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The I-70 Scout & Eastern Colorado News

Category: Nature & Science

  • CPW urges the public to wear life jackets following deadliest year on Colorado waters

    Life jacket requirements apply not only to power boats, but kayaks and stand-up paddleboards as well. This couple safely enjoys kayaking at Cherry Creek State Park.

    Photo courtesy of Wayne D. Lewis/CPW

    DENVER – As boat ramps open and warm temperatures entice people to get outdoors and recreate on the water, Colorado Parks and Wildlife urges people to wear a life jacket and boat safely following the deadliest year on Colorado’s rivers, lakes and reservoirs.

    In honor of National Safe Boating Week, May 20-26, 2023, CPW is promoting safe boating tips to educate outdoor enthusiasts on how to take caution on Colorado waters while enjoying water sports like power boating, kayaking, paddle boarding, swimming and fishing. 

    With increased visitation in outdoor spaces throughout the state, water-based recreation remains a popular pastime in Colorado. There have already been three drownings in the state this year. In 2022, there were 42 water-related fatalities in Colorado, which was up from 22 in 2021, and 34 in 2020.

    In 2022, the majority of fatalities occurred from people swimming, paddle boarding, kayaking or using an inflatable of some kind, and the vast majority were not wearing a life jacket. CPW wants to remind the public that paddle boards and kayaks are considered vessels, and life jacket requirements apply. 

    “We recommend all boaters and passengers wear a life jacket while on the water,” said Grant Brown, Boating Safety Program Manager for CPW. “Regardless of your age or experience level, the data shows that life jackets save lives.” 

    “Wearing a life jacket is especially important when boating during cold water conditions when water temperatures are below 70 degrees,” Brown said. “Cold water immersion shock coupled with the lack of a life jacket were contributing factors in the majority of drownings in Colorado in recent seasons. We want people to have fun on the water and not be afraid of it, so we encourage you to bring the proper safety gear so you have a positive outdoor experience.”

    In 2022, CPW soft-launched a new Boating Safely in Colorado Program at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado’s most visited state park. The program mobilizes a group of passionate volunteers to engage directly with the public to discuss and reinforce the importance of boating and water safety as well as the rules and regulations related to boating in Colorado.

    This year, the program will be expanded at Lake Pueblo to include more dates and locations at the 47,000 acre reservoir consisting of 60 miles of shoreline. The hope is this program will serve as a model for additional lakes and reservoirs to implement in future years. 

    Volunteers are a vital component to the future and expansion of this program and many other CPW programs. To learn more about volunteer opportunities with CPW, go to our website.

    Before heading out on the water, Colorado Parks and Wildlife advises the following boating safety tips:

    It is important that boaters take into account the risks that weather can present while recreating on the water. Dangerous weather conditions that raise concerns are unpredictable strong wind gusts that can knock a paddle boarder or kayaker into the water, and cold water temperatures that exist year-round in Colorado.

    For more information on boating safety, visit cpw.state.co.us.

  • CPW honors Eric Odell and Reid DeWalt for their work on the wolf restoration and management planning effort

    Pictured left to right: Terrestrial Section Manager Brian Dreher, DNR Executive Director Dan Gibbs, Assistant Director of Aquatic, Terrestrial and Natural Resources Reid DeWalt, Wolf Conservation Program Manager Eric Odell, CPW Director Jeff Davis, Parks and Wildlife Commission Chair Carrie Hauser, Species Conservation Unit Supervisor Dave Klute

    DENVER – Eric Odell and Reid DeWalt, the leaders of the team that spearheaded Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s two-year effort to develop a comprehensive wolf restoration and management plan, were honored recently by the CPW Commission.

    Odell, CPW’s Wolf Conservation Program manager, and DeWalt, CPW’s assistant director of Aquatics, Terrestrial & Natural Resources, were singled out for overcoming multiple challenges during the intense and controversial planning process.

    At the May 3 Commission meeting in Glenwood Springs, after more than two years of extensive statewide stakeholder meetings and outreach, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission unanimously approved the final Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan.

    Odell and DeWalt were instrumental in developing a plan that incorporated the biological and social concerns of restoring wolves to a unique state with multi-use landscapes and a large human population. 

    “While I know that so many of our teammates at CPW were critical to the success of this plan’s adoption, I would like to especially highlight Eric Odell and the outstanding leadership of Reid DeWalt,” said CPW Director Jeff Davis. “As you all know, wolves elicit strong responses from the public, so developing a plan that strikes a balance between what wolves need with the spectrum of values, needs and expectations of the public and policymakers is a tough task. Our CPW Team, with exceptional leadership from Eric and Reid, accomplished this goal with grace and professionalism.”

    Jim Jones Outstanding Employee of the Year Award
    To honor his efforts, Odell was awarded the Jim Jones Outstanding Employee of the Year Award for his exemplary work as the biological and technical lead for the wolf restoration and management planning effort. 

    The Jim Jones Employee of the Year Award is named for a former Division of Wildlife employee who unexpectedly passed away in 1999. Jim Jones was an employee with a positive attitude, a good grasp on the mission, and was kind and supportive of others throughout the agency. He was good at all aspects of his job and has a state wildlife area, James Mark Jones SWA, named in his honor.

    “Eric went above and beyond as he strived to understand all aspects of the wolf restoration debate, and how this effort will impact all stakeholders,” said Dave Klute, CPW’s Species Conservation Unit supervisor. “He brought a breadth of knowledge and understanding to the plan development process and used his skills to draft a plan that is both scientifically sound and socially acceptable.”

    Odell worked tirelessly to complete the tasks required by the passage of Proposition 114 with rigor and honesty and educated himself in a scientific understanding of wolf ecology and restoration techniques.

    “In what was often a challenging and contentious environment, Eric maintained the highest standards of professionalism and was an excellent representative, arbiter, and educator for CPW,” Klute said. “He provided information, guidance and structure to a lengthy and often confusing process. Eric was often asked, with short notice, to provide policy updates and technical recommendations to the governor, Department of Natural Resources and CPW leadership.”

    Exceptional Leadership Acknowledged
    Reid DeWalt was also honored at the May Commission meeting for his exemplary leadership and contributions to the wolf restoration and management planning effort. 

    “There’s no doubt that the completion of this wolf restoration plan was challenging and took a team effort,” said Brian Dreher, CPW’s Terrestrial Section manager. “But every good team needs a solid leader to make hard decisions and encourage the team to keep going when things get difficult. Reid served this vital leadership role for the agency as we had to navigate the many challenges of the past few years.”

    From the beginning of the planning process, DeWalt committed and encouraged the CPW team to deliver the best possible plan, and be professional in the process.

    “It has been said many times in the planning process that CPW has incredible staff, and we do,” Dreher said. “But we also have incredible leadership, which was on full display by Reid DeWalt in completing this plan.”

  • 2023’s Best States for Beekeeping

    Where can the location of your colony sweeten or sour your beekeeping journey?

    To mark World Bee Day on May 20, Lawn Love ranked 2023’s Best States for Beekeeping.

    To come up with our ranking, we compared 39 of the 50 states (with available data) based on four categories. We looked at honey production, colony loss, and apiculture classes, among 15 total metrics.

    See the five best (and five worst) states for beekeeping below, followed by key stats from our report.

    Best States for Beekeeping
    Rank State
    1 California
    2 New York
    3 North Dakota
    4 Texas
    5 Ohio
    Worst States for Beekeeping
    Rank State
    1 Wyoming
    2 Arizona
    3 Utah
    4 Nebraska
    5 Louisiana

     

     

    Key insights:

    • California cultivation: The Golden State brings home the gold medal overall and in Distribution and Support. California offers the highest number of apiculture classes and establishments. California also boasts healthy bees with the lowest average annual colony loss in our ranking.

    • Flickertail hives: Swarming to third place is North Dakota with the largest overall honey Output. The Flickertail State impresses with the biggest total honey production and the most honey-producing colonies, 520 — 215 more than the next state, California.

    • Sweet salaries: Beekeepers have the biggest opportunity to pollinate their savings accounts in Illinois (No. 10), which takes the top spot in Earning Potential. New York (No. 2) pays the highest average annual beekeeping salary, followed by Illinois and Colorado (No. 17).

    • Colony conservation: Neonics are commonly used across lawns, gardens, and farms and have devastating impacts on bee populations. To help save the bees, New York (No. 2), New Jersey (No. 22), Vermont(No. 23), and Maine (No. 30) have each passed legislation limiting the use of neonics.

    • Buzzworthy sales: There are many opportunities to sell honey in states like New York (No. 2) and Ohio (No. 5). New York leads the way in honey suppliers, while The Buckeye State takes second place. Ohio boasts the most farmers markets, followed by New York.

    • Nectar network: It’s easy for beekeepers to connect in North Carolina(No. 8), thanks to the many beekeepers associations. Tennessee (No. 18) and Kentucky (No. 29) take second and third places, respectively.

    Note: Hawaii was excluded from our sample, as USDA data for the state had not been released by the time of data collection and writing.Ten additional states were excluded both years due to lack of data.

    Helpful links:

    Want to help save the bees? Hire a local Lawn Love pro to help turn your backyard into a buzzing, bee-autiful paradise.

  • Bears are awake and looking for food; do your part to remain ‘bear aware’ in 2023

    Residual grease and fats from outdoor grilling can be an enticing smell to a bear. Be sure to clean your grill after each use to discourage bears from coming to your yard in search of food.

    DENVER – With spring upon us, Colorado Parks and Wildlife reminds citizens and visitors that bears have emerged from hibernation and are beginning their search for food.

    CPW has already received 173 reports of bear activity in 25 Colorado counties this year. Wildlife officials are urging residents to secure any and all attractants. Bears should NOT be eating from trash receptacles, bird feeders or other human-provided food sources around homes or businesses.

    “Every time a bear gets a treat, a bird feeder, a hummingbird feeder, or trash, it teaches the bear that people mean food,” said Matt Yamashita, CPW’s area wildlife manager for Area 8 covering Aspen, Glenwood Springs and Eagle and Pitkin counties “People who think that it’s one time, no big deal, are totally wrong. It is a big deal when you compound that ‘one time’ with how many ‘one timers’ they get from your neighbors, too. It adds up.”

    The first bears to emerge from their winter dens are typically males (boars) followed by females (sows) that did not give birth to cubs over winter. The last bears to emerge from winter dens are the females who gave birth to this year’s cubs, usually in late April. 

    “Over the past several years, Area 8 in particular has seen a high number of bears inhabiting municipalities across both valleys and a subsequently high number of human-black bear conflicts,” Yamashita said. “Even with a lack of natural food sources, bears continue to have large litter sizes of three to four cubs, indicating they are receiving supplemental food from humans.”

    Early season natural food sources for bears include grasses, aspen buds and other vegetative matter that is beginning to sprout. Those gentle food sources, which are the first crops available to them, help a bear’s digestive system and metabolism adjust back to normal after not consuming anything for months.

    “Their bodies are needing to adjust to the fact that they haven’t consumed anything for sometimes six months,” said Mark Vieira, Carnivore and Furbearer Program Manager for CPW. “So there is this phase that is referred to sometimes as walking hibernation, where they are out on the landscape moving slowly and eating what tends to be more vegetative material that starts to pass through their system to get their bodies ready for early summer food sources. That is when they will move back into the typical omnivore diet that we see bears eating the rest of the year.”

    Over 90 percent of a bear’s natural diet is grasses, berries, fruits, nuts and plants – native crops all dependent on moisture. Wildlife officials monitor weather patterns in the spring and summer to help determine what natural forage will be available in the summer and fall. 

    In years where there is good moisture and natural food sources are abundant, human-bear conflicts and interactions are down. 

    Though most human-bear interactions occur in the late summer and fall months, a late frost or prolonged dry weather could lead to localized natural food failures and a rise in conflicts. A lack of natural food availability pushes black bears to be more persistent in their search for human-food sources. Being bear aware not only protects your home and property, but it can save a bear’s life.

    Starting with proper bear aware practices in the spring may help prevent bears from discovering your home or neighborhood as a food source that it will return to throughout the year.

    Become Bear Aware
    Colorado Parks and Wildlife offers a reminder that by taking some simple precautions, you can avoid human/wildlife conflicts and help to keep bears wild. 

    Bear-proofing your home:

    • Keep garbage in a well-secured location. Only put out garbage on the morning of pickup.
    • Clean garbage cans regularly to keep them free of food odors: ammonia is effective.
    • Keep garage doors closed. Do not leave pet food or stock feed outside.
    • Use a bear-resistant trash can or dumpster.
    • Bird feeders are a major source of bear/human conflicts. Attract birds naturally with flowers and water baths. Do not hang bird feeders from April 15 to Nov. 15.
    • Don’t allow bears to become comfortable around your house. If you see one, haze it by yelling at it, throwing things at it and making loud noises to scare it off.
    • Secure compost piles. Bears are attracted to the scent of rotting food.
    • Clean the grill after each use, and clean up thoroughly after cookouts.
    • If you have fruit trees, don’t allow the fruit to rot on the ground.
    • Talk to your neighbors and kids about being Bear Aware.

    Cars, traveling and campsites:

    • Lock your doors when you’re away from home and at night.
    • Keep the bottom-floor windows of your house closed when you’re not at home.
    • Do not keep food in your vehicle; roll up windows and lock the doors of your vehicles.
    • When car-camping, secure all food and coolers in a locked vehicle.
    • Keep a clean camp, whether you’re in a campground or in the backcountry.
    • When camping in the backcountry, hang food 100 feet or more from the campsite; don’t bring any food into your tent.
    • Cook food well away from your tent; wash dishes thoroughly.

    Protecting your chickens, bees, livestock:

    • Keep chickens, bees and livestock in a fully covered enclosure, especially at night.
    • Construct electric fencing when possible.
    • Don’t store livestock feed outside.
    • Keep enclosures clean to minimize animal odors.
    • Hang rags soaked in ammonia and/or Pine-Sol around the enclosure as a scent deterrent.

     

  • Sharing the Outdoors: The Cycle Effect, a Story of Empowerment from an Outdoor Equity Grant

    The Cycle Effect heads out on a ‘fat biking’ session. A ‘fat bike’ is an off-road bicycle with oversized tires that are capable of traversing snow, sand, mud, pavement and traditional mountain biking trails.

    Sharing the Outdoors: The Cycle Effect, a Story of Empowerment from an Outdoor Equity Grant

    By Ryan Jones, CPW visual content specialist

    DENVER, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Outdoor Equity Grants are investing in Colorado community organizations. By investing in programs that offer outdoor opportunities for underserved communities, CPW’s Outdoor Equity Grants help create more equal access to the benefits of spending time outside.

    The Colorado Outdoor Equity Grant Program was created for outdoor organizations focused on creating opportunities for youth and their families from communities who have been historically excluded, so that they have equitable opportunities to get involved in recreational activities and experiencing Colorado’s open spaces, state parks, public lands and other outdoor areas. The program is funded through a redistribution of lottery money that is allocated to CPW’s general fund.

    Programs or projects given grants help solve some of the challenges that Colorado youth face while trying to explore the outdoors, whether youth are from an urban, inner-city environment or a rural community. The goal of CPW’s grants are designed to reduce barriers for all Coloradans and make valuable strategic investments that improve the lives and well-being of our local youth and their families.

    In 2022, The Cycle Effect received $25,000 from CPW which was used to help bolster their junior coach positions, expand their coaching staff, cover equipment expenses and provide scholarship opportunities. The Cycle Effect’s mission is to provide young women equal opportunity and access to the sport of mountain biking, and they aim to foster 70 percent of participants who identify as Latinx and/or Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) while working to remove financial barriers and supporting their social-emotional well-being.

    Most would never guess it from my given name, but I’m half Vietnamese. Growing up and finding a place of acceptance in the world’s eyes, let alone my own as a young person, was a challenge that I’m only now learning to truly process. It’s a challenge that I know so many others — particularly young people of color — are facing day to day. 

    In February, a coworker and I were able to witness the positive impacts of the Outdoor Equity Grant funding firsthand. After coordinating and comparing schedules since early January with CPW’s Outdoor Equity Grant Program Manager Andrea Kurth, the two of us set out for an afternoon of fat biking in Frisco, a session put together by staff from The Cycle Effect. We joined The Cycle Effect’s Summit County Manager, Isidra “Isi” Luna, and four other participants for a ride around Rainbow Lake. 

    While it had been some years since riding any type of bike, this was my first time on a fat bike and, having grown up mostly in the Florida panhandle, certainly my first time riding anything in the snow. Although a couple of more practice sessions wouldn’t hurt, I’m glad to say muscle memory kicked in and I was able to avoid any major accidents — only having to lay the bike down once in a pile of snow before a conveniently placed pine tree at one of the trail’s sharper downhill corners.

    While in attendance that afternoon, we asked staff and participants to share some of their stories and experiences with us.

    Isidra Luna / Summit County Manager, The Cycle Effect

    “I find myself getting lost in the abundance that surrounds me, knowing that everything around me is alive. Whether I am on my bike or just taking a walk, being outdoors brings me gratitude for being alive. As I explore, I like to be mindful of how much nature nurtures my mind, spirit, and wellbeing.

    Improving access to the Colorado outdoors for young women of color is important for them to truly familiarize themselves with the place they call home. Changing the narrative for them to believe that they belong in these beautiful spaces and empowering them to take up the space. There is nothing more valuable than the gift of experience. Creating accessibility to normalize people of color outdoors is something that will take time but worth all the effort.” 

    “My name is June. I’m 15 years old and live in Frisco, Colorado. I’ve been a member of The Cycle Effect for almost a year after joining in May of 2022. 

    My parents found out about TCE when they saw the bike van in the middle school parking lot. The program appealed to me because it was a good way to get better at mountain biking and to meet other girls with similar interests. 

    The program is meaningful to me because it’s taught me not only to be a better mountain biker, but has also made me a better person in other aspects of life. I’ve faced fears on my bike, and because of the support and kindness of my coaches, I’ve found confidence and happiness in other activities when I’m off my bike.

    One of my favorite memories with the group was going on a ride at Keystone Ranch in a light rain. We had climbed a massive hill and I remember going down this mountain with mud beads sticking to my skin and thinking it was so amazing that I got to ride in the rain while biking with my friends. My favorite memory of a person was when I talked to Coach Kristen about music when we went snowshoeing and her giving me advice on pursuing my passion. It was so cool to talk to a fellow music lover and to gain some insight and advice.”

    After spending the afternoon with The Cycle Effect’s crew and hearing the passion and motivation behind the work they’re doing, it was impossible to get back on the road home to Denver and not feel uplifted. There’s something special happening at The Cycle Effect. They’re making room for people. They’re making room for change. They’re making room for the future.

    The management of Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Outdoor Equity Grant program falls under the direction of the Outdoor Equity Grant Board, composed of 11 members who are tasked with overseeing the program. The board is authorized to allocate funding to eligible applicants with the objective of reducing barriers to Colorado outdoors and promoting engagement among eligible youth and their families. The next Outdoor Equity Grant Cycle will open in August 2023. Organizations interested in applying for the 2023 Outdoor Equity Grant should review the gr​ant ​g​u​ide for instructions on how to apply. ​​

    TCE Co-founder Brett Donelson (left photo) and TCE coach Melissa Baumann (right photo)

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  • Golden Gate Canyon State Park Asking for Public Comments on Draft Management Plan

    Golden Gate Canyon State Park offers hiking, camping, and hunting experiences close to Denver

    GOLDEN, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife is seeking public input on Golden Gate Canyon State Park’s Management Plan. The third largest state park is creating a 10-year plan which will serve as a guiding framework for land management and resource use decisions.

    Public comment opens March 15 and ends April 15. Visitors can read the draft plan and comment through the park’s website.

    “We want the public to take a look at this plan and tell us if there’s anything we missed or could do better,” said Park Manager Todd Farrow.

    Golden Gate Canyon’s draft plan focuses on the rise in visitation and subsequent need for maintenance due to the increase in trail degradation and wildlife stress. This is the park’s first management plan since 1997.

    Public comments will be synthesized and added to the draft plan. If approved by the CPW Director, the plan will go into effect later this year.

    “We’re thinking 50 years ahead. The plan needs to be cognizant of how future generations are going to experience the beauty of Golden Gate Canyon State Park,” said Farrow.

    The stunning 12,000-acre space is one the busiest parks in Colorado and provides a backcountry experience within an hour of Denver.

  • Man suffers minor injuries in mountain lion attack; CPW searching for animal

    NATHROP, Colo. – A man sitting in an in-ground hot tub was clawed in the head by a mountain lion on Saturday night, prompting Colorado Parks and Wildlife to launch a search for the animal.

    CPW officers were alerted to the incident around 10 p.m., Saturday, and four wildlife officers responded to the scene – a rental home in a heavily wooded subdivision about five miles west of Nathrop along Chalk Creek.

    The victim had four superficial scratches on top of his head and near his right ear. By the time CPW was alerted and responded, the victim had cleaned the wounds and declined any medical assistance. The officers determined the injuries were consistent with the claw of a mountain lion.

    The victim told the officers he and his wife were sitting in a hot tub, which is located in the ground and away from the house, at about 8 p.m. when he felt something grab his head. He and his wife began screaming and splashing water at the animal. The victim’s wife grabbed a flashlight and shined it on the animal, which they then identified as a mountain lion.

    The light and commotion caused the mountain lion to retreat about 20 feet from the couple in the hot tub. They continued to scream at the mountain lion and after a short time it moved up to the top of a hill near some rocks where it crouched down and continued to watch the couple.

    They were then able to get out of the hot tub and return to the rental house. Inside, they cleaned the scratches and called the property owner who then alerted CPW officers.

    The first two CPW officers on the scene immediately began searching for the lion, following a steep ridge along the creek. No mountain lion tracks could be found due to the freezing temperatures and frozen snow on the ground.

    CPW officers decided tracking with hounds likely would not be successful given the scattered housing in the subdivision and the scene’s proximity to the nearby Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort complex about a mile east. A trap was set nearby in hopes of catching the lion.

    “We think it’s likely the mountain lion saw the man’s head move in the darkness at ground-level but didn’t recognize the people in the hot tub,” said Sean Shepherd, Area Wildlife Manager based in Salida. “The couple did the right thing by making noise and shining a light on the lion. Although this victim had only minor injuries, we take this incident seriously. We have alerted neighbors and posted signs warning of lion activity. And we will continue to track the lion and lion activity.”

    CPW encourages residents to keep reporting mountain lion sightings or activity near their homes; they can do so by calling CPW’s Salida office at 719-530-5520 or calling Colorado State Patrol at 719-544-2424 after business hours.

    Saturday night’s incident is the first reported mountain lion attack of a human in Colorado since Feb. 27, 2022. This is the 24th known attack of a mountain lion causing injury to a human in Colorado since 1990. Three other attacks in Colorado since 1990 have resulted in human deaths. CPW does not characterize lion depredation of pets or other animals as attacks.

    Though mountain lion attacks are relatively rare, it is important to know how to avoid or manage potential encounters. To learn more about living with mountain lions in Colorado, go to https://cpw.state.co.us/lions.

    Wildlife officers will continue to monitor lion activity in the Nathrop area. Officials do encourage residents to keep reporting mountain lion sightings or activity near their homes; they can do so by calling CPW’s Salida office at 719-530-5520 or calling Colorado State Patrol at 719-544-2424 after business hours.

    To reduce the risk of problems with mountain lions on or near your property, CPW urges you to follow these simple precautions:

    – Make lots of noise if you come and go during the times mountain lions are most active: dusk to dawn.

    – Install outside lighting. Light areas where you walk so you could see a lion if one were present.

    – Closely supervise children whenever they play outdoors. Make sure children are inside before dusk and not outside before dawn. Talk with children about lions and teach them what to do if they meet one.

    – Landscape or remove vegetation to eliminate hiding places for lions. Make it difficult for lions to approach unseen.

    – Planting non-native shrubs and plants that deer often prefer to eat encourages wildlife to come onto your property. Predators follow prey. Never feed any wildlife.

    – Keep your pet under control. Roaming pets are easy prey and can attract lions. Bring pets in at night. If you leave your pet outside, keep it in a kennel with a secure top. Don’t feed pets outside; this can attract raccoons and other animals that are eaten by lions. Store all garbage securely.

    – Place livestock in enclosed sheds or barns at night. Close doors to all outbuildings since inquisitive lions may go inside for a look.

  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife recollars wolf 2101 near North Park

    DENVER – On Saturday, February 18, 2023, staff from Colorado Parks and Wildlife were able to recapture and refit the collar on wolf 2101 near North Park. Wolf 2101 was fitted with a GPS collar earlier in the month along with wolf 2301, but the collar came off soon after. This recollaring of 2101 means two male gray wolves are again fitted with collars in Colorado.  

    The collaring effort was conducted in conjunction with elk and moose capture efforts for ongoing research studies in the area.

  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife locates, collars two wolves in North Park

    Colorado Parks and Wildlife locates, collars two wolves in North Park

    CPW placed GPS collars on two wolves in North Park on Feb. 2. Male wolf 2101 has a gray coat and is in the foreground on the right. Male wolf 2301 has a black coat and is in the background on the left. 

    WALDEN, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife placed GPS collars on two wolves in North Park, Colorado on Thursday, Feb. 2. The male wolf 2101 was recaptured two years after his initial capture. The other wolf collared was male 2301, presumably one of six pups produced by female wolf 1084 and male wolf 2101 in 2021.

    “Both animals were caught together in an area of North Park where we have been receiving reports from the public in the past couple of weeks,” CPW Species Conservation Program Manager Eric Odell said. Odell was part of the capture team working to collar wolves in North Park this week along with CPW Wildlife Research Scientist Ellen Brandell and CPW Wildlife Veterinarian Pauline Nol. “We would like to thank the public for sending in their wolf sightings.”

    CPW’s team was doing wolf capture and collaring work in conjunction with elk and moose capture efforts for ongoing research studies in the area.

    “2101’s collar had failed and we could see it was damaged. Wolves are rough on collars and that’s to be expected that in time collars will fail,” said Odell.

    “Refitting 2101 and having a second GPS collar will allow our biologists and wildlife managers to continue learning about the behavior of these wolves,” said CPW Acting Director Heather Disney Dugan. 

    During the collaring effort, a CPW-contracted company safely darted the animal with a tranquilizer from a helicopter, allowing the collar to be fitted by field staff on the ground.

    “Both animals were given a health exam during the collaring process and appear to be in good health,” said Odell.

    It is worth noting that, while collars provide valuable information, they only provide a snapshot and are not monitored in real time. The primary tools used by wildlife officers are field observations of physical evidence such as wolf prints and scat during field investigations to verify the presence of wolves on the landscape.

    CPW also encourages the public to use its wolf sighting form if they see a suspected wolf. Any personal observations, photos or videos taken can help inform CPW staff and fill in the gaps as to wolf activity in the state.

    These collaring efforts occurred on the known wolves in Jackson County that naturally migrated to the state and are not the result of wolf reintroduction efforts. No wolves have been reintroduced under Proposition 114 – now state statute 33-2-105.8.

    CPW placed GPS collars on two wolves in North Park on Feb. 2. CPW’s team was doing wolf capture and collaring work in conjunction with elk and moose capture efforts for ongoing research studies in the area.

     

  • CPW’s big game license distribution and preference point comment form live until February 20, 2023

    DENVER – Colorado Parks and Wildlife is considering changes to policies and regulations that direct the distribution of big game hunting licenses in Colorado. To help inform this process, CPW is looking for input from residents and nonresidents interested in big game hunting in Colorado.  

    CPW is encouraging the public to complete this comment form and share their thoughts on the current big game license distribution process. The comment form will be open through February 20, 2023. Results from this comment form will be shared with the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to inform their decision-making process on big game license distribution.  

    Changes that are being considered: 

    • A preference point banking system
    • Averaging group applicant preference points
    • Updating the high-demand hunt code split from 80% to residents and 20% to nonresidents to 90% for residents and 10% for nonresidents
    • An across-the-board license allocation of 75% to residents and 25% to nonresidents 

    These topics under consideration were requested by the CPW Commission. The results of the comment form will be discussed with the Commission at its March 15-16, 2023 meeting. 

    Changes that have already been made: 
    In November 2022, the Parks and Wildlife Commission approved an update to big game license allocation. The three-year preference point average that is used to determine high-demand hunt codes that are allocated 80% to residents and 20% to nonresidents was updated such that CPW will use the most recent three years (with a one-year lag). 

    The Commission decided to retain the six preference point threshold used to determine high-demand hunt codes, which added about 1,200 deer and elk hunt codes to the 80/20 allocation of high-demand hunts. This change will be effective for the 2023 big game hunting season.

    Why is CPW evaluating big game license distribution now?
    Due to the complexity of the subject as well as on-going interest from stakeholders, the Parks and Wildlife Commission requested that license distribution be reviewed separately from the upcoming Big Game Season Structure. Members of the Colorado General Assembly also showed interest in making changes.