Posted on 07/03/2020 1:05:12 PM PDT by Ben Dover
DENVER (CPW Release) - The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission recently adopted a rule change, requiring all visitors 18 or older to possess a valid hunting or fishing license to access any State Wildlife Area or State Trust Land leased by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. This new rule will be in effect beginning July 1, 2020.
Click here for more information on State Wildlife Areas.
“Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages over 350 State Wildlife Areas and holds leases on nearly 240 State Trust Lands in Colorado, which are funded through the purchase of hunting and fishing licenses,” said Southeast Regional Manager Brett Ackerman. “The purpose of these properties is to conserve and improve wildlife habitat, and provide access to wildlife-related recreation like hunting and fishing that are a deep part of Colorado’s conservation legacy.”
Because these properties have always been open to the public, not just to the hunters and anglers that purchased them and pay for their maintenance, many people visit these properties and use them as they would any other public land. As Colorado’s population - and desire for outdoor recreation - has continued to grow, a significant increase in traffic to these SWAs and STLs has disrupted wildlife, the habitat the areas were acquired to protect, and the hunters and anglers whose contributions were critical to acquiring these properties.
Because funding for these properties is specifically generated by hunting and fishing license sales and the resulting federal match, requested options such as “hiking licenses” or “conservation permits” would not allow for the maintenance and management needed. Any funding from one of these conceptual licenses or permits would reduce the federal grant dollar for dollar and thus fail to increase CPW’s ability to protect and manage the properties.
“This new rule change will help our agency begin to address some of the unintended uses we’re seeing at many of our State Wildlife Areas and State Trust Lands,” said CPW Director Dan Prenzlow. "We have seen so much more non-wildlife related use of these properties that we need to bring it back to the intended use - conservation and protection of wildlife and their habitat."
“We do anticipate some confusion based on how the properties are funded, and the high amount of unintended use over time in these areas. We plan to spend a good amount of time educating the public on this change,” said Ackerman. “But in its simplest form, it is just as any other user-funded access works. You cannot use a fishing license to enter a state park, because the park is not purchased and developed specifically for fishing. Similarly, you cannot use a park pass to enter lands that are intended for the sole purpose of wildlife conservation, because a park pass is designed to pay for parks.” State law requires that the agency keep these funding sources separated.
CPW is a user-funded agency and, unlike most government agencies, receives very little money from the general fund. The new rule requires all users to contribute to the source of funding that makes the acquisition and maintenance of these properties possible. But the activities that interfere with wildlife-related uses or that negatively impact wildlife habitat don't become acceptable just because an individual possesses a hunting or fishing license. Each SWA and STL is unique and only certain activities are compatible with each property.
And a fringe benefit is keeping non-sportsman, anti-gun types out or at least makes them pay.
Good point ... I was just exploring the possible reasons for such a significant overnight change. Cheers!
Um...that’s what they say about a lot if our TAXES...while they give tax money to useless causes, they bump up other taxes and fees.
I don’t know. State and national parks are under attack by BLM and Antifa now, which say they’re “racist.” Maybe this is just a way of legally ejecting “visitors” who are up to no good?
Hunting is very expensive, time consuming and unsure in Colorado. For example, a hunter who wants an elk permit must draw one from a lottery. If he draws a winning ticket, he will be assigned to one of several zones and must go to that zone. It’s a real runaround. And last I knew (a few years ago), poaching by locals was also very common, after poaching enforcement was relegated to sheriff’s departments.
I’d also point out that this will do even more to keep minorities out of the Colorado backcountry. LOL.
Excellent point ... keeps out the riff-raff (just as, say, Disneyland does with their ultra-high admission fees!)
The way that it’s all set up there, by the way, the hunting guide racket is very big.
Do I need a photo ID?
Like requiring ID to sit on your couch.
Like requiring ID to sit on your couch.
“Just a tax by another name.”
Taxman. George Harrison (Beatles)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0zaebtU-CA
(If you take a walk, I’ll tax you feet.)
Geezers and geezerettes in MO hunt (except for deer and turkey) and fish (except for trout) for free.
I wonder what the CO state Constitution has to say about this. Surely there must be a provision granting access to public parks. There is currently a suit against California cities that have banned “going to the beach” when in fact the CA state Constitution expressly permits free access to the beaches to all.
I’m a long time Coloradoan, fisherman, hunter. Fishing and hunting pay their own way in Colorado only through license fees, NOT taxes.
As the article said, that worked until too many non-license holders started using the lands which adds to maintenance costs. Those users are not paying their share, now they will. At least the ones who follow rules will.
“Q: Will the money really go to maintaining the state wildlife areas? Or will be siphoned off to be spent elsewhere? “
Colorado has a long history of corruption where ‘education’ gets all the money.
Colorado might be one of those states that would not bill you if you got lost or hurt in the wilderness and incurred the expenses of a search party IF you had one of those permits.
The communist are running this State. Does this State have control over Federal parks?
“Like requiring ID to sit on your couch.”
But NOT to vote. Go figure.
Do out-of-state hikers have to secure a nonresident hunting or fishing licence? If so, that means a minimum $16.94 per person for a one-day license to hike. I think I can find cheaper places.
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