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The I-70 Scout & Eastern Colorado News

Category: Nature & Science

  • Military and veterans get free entry into Colorado state parks in Aug.

    Military and veterans get free entry into Colorado state parks in Aug.

    DENVER – As a thank you to U.S. military members, Colorado Parks and Wildlife offers active duty military, veterans and the National Guard free admission to all state parks for the month of August.

    Military members and veterans, resident and nonresident, can pick up a free August Military Pass at any Colorado state park or CPW office by showing proof of service. Passes become available on Aug. 1, 2022.

    The free park pass provides a chance to experience Colorado’s state parks and the diverse wildlife and landscapes the state provides. All other park fees remain in effect, including camping reservations, boat and off-highway vehicle registrations, and hunting and fishing licenses. The pass is also not valid for accessing State Wildlife Areas.

    To help plan a unique Colorado adventure, visit the CPW park finder. State park outdoor recreation activities include:

    • Water sports- boating, kayaking, paddle boarding and swimming
    • Wildlife and wildflower viewing, birdwatching and tours with naturalists
    • Hiking, horseback riding, biking and rock climbing
    • Stargazing and geocaching
    • Accessibility programs are available to people with disabilities

    CPW offers several additional military benefits to active duty military, veterans and disabled veterans. Programs include free admission to state parks on Veterans Day, year-round free entry to all state parks for residents with Colorado Disabled Veterans or Purple Heart license plates and free small game and fishing combination licenses for qualified disabled veterans. CPW also offers a Columbine Pass which offers reduced park entrance fees to disabled Colorado residents.

    For more information about Colorado’s state parks, visit cpw.state.co.us.

  • EPA, Justice Department, and State of Colorado settlement with DCP Operating Company LP Resolves Clean Air Act Violations at natural gas plants in Colorado

    Agreement reflects joint efforts to reduce harmful air pollution in Colorado communities

    DENVER (July 25, 2022)- The Department of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the State of Colorado today announced a settlement with DCP Operating Company LP and five other subsidiaries of DCP Midstream LP that will strengthen leak detection and repair practices at eight natural gas processing plants in Weld County, Colorado, located within the Denver Metro/North Front Range Ozone Nonattainment Area.

    The settlement was filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado along with a complaint that alleges DCP violated leak detection and repair requirements in federal and state clean air laws, resulting in excess emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and other pollutants to the atmosphere. As part of the settlement, DCP will take corrective actions and pay a $3.25 million civil penalty for the alleged violations.

    “Leaks from equipment like valves, pumps, and connectors are a significant source of harmful air pollutants,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Enforcement actions like this are critical to improving air quality, particularly in places facing air quality challenges like Weld County.”

    “EPA continues to deliver cleaner air through the rigorous enforcement of the Clean Air Act,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker. “This settlement will reduce emissions of over 288 tons of volatile organic compounds and 1,300 tons of methane from production areas near northern Colorado communities, a majority of which are disproportionately impacted by pollution.”

    “The Air Pollution Control Division’s Leak Detection and Repair Program is among the most innovative programs in the nation. Because of our inspectors and enforcement action team, we are able to hold DCP accountable to reducing their emissions from potential leaks,” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE). “The resources obtained from the settlement will help contribute to our Community Impact Fund, a program which supports community-led environmental justice projects.”

    “The Colorado Attorney General’s Office is proud to support the Air Pollution Control Division in this important work to protect and improve Colorado’s air quality, particularly in communities disproportionately impacted by air pollution,” said Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. “This settlement serves as a model for addressing complex issues through collaboration between our state agencies and federal counterparts like EPA and the Department of Justice.”

    Under the settlement, DCP has agreed to strengthen its leak detection and repair practices at the Greeley, Kersey/Mewbourne, Platteville, Roggen, Spindle, O’Connor and Lucerne natural gas processing plants, as well as the to-be-constructed Bighorn natural gas processing plant. These commitments include installing equipment that leaks less pollution to the atmosphere, reviewing compliance with leak detection and repair requirements, and repairing leaking equipment faster. DCP will also improve staff training for leak detection and repair at its facilities. Additionally, DCP has agreed to use optical gas imaging technology to improve the visual detection of leaks and address them quickly.

    DCP will also install additional pollution reduction measures at the Kersey/Mewbourne natural gas processing plant that are intended to mitigate the harm caused by its past emissions. Specifically, DCP will install a dry seal recompression system on two turbines at the Kersey/Mewbourne plant. This project will cost an estimated $1.15 million and is expected to reduce VOC emissions by 26 tons per year and methane emissions by 375 tons per year.

    The Denver Metro/North Front Range nonattainment area, which includes Weld County, does not meet national air quality standards for ground-level ozone pollution. Equipment leaks at DCP’s plants emit VOCs, which lead to the formation of ground-level ozone. Ozone contributes to serious public health concerns, including respiratory illness, aggravation of existing heart disease and temporary breathing difficulty for people with asthma. Young children and the elderly are especially sensitive to these impacts. Leaks from equipment at DCP’s plants also emit methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.

    Working with CDPHE, EPA’s enforcement program is increasing efforts in Colorado to ensure compliance and protect the health of vulnerable populations. Several of the natural gas processing plants covered under this settlement are located in disproportionately impacted communities.

    The consent decree is available for public viewing at https://www.justice.gov/enrd/press-room. The United States will publish a notice of the Consent Decree’s lodging with the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado in the Federal Register, and will accept public comment for 30 days after the notice is published. The Federal Register notice will also include instructions for submitting public comment.

  • CPW to discuss license allocation and preference points, among other hunting and fishing topics, at next Northeast Region Sportsperson Caucus

    CPW to discuss license allocation and preference points, among other hunting and fishing topics, at next Northeast Region Sportsperson Caucus

    DENVER – An important public meeting where Colorado Parks and Wildlife will discuss hunting license allocation and preference points with hunters, among a host of other topics, will take place Thursday, Aug. 4 at the Northeast Region Sportsperson Caucus.

    That meeting will be held in-person from 6-8 p.m. on the third floor of the Scheels in Johnstown (4755 Ronald Reagan Blvd.) on Aug. 4. It will also be streamed live via CPW’s statewide Facebook page, for those who are unable to attend in person.

    Northeast Region Manager Mark Leslie and staff will be providing updates from CPW on hunting, angling and other topics within the region.

    Attendees of the meeting will also be electing one delegate that will serve as a regional representative at the statewide Sportsperson’s Roundtable. This elected individual will be one of two representing the Northeast Region on important issues at the statewide level. Nominations for the regional delegates are currently being accepted and during the Aug. 4 meeting, voting will take place to elect the new delegate.

    To apply to be a regional delegate, please email Margo Federico at . The deadline to apply is Monday, Aug. 1.

    Regional delegates have the opportunity for direct communication with CPW and acting director Heather Dugan about hunting, fishing and other issues in the Northeast Region. Regional delegates will be expected to attend the statewide Sportsperson Roundtable that meets twice a year. The next statewide meeting is being held later in August.

    CPW relies on the roundtable to help give guidance in setting policies, regulations and resource management.

    During the Northeast Region Sportsperson’s Caucus, staff from CPW will also be providing general updates on the following topics, along with fielding questions from attendees:

    • Review of waterfowl in region and the waterfowl hunting season

    • Status update on Chronic Wasting Disease – focus on white-tail and mule deer on the northeast plains and its effect on license allocations and buck harvest.

    • A look at pheasant, quail and turkey populations.

    • Small-game walk-in access properties.

    • Pronghorn population status update.

    • CPW fishing access properties.


    If you wish to submit questions in advance of the meeting to be sure your topic is covered, please email those to .

    Who: CPW Northeast Region Sportsperson Caucus
    What: In-person meeting with live streaming available via CPW’s Facebook page
    When: Thursday, Aug. 4 | 6-8 p.m.
    Where: Scheels in Johnstown (4755 Ronald Reagan Blvd) on the third floor
    Info: Call 303-291-7227 for addition information

  • Emergency public fish salvage begins immediately at Jumbo (Julesburg) Reservoir

    Emergency public fish salvage begins immediately at Jumbo (Julesburg) Reservoir

    Jumbo Reservoir, State Wildlife Area, Colorado Walleye Association Tournament

    Archive photo of Jumbo Reservoir (courtesy of Mandi Brandt/CPW)

    BRUSH, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife is announcing an emergency public fish salvage at Jumbo (Julesburg) Reservoir effective immediately (Monday, July 25). 

    Due to high irrigation demand created by severe drought, the water level in Jumbo Reservoir is expected to decline to a point that will likely result in a loss of the entire fishery resource. Water levels are expected to be below the boat ramp in early August, which would eliminate access for trailer-launched boats.

    The public salvage is being announced in order to optimize use of the fishery resource as outlined:

    — The emergency fish salvage is permitted only at Jumbo (Julesburg) Reservoir from sunrise to one half hour after sunset.
    — All anglers must have a valid Colorado fishing license in accordance with state statutes.
    — No commercial angling is allowed.
    — Only angling methods that are currently legal at the reservoir are allowed. Learn more by clicking here.
    — Current size, bag, and possession limits for all species are suspended for Jumbo (Julesburg) Reservoir until the emergency public fish salvage is terminated.
    — Notification of the emergency public fish salvage opening and closure will be made through press releases, and signs will also be placed at the reservoir.
    — If weather conditions change and significant rain events occur near Jumbo Reservoir, CPW may rescind this public salvage.  
    — No motorized vehicles, including dirt bikes, ATVs, or UTVs, are allowed on the lake bed.
    — The end date of the emergency public fish salvage will be announced by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

    If the fishery resource is lost, CPW plans to rebuild Jumbo’s fishery as soon as water levels allow, according to local fisheries biologist Mandi Brandt.

    “It is very unfortunate to possibly lose such an incredible and popular fishery,” Brandt said. “The fishery plays an important role in the local economy. This public salvage provides a great opportunity for anglers to take advantage of the current resource in Jumbo Reservoir, which includes walleye, saugeye, crappie, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish.”

    Fortunately, CPW has experience rebuilding fisheries and will plan on doing just that when adequate water levels return to Jumbo.

    If the fishery at Jumbo needs to be rebuilt, anglers are encouraged to fish the other reservoirs on Colorado’s northeastern plains. 

    “North Sterling and Prewitt Reservoirs both have great walleye and crappie populations for anglers to utilize, and Jackson Reservoir is a great walleye and wiper fishery.”

    Similar to all northeastern plains reservoirs, Jumbo Reservoir was constructed to store irrigation water for agricultural use. Water used to fill the reservoir is diverted from the South Platte River between the towns of Proctor and Crook, and flows through a 22-mile earthen inlet canal before reaching the reservoir. 

    First filled in 1907, Jumbo Reservoir is 115 years old. Since the primary function of Jumbo Reservoir is to store irrigation water, water levels routinely drop during the irrigation season. During a typical year, water levels are drawn down by approximately 15 feet. During dry years more water is needed for agricultural purposes, drastically reducing water levels and creating many fish management challenges. 

    Due to severe drought conditions, the reservoir was completely drained in the early fall of 2006. Severe drought conditions returned in 2012 and 2020, resulting in CPW initiating public fish salvages in those years.

    General Information: Jumbo Reservoir is a 1,578 acre water (at full capacity) located on the Jumbo State Wildlife Area. Fishing pressure is moderate to high. 

    Location: Logan and Sedgwick Counties. From I-76 take Exit 155 and head 3 miles north to Hwy 138. Take Hwy 138 1 mile northeast to CR 95. Take CR 95 2 miles north to the reservoir.

  • Governor Polis appoints three members to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission

    Governor Polis appoints three members to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission

    Denver – Governor Jared Polis appointed by executive order Eden Vardy of Aspen, Richard Reading of Denver, and Gabriel Otero of Fruita to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission on July 1, 2022. They serve terms that expire on July 1, 2026.

    Vardy was reappointed to serve as a representative of production agriculture and a member west of the Continental Divide. He is the founder and executive director of The Farm Collaborative, a farm and nonprofit that connects children and the community to nature and their food sources, and engages the next generation to become the farmers of tomorrow.

    Reading was appointed to serve as a representative of the public at large. He is the Vice President for Science and Conservation for the Butterfly Pavilion, the first stand-alone nonprofit insect zoo in the United States, where he oversees the Research and Conservation, Curatorial, and Horticulture departments.

    Otero was appointed to serve as a representative of sportspersons and a member west of the Continental Divide. He is the Senior Campaign Specialist for the Wilderness Society, a nonprofit land conservation organization dedicated to protecting natural areas and federal public lands in the United States, where he develops and implements National Monument and Wildlife Refuge campaigns.

    Reading and Otero replace commissioners Charles Garcia and Luke Schafer, who attended their last Commission meeting in Buena Vista in June. At the meeting, CPW Acting Director Heather Dugan expressed gratitude for the outgoing commissioners.

    “I appreciate the perspectives you both brought which allowed me to look at things through your lens and see where you were coming from,” Dugan said. “Both of you have made CPW better and added to our history and I want to thank you for your service.”

    The CPW Commission is a citizen board, composed of 11 governor-appointed members which sets regulations and policies for Colorado’s state parks and wildlife programs. For more information on the CPW Commission and existing members, visit cpw.state.co.us.

  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to meet July 21 – 22

    Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to meet July 21 – 22

    EDWARDS, Colo. – At a hybrid in-person/virtual meeting in Edwards, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission will discuss closing the 2022 hunting season for greater sage-grouse in GMU 2, updating the disease testing requirements for cervids in commercial parks, 2023 Snowmobile Program Grant Funding recommendations, implementing the Keep Colorado Wild annual pass, and implementing a refund program for instances where customers’ Keep Colorado Wild passes overlap with annual passes.

    The meeting is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Thu., July 21 and adjourn at 3 p.m. for a Commission tour of Sweetwater Lake. The commission will reconvene at 8:30 a.m. on Fri., July 22 and adjourn at noon. The meeting will be streamed live on CPW’s YouTube page.

    Additional agenda items include:

    • Department of Natural Resources update
    • Department of Agriculture update
    • Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) update
    • Financial update
    • License distribution update
    • Keystone Policy Center and CPW updates on wolf planning
    • Planning and implementation for Colorado’s species of concern

    A complete agenda along with all materials for public review for this meeting can be found at cpw.state.co.us. The public is encouraged to email written comments to the commission at . Details on providing public comments for virtual meetings are available on the CPW website.

    The commission meets regularly and travels to communities around the state to facilitate public participation. Anyone can listen to commission meetingsthrough the CPW website. This opportunity keeps constituents informed about the development of regulations and how the commission works with Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff to manage the parks, wildlife and outdoor recreation programs administered by the agency. Find out more about the commission on the CPW website.

    The next commission meeting is scheduled to take place on September 8 and 9.

  • Local Youth Tackle Conservation Projects in Colorado’s Outdoors

    COLORADO SPRINGS and DENVER, CO – June 27, 2022–Applications are open for Mile High Youth Corps’ (MHYC) Land Conservation Fall Trail or Forestry Program. MHYC is searching for positive, hardworking individuals between the ages of 18 and 24 to spend 10-13 weeks this fall serving on environmental stewardship projects throughout Colorful Colorado. During their season, crews will complete more than 30 conservation projects spanning 23 counties and make profound impact on the community, the environment, and themselves.

    Mile High Youth Corps’ Land Conservation Program is rooted in the tradition of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s and is devoted to the improvement and sustainable development of our two most important resources – youth and the environment. Youth participants, called Corpsmembers, are assigned to a crew that works on a variety of conservation-focused projects on public lands. These include construction and maintenance of recreational and safety access trails, habitat restoration, fire fuel mitigation, historical preservation and park development projects. Corpsmembers earn a bi-weekly stipend, and are enrolled in AmeriCorps, earning a scholarship to be used towards advancing their learning after the program. They also receive up to 4 free mental health counseling sessions.

    Corpsmembers have opportunities to network with federal, state and local natural source professionals and access to a vast alumni network. Corpsmembers will also receive training in one or more stewardship skillsets, including chainsaw operation, trail building and maintenance and pesticide application. No experience is necessary, MHYC provides hands-on training related to all projects.

    Corpsmembers receive industry-recognized certifications that lead to effective service and highly- desirable qualifications and experience that support opportunities for future employment in natural resource management.

    “As Corpsmembers complete their terms and move on, often to careers in conservation, the lessons learned remain with them,” said Jesse Roehm, Director: Land Conservation for Mile High Youth Corps. “Their futures are stamped with greater knowledge and understanding of environmental concerns impacting Colorado’s natural resources. These experiences are passed on to friends and family and help to create life- long environmental stewards for generations to come.”

    Project partners scheduled for the fall include:

    • Adams County Parks and Open Space
    • Aurora Parks, Recreation and Open Space
    • Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks
    • Cañon City Area Recreation and Park District
    • Castlewood Canyon State Park
    • Cheyenne Mountain State Park
    • Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety
    • Colorado Open Lands
    • Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services
    • Denver Parks & Recreation
    • Denver Water
    • Fishers Peak State Park
    • Green Mountain Falls
    • Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
    • HistoriCorps
    • Lake Pueblo State Park
    • Lakewood Parks, Forestry and Open Space
    • Manitou Springs
    • Pueblo State Fish Hatchery
    • Trinidad
    • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
    • US Forest Service: – Pikes Peak Ranger District
    • US Forest Service: – San Carlos Ranger District
    • Westminster Open Space

    If you are between the ages of 18 and 24 and looking to make a difference, please consider joining Mile High Youth Corps for the fall season and earn while you learn. Apply online now at www.milehighyouthcorps.org/apply-now

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    About Mile High Youth Corps

    Mile High Youth Corps (MHYC) is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization established in 1992 to give youth ages 18 to 24 a chance to earn an income and learn hands-on job skills while serving in their communities. In its first year, 20 youth served Denver neighborhoods through a single 10-week program. Today, MHYC engages more than 250 youth every year through several comprehensive programs that integrate paid work experience on community service projects with leadership development, career and college exploration, and education. During our 30 year history, Mile High Youth Corps has grown from a small, seasonal, neighborhood-based organization to a comprehensive, year-round, regional program serving 23 counties from two regional offices in Metro Denver and the Southern Front Range of Colorado. Our mission is to help youth make a difference in themselves and their community through meaningful service opportunities and educational experiences.

  • Triple-digit temps forecast for the Southwest into next week

    An active start to the North American monsoon has helped to keep temperatures relatively in check in the Southwest recently, but AccuWeather forecasters say that the chance of thunderstorms will decrease in the coming days, allowing temperatures to swell across the region.
    Much of the monsoon’s moisture has been focused over Colorado, New Mexico and southeastern Utah as of late. Farther to the west, many locations have received very little, if any, rain. When the ground is dry, the sun’s energy is not needed to evaporate moisture. Instead, the ground is heated quickly which results in higher temperatures.
    As a ‘heat dome’ shifts to the west this weekend and into next week, temperatures will be on the rise. Underneath a heat dome, sinking air causes temperatures to climb, and precipitation and cloud cover tend to be limited.
    “A resilient heat dome that has brought hot weather to the southern Plains this week will spread into the Southwest and park itself there, likely through much of next week,” said AccuWeather Meteorologist La Troy Thornton.
    One example of a city that will be under the dome of heat is Las Vegas. The last time Las Vegas had measurable rain was on March 28 when 0.1 of an inch of rain fell. This extended period of dryness will allow for efficient heating, and the mercury will rise to around 110 degrees Fahrenheit by Monday, a few degrees shy of record territory. Similar values are likely on Tuesday and Wednesday.
    People planning to visit outdoor destinations, such as Zion National Park and Arches National Park in Utah, should avoid hiking in the afternoon when temperatures are near their peak.
    Phoenix received 0.31 of an inch of rain in late June thanks to monsoonal thunderstorms. However, no measurable rain has fallen since, and the ground is fairly dry. Temperatures will rise above 110 degrees as early as the weekend and stay there through much of next week. The highest predicted temperature is 112 degrees on Monday. However, the temperature may be a degree or two lower in some Phoenix neighborhoods thanks to the city’s Cool Pavement Program aimed at reducing the intensity of the urban heat island effect.
    As high as these temperatures are expected to be, records are unlikely to be broken.
    “Record heat may be hard to come by for many locations because this is already a very warm time of year,” explained Thornton.
    Farther north, Salt Lake City has had four days above 100 degrees so far this year. That number may double or triple by the time next week comes to an end. The heat will peak a bit later in Salt Lake City, as the heat dome builds northward throughout next week.
    Since normals and records are not as high in Salt Lake City as they are in the Desert Southwest, this may be an exception to records being out of reach. The forecast high of 105 F on Saturday would surpass the correct record for the date of 102 F. The mercury could also challenge the daily record of 107 F on Wednesday, July 13.
    With moisture suppressed, the chance of monsoonal thunderstorms will be low outside of New Mexico. However, given the lack of moisture, any thunderstorms that do develop may produce more lightning than rain. These are called dry thunderstorms as most or all of the rain falling from the clouds evaporates before making it to the ground, while lightning from the storm could spark fires in the parched landscape.
    The greater focus of any thunderstorms should be on the edge of the heat dome.
    “The monsoon’s moisture will shift west and fuel spotty thunderstorms across the mountains of Nevada and California by the middle of next week,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Mike LeSeney.
    It may take until next weekend for temperatures to lower somewhat as the heat dome finally begins to weaken and shift eastward over the Plains.

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  • Soil Erosion Strategies

    Soil erosion from both wind and water can happen nearly anytime in Colorado. When soil leaves a field due to wind or water, the field’s productivity is reduced. Topsoil that leaves a field is the best soil and is high in organic matter. Low organic matter soils experience reduced crop yields. In addition, blowing soil can have consequences on the field the soil is blowing into not to mention a dust storm’s effect on the environment with reduced visibility. Water erosion simply carries top soil off your field and into someone else’s or the topsoil is carried into streams and lakes as sediment. Some weather issues magnify soil erosion potential such as drought, which reduces the amount of crop residue raised and thus the amount of cover protecting a field. Summer flooding due to intense rain storms can create water runoff issues.
    The most effective soil erosion control strategy is to leave crop residues in place after harvest. This strategy insures maximum cover during winter dormant periods. Crop residue management includes practices such as reduced till, no-till, stubble mulch, strip cropping and cover cropping. Each of these methods substitutes chemical or cover weed control for tillage. Each one of these practices have advantages and disadvantages but all will help reduce both wind and water erosion potentials in a field. The bottom line is; when soil remains covered from the previous crop’s residue, both wind and water erosion will be reduced, leaving topsoil in place. Tillage, drought and flooding increase soil erosion issues.
    What can be done when wind erosion has overtaken a field? Emergency tillage is an option to suppress wind erosion. Emergency tillage strategies should include the following: use a combination of tractor speed, tillage depth, and implement shovel size to achieve the roughest soil surface with the most soil clods. Surface roughness is the number one wind erosion control strategy when wind erosion is the issue. The rougher the soil surface with more dirt clods, the more protected the field will be. This condition becomes more difficult with extremely dry soils. Try to start the emergency tillage on upward wind field locations. Till in a perpendicular direction to prevailing wind direction. Our prevailing winds mostly come from the south making an easterly-westerly tillage direction most effective, when possible. Variations of this tillage direction can still be effective. Try and skip passes (up to 50% of the field) from tillage which leaves some crop residue anchored. Tillage should not be solid. Shovel spacing of 24 to 40 inches can reduce wind erosion, depending on soil type and conditions. If a second tillage is needed later, increase the tillage depth.
    The best wind and water soil erosion control strategy is leaving past crop residues in place. However, if soil erosion from wind becomes an issue due to drought, emergency tillage can be a short-term option.
    Source: Kansas State University MF2206

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  • CPW renews warning to expect aggressive wildlife as mothers defend their young
    helpful information

    CPW renews warning to expect aggressive wildlife as mothers defend their young

    COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – An incident between a hiker with a dog off-lease and a defensive cow moose with a calf on a Teller County trail prompted Colorado Parks and Wildlife to renew its call for caution in the backcountry.

    On Thursday, a woman with her dog reported a confrontation with a cow moose and its calf about 45 minutes up the popular Crags Trail, which is off Colorado Highway 67 about 3 miles south of Divide.

    The hiker told CPW her dog was running off-leash when a cow moose charged from the brush, chasing the dog. The hiker said she yelled at the moose and it turned and charged her. In her effort to run, she fell and suffered a broken arm.

    The hiker told CPW the moose stood over her until it resumed chasing the dog. Eventually the moose and calf wandered off and the hiker and her dog retreated down the trail to her car.

    “This incident is a reminder of why we warn everyone to respect wildlife and give them their space,” said Tim Kroening, CPW’s Area Wildlife Manager for the Pikes Peak region. “We know Colorado residents love their dogs. But to keep them safe, we urge people not to take their dogs into wildlife habitat during fawning and calving season and never let them off-leash.

    “These confrontations can happen with bears, moose, elk, deer and other wildlife and especially when dogs are involved. They view the dogs as a predator and react in defense of their young.”

    CPW officers posted warning signs on the Crags Trail on Friday urging people to avoid the area and, if they proceed, to be especially alert to moose along the trail.

    The incident is another in a series of recent moose conflicts that have resulted in injuries to people in Colorado. At least two others also involved cows exhibiting defensive behavior of their nearby calves.

    One was on a woman running on a trail in Breckenridge on May 26. The second was on May 31 in Grand Lake when a woman encountered a moose five-feet away in some willows near her home. As she started running away, she fell down and then felt the moose stomp on her back and head. 

    “This cow moose was exhibiting classic protective behavior of its calf,” Kroening said. “If you are in the backcountry, give wildlife extra space. Especially this time of year when wildlife are raising their young. 

    “Also be sure to keep dogs on leashes. Better yet, keep them at home.”

    As a precaution against run-ins with moose, Kroening urged hikers to avoid thick willow habitat in riparian areas where they are likely to be found eating or resting. Their calves, born in a 3-4 week period from the end of May to mid-June, are often lying in the willows while their mother is off grazing. 

    Calves, which weigh 26-28 pounds at birth, typically gain about two pounds of weight per day, reaching weights of 385-400 pounds by October.

    CPW produced a video illustrating how people can be safe and responsible around moose. The video is available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6Qj9K_eJJE&t=2s

    Video of a newborn calf with its mother during the May 31-June 1 snow that hit Colorado’s high country: https://youtu.be/B2wk2oHUdas

    Kroening said the best thing is to leave young wildlife alone, untouched in their natural habitat so they can grow and thrive in the wild.

    “Do not approach, touch or feed wild animals,” Kroening said. “Enjoy wildlife from a safe distance. Keep your dog on a leash and on trails.

    “Perhaps most important, if you find a wild animal that appears sick or injured, leave it alone. Call your local Colorado Parks and Wildlife office and talk to a trained wildlife official for guidance.”

    For more information, please visit our website with spring wildlife advice.

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