Big Game Season Structure public meetings to begin May 11, continue through June 29, 2023

Whitetail buck during the 2022 rut – photo courtesy of Wayne D. Lewis

DENVER – Colorado Parks and Wildlife invites the public to have a voice in big game hunting regulation changes that will form the foundation for policy in the years to come. As part of its Big Game Season Structure (BGSS) planning process, CPW will hold a series of in-person open house and town hall meetings across the state as well as virtual meetings for big game hunters to voice their opinions about current BGSS topics under consideration. A full list of meeting dates, locations and times can be found below.

CPW is encouraging the public to attend these public meetings to learn about the current BGSS and the potential changes CPW is considering. CPW wants to give the public ample opportunities to provide input and help inform the BGSS planning process. For more information regarding these public meetings, visit our BGSS EngageCPW page.

BGSS topics being discussed at the public meetings include:

• Alternatives regarding over-the-counter archery and rifle elk licenses
• Rifle season date structures for deer and elk
• Early season (archery and muzzleloader) date structures
• Adding rifle deer opportunities to the first regular rifle season
• Adding a second regular rifle buck and doe pronghorn season

The topics covered during these meetings are starting points for discussion. Additional topics and options may be considered at future meetings.

Open house meetings will consist of several stations where members of the public can learn more about specific BGSS topics, ask questions, and give verbal feedback directly to staff. Each station will have a different interactive activity that allows attendees to provide input.

Town hall meetings will consist of a PowerPoint presentation and will include live interactive digital polling via smartphones and devices to compile input from attendees on each of the BGSS topics. All attendees are encouraged to bring a smartphone or device to the town hall meetings to better and more fully participate. Attendees will also have an opportunity to ask questions and provide verbal feedback to staff. 

What is the Big Game Season Structure planning process and why is it important?
The BGSS planning process is a critical component of big game management and big game hunting regulation development. 

The central purpose of the BGSS planning process is to determine:

• What, when, and where types of big game hunting opportunities are available.
• How opportunities are divided among hunters.

Through this planning process, CPW is better able to maintain healthy wildlife populations while keeping with management objectives and provide recreational benefits for the hunting and non-hunting public. 

How does CPW evaluate BGSS?
CPW evaluates and updates the BGSS by gathering internal and external input, evaluating the current season structure, and identifying emerging issues related to season structure. CPW then uses that information to develop policy recommendations for the upcoming framework. This approach helps ensure the administration of hunting is continuously aligned with big game management needs as well as sportspersons interests. 

After all public meetings have concluded, CPW will compile all the public input received into a public outreach summary report. This report will be presented to the Parks and Wildlife Commission during the August Commission meeting. Staff will then begin developing draft BGSS recommendations this fall. 

2025 – 2029 Big Game Season Structure Public Meetings List

Northwest Region
Thursday May 11, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 10, Steamboat Springs (open house)

• 925 Weiss Drive, Steamboat Springs, 80487

Tuesday, June 6, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 9, Kremmling (open house)

• CSU Extension Hall, 210 11th Street, Kremmling, 80459

Thursday, June 8, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 7, Grand Junction (open house)

• Mesa County Building, 200 Spruce Street, Grand Junction, 81505

Thursday, June 8, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 8, Glenwood Springs (town hall)

• Glenwood Springs Rec Center, 100 Wulfsohn Rd, Glenwood Springs, 81601

Tuesday, June 20, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 8, Eagle (town hall)

• Eagle Valley Library, 600 Broadway St Eagle, 81631

Tuesday, June 27, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 6, Meeker (open house)

• Meeker Fire Department, 236 7th Street, Meeker, 81641

Southwest Region
Monday, May 22, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 15, Durango (town hall)

• La Plata Room at La Plata County Fairgrounds Durango, 81301

Monday, June 12, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 18, Montrose (town hall)

• Montrose Police Department Community Room, 431 S. 1st Street, Montrose, 81401

Thursday, June 15, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 17, Monte Vista (town hall)

• Ski Hi Complex, 2335 Sherman Ave, Monte Vista, 81144

Thursday, June 22, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 16, Gunnison (town hall)

• Fred Field Center, 298-278 S Spruce St, Gunnison, 81230

Southeast Region
Thursday May 25, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 14, Colorado Springs (town hall)

• CPW Southeast Regional Office, 4255 Sinton Road, ​​Colorado Springs,  80907

Tuesday, May 30, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 11, Walsenburg (town hall)

• Lathrop State Park, 70 CR 502, Walsenburg, 81089

Friday, June 2, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 12, Las Animas (open house)

• Bent County Community Center, 1214 Ambassador Thompson Blvd, Las Animas, 81054

Thursday, June 8, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 13, Salida (open house)

• Chaffee County Archery Range & Browns Canyon Bowhunters, 16201 US Hwy 285 (S of Chaffee Landfill) between MM 136 & 137, Salida, 81201

Northeast Region
Thursday, June 8, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 5, Denver (open house)

• CPW Hunter Education Building, 6060 Broadway, Denver, 80216

Thursday, June 15, 6-7:30 p.m. MT, Area 4, Loveland/Fort Collins area (town hall)

• Scheels, 4755 Ronald Reagan Blvd, Johnstown, 80534

Thursday, June 29, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 3, Sterling (town hall)

• Northeastern Junior College, Ballroom, 100 College Ave, Sterling, 80751

Virtual Meetings
Virtual Meeting 1:

• Thursday, June 1, 6-7:30 p.m. MT – register here

Virtual Meeting 2:

• Thursday, June 29, 6-7:30 p.m. MT – register here

Learn more about BGSS and the planning process on our website.

Whitetail buck during the 2022 rut – photo courtesy of Wayne D. Lewis DENVER – Colorado Parks and Wildlife invites the public to have a voice in big game hunting regulation changes that will form the foundation for policy in the years to come. As part of its Big Game Season Structure (BGSS) planning process, CPW will hold a series of in-person open house and town hall meetings across the state as well as virtual meetings for big game hunters to voice their opinions about current BGSS topics under consideration. A full list of meeting dates, locations and times can be found below. CPW is encouraging the public to attend these public meetings to learn about the current BGSS and the potential changes CPW is considering. CPW wants to give the public ample opportunities to provide input and help inform the BGSS planning process. For more information regarding these public meetings, visit our BGSS EngageCPW page. BGSS topics being discussed at the public meetings include: Alternatives regarding over-the-counter archery and rifle elk licenses Rifle season date structures for deer and elk Early season (archery and muzzleloader) date structures Adding rifle deer opportunities to the first regular rifle season Adding a second regular rifle buck and doe pronghorn season The topics covered during these meetings are starting points for discussion. Additional topics and options may be considered at future meetings. Open house meetings will consist of several stations where members of the public can learn more about specific BGSS topics, ask questions, and give verbal feedback directly to staff. Each station will have a different interactive activity that allows attendees to provide input. Town hall meetings will consist of a PowerPoint presentation and will include live interactive digital polling via smartphones and devices to compile input from attendees on each of the BGSS topics. All attendees are encouraged to bring a smartphone or device to the town hall meetings to better and more fully participate. Attendees will also have an opportunity to ask questions and provide verbal feedback to staff.  What is the Big Game Season Structure planning process and why is it important? The BGSS planning process is a critical component of big game management and big game hunting regulation development.  The central purpose of the BGSS planning process is to determine: What, when, and where types of big game hunting opportunities are available. How opportunities are divided among hunters. Through this planning process, CPW is better able to maintain healthy wildlife populations while keeping with management objectives and provide recreational benefits for the hunting and non-hunting public.  How does CPW evaluate BGSS? CPW evaluates and updates the BGSS by gathering internal and external input, evaluating the current season structure, and identifying emerging issues related to season structure. CPW then uses that information to develop policy recommendations for the upcoming framework. This approach helps ensure the administration of hunting is continuously aligned with big game management needs as well as sportspersons interests.  After all public meetings have concluded, CPW will compile all the public input received into a public outreach summary report. This report will be presented to the Parks and Wildlife Commission during the August Commission meeting. Staff will then begin developing draft BGSS recommendations this fall.  2025 – 2029 Big Game Season Structure Public Meetings List Northwest Region Thursday May 11, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 10, Steamboat Springs (open house) 925 Weiss Drive, Steamboat Springs, 80487 Tuesday, June 6, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 9, Kremmling (open house) CSU Extension Hall, 210 11th Street, Kremmling, 80459 Thursday, June 8, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 7, Grand Junction (open house) Mesa County Building, 200 Spruce Street, Grand Junction, 81505 Thursday, June 8, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 8, Glenwood Springs (town hall) Glenwood Springs Rec Center, 100 Wulfsohn Rd, Glenwood Springs, 81601 Tuesday, June 20, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 8, Eagle (town hall) Eagle Valley Library, 600 Broadway St Eagle, 81631 Tuesday, June 27, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 6, Meeker (open house) Meeker Fire Department, 236 7th Street, Meeker, 81641 Southwest Region Monday, May 22, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 15, Durango (town hall) La Plata Room at La Plata County Fairgrounds Durango, 81301 Monday, June 12, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 18, Montrose (town hall) Montrose Police Department Community Room, 431 S. 1st Street, Montrose, 81401 Thursday, June 15, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 17, Monte Vista (town hall) Ski Hi Complex, 2335 Sherman Ave, Monte Vista, 81144 Thursday, June 22, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 16, Gunnison (town hall) Fred Field Center, 298-278 S Spruce St, Gunnison, 81230 Southeast Region Thursday May 25, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 14, Colorado Springs (town hall) CPW Southeast Regional Office, 4255 Sinton Road, ​​Colorado Springs,  80907 Tuesday, May 30, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 11, Walsenburg (town hall) Lathrop State Park, 70 CR 502, Walsenburg, 81089 Friday, June 2, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 12, Las Animas (open house) Bent County Community Center, 1214 Ambassador Thompson Blvd, Las Animas, 81054 Thursday, June 8, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 13, Salida (open house) Chaffee County Archery Range & Browns Canyon Bowhunters, 16201 US Hwy 285 (S of Chaffee Landfill) between MM 136 & 137, Salida, 81201 Northeast Region Thursday, June 8, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 5, Denver (open house) CPW Hunter Education Building, 6060 Broadway, Denver, 80216 Thursday, June 15, 6-7:30 p.m. MT, Area 4, Loveland/Fort Collins area (town hall) Scheels, 4755 Ronald Reagan Blvd, Johnstown, 80534 Thursday, June 29, 6-7:30 p.m. MT; Area 3, Sterling (town hall) Northeastern Junior College, Ballroom, 100 College Ave, Sterling, 80751 Virtual Meetings Virtual Meeting 1: Thursday, June 1, 6-7:30 p.m. MT – register here Virtual Meeting 2: Thursday, June 29, 6-7:30 p.m. MT – register here Learn more about BGSS and the planning process on our website.