This special edition of Colorado Outdoors magazine features articles that will help you make the most of your fall and winter out in the field. Discover where species and hunting seasons align to create opportunities for multispecies hunts. Learn tactics for locating early season mule deer. And protect your investment with gear care tips and much more. Purchase your copy or an annual subscription today. Read more
Some people swear by calendars, others are list makers. But to consistently get outdoors, you need to be looking forward, planning and prioritizing time in your busy schedule. We all know that spending time in nature is good for our mind and bodies. We feel the benefits of exercise. We even feel the stress slip away as we challenge ourselves on bike rides, hikes, kayak adventures…you name the activity. Even researchers are starting to compile mountains of evidence supporting what we all believe to be true – the simple fact that getting outdoors is good for us and provides long and short-term mental and physical health benefits. Yet, many of us fail to commit to this beneficial time. Me included. Read more
Our fly-fishing series has walked you through the basics of picking fly-fishing gear and making the correct fly selection. So now it’s time to put it all together and learn some basic casting techniques. In this segment, Howard Horton, Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Angler Outreach Coordinator, demonstrates basic casting techniques that you can practice and perfect in the backyard and then use on the majority of Colorado’s waters.
Part One
Part Two
Colorado big-game hunter. Photo by © Vic Schendel/CPW.
The official leftover big game limited licenses list for deer, elk, bear and pronghorn is now available on the CPW website. These remaining limited licenses provide hunting access on specific Game Management Units (GMUs) and offer Colorado big-game hunters some great opportunities this big game hunting season. The leftover licenses go on sale Tuesday, August 7 at 9:00 a.m (MDT). NOTE: at 9:00 a.m. licenses will be available for purchase online (CPWshop.com), by phone at 1-800-244-5613 , in person at CPW offices and at license retailers (sporting goods stores, hunting and fishing supply stores, etc.).
There are more than 50,000 big game hunting licenses available on the leftover list this year.
Picking the right flies for your first fishing trip can be an intimidating experience. And while most local fly fishing shops will be happy to guide you through your first purchase, there’s something to be said about being an informed buyer. Howard Horton, Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Angler Outreach Coordinator, takes the mystery out of filling your fly box by revealing a combination of flies that will work in a range of waters, from Colorado’s mountain streams to the reservoirs. Howard discusses basic fly selections, including dry flies, nymphs and streamers – walking you through setups like the dry-dropper that are sure to increase your confidence and success on your next outdoor fishing adventure.
For more fly fishing information, watch Fly Fishing Basics – Part I: Gearing Up and learn exactly what you’ll need to get out on the water without breaking the bank.
Between great local fishing supply stores and a number of low-cost fly fishing outfits available online, there’s never been a better time to take up fly fishing. Howard Horton, Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Angler Outreach Coordinator, dispels the myths that prevent many from trying fly fishing. Learning to fly fish does not have to be expensive or intimidating. Howard walks through gear selection and rod setup, showing you exactly what you’ll need to get out on the water without breaking the bank.
Now that you’ve got the basics on gear selection it’s time to pick some flies. Watch Part II: Fly Selection for Colorado to guarantee a great fly selection for your next fishing adventure.
The 2018 Colorado Outdoors Fishing Guide is now available! With more than 9,000 miles of rivers and some 2,000 lakes and reservoirs, Colorado is an angler’s paradise.
This year’s guide features interesting and informative articles geared toward helping you make the most of your time on the water. The 2018 issue includes tips to help you catch more fish during the summer months. Learn about a fly that will catch fish anywhere in Colorado. From rivers to reservoirs and brown trout to walleyes, you’ll find tips and tricks to make the most of your fishing season. Read more
The votes are in and the 2018 Colorado Public Lands Day Photo Contest winners have been selected! With hundreds of submissions, photographers around the state captured an amazing variety of photos – highlighting Colorado’s diverse landscape and recreational opportunities. We congratulate all of the winners and we thank one and all for sharing their images and participating in the voting for this year’s “people’s choice” winner. Please view this year’s winners below and continue the celebration by getting outside and enjoying our unparalleled public lands. Read more
Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff members, Jason Duetsch and Mary McCormac, were live on Facebook answering questions about black bears. Watch the recorded event to learn important information about living, vacationing and spending time outdoors in bear country. Read more
For many Colorado big-game hunters, June is a time of celebration or sadness. By June 11, the 2018 big game draw results will be final. For successful applicants, the planning process will continue. Summer scouting trips will be planned, valuable shooting range time will be scheduled, and diets and exercise can all be optimized in preparation for exciting fall outdoor adventures. For those that were unsuccessful in the draw, don’t be discouraged. If you have the desire to hunt and a sense of adventure, there is a very good chance that you can acquire a license and be hunting big game in Colorado this fall.
While a successful draw is ideal, there are a number of “Plan B” options that will get you out in the field and provide a great chance for you to put some wild game in your freezer. And developing an alternative to your current big game draw strategy can be a positive experience that exposes you to new areas of this great state and possibly even new methods of hunting. With many opportunities still available, I think it’s best to look at license options on a species by species basis. Read more