Small game hunting season now under way across state

Small game hunting season now under way across state

January 1, 2002

BY THE COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE

THESE CANADA GEESE ARE LUCKY as they stay around local ponds in the Cortez area. They will not be hunted this season. However, their unlucky relatives may not be so lucky. Canada Geese are plentiful this year all across Colorado. Goose season in Colorado is now under way and will continue into February.

DENVER — One of the most interesting but least understood animals of Colorado’s high country is the snowshoe hare.

There are a couple reasons why many outdoor enthusiasts have never seen a snowshoe. First, the hares live in dense spruce-fir forests above 8,000 ft. and second, no matter what time of year, snowshoe hares sport outstanding camouflage.

In the spring, summer and the first part of autumn, the snowshoe’s fur is generally brownish with a white underside. Unless the hare is moving, it will look like a rock to the casual observer. As the days grow shorter in October, the brown coat is shed and a thick, pure white one replaces it. The snowshoe now blends in with the snow and only its dark eyes and nose or black-tipped ears give it away.

Nevertheless, many predators still manage to find enough snowshoes to feed on during the winter. Coyotes, bobcats, hawks, and owls, as well as the newly reintroduced lynx are often dependent on snowshoe hares during the colder months.

However, the snowshoes counter predation by giving birth to 12 to 16 hares in two or three litters during the early summer.

Snowshoe hare hunting season runs now until Feb. 28, 2002.

Pheasant hunting is predicted to be much improved this year, especially in northeast sections of Colorado. According to Tom Remington, avian research leader for the Division, crowing counts this spring were down by 10 percent, and that is good news because Remington said he expected last summer’s drought to have a much harsher effect on pheasant populations. The weather this summer produced good nesting conditions across the Eastern Plains that should more than make up for the slight decrease in crowing counts.

Pheasant hunting’s popularity rests mainly with the challenge – these birds are fast. Hunters will find that birds at both local locations are acclimated to Colorado and are excellent fliers. Reputedly the second fastest game bird in the United States, an adult rooster in full flight will hit speeds in excess of 85 mph. Load your shotgun with a lighter load, such as a 6 or 7 light field load for your first shot and for your second, longer range shot, fire off a heavier 4 or 5 shot.

Pheasants love harvested wheat or corn fields. The best terrain to find pheasants will provide good cover from the weather and predators, while also providing areas to forage for food. For those hunters lucky enough to get permission, Southwestern Colorado offers many places. The farms along the La Plata River offer great places for the birds.

The first hunt for ducks in the Central Flyway and Pacific Flyway is under way and will end Jan. 20.

The general goose season in the Central Flyway is under way and will continue through Feb. 17. In the Pacific Flyway, the seasons ends Jan. 20. The bag limit in the Central Flyway is five dark and 20 light geese. In the Pacific Flyway, the bag limit is two geese in aggregate.

Hunters must be aware of whether hunting wild birds or hand-raised birds, is safety. Wearing blaze orange is recommended because it helps members of a party identify each other. It is also important when hunting in a party to always walk in a horizontal line of fire. Not only does this keep hunters within each others’ peripheral vision, it also allows them to cover more land in a more efficient manner. Other safety precautions include handing your shotgun to someone else when crossing fences, creeks, ravines or other obstructions; keeping the safety on or gun broken when not ready to fire; and always be sure of your shot.