When most think of the rut in Colorado, their minds picture bugling, battling, big-boy bull elk; mule deer bucks locking antlers in Greco-Romanesque scuffles; whitetail bucks laser focused on tending to their does; and the NFL-helmet-on-helmet-like crash of bighorn rams. What few picture is the equally impressive battles and behaviors that take place during the pronghorn rut.
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife aquatic biologist Ben Swigle stocked seven-inch Tiger Muskie fish into Gross Reservoir on a sunny Tuesday at the 440-surface acre reservoir sitting at 7,282 feet in southwest Boulder County.
A non-native fish, and one that is a hybrid, the Tiger Muskie plays a small, albeit, important role in the management of fisheries across Colorado.
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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. Learn how elevated temperatures affect the animals and those who hunt them. Discover small-game hunting tactics for scaled quail and snowshoe hare. And prepare a trophy meal with a venison tamales that are sure to be a hit at your next game dinner. Enjoy these articles and much in the 2019 Colorado Outdoors Hunting Guide. Purchase your copy or an annual subscription today.
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First we learned about “Bang ‘N Twang.” Then we were taught to “keep your chicken wing up.” Finally we were instructed about our “cheek weld,” how to “stay in your gun” and taught to identify “puddle ducks” and “potholes.”
Who knew hunting has its own language? Thanks to our participation in the year-long Rookie Sportsperson Program (RSP) offered by Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Southeast Region in Colorado Springs, my daughter, Natalie, and I are becoming fluent in hunting.
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The fall bear hunting season is quickly approaching and there are still some great opportunities for hunters to pick up a 2019 license. The map below highlights some of the archery, muzzleloader and rifle bear hunting opportunities that were recently available on the Leftover Limited License List and Over-the-counter (OTC) with Caps License List and do NOT require hunters to have a concurrent deer or elk license. If you already have a 2019 deer or elk license, the lists may provide even more options for purchasing a 2019 bear license.
Read moreTeaching youth about wildlife, conservation and safe hunting is a primary focus for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Youngsters who learn about the importance of wildlife will carry that value with them throughout their lives. In addition to a variety of youth hunts and programs throughout the state, three annual multi-day youth camps occur in the San Luis Valley every summer. This video, by CPW’s Jerry Neal, highlights the Costilla County Youth Camp organized by Conrad Albert, a district wildlife manager in the San Luis Valley. This year was the 26th annual camp and Conrad continues to share his passion for hunting, wildlife and conservation.
Joe Lewandowski is the public information officer for CPW’s Southwest Region. He’s based in Durango.
It’s a species that lives in a land of sheer cliffs and perpetual snows. Colorado’s alpine tundra is home to the mighty mountain goat. These natural mountaineers are one of the state’s most unique and cherished species. This video offers an intimate look at the mountain goat in its natural habitat where it spends most of the year at 13,000 feet!
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Back in May, my daughter, Natalie, and I experienced our first hunt together and came away with great father-daughter memories, even if we didn’t bag a turkey as we hoped.
In July, Natalie and I went on our first real fishing trip together. Oh, we tried fishing before, but I was clueless about catching fish. This trip we knew what we were doing because we’d been taught by Colorado Parks and Wildlife experts on how to bait, cast and land fish. And CPW officers even accompanied us and coached us as we fished.
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Leftover day is the day when Colorado Parks and Wildlife makes all remaining big-game hunting licenses available for purchase. This year, leftover licenses go on sale Tuesday, Aug. 6 at 9 a.m (MDT).
At 9 a.m., licenses will be available for purchase online (CPWshop.com), in person at CPW offices and license retailers (sporting goods stores, hunting and fishing supply stores, etc.), and by phone at 1-800-244-5613. While there are no guarantees that you will get a license on leftover day, there is a great deal of opportunity for big-game hunters looking to get a license to hunt in Colorado this year.
A QUALIFYING LICENSE is NOT required to purchase a leftover limited license, reissued license or an over-the-counter license.
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As temperatures climbed under a blistering sun, about 35 Colorado Parks and Wildlife aquatic biologists, staff and volunteers headed up a steep mountain trail last week, each loaded with large bags of water filled with 200 or so squirming, black Boreal toad tadpoles.
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