The Brunot land area in southern Colorado is an area of land in Colorado located on the Ute Reservation, covering an area from US 160 on the south to the southern boundaries of Montrose and Gunnison counties, as well as Mineral and Cortez. This land was designated in 1874 when congress approved an agreement between certain Ute Indian tribes and the United States to cede certain land to the United States, but reserve a right for the Utes to hunt certain Colorado land The Brunot agreement will help foster sound wildlife management between the Colorado Division of Wildlife and the southern Ute Indian tribe. Until recently, the Ute tribe has not exercised its rights to hunt and fish these lands, but has been operating a professional wildlife management plan of its own. With the induction of the Brunot agreement, the tribe will adopt rules for hunting and fishing by tribal members within the area in a manner consistent with existing practices.
State Stages Bark Beatle Fight on Colorado Land
In an attempt to combat the negative effects of bark beetles on lodgepole pin, the State of Colorado has adopted a multi-year strategy to address the impacts of the beetle on forest and range land in Colorado. The plan will focus its efforts on wildlife hazard reduction, forest vegetation management and prevention and mitigation actions for recreation and public infrastructure. Included in the plan are activities such as hazard tree reduction, forest health and spraying, hazardous fuel reduction and timber salvage sales. Projects for the upcoming years will be defined as the project develops to ensure that necessary changes are made and that the plan continues to run smoothly. The main areas of focus will include national forest land in Summit, Eagle, Grand, Jackson and Routt counties in the state. This will enable the plan to focus on the most severe areas of attack first. Insect epidemics in other counties will be addressed as the plan progresses.
Through a diversity of season structures in Colorado this year, waterfowl hunters can expect ample opportunities and liberal bag limits. However, that experience may vary according the when and what they hunt. Early season hunting land in Colorado for native ducks and geese is plentiful thanks to a wet spring, but drought conditions in the high plains and southern Canada may provide fewer migratory animals to the region. Studies by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service showed that waterfowl populations in the state have decreased by 37% this year, with duck populations decreasing by 9% from last year. Cold weather systems will be more likely to push migratory animals south, and hunters should plan their trips accordingly. Unlike duck, however, Canada geese populations remain high and Colorado is expected to receive large numbers to provide excellent late season shooting, liberal bag limits and extended hunting seasons.
The BLM currently has a program that manages wild horses and burros on public range land in Colorado. This program allows the animal range to roam and when overpopulation exists, the BLM will hold an adoption to find homes for the animals. Adoptions are held at the East Canon City correctional Facility outside Canon City two Fridays per month. The minimum fee for adoption is $125 per animal, and there are normally over 400 animals to choose from. Individuals must be a pre-approved adopter in order to make an appointments, and appointments must be scheduled by the Tuesday before the Friday adoption. There are several ways to obtain more information regarding adoption of wild horses and burros from public land in Colorado. The BLM can be contacted at (719) 269-8539 or emails may be sent to Lona Lossnar at lkossnar@blm.gov.
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Hunting in Colorado is experiencing added benefits, thanks to a program knows as Ranching for Life. This program, in cooperation with the DOW, enables landowners in Colorado to improve habitat on their
Colorado Ranch Land for non-game and game animals as well as provide free access to hunters who draw licenses. The program will help preserve and enhance open spaces to wildlife and keep open the heritage of hunting in Colorado into the future. There are currently 23 ranches enrolled in the program and over 1 million acres of public access provided, with over 20,000 acres per year having active wildlife habitat improvements. The number of licenses on each ranch is determined by both the landowner and the division, and licenses for these ranches may only be used on the specific ranch. Out of state and Colorado Hunters are cautioned that although preference points needed to draw a license for specific ranches maybe be high, it doesn’t guarantee large numbers, but may simply mean that ranch is offering a high quality hunting experience.
As the season for hunting in Colorado begins, agencies such as the Division of Wildlife and the Colorado Department of Public Health once again caution hunters to carefully watch animals for signs of Chronic Wasting Disease on Colorado hunting land. Although investigations by state and federal public health officials have not yet shown any casual relationship between CWD and human health problems, officials caution Colorado hunters to observe simple precautions when handling elk, deer or moose carcasses as well as watching for signs of sickness in animals. Precautions are advised when field dressing animals such as wearing rubber gloves, minimizing the handling of brain and spinal tissues, washing hands and instruments thoroughly after field dressing is completed, and avoiding the consumption of brain, spinal cord, and other organs. Folks hunting in Colorado can find more information on CWD at the Division of Wildlife’s website, www.wildlife.state.co.us., and can find out their test results by calling (800) 434-0274.
Catfish Still a Colorado Fishing Favorite
Catfish Still a Colorado Fishing Favorite
Although there are many great fishing opportunities in Colorado, fishing for catfish still registers as a local favorite. The division stocks many waterways each year with channel catfish, and most catches average around four pounds, although catfish over twenty pounds are not unusual. Catfish tend to be nocturnal, so nighttime fishing with various stinkbaits tend to be the bait of choice, due to the catfish going by sense of smell. Other catfish that have been stocked by the division include flathead and blue catfish.
If you don’t have your own Colorado fishing property then consider Chatfield Dam, Ne Gronda, and Trinidad Reservoir in eastern Colorado, and lower Colorado and Yampa rivers in the western part of the state. For those anglers seeking a different type of catch, trout fishing is available in most high country lakes and waterways around the state.
Hunting in Colorado can be an excellent recreational pastime, but hunters new to Colorado should be cautious, especially during the changing seasons. Colorado springs and falls can easily trap a hunter by early or late snowstorms bringing several feet of snow in just hours, and hunters can quickly become injured by loose rock or simply getting lost. Altitude is a major factor to remember when hunting. Altitude can easily affect health ad the ability to move quickly.
Hunters seeking big game should remember to bring a survival kit and water, and should dress in layers. High country hunters, especially those hiking into heavy wilderness need to watch weather carefully and look for campsites and escape routes in case of sudden storms. Keeping these things in mind will make your hunting experience on Colorado land a much more memorable one.
