MEEKER, Colo- The Colorado Division of Wildlife and a private landowner in the Meeker area are teaming up to offer a special late season cow elk hunting opportunity in late November and December. Six hunters will be selected for this unguided elk hunt on the 2,900 acre Berryman property. Selected hunters must have a valid late season private land only cow elk license for unit 23 or an unfilled youth elk license from an earlier rifle season.

This hunt is open to anyone who is interested and eligible. Hunters interested in applying for the hunt must submit a letter of interest including their name, date of birth, contact information and CID number. Applicants must also submit a short note about why they should be selected for this special private land hunt opportunity. If a youth, the letter also needs to include the name and contact information for a parent or guardian who will attend the hunt with the youth.

Applications must be received at the Meeker DOW office by 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9. Applications should be mailed to Bailey Franklin/Special Late Season Hunt, PO Box 1181, Meeker CO 81641.

Six hunters will be randomly selected from all eligible applicants. The selected hunters will be notified by Nov. 16 with hunt details and specific dates for the hunt. Questions about the hunt or application process should be directed to the Meeker DOW office at (970) 878-6090.

MONTROSE, Colo.–For the first time since 2004, hunting season for mountain lions will open again this year in a special study area west of Montrose.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife closed mountain lion hunting on a portion of the Uncompahgre Plateau in order to conduct research that will eventually provide new information on mountain lion population dynamics.

“The study is designed so that the DOW can examine the lion management structure and biological assumptions used for managing lions with sport hunting throughout Colorado,” said Ken Logan, the DOW researcher on the project.

Information being gathered includes: lion abundance, sex and age structure, reproduction, survival and causes of mortality during periods without and with sport-hunting. The study started in 2004 and will continue through 2014.

The research area includes the southern portions of Game Management Units 61, 62 and the northern portion of GMU 70.

For the study, lions are captured, fitted with radio collars and tracked remotely. Capturing the lions allows researchers to study lion population structure. The radio collars enable researchers to quantify reproduction, survival, causes of mortality and movement patterns.

Hunters interested in the research area must be aware of some special regulations. The hunting season in the research area is Nov. 16 through Jan. 31 — unless the harvest quota of eight animals is reached before Jan. 31. The objective of the harvest on the research area is to manage for a stable to increasing population just as the DOW manages most GMUs in Colorado to achieve a healthy self-sustaining population. Adult and independent sub-adult lions can be harvested. Hunters are prohibited from killing cubs or females that are followed by cubs.

Besides a regular mountain lion license, hunters must obtain a special permit to hunt on the research area. The permits are free and unlimited, and each is valid for 14 days. A hunter who does not take a lion within the 14 days can pick up another permit to continue hunting so long as the season is still open. Permits can be picked up starting on Nov. 2 at the DOW’s Montrose Service Center at 2300 S. Townsend Ave.

As in all other areas of the state, hunters must report harvest within 48 hours after the animal has been killed and the animal carcass must be shown to a DOW agent within five days of harvest. Hunters must check daily to see if the research area is still open by calling 1-888-940-LION (5466).

Hunters in the research area also are being asked to fill out a voluntary survey that is attached to each permit. Questions include: location of hunt, length of time hunted, description of lion tracks, descriptions of lions seen or harvested and other questions about lion hunting.

The surveys will provide important information about the lions in the population that hunters encounter and about how hunters hunt lions in Colorado. Hunters are asked to provide accurate information in the surveys to help the DOW improve lion management.

Regulations for this area and the entire state can be reviewed in the DOW’s 2009-10 Mountain Lion Hunting brochure which is available at all DOW offices, license agents and online at http://wildlife.state.co.us under the Rules/Regs section.

For more information about hunting in the research area, call the DOW’s Montrose office at (970)252-6000.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Southern Colorado hunters looking for tips to improve their elk hunting success are invited to a free seminar in Colorado Springs Oct. 29. The Colorado Division of Wildlife is sponsoring the event.

The clinic is a way for elk hunters to learn how and where to hunt elk and improve their success rate. The seminar covers several topics including preparation for the hunt, elk biology, hunting techniques, and ethical hunting.

“Beginning hunters and those with limited elk hunting experience will get the most from the clinic,” said Steve Lucero, an education/outreach coordinator for the DOW. “The clinic will have a lot to offer in terms of improving hunting skills, how to find quality hunting areas, and how to make sure you have a safe, successful hunt. Our goal is to help Colorado hunters improve their success in the field and provide an introduction to those who want to learn more about elk hunting.”

The clinic is from 6 – 9 p.m. at the DOW office at 4255 Sinton Road.

Admission is free, but space is limited to the first 50 who sign-up by calling (719)227-5200.

From the Colorado DOW:

Variety, they say, is the spice of life. And for hunters, no other state offers as much “spice” as Colorado. From upland birds and waterfowl to majestic big game animals like elk and bighorn sheep, Colorado’s wild game species are as diverse as the Rocky Mountain landscape.

Colorado’s varied and distinctive hunting opportunities are now featured in “Hunt Colorado,” a new online video from the Colorado Division of Wildlife.

Filmed in high-definition video and recorded in digital audio, “Hunt Colorado” takes viewers on an entertaining and concise tour of Colorado’s game species. Featured in the seven-minute video are: turkey, quail, grouse, pheasants, ducks, geese, squirrels, rabbits, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, elk and deer.

“‘Hunt Colorado’ provides a great overview of some of Colorado’s well-known and not so well-known hunts,” said Debbie Lininger, DOW marketing director. “Colorado is famous for its exceptional elk hunting, but I don’t think people realize just how many other amazing opportunities exist right here in our own backyard.”

To play “Hunt Colorado” and other DOW online videos, viewers need a high-speed Internet connection and the latest version of Adobe Flash installed on their computer.

Videos may be accessed directly on the Division’s Web site at: http://wildlife.state.co.us/NewsMedia/Videos/

Hunt Colorado from Colorado Division of Wildlife on Vimeo.

The 2009 Chukar Forecast holds good news for those who like to hunt Nevada’s favored upland game species. This season will be better than the previous two years and will provide sportsmen with ample numbers of young birds. The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) recently posted the full forecast at ndow.org.

The report references aerial surveys, which point to a 2009-10 chukar hunting season that should be good for most of Nevada with some areas providing excellent hunting. Coveys comprised mostly of young birds will allow the hunter to approach within shotgun range for at least the first half of the season. Hunters across the state should enjoy good success early if conditions remain dry through October. As the season progresses, hunters will still have to spend a fair amount of time on foot pursuing the species.

Look for great hunting in northwestern Humboldt County (Pine Forest and Black Rock Ranges) and portions of Washoe and Pershing Counties. Expect good hunting in most of Lander, northern Eureka and western Elko Counties. Additionally, some areas in southern Nevada should have fair to good numbers of birds as a result of improved production.

“The issue with many of these areas is crowding on opening weekend, especially in the Pine Forest Range,” said Shawn Espinosa, biologist with NDOW. “Even though it will be good hunting in this area, there are plenty of other spots that will be productive and we recommend seeking these out during the early portion of the season. The Jackson Mountains showed much improvement from 2008 and there are some remote portions of the Black Rock and Bilk Creek Ranges that will be good with fewer people.”

Although counts appear down in Washoe County, the very hot and dry survey conditions could have altered the sample as a number of birds were observed running on the ground, reluctant to leave the shade and water sources. In central and southern Nevada, brood surveys conducted from the ground as well as general observations indicate good production levels which should lead to fair to good hunting in this region of the state.

Higher populations can be attributed in part to the late spring rains this year, which came with mild temperatures that were ultimately conducive to chick production. Native bunchgrasses and forbs responded well to the ample moisture and provided birds with incredible food resources and nesting cover. This plant growth also produces diverse and increased insect populations, an important food source for newborn chicks.

Wildfires have not adversely impacted additional chukar habitats to date in 2009. However, many traditional chukar hunting areas are still suffering the effects of almost a decade of the worst fire events ever to occur in Nevada. During the period from 1999-2007, approximately 6 million acres of various habitat types burned in Nevada resulting in the establishment of cheatgrass and other invasive non-native weed species across the low to mid-elevations. This has been detrimental to many chukar populations because of the lack of native shrubs that are important for cover, nesting and forage purposes.

Sportsmen can thank the Nevada Chukar Foundation and other sportsmen’s groups for funding aerial surveys, water developments, and habitat improvements aimed at increasing populations of the tough-to-hunt quarry.

Chukar season opens Oct. 10 and runs through Feb. 7. Start planning online, where you’ll find the complete Chukar Forecast, distribution map, seasons and regulations and more at ndow.org/hunt/resources/Wildlife_Heritage/upland_game/.

“During the early portion of the season, we really stress getting out and walking and not simply driving up and down canyon bottoms along water sources,” Espinosa said. “If conditions are hot and dry during the early portion of the season, chukar will rely heavily on these water sources and young birds especially will be at a disadvantage. Walking rather than jump shooting birds from the pick-up is much more sporting and can provide birds with at least some access to water.”

When it comes to hunting, preparation is the key to success. Sportsmen from across the state will be taking trips to their favorite sporting goods stores this fall to stock up on all the necessary items to assure a successful hunting trip. The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) would like to remind those sportsmen to remember to pick up free hunting brochures that are available at all NDOW offices and license agents.

 Brochures for furbearer and migratory bird seasons were delivered to license agents this week and join brochures for upland game and fall turkey, which were sent out in August. The information included in these hunting brochures includes season dates, bag limits, hunting hours and a synopsis of important regulations for specific hunts. Specific regulations for hunting on wildlife management areas are also included in several of the brochures.

 The brochures can be picked up at all license agents, including Wal-Mart, Big 5 Sporting Goods, Long’s Drugs and Ace Hardware stores. They are also available at any NDOW office statewide as well as on the NDOW website at www.ndow.org.

 The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. For more information, visit www.ndow.org

Well I received the following reminder in my email and I thought my fellow Colorado hunters would appreciate the update.

Colorado’s big game hunting season is almost here.  As hunters prepare during the weeks ahead, the Colorado Division of Wildlife reminds hunters to be aware of the following items before entering the field this season:

CWD Testing

Beginning this year, chronic wasting disease (CWD) testing is now $25 at all DOW submission sites.  The DOW has increased hunter testing fees to help cover a larger share of the costs associated with the CWD testing program.  Currently, it costs the DOW nearly $100 for processing, testing, head disposal and reporting for each submission. 

Testing is voluntary for elk and deer in all Game Management Units for the 2009-10 seasons.  Moose testing for CWD is mandatory statewide and is free at all DOW submission sites. 

For further information on CWD and the Division’s testing program, please visit: http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/CWD/

Leftover Licenses

Big game licenses are still available for the upcoming seasons.  Leftover and general over-the-counter licenses, as well as over-the-counter bear licenses and turkey licenses (with caps), are available for purchase online (www.wildlife.state.co.us), by telephone (1-800-244-5613) and at statewide license agents and Division of Wildlife offices.   A list of all available leftover licenses is available at: http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/Leftovers/ .

Shooting Ranges

Hunters are encouraged to sight-in rifles prior to entering the field. Hunters familiar with their equipment make hunting safer for everyone, and practice improves marksmanship and builds confidence.

Sighting-in of firearms is especially important for nonresident hunters. Scopes and equipment may get knocked out of alignment during transit, and practicing at a range close to the hunting destination provides a last-minute equipment check.

Colorado offers convenient and diverse public shooting ranges that are open year-round.  A large number of private ranges also offer public “sight-in” days prior to the major hunting seasons.

 For a listing of shooting ranges by region, please visit: http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/ShootingRanges/

Hunter Education ‘Crash’ CoursesAll hunters born on or after Jan. 1, 1949 must complete an approved hunter education course prior to hunting in Colorado.  The Colorado Division of Wildlife offers one-day “crash” hunter education courses intended, primarily, for non-resident hunters who wish to hunt in Colorado but do not have a valid hunter education certificate/card from their state of residence.

 

Crash courses are taught during one, eight-hour day of intensive instruction, within one week of the opening of a regular big game rifle season.  This compressed instruction and scheduling enables non-resident hunters to come to Colorado, take and pass the hunter education course and hunt—all in concert with their trip.

Successful completion of a crash course earns a temporary Colorado Hunter Education Certificate, which is valid until the end of the calendar year in which the course was taken and passed.

For a schedule and listing of available crash courses, please visit: http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/HunterEducation/CRASH+Courses/HECrash.htm

For further information about Colorado’s big game hunting seasons, please visit: http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/

You forgot to double check your application and now you have a big game tag for the wrong area. You got the hunt of a lifetime in Montana and now you can’t use your Nevada tag. The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) is happy to say “no problem” because now hunters can return most big game tags for any reason.

The best part of the deal for these hunters is that their bonus points, providing them more chances in the random big game tag draw, will be reinstated when their tags are returned by the deadline. It will be as if they had never applied.

The idea to allow return of tags for any reason was initiated by sportsmen themselves, through the Tag Allocation and Application Hunt Committee established by the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners a few years ago. Through that public input process, NDOW staff, the commission and members of the public identified various changes to big game tag allocation processes.

“It allows an option for hunters who simply cannot use a tag; and for bighorn sheep and mountain goat, provides an opportunity for an alternate to receive and use the returned tags, if the tag is turned in by the deadline,” said Bob Haughian, Operations Division Chief at NDOW. “Hunters have been asking for this option for years, and we are pleased to be able to accommodate them.”

Regulations already allowed for the return and refund of tags and reinstatement of bonus points for death, disability or armed forces transfers. This expanded regulation doesn’t require a reason for return of tags.

For bighorn sheep and mountain goat hunters who meet the July 15 deadline, bonus points will be reinstated and hunters will get a refund of their tag fees. Those tags will be reissued to an alternate hunter.

For elk, antelope and mule deer hunters, bonus points will be reinstated for those who return their tags at least one day before the opening day of the hunt. However, there are no tag refunds for these species, and the tags will not be reissued.

Hunters can find a quick reference table in the 2009 Nevada Hunt Book, available at NDOW offices, licensed sales agents, and online at ndow.org.

Those wishing to return their tags should contact Wildlife Administrative Services, a contractor handling draws for NDOW. They can be reached at (800) 576-1020.

Earlier this year I put in an application for an archery mule deer tag in Nevada. According to the past year’s statistics I had between a 75% and 25% chance of drawing.

Well apparently luck is on my side because, my hunting partner Cal, and I, were lucky enough to get tags for the August 1-Sept 5th 2009 Archery season.

I’m looking forward to adding another state to my list of Western Wanderings.  If I am successful in the Colorado draw it will make  6 of the 11 Western States that I will have hunted.

I am still waiting for draw results from Colorado for Pronghorn, and California for Deer, Elk, Pronghorn,and Sheep. The last three are all “longshots”. if things go according to script I will have 3 archery tags to fill in August, September and November. I’ll keep you updated as I continue to train and prepare for the upcoming hunts.

As an Aside, Nevada set a record turn around for the Posting of the results…

NDOW posts tag results within 48 hours

By: Kelly Clark

 

The Nevada Department of Wildlife announced big game tag draw results today, breaking a record by announcing the results within 48 hours of the drawing.

 

“We are pleased to be able to offer our sportsmen and women the opportunity to view their draw result as quickly as possible. The Department worked closely with the Commission to be able to provide this service to our hunting public. NDOW is committed to provide these opportunities whenever possible.”

 

The Board of Wildlife Commissioners had requested the 48 hour reporting of results, saying that hunters in the state needed as early a notice as possible to plan hunts, consider applying for big game tags in other states, and for the agency to maintain transparency. A commission regulation on the issue was recently approved providing for the 48 hour release; however NDOW was already working to put programming and procedures in place following an internal review last year after tag draw results were circulated prior to official release dates.

 

Wildlife Commission Chairman Gerald Lent, several members of the public and county advisory board members attended the tag draw on Wednesday May 27 at Systems Consulting, Inc., the vendor based in Fallon Nevada that handles all aspects of the agency’s big game tag draw. The draw results are now posted online at www.huntnevada.com .

 

Hunters who see their names listed as successful should check that they have sufficient balances on their credit cards; also check whether there have been any changes (address changes or credit card expiration date changes can also cause problems). If you are shown as successful and need to report credit card changes, call Systems Consulting, Inc. at 1-800-

576-1020 M-F, from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

 

Over 50,000 hunters sent in 151,000 applications for 22,164 big game tags available in the draw. There are still 1,191 tags remaining after the first draw. Remaining tags are available for eligible hunters, including those who did not apply in the first draw. For more information go to www.huntnevada.com.

 

Remaining Tags:

Hunt 4111 Resident Elk Antlerless Longbow Archery: 3 cow elk tags

Hunt 1107 Resident Junior Mule Deer: 347 youth tags

Hunt 1181 Resident Mule Deer Antlerless Rifle: 740 tags

Hunt 1341 Resident & Nonresident Mule Deer Antlered Longbow Archery: 101 tags

 

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, and promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. For more information, visit www.ndow.org.

SALEM, Ore.— ODFW has extended the controlled hunt deadline until June 1 due to the large volume of applications and a slowdown in the license sales system.

“We understand the frustration customers and license sales vendors are experiencing and we apologize for the inconvenience this has caused,” said Roy Elicker, ODFW director. “We are dealing with a system problem that has slowed down service, and we are working around the clock with our vendor, Outdoor Central, to get the problem fixed.”

Typically every year, May 15 is the controlled hunt deadline. On May 12, ODFW extended the deadline to May 19 due to a slowdown in the license sales system believed to be caused by the high volume of sales activity in the days leading up to the deadline. The system continues to be slow so ODFW is extending the deadline further.

To ease the long lines, ODFW is making mail/fax order controlled hunt applications available at all ODFW offices and license sales locations. The application is also available on page 15 of the 2009 Oregon Big Game Regulations. Individuals can also download the application from the ODFW website. It’s called 2009 Big Game Mail Order Application Form under Licenses and Fees section of Web site.

Hunters can fill out the application and either drop it off at an ODFW office; mail it to ODFW Licensing, 3406 Cherry Ave. NE, Salem, OR 97303; or fax it to 503 947-6117/6113. Mailed applications must be postmarked by June 1; dropped-off applications given to an ODFW office by close-of-business or 5 p.m. on June 1; and faxed applications received by 11:59 p.m. PT June 1.

Hunters are also encouraged to apply for controlled hunts online. Online sales are not experiencing the slowness that sales at license agents are, especially when done early in the morning or later in the evening.

Hunters need to purchase a hunting license and obtain a Hunter/Angler ID number before they can apply for a controlled hunt, but the license purchase can be made simultaneously. Hunter/Angler ID numbers stay the same from year to year, so even if you have not yet purchased a 2009 hunting license, you can write in your past ID number on your application.

The deadline extension will also delay the controlled hunt draw and results notification. The draw will occur by June 15 instead of June 5 and hunters will be mailed results notification no later than July 1, rather than by June 20. Draw results are usually made available online at the same time that notification postcards mailed. Any leftover controlled hunt tags will go on sale July 15 at 10 a.m. PT rather than July 1.

“We recognize these delays may impact planning for the fall hunts and we apologize again for any inconvenience,” said Elicker.

Some of Oregon’s big game hunts are limited entry, including almost all rifle hunting of deer and elk east of the Cascades and pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, and Rocky Mountain goat hunts. These hunts require a controlled hunt application.