Hunters need to be aware of regulations

Hunters need to be aware of regulations

October 23, 2001

BY THE COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE

DENVER — The next two months will be among the busiest for Colorado Division of Wildlife law enforcement officers as hunting seasons will be in full swing. DOW officers will be on patrol throughout the state to help hunters understand the laws, as well as to enforce laws that are broken.

"Through education and training, we strive for well-informed, knowledgeable hunters," said Jim Bennett, assistant regional manager in Grand Junction. "For me ‘success’ will be that ultimate big game season without serious injuries or fatalities, and no tickets written."

Last year, there were slightly over 2,000 ticketed hunting violations during the big game seasons, up slightly from the previous year. The most frequent violation was having a loaded firearm in a vehicle, which accounted for 251 tickets. Colorado law makes it illegal to have a round in the chamber of a rifle or shotgun when it is in a motor vehicle. More accidents and fatalities occur while handling firearms around vehicles than in any other situation. The penalty is $50 and 15 points toward revocation of hunting privileges. (It takes at least 18 points before hunting and/or fishing privileges can be suspended.)

Shooting from or across a public road is also illegal. Hunters must be at least 50 feet from the center line of a road, including all marked roads on public lands, before discharging a firearm. The penalty for breaking this law is $50 and 5 points.

Another important safety statute requires hunters to wear at least 500 square inches of fluorescent orange above the waist, including a hat that is visible from all directions. Since this law was first enacted over 20 years ago, hunting accidents have declined dramatically. Hunters violating this law are subject to a $50 fine and 5 points. But as DOW officials point out, while the penalties aren't that stiff, the potential danger can lead to far more serious consequences.

Illegal possession of elk, that is having an elk without the proper license, accounted for 222 tickets last year. Hunters can be assessed a $1,000 fine and 15 points for each elk they illegally have in their possession.

Illegal possession of a deer is a $700 fine and 15 points. For a trophy elk (six points or better on one beam) or trophy deer (inside antler-point spread of at least 22 inches) there is a $10,000 fine for illegal possession.

A person charged with hunting big game without procuring a proper license can be fined $250 and assessed 15 points.

Once an animal is taken, the hunter must void his hunting license by signing and dating the carcass tag and detaching it from the license. While the tag need not be affixed to the carcass while transporting it back to camp, once the animal is in camp or in a motor vehicle the tag must be attached. Failure to do so can result in a $50 fine and 5 points.

The most serious wildlife penalty is for willful destruction of big game, which involves shooting an animal and only taking the head or antlers and abandoning the meat to spoil. This is a Class Five felony and can result in a fine of $1,000-$100,000 and one to three years in jail. In addition, the Wildlife Commission can permanently suspend all hunting and fishing privileges.