Local Wildlife Conservation Strategy News Items
Celebrate Colorado outdoor spaces on National Public Lands Day9/25/2020 11:34:40 AM
Body:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bridget Kochel
Statewide Public Information Officer
720-219-2919 / bridget.kochel@state.co.us
Celebrate Colorado outdoor spaces on National Public Lands Day
Picture: State Forest State Park
DENVER – Colorado public lands provide a variety of outdoor spaces that enrich our lives. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, along with several local, state and federal partner agencies, invites you to join us outdoors to celebrate National Public Lands Day on Saturday, Sept. 26.
National Public Lands Day is an annual opportunity to celebrate our state’s outdoor heritage, diverse landscapes, and bring people from all Colorado communities together to enjoy our public lands.
“Our public lands play an essential role in what makes Colorado such a spectacular place to live and visit,” said Southeast Region Manager Brett Ackerman. “Spending time in nature is good for us. It helps teach us, inspire us and nourishes our bodies and minds. National Public Lands Day gives all of us a chance to celebrate the significant contributions that our public lands make to wildlife and our quality of life.”
Colorado is home to 22 million acres of public lands to explore, including 13 National Park Service units, 41 state parks, more than 350 state wildlife areas, 11 national forests, 2 national grasslands and a variety of additional local and federal lands and open spaces.
In an effort to protect additional state lands for the public, the state recently acquired a 19,200-acre ranch this year that Gov. Jared Polis declared as, and the state General Assembly designated as Colorado’s 42nd state park.
When it opens to the public, Fishers Peak State Park near Trinidad will offer historic landscape views, outdoor recreation opportunities like hunting and hiking, and provide valuable habitat for wildlife. To learn more about the park’s master-planning process, read the Imagining Fishers Peak - A Monthly Journal for updates and new park discoveries.
“With so many outdoor spaces to explore and different types of recreation to enjoy, it is no wonder why Coloradans pride themselves on their outdoor lifestyle and highly value our public lands,” Ackerman said. “We are excited to develop Colorado’s newest state park, which will provide even more outdoor experiences within our state for the public to enjoy.”
While we have long known that Colorado lives life outside, the recent pandemic has brought to the forefront on a national scale how important it is for people to enjoy our natural resources and preserve our public lands for future generations.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife encourages all outdoor enthusiasts to recreate responsibly and balance outdoor recreation with mindful conservation. CPW reminds people to follow the Care for Colorado- Leave No Trace principles to help care for our public lands and practice a conservation-focused outdoor ethic, such as:
Know Before You Go
Stick To Trails
Trash Your Trash
Leave It As You Find It
Be Careful With Fire
Keep Wildlife Wild
Share Our Trails and Parks
Responsible recreation includes respecting seasonal trail closures, not walking on or damaging vegetation, disposing of trash and personal waste, properly distinguishing campfires, not touching or feeding wildlife, and following trail etiquette to respect others.
To plan your weekend adventure, visit the CPW park finder . Share your outdoor experience with us by tagging @COParksWildlife and #LiveLifeOutside on social media.
Please note that National Public Lands Day coincides with National Hunting and Fishing Day each year. On Sept. 26, entrance to all National Parks is free of charge, but Colorado State Parks admission will still require an annual or daily parks pass.
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CPW is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 41 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
Copyright © 2020 Colorado Parks and Wildlife, All rights reserved.
ReleaseDate: 9/25/2020 9:32 AM
Join Colorado Parks and Wildlife in celebrating National Hunting and Fishing Day9/24/2020 3:09:40 PM
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Travis Duncan
Statewide Public Information Officer
720-595-8294 / travis.duncan @state.co.us
Join Colorado Parks and Wildlife in celebrating National Hunting and Fishing Day
National Hunting and Fishing Day is celebrated on Sept. 26, honoring sportsmen and women for their work in conserving America's natural resources.
DENVER - Colorado Parks and Wildlife recognizes the contributions of the state’s sportspeople by celebrating National Hunting and Fishing Day on Sept. 26. National Hunting and Fishing Day is observed annually on the fourth Saturday of September, honoring hunters and anglers for their leadership in conserving America's wildlife and wild places.
“For more than a century, sportspeople have recognized that unregulated use of wildlife threatens the future for many species,” said Dan Prenzlow, director of Colorado Parks and Wildlife. “It’s hard to imagine now, but elk and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep were both nearing extinction in the early 1900s. Today, they are thriving thanks to the efforts of our hunters and anglers.”
As a result of the many contributions from hunters and anglers that resulted in the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, in 1972 Congress established a day to honor sportspeople for their work in conserving America's natural resources.
“Hunters and anglers are one of the biggest reasons Colorado enjoys such abundant wildlife,” said Bryan Posthumus, statewide hunter outreach coordinator for CPW. “By helping to fund our agency’s work through hunting and fishing licenses, and spending billions of dollars on equipment each year, these conservationists from all walks of life are supporting sustainable populations of game and non-game fish and wildlife for generations to come."
There have been big wins for Colorado sportspeople this year, including the enrollment of 210,000 acres into the Public Access Program (PAP) for the fall 2020 hunting season. The addition brings the program to a total of 777,000 acres. The PAP provides limited, seasonal hunting and fishing opportunities on Colorado trust land across the state. The vote was the next step in a multi-year effort to grow the PAP to 1 million acres.
During the pandemic, more people than ever have been recreating in Colorado’s outdoors and hunting and fishing license sales have increased this year in most categories. Examples include big game draw applications increasing from 609,366 in 2019 to 624,104 in 2020 and resident annual fishing licenses sold through June were nearly 90,000 more than last year. These increases will help the agency continue to fulfill its mission to perpetuate the wildlife resources of the state and inspire current and future generations to serve as active stewards of Colorado's natural resources.
In Colorado, hunters and anglers fund more than 70 percent of CPW’s wildlife management programs through the purchase of hunting and fishing licenses, habitat stamps, as well as taxes paid on hunting and fishing equipment, firearms and ammunition. This generates millions of dollars for conservation programs that benefit both game and non-game species statewide. Recent conservation efforts include reintroducing the greenback cutthroat trout, Colorado’s state fish, to its native waters, and the reintroduction and continued monitoring of black-footed ferrets on the state’s eastern plains.
National Hunting and Fishing Day is a great opportunity to acknowledge all that our sportspeople do for conservation, and in turn, recreation in Colorado. To learn more about how hunting and angling help conservation in Colorado, visit cpw.state.co.us .
Please note that National Hunting and Fishing day coincides with National Public Lands Day each year. On Sept. 26, entrance to all National Parks is free of charge, but Colorado State Parks admission will still require an annual or daily parks pass.
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CPW is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 41 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
Copyright © 2020 Colorado Parks and Wildlife, All rights reserved.
ReleaseDate: 9/24/2020 1:04 PM
CPW asks for information regarding pronghorn poaching case in South Park9/22/2020 3:29:40 PM
Body:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jason Clay
Northeast Region Public Information Officer
303-291-7234 / jason.clay@state.co.us
@CPW_NE
CPW asks for information regarding pronghorn poaching case in South Park
Archived pronghorn photo
PARK COUNTY, Colo. - Colorado Parks and Wildlife Officers are asking for assistance from anyone who may have information about a pronghorn that was illegally killed in South Park in August.
The buck (male) was shot with a crossbow and left to die. Officers found the pronghorn just north of Highway 24, a few miles west of Wilkerson Pass. It is believed the animal was shot on Aug. 23 or 24.
The pronghorn was immobilized by the crossbow bolt and officers believe the individual responsible was nervous to finish off the animal and take it into their possession because of its close proximity to the highway. It is likely the suspect shot the animal from the highway right of way.
The archery pronghorn season was underway during those dates, but crossbow equipment is not permitted during archery seasons.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact CPW’s Denver office at 303-291-7227, or report it to Operation Game Thief by phone at 1-877-265-6648 or via email at game.thief@state.co.us . Monetary rewards are often paid for information that leads to an arrest or a citation being issued. Reporting individuals may remain anonymous through Operation Game Thief.
Buck pronghorn hunting licenses in South Park are highly coveted, in some circumstances taking over ten years to draw.
In this specific case, individuals with information who are willing to testify may be eligible for a buck pronghorn hunting license in the area through the Turn In Poachers program.
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CPW is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 41 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
Copyright © 2020 Colorado Parks and Wildlife, All rights reserved.
ReleaseDate: 9/22/2020 1:25 PM
“Leaf Peeping” season in Colorado is on; please peep responsibly 🍂9/22/2020 10:04:41 AM
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rebecca Ferrell
Public Information and Website Manager
720-595-1449 / rebecca.ferrell@state.co.us
“Leaf Peeping” season in Colorado is on; please peep responsibly
The official start of Autumn brings all of the excitement of Colorado's leaf-peeping gold rush. Plan ahead to Care for Colorado, Leave No Trace and ensure you're peeping responsibly.
DENVER - As fall officially begins and the aspens start putting on a spectacular show, Colorado’s “leaf peeping” season also kicks into high gear. While the stunning display is worthy of the annual crowds drawn to some of the state’s most scenic trails, Colorado Parks and Wildlife reminds those on the search for the state’s specific autumn gold to keep trail etiquette and caring for Colorado top of mind.
“It’s one of the busiest times of year at our park, as we head into peak ‘Peeping Season,’” said Todd Farrow, Park Manager at Golden Gate Canyon State Park. “We ask that people plan ahead, be patient and understand that some parking areas will fill up quickly and that you may need to find another spot to explore.”
When heading out to the vast outdoors to find the perfect view of colorful Colorado, it’s important to note that many of the Care for Colorado principles apply before you make the drive.
Know Before You Go - Spend some time planning your trip and avoid any potential disappointment. Think about the following questions and do some research before heading out to our parks and trails.
Are the colors at their prime?
Where is the best spot for your abilities and available timeframes for viewing?
Will you need a daily vehicle pass or permit?
If the parking area is full, move on to the next designated parking area.
Ensure you’ve downloaded the Colorado Trail Explorer (COTREX) app to find a great Plan B if you need one!
Stick To Trails - While it’s tempting to find a new and unique spot to photograph, or to move to areas with a few less people, it’s important for our plants, trails and visitors that you stay the trail.
Help natural areas stay natural by sticking to designated trails.
Respect trails closed for maintenance, vegetation projects or wildlife reasons. We all love our flora and fauna, so keep them healthy for your family’s future hikes!
Don’t be tempted to take shortcuts - that extra time in nature is what you are there to enjoy.
Trash Your Trash - If you’ll be spending time wandering through Colorado’s colors, you’re likely to need a drink, a snack or to tend to your pet’s needs. Don’t bring anything with you that you can’t pack out.
Peeping for color doesn’t include wrappers or bottles along the trail. Put litter, dog waste, and even crumbs, peels and cores in the nearest waste/recycling bin - or pack it out until you can find one.
Bring an extra bag or two to help leave the area better than you found it.
Leave It As You Find It - In this busy season, it’s especially important to only park in designated areas - undesignated parking destroys vegetation and encourages those coming up behind you to continue the trend. With over 40,000 miles of trails in Colorado, you can be sure to find the right spot by planning ahead.
Leave plants, rocks and historical items as you find them so others can experience the same joy of discovery.
Carving or hacking plants and trees may kill or disfigure them, and also impacts the experiences of your fellow hikers and leaf peepers for years to come!
Keep Wildlife Wild - While you may be hoping to spot the perfect cascade of yellow aspens, part of your experience may include seeing wildlife in their homes. Enjoy the moment by keeping your distance, using your zoom and letting our wildlife be wild!
Never feed wild animals - from the smallest chipmunk to the largest bear, feeding them human food alters natural behaviors and can make them sick or dependent.
Harassing wild animals may also increase the chance of a poor interaction including charges or attacks, feeding wildlife may expose animals to predators, and either case may even lead to euthanasia.
Share Our Trails and Parks - Please be courteous and patient when on your journey! This is one of the busiest times of the year on our trails, so please be patient with other visitors and the staff working to help everyone have a great experience outdoors.
You’re out to mine gold, not to people watch, so try out some new or lesser-known paths and sites found on the COTREX app.
Be considerate when passing others on the trails and yield to the uphill hiker and biker – they need the momentum and good etiquette is always in season.
Remember to bring face coverings and hand sanitizer, and try to move to single file or take your time to leave 6’ of space between hikers if possible.
“We want everyone to have a great time experiencing the colors and the natural resources our whole state has to offer,” said Farrow. “No matter where you plan to peep, be respectful of those resources, the staff helping you have a great experience, and your fellow recreationists out searching for Colorado gold.”
For additional tips on planning for fall’s color changes in Colorado, visit cpw.state.co.us .
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CPW is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 41 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
Copyright © 2020 Colorado Parks and Wildlife, All rights reserved.
ReleaseDate: 9/22/2020 8:00 AM
Jackson Lake State Park to host 10th annual Dutch Oven Chili Cook-Off Saturday9/21/2020 6:04:40 PM
Body:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jason Clay
Northeast Region Public Information Officer
303-291-7234 / jason.clay@state.co.us
@CPW_NE
Jackson Lake State Park to host 10th annual Dutch Oven Chili Cook-Off Saturday
Photo from 2019 Dutch Oven Chili Cook-Off
ORCHARD, Colo. - Jackson Lake State Park is hosting the 10th annual Dutch Oven and Chili Cook-Off at the north end of the Lakeside Campground on Saturday, Sept. 26.
“I think it is a unique experience at a state park for both the participants and the spectators,” said Darby Shanks with Jackson Lake State Park. “It is always great to see the people that have enjoyed this year after year, but also exciting to see new people participating.”
There are eight categories that will award prizes for the top three in each class. Those categories are:
- Main dish (meat)
- Side dish (vegetable)
- Breads
- Dessert
- Wild game/fish
- Chili
- Youth Chefs (Under 16) - any Dutch oven dish
- Cowboy Coffee (Peoples’ Choice Award)
To register under these categories, or for more information, please call the Jackson Lake State Park visitor center at 970-645-2551.
Judging begins at 12:30 p.m. and ends at 4 p.m. Prizes and free tasting will take place after all judging is final.
There is no charge for the cook-off, but to enter the park for the day or to camp, normal entry fees do apply.
Sponsors this year:
- From Wiggins are Country Hardware, Stub's Oil & Gas, Wiggins Farm & Auto Supply, Blue Lightning, Rudy's GTO, High Plains Bank, Stagecoach Meats.
- From Fort Morgan are Bloedorn Lumber, Walmart, Central Auto Supply, Murdoch's, Mr. D's Ace Hardware, Peppy Coffee, Edwards Right Price Market and Arby's.
- From Greeley, Loveland, Johnstown, Fort Collins and Denver are Shoot Indoors, Jax Outdoors, Burris, Steiner, Scheels, Starbucks, Dutch Brothers Coffee, Mary Kiesling and 4imprint.
Special COVID-19 precautions in place this year include:
- Social distancing (keeping six feet distance apart) required
- Wear a face covering
- Hand sanitizer will be made available
- Plastic gloves will be available for people to use for the day
- A limit of 175 people will be allowed to participate, in accordance with the State of Colorado’s Safer At Home - Safer Level 2 guidelines for outdoor activities that Morgan County fits under
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CPW is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 41 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
Copyright © 2020 Colorado Parks and Wildlife, All rights reserved.
ReleaseDate: 9/21/2020 4:00 PM
Dog off leash area at Cherry Creek State Park to temporarily close for maintenance, Oct. 5-89/21/2020 3:39:40 PM
Body:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jason Clay
Northeast Region Public Information Officer
303-291-7234 / jason.clay@state.co.us
@CPW_NE
Dog off leash area at Cherry Creek State Park to temporarily close for maintenance, Oct. 5-8
Insert photo caption
AURORA, Colo. - The heavily used dog off leash area at Cherry Creek State Park - a popular spot for dog owners that sees over one million visitors of the two- and four-legged kind a year - will be temporarily closing Oct. 5-8 so park staff can conduct needed maintenance and enhancement work.
This is the second time that the dog off leash area will be closed. It was also closed in October 2019 for four days. This allows for staff and contractors to conduct necessary work on its natural resources, trails and improve the access for all visitors.
“We are dedicated to being active care takers of this highly valued public land,” said Park Manager Jason Trujillo. “It has gotten to the point where it is so busy down there we can’t get any work done without interrupting experiences of visitors and this maintenance work cannot be conducted safely while the area is open.”
In 2020 the dog park has experienced very high visitation and use. The dog park offers a great outlet for the public. The staff, volunteers and partners of Colorado Parks and Wildlife are dedicated to the long term protection and preservation of this resource that so many enjoy.
“It is hard to have a sustainable resource when it is so heavily used,” Trujillo said. “The work we are doing will be a balance of resource protection and additional improvements. We appreciate the patience of our visitors during the brief period the dog off leash area will close.”
Improvements this year will include the addition of concrete to improve access through the two newest pedestrian access points from the parking lot. This will also connect existing concrete paths within the entry area. This will be a tremendous addition for visitors in wheelchairs and visitors pushing strollers. There will also be additional fencing installed around drainages to help protect the vegetation, water quality and safety of our visitors. Maintenance of the natural surface trails will be completed as well, along with restriping of the parking lot at 12 Mile South.
Other work will include tree trimming and some mowing of tall grasses inside enclosed areas within the dog off leash area.
The trail work will consist of park staff adding road base and then a layer of crusher fine gravel to elevate the trail and assist with erosion control concerns.
Park staff will be looking at this type of major maintenance work twice a year - once in the fall and once in the spring. If anyone wishes to volunteer to help with this project, they can contact the park by calling 303-766-6562.
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CPW is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 41 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
Copyright © 2020 Colorado Parks and Wildlife, All rights reserved.
ReleaseDate: 9/21/2020 1:37 PM
Northeast Region Sportsperson’s Caucus seeks delegates; virtual meeting held for sportspersons9/21/2020 2:44:40 PM
Body:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jason Clay
Northeast Region Public Information Officer
303-291-7234 / jason.clay@state.co.us
@CPW_NE
Northeast Region Sportsperson’s Caucus seeks delegates; virtual meeting held to talk hunting, angling and more
DENVER – Sportspersons from across Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Northeast Region are invited to a virtual caucus meeting with Regional Manager Mark Leslie and staff to hear updates from CPW on hunting and angling topics within the region.
The Northeast Region Sportsperson’s Caucus is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6. Folks wishing to participate in the ZOOM meeting can do so by registering here . The Sportsperson Caucus will also simulcast online over CPW’s Facebook page .
Staff from CPW will be presenting on the following topics and available to answer questions from participants:
Red Hill elk herd hunt in Boulder County
State Wildlife Areas update
Fishing conditions in the region
Hunting conditions in the region
CWD update
Closures and refunds related to the Cameron Peak Fire
“The Sportsperson’s Caucus is a great opportunity for hunters and anglers to hear directly from CPW staff and have their questions answered and concerns heard,” Leslie said. “We want to hear your ideas. We value your input and hope you will come and help us protect your natural resources.”
Additionally, attendees of the meeting will be electing two delegates that will serve as regional representatives for the statewide Sportsperson’s Roundtable. They will represent the Northeast Region on important issues at the statewide level. Nominations for the regional delegates are currently being accepted and during the Oct. 6 meeting, voting will take place to elect the two delegates.
To apply to be a regional delegate, please email Chasta LaBass at chasta.labass@state.co.us. The deadline to apply is Monday, Oct. 5.
Regional delegates will have the opportunity for direct communication with CPW and Director Dan Prenzlow about hunting, fishing and other issues in the northeast region. Regional delegates will be expected to attend the statewide Sportsperson’s Roundtable that meets twice a year. CPW relies on the roundtable to help give guidance in setting policies, regulations and resource management.
The caucus will begin at 6 p.m. and run no later than 8 p.m.
If you wish to submit questions in advance of the meeting to be sure your topic is covered, please email those to jason.clay@state.co.us .
Register for the ZOOM meeting by clicking here .
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CPW is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 41 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
Copyright © 2020 Colorado Parks and Wildlife, All rights reserved.
ReleaseDate: 9/21/2020 12:39 PM
Forestry projects to begin at Vega State Park9/21/2020 1:44:40 PM
Body:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Randy Hampton
Northwest Region Public Information Officer
970-640-1647 / randy.hampton@state.co.us
FORESTRY PROJECTS TO BEGIN AT VEGA STATE PARK
Vega State Park - CPW image
COLLBRAN, Colo. - The Colorado State Forest Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife are beginning a project to reduce fire danger around the park. The project, which is scheduled to begin on October 1, will be overseen by the Colorado State Forest Service and conducted by a contractor. Vega State Park will remain open to visitors, sportspersons and campers throughout the project and park operations should only be minimally impacted.
The project areas are located throughout the park and are designed to remove dead, dying, or diseased trees near public use areas. The tree work will also create better defensible space around rentable visitor cabins along the southwestern border of Vega State Park. In addition, the work will help establish fuel breaks along the northern edge of the park to further protect park property as well as the neighboring residential community.
“We’ve seen the impact of wildfires elsewhere in western Colorado this summer,” said James Masek, Vega State Park Manager. “We’re glad to have this project through the planning stages so we can get this work done before next fire season. With the dry conditions this year, we were fortunate to have avoided a fire event. Planning is the best tool we have available.”
Work to remove overgrowth is expected to be completed mid-December and all efforts are being made to minimize disruption to park visitors.
“There will be heavy machinery operating during working hours,” Masek said, “and occasional short closures of areas may be utilized to protect public safety. In the long run, any inconvenience will be minor when weighed against the benefits that park users will see over the next few years.”
Trees that are removed will be ground into chip material and respread on the logged areas to promote healthy vegetation growth. Some Gambel oak stumps will be chemically treated to prevent regrowth.The attached map shows specific project areas. A full copy of the treatment plan is available from the Colorado State Forest Service.
Questions about the project can be directed to the Colorado State Forest Service in Grand Junction at 970-248-7325. Questions about Vega State Park can be answered by calling the park at 970-487-3407.
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CPW is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 41 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
Copyright © 2020 Colorado Parks and Wildlife, All rights reserved.
ReleaseDate: 9/21/2020 11:44 AM
CPW cancels voluntary fishing closures for Southwest Colorado9/18/2020 5:59:41 PM
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Joe Lewandowski
Southwest Region Public Information Officer
970-759-9590 / joe.lewandowski@state.co.us
Voluntary fishing closures in Southwest Colorado have been lifted.
CPW cancels voluntary fishing closures for Southwest Colorado
DURANGO, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife has lifted voluntary fishing closures on some southwest Colorado rivers that were implemented in mid-August. Waters in the streams have cooled down and anglers can fish again throughout the day.
“We want to thank those who honored the voluntary closures,” said John Alves, senior aquatic biologist for CPW’s Southwest Region. “We know it’s tough to curtail fishing activity, but we also know that anglers know the importance of helping to sustain Colorado’s trout populations.”
CPW asked for the voluntary action because hot weather had caused the temperature of some streams to rise to 70 degrees or more. The problem with the warm water was compounded by low flows in rivers and streams, many less than 50% of normal. Those circumstances caused degradation in water quality which causes severe stress on trout.
River and stream flows in Colorado remain well below normal.
CPW asks that anglers carry a thermometer to measure the temperature of the water. If the temperature is 70 degrees or more it’s time to stop fishing.
The rivers that were subject to the voluntary closures were:
Animas River through Durango from the 32nd Street bridge downstream to Rivera Crossing bridge near Home Depot.
Conejos River from Platoro Reservoir downstream to Broyles Bridge.
Lake Fork of the Gunnison River from the 5 th Street bridge in Lake City downstream to Blue Mesa Reservoir.
San Juan River through Pagosa Springs from the intersection of U.S. Highway 160 and Colorado Highway 84 intersection downstream to the Apache Street Bridge.
Tomichi Creek in Gunnison from Colorado Highway 114 downstream to the confluence with the Gunnison River.
Rio Grande from Rio Grande Reservoir downstream to the town of Del Norte.
South Fork of the Rio Grande from Big Meadows Reservoir downstream to the confluence with the Rio Grande below the town of South Fork.
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CPW is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 41 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
Copyright © 2020 Colorado Parks and Wildlife, All rights reserved.
ReleaseDate: 9/18/2020 3:58 PM
Stocking cutthroat trout by airplane into Colorado’s mountain lakes9/18/2020 10:34:41 AM
Body:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jason Clay
Northeast Region Public Information Officer
303-291-7234 / jason.clay@state.co.us
@CPW_NE
Stocking cutthroat trout by airplane into Colorado’s mountain lakes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Photos and videos courtesy of Jason Clay/CPW
DENVER - Colorado Parks and Wildlife is stocking its alpine lakes in the northern half of the state, which there are 330 selected to receive roughly 380,000 trout dropped from the sky this year.
Forty of those lakes and 70,000 of the fish - 65,000 cutthroat trout and 5,000 golden trout - took off Wednesday from the Granby Airport and were air-dropped into the pristine high-elevation lakes in Boulder, Grand, Jackson and Larimer counties
[WATCH AS FISH DROP FROM THE SKY]
The trout were reared at the Mt. Shavano Hatchery in Salida and driven up Wednesday to the Granby Airport starting at 4 a.m. by Fish Culturists Doug Sebring and Taylor Woolmington.
There they met CPW wildlife pilots Larry Gepfert and Denise Corcoran, who were ready to airlift the 1¼-inch trout in their Cessna 185 Aircraft to their new mountain-life home. It will take these fish a year-and-a-half or two years to grow to a catchable size of 10 inches.
“It’s efficient,” Sebring said was one of the many reasons the alpine lakes get stocked via airplane. “We can get a large quantity of fish into high mountain lakes that are basically only accessible by foot or horseback.”
And the fish, well they just float on down once deployed from the airplane at about 100-150 feet above the lake.
“They are so small and they don’t have a lot of mass to them, so their acceleration rate is pretty low,” Gepfert said. “Their heads are the heaviest parts, so they tend to go head first and drop straight into the water.”
CPW operates 19 hatcheries that breed, hatch, rear and stock over 90 million fish per year. Many of the fish produced are to enhance angling opportunities, while others serve a critical role in native species recovery efforts.
“There is definitely a niche of anglers that seek out high alpine fishing every year,” said Jeff Spohn, Senior Aquatic Biologist for the Northeast Region of CPW. “This is another opportunity that CPW provides to our angling community.”
Next year, the aerial effort will be focused on the alpine lakes in the southern half of the state. The rotation is part of CPW managing its natural resources for the future enjoyment of the public.
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CPW is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 41 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
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CPW is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 41 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
ReleaseDate: 9/18/2020 8:33 AM
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