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Significant Changes in Colorado Hunting Seasons for 2010

January 19, 2010.

The Colorado Wildlife Commission finalized 2010 big game regulations at its regular meeting January 11.  The Commission approved a variety of changes, most of which provide expanded opportunities for hunters. If you hunt or are building preference points in Colorado, you'll want to review the changes.

Key revisions include:

New "Hybrid" Draw for Premier Deer and Elk Tags:   
The Colorado Division of Wildlife established a "Hybrid" drawing for select elk and deer licenses for the 2010 hunting seasons.   The purpose of the drawing is to give hunters the additional opportunity to draw a license for some of the state's premier elk and deer hunting areas.

For these hybrid draws, my understanding is that some of the licenses will continue to be reserved for the hunters with the most preference points, while some (half?) will be put up for a random draw.

Hunters with 5 or more elk or deer preference points that select as their first choice a unit requiring 10 or more resident preference points for that species will be automatically included in the random drawing. Approximately 15 elk and 3 deer units qualify for the drawing.    

If you've got 5 or more elk or deer preference points, you may want to hold on to them and try to draw one of these premier units in the random draw.

New White-Tailed Deer-Only Units Opened:
For the first time, white-tailed deer-only seasons are available in the Arkansas River drainage between Pueblo and Canon City.  Additional units have been added on the Eastern Plains.    

Moose Rifle Season Extended: 
The regular rifle season for moose has been extended to 14 days from 10 days.  The 2010 season opens Oct. 1 and continues through Oct. 14.

Third Rifle Combined Season Now Has Two Weekends: 
The 3rd rifle combined season for deer and elk has been extended to nine days, including two weekends.  The 2010 season opens Nov. 6 and continues through Nov. 14. 

Gunnison Basin Elk Hunt Changes:  
Archery elk licenses are totally limited in units 54, 55, and 551. Either-sex, over-the-counter licenses with cap are available in unit 54 during the second rifle season.  Additional cow licenses and late-season licenses are available in units 54, 55 and 551.

Muzzleloading Elk Licenses:
"Statewide" muzzleloading licenses are no longer available in 2010. All muzzleloading elk licenses are valid in specific Game Management Units (GMUs) or Data Analysis Units (DAUs) only.  Either-sex licenses are also available in specific units.   

New Unit for Desert Bighorn Ram Licenses: 
Unit S63 (Middle Dolores River) is now open for rifle hunters (resident only).

Desert Bighorn Hunting Now Open to Nonresidents:
For the first time ever, a nonresident desert bighorn ram license will be offered. The nonresident license will be available in unit S56 (Black Ridge). Note that you cannnot apply for both desert and rocky mountain bighorns; you must pick one.

Bighorn Sheep Ewe Licenses: 
Ewe licenses are available in units S57 (Big Thompson) and S15, S16, S21, S28, S33 and S53 (San Juan Mountains).

Bighorn Sheep Ram Licenses: 
Units S40 (Lone Pine), S39 (Mt. Silverheels) and S41 (Peru Creek) are open for rifle hunters.

Female-Only Goat Licenses: 
For the first time ever, female-only (nanny) goat licenses are now available in units E15 and E16. In other states that offer nanny-only licenses (Utah), the draw odds are usually quite good.

"Pay-to-Play":
Hunters who do not want to accumulate preference points may opt out of paying the $25 "Pay-to-Play" fee by selecting the appropriate check box on the big game drawing application. If this option is checked, the applicant will not receive a preference point.  

2010 Big Game Brochures:
Hunters are encouraged to thoroughly review the 2010 regulations brochures due to these and other changes approved by the Commission.  The "2010 Colorado Big Game" and "2010 Colorado Sheep and Goat" brochures will be available at Division of Wildlife offices, statewide licenses agents and online (www.wildlife.state.co.us) mid-February 2010.  

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