and rifle antelope licenses and some bull and cow elk licenses in specific game management units are limited. These limited licenses are issued following the April application process and a computer drawing of successful applicants. As in past years, however, regular rifle bull elk licenses for most game management units in the state are available for sale over the counter prior to the start of the state’s hunting seasons.

The 2001 Colorado Season Hunting Information brochures, which include information on both regular and limited hunting licenses and seasons and applications for all species, are available from Division of Wildlife offices and licenses agencies, which include most sporting goods stores, throughout the state.

Among the significant changes in Colorado’s hunting seasons this year are increases in the cost of nonresident hunting licenses and a new cap that will restrict the number of nonresidents who can draw licenses in any given unit to 40 percent of the total licenses available.

"The goal of the Colorado Wildlife Commission was to ensure that no individual unit went over 40 percent for non-resident first-choice draw licenses," Kathi Green, regulations manager for the Division of Wildlife, said. "The Commission was responding to concerns of residents that nonresidents were drawing a significant number of licenses in a number of particular game management units."

On average statewide, the split between resident and nonresident licenses has historically been about 60-40 respectively, Green said. If resident applications total less than 60 percent of licenses allocated in a specific game unit, or units, the remaining licenses would be available to nonresidents, based on preference points. Nonresidents will also pay more for their licenses in 2001. Facing a fee increase for the first time since 1989, nonresidents will now pay $450 for an elk license and $270 for deer and pronghorn antelope licenses.

"Colorado wanted to value its nonresident licenses at parity with the other Western states," Green said. "For years, Colorado has had the lowest prices for nonresident hunting fees of any of the Western states. It should help control crowding by distributing hunters among all the Western states."

The 2001 brochure explains that, under the state’s preference point system, priority for a big game license goes to the hunter with the most preference points. A preference point is issued to an applicant if he fails to draw his first choice hunt.

There are a few exceptions to that rule, however. A nonresident hunter with preference points would be denied a license in a unit where the nonresident quota of 40 percent had already been met. That would leave the rest of the licenses in that unit to resident hunters, even those with fewer points.

In another example, a mixed group of hunters that includes residents and a nonresident would be considered a nonresident group. Hunters in that group would be denied a license if the quota is met before they have a chance to draw, even if they have more preference points than the next resident applicant group.

Residency notwithstanding, a group of hunters is categorized by the member of the group with the least number of preference points. For example, a hunter with three points who belongs to a group that has a member with only one point would draw with the rest of his group as if he has one point. If a group consists of ten people, there must be ten licenses left when that group’s turn to draw comes up. If there are too few licenses for the entire group, the draw will go to the next applicant, even if the next applicant has fewer points.

New for the 2001 deer application is a checkbox that allows applicants to indicate they are interested in leftover licenses if they do not draw their first choice tag. Marking the checkbox will make it possible for hunters to receive a leftover deer license without going to the Division in August for the leftover draw. Hunters who make minor mistakes on their applications will be automatically signed up for the leftover license draw. "We’re attempting to get the lines out of our offices," Green said.

Also new for 2001, the Division of Wildlife is beginning a weighted preference point system for sheep and goat licenses. The most preference points hunters can accumulate for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, mountain goat or moose is three. An applicant who already has three preference points for bighorn sheep, mountain goat or moose will be awarded one additional chance in future drawings for that species.

Each additional chance for a sheep, goat or moose license a hunter receives increases the probability of a draw. For example, a second chance would double the odds of a draw, a third chance would triple the odds of a draw, etc. When an applicant draws a license or fails to apply at least once during a five-year period, all accumulated preference points and chances will become void.

There will be a special either-sex elk hunt Sept. 1, 2001 to Jan. 31, 2002 in the northeastern plains. Elk have been extending their range along the South Platte River into the plains; this hunt is meant to prevent elk populations from becoming established there. Licenses for this hunt are additional and available at Division of Wildlife Service Centers in Denver, Fort Collins and Brush. Hunters should be cautioned, however, that the elk population is relatively low in these areas and most land is private.

Applicants for licenses must have a hunter education card before they apply.

Applicants for 2001 limited deer, elk, antelope moose and bear hunting licenses will again notice the donation box for the Wildlife Management Education Fund on their limited license application.

The Wildlife Management Education Fund was established by statute to implement a media-based public information campaign to education citizens about the values of wildlife, wildlife management and wildlife-related recreation, especially hunting and fishing.

The donation box allows hunters to donate $4.75 to that fund. The media campaign will be managed by the Wildlife Management Public Education Advisory Council, which includes representatives from sportsmen’s organizations, marketing professionals and representatives from cities and counties whose economy depends on revenues related to hunting and fishing.