| Colorado License
Requirements |
|
1.
You must comply with hunter education requirements in order to purchase or apply for a big
game license. See hunter education requirements. |
|
2. You
must have a Conservation Certificate (CC) to hunt big game. Licenses are stamps that affix
to the CC. If you lost your CC, call any DOW office. They will send you a duplicate CC.
Don't get a new CC from a license agent. You must use your home address; business
addresses are illegal. |
|
3. You
must carry your CC and license while hunting. |
|
4.
You can hunt only the animal and season specified on the license. |
|
5.
It is illegal to give false information to obtain a CC or license; loan, transfer, sell or
give your license to someone or alter your license, including signing or tearing off the
carcass tag before a kill. |
|
6.
If your license is lost or destroyed, you can get a duplicate from a DOW office by paying
a fee of 1/2 the license cost, up to $25. |
|
7.
Licenses expire at the end of the season printed on it. |
| Colorado Residency
Requirements |
|
Who
qualifies as a Colorado resident for a hunting license: |
|
| 1. Anyone who has lived
here continuously at least six months immediately before applying for or buying a license
and who intends to make Colorado home. (Except #2 below.) |
| 2. U. S. armed services
personnel, military personnel of U.S. allies, U.S. Diplomatic Service personnel and
diplomatic services of nations recognized by the U.S. Military personnel stationed here on
permanent active duty orders or who were residents of Colorado when they entered the
military. Dependents of these groups also qualify. Active duty does not include personnel
in reserve status or the National Guard. |
| 3. Full-time students
enrolled and attending a Colorado college, university or trade school at least six months
immediately before applying for or buying a license, including students temporarily absent
from Colorado but still enrolled. |
| 4. Children under 18 have
the same residency status as their custodial parent or legal guardian. |
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| Colorado Preference Points |
|
The
preference point system for bear, deer, elk and antelope is designed to distribute limited
licenses fairly. |
|
| 1. One preference point is
awarded to a hunter who applies properly and who is unsuccessful in drawing a license for
the first-choice hunt code. |
| 2. Preference points are
for individual hunters and species. That means preference points you earn applying for elk
are only for that species. No one else can use your points. |
| 3. Priority goes to the
person with the most points. |
| 4. Group applications
receive priority on the basis of the group member with the fewest points. |
| 5. Second-choice hunt codes do not
generate or use preference points. Licenses issued to successful second-choice applicants
will list accumulated preference points. |
| 6. If unsuccessful for your first
choice, you will be notified of accumulated points on your refund stub, your second choice
license or over-the-counter license. |
| 7. When you draw a
first-choice license, your preference points drop to zero. |
| 8. Preference points
accumulate until you draw a license as a first choice. If you don't apply at least once
within five consecutive years for that species for which you have preference points, they
will be purged from your file. Applying for preference points will keep your file active
for that species. |
|
|
Preference
Point Hunt Code |
|
| Deer, elk and antelope applicants can apply
for a preference point without risking points they already have. A special hunt code is
provided in this brochure that automatically awards a preference point as your first
choice for deer, elk or antelope. Hunters then can apply for a license as their second
choice. The preference point hunt code is only for deer, elk and antelope applicants. |
| To apply, enter the preference point hunt
code provided (see page 15 for deer, page 32 for elk and page 40 for antelope) in the
First Choice box on your application. You also can apply for a second choice and enter
that hunt code in the Second Choice boxes on your application. You must remit the full
cost of a license even if you're just applying for a preference point. If you apply for a
second choice and are unsuccessful, or if you only apply for a preference point, your
money, minus the $3 application fee, will be refunded. These preference points will be
used the next time you apply for this species. |
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| Hunter Education Requirements |
|
Anyone
born on or after Jan. 1, 1949, must have completed an approved hunter education
course or bowhunter education course (for archery licenses only) sanctioned by a state or
province before applying for or purchasing a license. Colorado honors hunter education
courses from other states and provinces. A hunter safety card must be presented when
buying a license over the counter at a license agency. You also must carry your hunter
education card when hunting, unless the words "Proof of Hunter Education
Verified" were printed by the DOW on your CC. |
| Other Land/Use Rules |
|
Areas
Closed To Hunting |
|
| 1. Hunting is prohibited
1/2 mile either side of the center line of the Mt. Evans Hwy. (Colo. 5) from Echo Lake to
the summit, all of Summit Lake Cirque and most of Summit Lake Flats. |
| 2. National wildlife
refuges also may have restrictions. Consult specific refuge. |
| 3. Hunting is prohibited within 50
feet of the centerline of a federal, state or county road or highway. Lands between
divided highways are closed to hunting. |
| 4. Hunting is prohibited in
the Gore Creek drainage south of I-70 (to the top of the ridge), west of the Lions Head
ski lift at Vail, east of I-70 and Hwy 24; on the north side of I-70 (within 1/2 mile of
I-70), west of the Vail I-70 interchange, east of I-70 and Hwy 24. |
| 5. National parks and
national monuments are closed to hunting. |
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| Season Participation Bag
Limits |
|
| 1. For deer, elk, antelope and black
bear, the annual bag limit is one of each species regardless of how or when you
take it during a calendar year. See #7 for exceptions. |
| 2. You can apply for only
one license per species a year. |
| 3. You can buy only one license per
species a year. See #7 for exceptions. |
| 4. If you want to hunt elk and deer
in a combined rifle season, you must hunt both species in the same season. If applying for
both species, deer and elk hunt codes must be for the same combined rifle seasons, or your
application will be rejected. See #7. |
| 5. Hunters cannot hunt bear
in any deer or elk season, including plains seasons, unless they also have a deer or elk
license (filled or unfilled) valid for the same unit, time period and manner of take. If
the deer or elk license is a private-land-only license, the bear license also is
restricted to private land in that unit. |
| 6. Hunters with a limited
bear license who don't harvest a bear in September can keep hunting bear in a combined
rifle season provided they have a valid deer or elk license for the same season and unit. |
| 7. Exceptions: |
| a. Deer, elk, black bear and antelope taken
with an additional license are not part of the annual bag limit. Additional licenses are: private-land-only
licenses for bear, deer, elk (except private-land-only antlered or either-sex elk),
antelope and all limited antlerless rifle elk licenses for units 18, 27, 28, 37, 82, 181,
371. |
| b. Animals taken on a license for a
damage hunt are not part of the annual bag limit. |
| c. Animals taken during a January or
February hunting season established as part of the previous calendar year's hunting
seasons are considered as the annual bag limit for the previous year. |
| d. Animals taken on a
Southern Ute Tribal Land permit don't count toward the annual bag limit. |
| e. Big game accidentally taken may
not count as part of the bag limit if, before continuing to hunt and as soon as
practical, you report the incident to the DOW. Accidental kill is unintentionally taking
wildlife not due to carelessness or negligence. The DOW will make a determination based on
the circumstances, including shots fired, species and number of animals present, firearms
or ammunition, angle and distance of shot, topography and weather. |
|
| 8. It is illegal to hunt
game birds, small game mammals or furbearers during the three combined deer and rifle
seasons west of I-25 with a centerfire rifle larger than .23 caliber unless hunters have a
deer or elk license for the season they are hunting. |
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| Definitions |
|
Over-the-Counter
Licenses: unlimited; purchased over the counter at DOW offices and license agents. |
|
Drawing
Licenses: limited; only for specific units and dates; available only by application
and drawing. |
|
Additional
Licenses: These are instances when you may have more than one license per species per
year. For exceptions to season participation restrictions, see page 3. |
|
Left-over
licenses: limited licenses remaining after the drawing, except antlered deer licenses.
|
|
Private-Land-Only
Licenses: drawing licenses with "private land only" printed on them. Valid
on all private land in a unit with prior approval from landowner. Not valid on public
land, including State Trust Lands. Wildlife Ranching properties not included. |
|
Buck
(Antlered) Deer: has an antler at least 5 inches long. |
|
Doe
(Antlerless) Deer: has no antlers or antlers less than 5 inches long. |
|
Bull
(Antlered) Elk: has an antler at least 5 inches long. |
|
Cow
(Antlerless) Elk: has no antlers or antlers less than 5 inches long. |
|
Antler
Point: projection of antler at least 1 inch long and longer than the width of its
base. |
|
Brow
Tine: (elk) projection of antler at least 5 inches long on lower half of the
antler. Projection is usually not more than 8 inches from the skull. |
|
Buck
Antelope: has a black cheek patch and a horn or horns at least 5 inches long, from the
skull to the tip, excluding a prong or point between the base and tip. |
|
Doe
Antelope: has no horns or horns less than 5 inches long; no black cheek patch.
Fawns of either sex are considered doe antelope. |
| Hunting Hours |
|
One-half hour before sunrise to one half-hour after sunset, unless
specifically restricted. |
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| Youth Big Game Licenses |
|
Youths must be at least 12 years old and meet hunter education
requirements to hunt deer, elk, antelope and black bear. Youths may apply for a big game
license at age 11 if they turn 12 before they go hunting. Youths, ages 12-15, can buy a
reduced-cost license to hunt deer, elk and antelope. There is no reduced-cost license to
hunt black bear. Youths can apply for a reduced-cost license even if they turn 16 before
the hunt. They must be accompanied by a "mentor" while hunting big game who must
be 18 or older and must meet hunter education requirements. Mentors don't have to hunt.
Youths and mentors must be able to see and hear each other while hunting. At age 16,
youths must buy a regular license and can hunt alone. |
|
Youth
Preference Licenses
|
|
1. Up to 15 percent of the doe antelope,
antlerless deer and antlerless elk licenses established for each unit will be available to
qualified youths by application and drawing. Licenses not drawn by youths will be made
available to the general public. |
|
2. Youths, 12-15, are entitled to youth hunt
preference for the regular rifle seasons in #1 above if they submit an application for the
desired license on the form in this brochure. Group applications not accepted. When more
than one hunt code choice is shown on the application, both the first- and second-choice
hunt codes must be for hunts that are eligible for youth preferences as described in #1
above. |
| Operation Stop Game Thief |
|
Operation Game Thief (OGT) is a non-profit organization working
with the DOW's law enforcement program. It pays rewards to citizens who report poachers or
resource violations. Callers don't have to reveal their names, testify in court or sign a
deposition. Rewards are paid if the information leads to the arrest of a poacher or a
citation is issued. Rewards do not depend on a conviction but must be requested when a
violation is reported. Call: 1-800-332-4155 toll-free outside Denver or (303)
295-0164 in Denver. |
|
The
numbers cannot be used for information requests or emergencies. |
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