Chapter 2 - Big Game .us



FILING- 5/29/2019

Basis and Purpose

Chapter W-2 - Big Game

Basis and Purpose:

The Commission annually sets big game limited license numbers for deer, elk, pronghorn, bear and moose hunt codes in May. Limited license numbers are established to maintain big game herds at or near long-term population objectives, and, in the case of antlered deer, antlered elk, antlered moose and buck pronghorn they are also set to achieve sex-ratio objectives.  Herd objectives are intended to maintain healthy populations, provide a diversity of hunting opportunities for residents and nonresidents, allow and maintain public recreational opportunity, minimize or control local game damage situations on private land and provide opportunity for landowners to cooperatively manage wildlife with the Division through the Ranching for Wildlife program. Further information regarding specific highlights of these annual changes are provided below.

Deer

In 2018, 212,000 hunters applied for 94,900 deer licenses. For 2019, CPW is recommending 100,500 deer licenses, an increase of 5,600 licenses (+6%). The majority of deer hunting in Colorado is managed by limited licenses; the only exceptions are over-the-counter white-tailed deer licenses available in the Southeast Region.

The statewide total rifle buck license recommendation is 55,500, up from 51,900 (+3,600, +7%). Buck license recommendations were increased in herds that are above HMP sex ratio objectives. Buck license increases, and moving licenses from earlier to later seasons, were recommended in some DAUs where CWD prevalence is greater than 5%.

The statewide total rifle doe license recommendation is 16,100, up from 15,200 (+900, +6%). Antlerless license increases are recommended in herds that are performing well and are at or above population objective ranges. Alternatively, these recommendations keep regular season doe licenses at the minimum of 10 licenses per hunt code for all deer DAUs west of I-25 that are below population objective. In these below-objective herds, the majority of doe licenses are private-land-only licenses to address game damage. Private-land-only licenses and licenses with special restriction to address deer conflicts near towns make up approximately 70% of the doe licenses in below-objective herds.

The statewide post-hunt 2018 deer population estimate is 433,000, up from 419,000. Population estimates are still far below the sum of statewide population objective ranges of 500,000-560,000 for all 54 deer herds combined. In 2018, 23 of 54 (43%) deer DAUs are below their population objective ranges. Population objectives that are appreciably higher than population estimates reflect CPW’s desire to stabilize, sustain, and increase deer populations.

Diverse habitat types and environmental conditions around the state create considerable geographic variability in population performance. Many deer herds are performing well, and population sizes and license numbers are increasing. Despite these increases, there is still reason for concern about declines in many of the large westernmost herds in Colorado.

CPW intensively monitors annual adult doe survival and winter fawn survival in five mule deer herds. We also monitor buck survival in two of these herds. These herds were selected to ecologically and geographically represent mule deer west of I-25. CPW annually monitors well over 1,000 radio-collared mule deer in the five intensive monitoring areas and other herds. Survival rates from these sentinel herds are used in deer population models for the rest of the herds west of I-25. Survival rates this winter vary by DAU. Survival in D-9 (Middle Park) is well above average, D-7 (White River) is somewhat below average, with the other three monitoring areas, including the Gunnison Basin, are tracking around the long-term average for mid-April.

CPW conducts post-hunt herd inventories with helicopters to estimate the sex ratios of males/100 females and the age ratios of young/100 females. In addition to survival rates, these ratios are needed to estimate population size using population models.

The average of HMP sex ratio objectives for deer herds statewide is 30 bucks/100 does. During the post-hunt herd inventories in 2018, CPW staff classified 71,000 deer and observed an average sex ratio of 35 bucks/100 does, which is up from 34 bucks/100 does in 2017. Reproduction and fawn survival to December was up this year compared with the previous year, as the statewide average observed age ratio from helicopter inventory was 59 fawns/100 does compared with 57 fawns/100 does in 2017.

Based on these high observed post-hunt sex ratios and a high hunter success rate of 48% for all rifle seasons in 2018, overall deer hunting continues to be good. Buck/doe ratios have shown a response to our management actions, and Colorado remains a premier destination for deer hunters.

Elk

CPW is recommending 126,500 limited elk licenses in 2019, down from the 127,600 issued in 2018 (-1,100, -1%). The largest reductions are recommended in the Southwest Region (-2,500, -9%). License reductions are the result of a combination of herds achieving population objectives through antlerless harvest and low calf/cow ratios reducing population productivity. CPW is recommending antlerless elk license increases in our largest herd, E-2 Bears Ears (+2,000, +25%), which is performing well and is above population objective range.

In 2018, 230,000 hunters applied for Colorado limited elk licenses. All rifle antlerless, muzzleloader, first, fourth, and late season elk licenses are limited. Archery licenses and second and third rifle bull seasons in many GMUs are also limited.

The statewide elk population is stable, the 2018 estimate of 287,000 is up slightly from the 282,000 in 2017. The sum of Colorado’s post-hunt population objective ranges for elk statewide is 233,000-282,000 for all 42 elk herds combined. We continue to prioritize HMP updates, because the sum of statewide objective ranges is partially based on historic HMPs. Plans written before 2001 were written with outdated population models that underestimated elk numbers; as we update plans in the next few years, we expect population objectives to change. Because season and license setting is designed to use antlerless harvest to bring elk populations to herd objectives, further reductions in antlerless licenses are anticipated in the future as more elk populations reach objectives or population objectives increase.

As we’ve intentionally reduced elk populations to achieve population objectives, hunters and outfitters increasingly have expressed concern that elk populations are becoming too low in some herds, despite the fact that 21 of 42 (50%) of the elk herds are above their current population objective ranges. Based on feedback from the public, CPW gives serious consideration to raising population objectives in herds as HMPs are updated. These requests are balanced with landowners’ concerns about game damage and with information from public land management agencies about habitat condition and preferences identified by local communities and sportsmen. Experiences are informing the upper and lower social thresholds for elk population size in many herds, which benefits us greatly in herd management planning efforts.

The average of post-hunt sex ratio objectives in totally limited elk DAUs and expected sex ratios in over-the-counter DAUs for elk herds statewide is 23 bulls/100 cows. In 2018, during the post-hunt herd inventories, CPW staff used helicopter surveys to classify 96,000 elk and observed a statewide average sex ratio of 23 bulls/100 cows, compared to 19 bulls/100 cows in 2017.

During these surveys over the past decade CPW has observed declining calf/cow ratios in the southern half of the state. Some herds have three-year average calf ratios below 30 calves/100 cows. The three-year average is a concerning 34 and 33 calves/100 cows in Southeast and Southwest Regions respectively, compared to 47 calves/100 cows in the Northwest Region and 41 calves/100 cows in the Northeast Region. Northern Colorado historically has had higher calf ratios by about 10 calves/100 cows. Calf ratios in the Northwest and Northeast Regions came back up the last two years, a welcome reversal after a couple years with lower production. Elk research and continued management changes are necessary since calf production remains low in many herds. Low calf ratios reduce the number of cow elk licenses CPW can issue.

The 2018 reductions in antlerless licenses are consistent with licensing trends of the last 17 years because many herds are near the desired population size and have low calf ratios. Having a combination of units that are limited in all seasons and units with both limited and over-the-counter hunting seasons allows us to offer a very wide range of hunting opportunities on the nation’s largest elk population.

Pronghorn

The number of limited licenses recommended for 2019 is 26,000 (-600, -2%). The majority of this decrease is in the Southeast Region where the license recommendation is 17,800, down from 18,400 in 2018 (-600, -3%). The majority of pronghorn licenses are limited, with the notable exception of over-the-counter archery licenses available in 70% of GMUs. In 2018, 77,000 hunters applied for limited pronghorn licenses.

The estimated statewide post-hunt pronghorn population is 79,000, down from the record high of 86,000 in 2017. The sum of statewide population objective ranges for hunted pronghorn herds is 68,000-78,000 combined. Thirteen of 29 (45%) pronghorn DAUs are above the HMP population objective range. Approximately half of the state’s pronghorn reside in the Southeast Region, where the limited license numbers are largest. These recommendations maintain licenses as high as is practical without negatively affecting success rates or exceeding landowner tolerance for pronghorn hunters.

The average observed pre-hunt sex ratio was 49 bucks/100 does, down from 51 bucks/100 does in 2017. The average observed pre-hunt fawn ratio was 43 fawns/100 does, much lower than the 57 fawns/100 does due to drier range conditions. During pre-hunt herd surveys in 2018, conducted with helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft, CPW staff classified 16,000 pronghorn.

Pronghorn on the eastern plains are doing quite well while some herds in the western portion of the state have been struggling for about a decade. Colorado offers some excellent hunting for one of North America’s most iconic animals.

Moose

Demand far exceeds allocation; last year 59,000 individuals applied for 452 moose licenses. For 2019, we are continuing to increase license recommendations with a total of 508 moose licenses recommended (+56, +12%). This recommendation includes 216 bull and either-sex licenses and 292 cow licenses.

The estimated statewide 2018 post-hunt moose population is 3,200, up from 3,100 in 2017. The recommended increase in cow moose licenses (+25, +9%) is designed to manage moose populations toward objectives to keep moose populations within the capability of their habitat and to address moose conflicts in some areas.

We now have moose hunting in 63 GMUs, up from 39 GMUs in 2013. We are fortunate our moose populations continue to do well because many other states are experiencing declines in their moose populations. The growing number and distribution of moose in Colorado have resulted in greater hunting and viewing opportunities.

Black Bear

In 2019, CPW is recommending 31,000 black bear licenses for all seasons and methods of take, an increase of 2,400 licenses (+8%) over the number issued in 2018. Last year, we sold 19,300 bear licenses. The statewide harvest objective is projected to be about 1,400 bears and the statewide total mortality is projected to be 1,800 bears. License recommendations for 2019 are designed to increase harvest about 10% over last year’s harvest.

CPW will be initiating some additional regulatory changes during the fall of 2019 aimed at further achieving harvest objectives while not significantly increasing crowding. This includes offering all bear licenses in 11 DAUs as List B, allowing a license-holder to have two bear tags, and making PLO bear licenses in 10 DAUs as List C, allowing a license-holder to hold as many of these bear tags as desired. We will also be implementing a cost reduction of a non-resident bear license to $100, statewide. We will evaluate changes in non-resident bear license purchase rates and harvest patterns later next fall to understand how this cost reduction impacted bear harvest and license sales.

License recommendations for seven bear DAUs are consistent with 2018 allocations. In one DAU, the initial management objectives to decrease the population have been met and a small license reduction was proposed in license types that aren’t selling out. The license allocations in the remaining nine bear DAUs all represent increases and are mostly allocated to the September rifle season or private land only seasons, which is the time when harvest success rates and demand for licenses are highest. Recommendations in license numbers for each of our 17 bear management units are designed to manage towards objectives of reducing bear populations in 12 management plans, stabilizing bear populations near current levels in three plans, and stabilizing bear numbers at lower population levels in two management plans that have met previous suppression goals. The cumulative evaluation of annual fall forage conditions, game damage, hunter success rate trends, harvest composition, and absolute mortality amount indicate that we are continuing to move towards the strategic goals set in each bear management plan.

Conclusion

The 2019 big game license recommendations provide for an economically significant and diverse amount of big game hunting throughout Colorado. These recommendations and the associated over-the-counter licenses provide the opportunity for more than 300,000 hunters to enjoy the incredible big game resources of the State. They also represent thousands of hours of employees’ collective efforts to conduct herd inventories, obtain harvest estimates, incorporate this information into predictive models, and finally to set limited license recommendations. I am pleased to present these recommendations as a testament to the incredible wildlife resources CPW manages for the enjoyment of the people of Colorado and its visitors.

Other Changes

Subsequent to the adoption of the 2019-2020 big game seasons, staff identified items that required some administrative cleanup. Corrections have been made to the regulations; however, these changes in no way alter the overall intent of the big game season structure as previously approved by the Parks and Wildlife Commission or the big game season regulations adopted by the Commission in January of 2019.

Creating Novice Adult Outreach Hunting Licenses

As part of the agency’s hunter retention and recruitment efforts, CPW wishes to attract more novice/ inexperienced hunters of all ages into the sport of hunting. Therefore, the Hunter Outreach Program engages with inexperienced hunters of all ages through clinics, seminars, and educational hunts. To further recruit novice hunters, CPW staff recommend creating a Novice Adult Hunter Outreach License for non-youth novice hunters. With the creation of a Novice Adult Hunter Outreach Licenses, CPW, landowners and partnering qualified groups would be able to host hunts for targeted groups of women, men, or youth.

 

Accommodating Novice Adult Hunting Programs in Ranching for Wildlife

The Ranching for Wildlife (RFW) program has historically provided youth hunting opportunities. In keeping with CPW’s desire to offer new hunter outreach opportunities to novice men and women as well, staff recommended broadening the scope of the RFW program to include all novice hunting. Many ranches that participate in RFW have also voiced support for this expansion.

Previous RFW regulations did not allow a ranch to host these adults in a hunting program. However, starting in 2020 RFW ranches will be allowed to have non-youth novice hunters participate in the program.

The statements of basis and purpose for these regulations can be viewed and copies obtained from the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife, Office of the Regulations Manager, Policy and Planning Unit, 1313 Sherman, Room 111, Denver, CO 80203.

The primary statutory authority for these regulations can be found in § 24-4-103, C.R.S., and the state Wildlife Act, §§ 33-1-101 to 33-6-209, C.R.S., specifically including, but not limited to: §§ 33-1-106, C.R.S.

EFFECTIVE DATE - THESE REGULATIONS SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2019 AND SHALL REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT UNTIL REPEALED, AMENDED OR SUPERSEDED.

APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE PARKS AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO THIS 9TH DAY OF MAY, 2019.

APPROVED:

John V. Howard

Chairman

ATTEST:

James Vigil

Secretary

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