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Colorado Small Game Seasons Kick Off September 1st

August 30, 2010.

Small-game and upland hunters in Colorado can look forward to the debut of small game, fall turkey, and upland bird hunting seasons in the upcoming days and weeks. Time to buy my fall turkey tag.

Turkey
Sept. 1-Oct. 3 (West of I-25 and Game Management Units 140)
Sept. 1-Oct. 22 (East of I-25, excluding Game Management Unit 140)  

Blue (Dusky) Grouse
Sept. 1-Nov. 21 (all Game Management Units west of I-25

Teal
Sept. 12-20 (Lake and Chaffee Counties and east of I-25

Chukar
Sept. 1-Nov. 28 (statewide)

Pheasant and Quail
Nov. 13 (season ending dates vary, please see 2010 Small Game Brochure for details)

The Colorado Division of Wildlife reminds small-game hunters to have a safe 2010-11 hunting season and to be mindful of the following regulations and advisories before heading into the field:  

Walk-In Access Program Atlas

The 2010 "early-season" Walk-In Access Program Brochure/Atlas is available at any authorized license agent or DOW office.  An electronic version is also available on the DOW website at:
http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/SmallGame/WalkInAccess/

The Walk-In Atlas provides detailed descriptions of each property, including the type of cover crop (corn, grass, wheat stubble, etc.) and offers other useful information and tips for hunters.

Eurasian collared-doves

Beginning this September, hunters may shoot Eurasian collared-doves year-round and enjoy unlimited bag and possession limits for this species.

Native to Asia, Eurasian collared-doves are a relative newcomer to Colorado and are considered an invasive species in the United States.  In the mid-1970s, Eurasian collared-doves were introduced to the Bahaman Islands, spread to Florida and have expanded their range across the United States during the last three decades.  The doves migrated to Colorado in the mid-1990s and have adapted well to Colorado's variable climate.  Unlike native dove species, Eurasian doves remain in Colorado year-round. Unlimited bag and possession limits and a year-round season have been established to help control their population.   

Photos of Eurasian collared-doves are available here.

Harvest Information Program (HIP)

All small-game hunters must register with the Harvest Information Program before hunting anywhere in Colorado.  The HIP is a joint effort between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the DOW, and it is designed to improve small-game migratory bird-harvest estimates. Colorado requires all small-game hunters to sign up with HIP to help the Division better estimate harvest for species that are difficult to address through a general small-game survey.   Hunters may obtain HIP numbers by calling 1-866-COLOHIP (265-6447) or by going to the Colorado HIP website at:
https://www.colohip.com/.

HIP numbers must be written in the space provided on small-game licenses.  

2010 Small Game Brochure

For further information on dove and all other small-game hunting seasons, including bag and possession limits, please obtain a copy of the 2010 Colorado Small Game Brochure.  Brochures are available at any DOW office, license agent or may be viewed on the DOW website at:

http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdonlyres/780A905D-8639-4EB1-BBA0-20BBE1F915A8/0/smallgame.pdf

Mourning Dove Banding Program

The DOW, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and 12 other states are participating in a mourning dove banding project. This effort is part of a nationwide program to help biologists determine annual survival rates, harvest rates and distribution of the harvest, as well as to refine techniques for future dove-banding programs.  Throughout the summer, doves were trapped, fitted with aluminum, individually numbered leg bands and then released.

To assist with this research, the DOW is asking dove hunters to look for leg bands on the mourning doves they shoot. Hunters are a critical link in this mourning dove banding study. By checking all harvested doves for bands and reporting banded doves, hunters help biologists manage this important migratory game bird. Because dove bands are small, hunters can easily overlook the bands, so all birds should be checked carefully. Hunters may encounter doves banded by other states as well.

Hunters who harvest banded doves are asked to report the band number to the Federal Bird Banding Laboratory (www.reportband.gov or 1-800-327-BAND).  

Rattlesnake Warning  

Early-season hunters need to be aware of rattlesnakes.  Hunters with dogs should be particularly mindful of their surroundings. If a dog is bitten by a rattlesnake, take the dog to a veterinarian immediately.  A veterinarian can perform the appropriate medical analysis, treatments and inject anti-venom if needed.  Dogs can now be vaccinated against rattlesnake bites. But if bitten, even vaccinated dogs should be taken to a veterinarian as soon as possible.

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