FAIRPLAY, Colo. – To protect wintering big-game animals and sage grouse species, Colorado Parks and Wildlife reminds the public that the collection of shed antlers on all public lands west of I-25 is prohibited from Jan. 1 through April 30.
This closure, in place since 2018, is intended to protect wintering animals from unnecessary human disturbance during the late winter months when ungulate body condition is at its worst.
Big game and sage grouse species live in a basic survival mode during the winter when food is scarce. If forced to move and burn calories unnecessarily, wildlife can lose vital energy stores that they put on in the summer and fall to help last them until the spring green-up.
“Big game animals are already having a hard enough time nutritionally during winter, so the more energy they burn from human disturbance will cause them to burn the energy that is crucial in helping them to make it through the winter,” said Lance Carpenter, Senior Wildlife Biologist for CPW’s Northeast Region. “It is hard enough already for them.”
In addition to the statewide restrictions, additional special regulations are also in place for the Gunnison Basin. In Game Management Units 54, 55, 66, 67 and 551, it is illegal to search for or possess antlers and horns on public lands between legal sunset and 10 a.m. from May 1 through May 15.
Shed antler collecting has become very popular. The interest in personal and commercial collection has led to a substantial increase in the number of people searching for antlers across big-game winter range in Colorado. The seasonal prohibition applies to both commercial and personal collectors.
It is not just those out there looking to find shed antlers that can stress wintering wildlife either. Carpenter encourages those participating in all forms of winter recreation that if you see wildlife, give them a wide berth.
“When you are out there in the winter time, you don’t want to disturb the animals,” he said. “You don’t want to go up close to them, get close-up pictures, you don’t want to make them walk away from what they are doing. Go the other way if you can. They are most vulnerable this time of year.”
Wildlife officers and biologists continue to educate the public about the negative impacts to wildlife caused by irresponsible shed collection and winter recreational activity. Violators of these regulations may face a $137 fine per violation, in addition to separate fines for illegal possession of each shed antler and the five license suspension points that are assessed for each violation.
In addition, apart from the shed collection rules, harassing wildlife remains illegal and CPW officers will cite individuals for violating this regulation, too. Harassing wildlife includes a $137 fine that also carries 10 license suspension points.
To learn more about shed hunting restrictions, please see this question and answer section on shed antlers on our website.
Colorado’s cervids (members of the deer family) drop or cast their antlers at different times in the winter. When that happens is variable based on the age and condition of the animal.
“The harder the winter conditions and poorer condition the animal is in, the earlier they will drop,” said Andy Holland, Big Game Manager for CPW. “Generally, mature animals will cast antlers earlier.”
Deer in Colorado are known to shed their antlers from mid-January through March. Elk may start in February, running through April and moose typically drop their palmate antlers November through January.
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CPW issues reminder of seasonal restrictions on shed antler collection
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CPW locates, collars gray wolf pup in North Park
A photo of 2202, the first gray wolf born and collared in Colorado. The female pup was fitted with a GPS collar in North Park on Feb. 9.
Image: CPW/Eric OdellWALDEN, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife placed a GPS collar on a female wolf pup in North Park, Colorado, on Wednesday, Feb. 9. The collared pup will be identified as 2202. The first two numbers (22) indicate the year the animal was captured. The second set of numbers inform biologists of the wolf’s gender (males will have odd numbers, females will have even) and the order in which it was collared.
The pup is one of six produced by female wolf F1084 and male wolf 2101 in 2021, meaning the newly collared pup is one of eight wolves in the North Park area. F1084 is known to have migrated to Colorado from the Snake River Pack in Wyoming from a previously-fitted collar. That collar had stopped transmitting, leading to the decision to fit a GPS collar onto another member of the pack.
“The second GPS collar in this pack will allow our biologists and wildlife managers to learn more about the behavior of these naturally migrating wolves,” said CPW Director Dan Prenzlow.
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. 2202 is the first gray wolf born and collared in Colorado.
“The wolf pup was given a health exam during the collaring process and appears to be in good health,” said CPW Terrestrial Section Manager Brian Dreher.
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.
Gray Wolves remain a State Endangered species, and wolves may not be taken for any reason other than human self-defense. Illegal take of a wolf may result in a combination of penalties, including fines of up to $100,000, a year of jail time, and a lifetime loss of hunting license privileges.
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CBI’s Missing Children Poster Contest Deadline Extended to Feb. 14
February 10, 2022 – CBI – Lakewood, CO – The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has extended the deadline for entries for the Missing Children Poster contest to February 14. The contest is open to 5th grade students across Colorado as part of a national campaign sponsored by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ).
Each year, the US DOJ takes time to commemorate the valiant and unselfish acts of the many organizations and individuals who bring our missing children home. Since 1983, May 25th has been designated as National Missing Children’s Day.
The poster theme is “Bring Our Missing Children Home” and will feature the artistic talents of kids throughout the United States. All Colorado posters must be submitted to the CBI by February 14, 2022. The national office will not accept any entries. The poster representing the state of Colorado will be submitted to the national office.
The DOJ will announce the winner at the annual National Missing Children’s Day Ceremony in Washington, DC on May 25, 2022. The winner of the national contest, along with his or her teacher and parents, will attend this special ceremony.
In addition to the DOJ ceremony, the CBI will also recognize the top three Colorado students for their winning poster entries at an event in May.
Submit posters to:
CBI
Attn: Poster Contest
690 Kipling St. Ste. 4000
Denver, CO 80215Contact CBI Investigative Analyst Audrey Simkins at 303-239-5764 or for information or questions.
The complete packet of information can be found on the CBI website. One single entry will be submitted to DOJ on behalf of the state of Colorado.
Thousands of children are reported missing in Colorado each year. Law enforcement, citizens, and even children have been instrumental in keeping children safe and returning them home to their families, community, and school.
Attached is Colorado’s winning poster from 2021.
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Colorado sets new record for marijuana sales in a single year
DENVER, Colo. – February 10, 2021 – The Colorado Department of Revenue (CDOR) released December 2021 marijuana sales figures and January 2022 marijuana tax and fee revenue figures, and reports a new record for marijuana sales in a single year. In 2021, Colorado reports over $2.22 billion from marijuana sales (compared to the previous record of over $2.19 billion in 2020). Here is the summary:
The Marijuana Sales Reports summarize total sales made by medical and retail marijuana stores monthly by county. The Marijuana Tax Reports show state tax and fee revenue collected monthly as posted in the Colorado state accounting system. Tax revenue comes from the state sales tax (2.9%) on marijuana sold in stores, the state retail marijuana sales tax (15%) on retail marijuana sold in stores, and the state retail marijuana excise tax (15%) on wholesale sales/transfers of retail marijuana. Fee revenue comes from marijuana license and application fees.To view the full reports, please visit the following CDOR Office of Research and Analysis (ORA)’s webpages: -
Colorado Secretary of State’s Office Concludes Investigation of a Potential Breach in Security Protocol in Douglas County
DENVER, Colo– Today, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold released the following statement regarding the investigation of a potential breach of security protocols for voting system equipment in Douglas County.
“After receiving responses from Douglas County, my office is satisfied that there is no current threat to the county’s election system. We have concluded our investigation,” said Secretary Jena Griswold. “As Secretary of State I will always do what is required to ensure that every Colorado voter, no matter their political affiliation, zip code, or amount of money in their bank account can make their voice heard in accessible and secure elections.”
On January 28, 2022, the Secretary of State’s Office became aware of a potential security protocol breach when it was alerted to a social media post attributed to Douglas County Clerk and Recorder Merlin Klotz, which asserts that Clerk Klotz stated that “we, as always, took a full image backup of our server before a trusted build was done this year.” On January 28, 2022, the Secretary of State’s Office emailed the clerk for information. After receiving no response, on February 3, 2022, the Secretary of State sent an Order to Clerk Klotz requiring the disclosure of information regarding the potential copying of the election server, requiring that video surveillance of voting equipment be activated, and that no one access the voting equipment unaccompanied.
On February 8, 2022, the County Attorney’s Office for Douglas County provided a response on behalf of Douglas County, with a signed statement from both Douglas County Clerk Klotz and Douglas County Deputy Clerk for Elections Jack Twite and a direct letter from Clerk Klotz himself. Douglas County’s submissions attest that Clerk Klotz has not had access to the voting equipment. Only specifically designated and authorized County elections staff have had access to the hardware components of Douglas County’s Election Systems. All individuals with authorized access were contacted, and confirmed that no images of the hard drives were created by them and that no unauthorized person has had physical or system access of any kind at any time.
Douglas County has further confirmed that the premises where the County’s voting system hardware is kept are secured 24/7 with only one card-controlled access, and after reviewing a full year’s worth of access records, the county reported that it “detected no unauthorized access.” The county confirmed that because no unauthorized access was granted to the voting equipment at any time, “we believe that no such images could have been created.” Similarly, Douglas County Clerk Klotz recanted his statement that an image was created.
The Douglas County investigation concluded that neither Clerk Klotz nor any third person had access to create unauthorized images.
The information provided by Douglas County has satisfied the February 3, 2022 Order and the Secretary of State Office’s investigation into the potential breach in election security protocol has concluded.
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FOREVER INDIANS of Strasburg High School: Facebook
The FOREVER INDIANS Group is for all Alumni, Parents, Supporters, designed to SUPPORT all Teams and activities taking place at Strasburg High School. This group is to remain POSITIVE and if a post is deemed negative toward any persons or group they will be removed immediately. Group members please invite other Alumni or Supporters. Members are encouraged to add pictures of HIGH SCHOOL activities and supportive comments as we are here to promote our SHS community in any way possible! This group does not allow the sales of products or services other than approved SHS Fundraiser posts. The more people added to the group, the more support SHS will receive! Thanks and let’s celebrate as FOREVER INDIANS! -
Statement from Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold Regarding the Investigation of a Potential Breach in Security Protocol in Douglas County
Denver, February 3, 2022 – Today, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold released the following statement regarding the investigation of a potential breach of security protocols for voting system equipment in Douglas County and the Election Order issued to Douglas County Clerk and Recorder Merlin Klotz requiring the disclosure of relevant information.
“My office became aware of a potential unauthorized imaging of a Douglas County voting equipment server. The Douglas County Clerk has failed to respond to an email request requiring disclosure of information about this potential breach in election security protocol.” said Secretary Jena Griswold. “To ensure the security of Douglas County’s voting equipment, I am issuing an Election Order requiring the Douglas Clerk to disclose information regarding the imaging of the election equipment server. As Secretary of State, I will continue to protect Colorado’s election infrastructure to ensure that every eligible Coloradan – Republican, Democrat, and Independent, alike – has access to secure elections.
”On January 28, 2022, the Secretary of State’s Office became aware of the potential security protocol breach when it was alerted to a social media post attributed to Douglas County Clerk and Recorder Merlin Klotz which asserts Clerk Klotz stated that “a full image backup of our server before a trusted build was done this year” was taken. On January 28, 2022, the Department of State sent Clerk Klotz an email requesting information regarding the alleged incident, with an answer due to the Department of State by January 31, 2022. Clerk Klotz did not answer and has not answered.
Today, the Secretary of State sent an Order to Clerk Klotz requiring the disclosure of information regarding the copying of the election server, requiring that video surveillance of voting equipment be activated, and that no one access the voting equipment unaccompanied.
This potential breach in security protocol reportedly occurred prior to the 2021 trusted build of Douglas County’s 2021 voting equipment, which updates systems against vulnerabilities. Therefore, the Secretary of State’s Office does not believe at this time that the unauthorized imaging has created an imminent or direct security risk to Colorado’s elections.
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Colorado Missing Persons Day—February 4, 2022 Ceremony to be held at State Capitol
February 2, 2022 – CBI – Lakewood, CO — Colorado Missing Persons Day is being honored with a series of events at the state Capitol building (200 E. Colfax Avenue) beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, February 4, 2022. In addition to a Resolution being read at the Capitol, a prayer vigil will honor more than 1,000 individuals currently missing for more than six months in the State of Colorado.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will also post the list of those missing in Colorado as of February 4 to its website on the day of the event, as well as display a slide show featuring some missing person cases in the state.
Order of events at the State Capitol Building on February 4, 2022
- 8:00 a.m. – Family members of the missing invited to begin gathering in Senate Committee Room 352.
- Note: Masks are required for attendance at the events taking place inside the Capitol.
- 9:00 a.m.— Colorado Missing Persons Day Resolution read during the Senate session.
- 10:00 a.m.— Prayer vigil and reading of the names of the missing on the West Steps of the Capitol building. (This event will immediately follow the reading of the Resolution).
“The CBI remains dedicated to identifying information about those missing in the state, through the Cold Case Database, Cold Case Task Force, and partnerships built with local and national law enforcement agencies and organizations focused on locating missing persons,” said CBI Director John Camper. “Our investigative agents, analysts and forensic scientists not only support our law enforcement community to help bring resolution to these cases, but have also dedicated resources available to families who are navigating the challenges associated with having a missing loved one.”
Family members and friends are asked to share a short tribute about their loved one on the Colorado Missing Person Day Memoriam page created in their honor. (https://www.forevermissed.com/coloradomissingpersonsday/about)
Colorado Missing Persons Day is sponsored by Colorado State Senator Jerry Sonnenberg and Colorado State Senator Rhonda Fields.
Note: CBI Victim Advocates are available for any family member of those missing needing additional support during this difficult time. To contact a CBI Victim Advocate, please call (303) 239-4649.
- 8:00 a.m. – Family members of the missing invited to begin gathering in Senate Committee Room 352.
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MED Issues Health and Safety Advisory
Today, the Colorado Department of Revenue’s Marijuana Enforcement Division issued a Health and Safety Advisory due to the identification of potentially unsafe levels of Total Yeast and Mold contamination in Retail Infused Pre-Roll Marijuana produced by DJR Colorado, LLC DBA High Level Health.
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Warming Centers Open in Several Locations
DENVER, COLORADO, FEBRUARY 1, 2022 –The American Red Cross of Colorado has opened several warming centers for stranded travelers or anyone needing shelter from the extreme cold and winter weather, which are expected this afternoon and may continue overnight into tomorrow, February 2nd. The storm may make travel along I-25, US-36, I-70 and US-285 difficult. The highest totals of snowfall will be across the foothills.
Here is the list of the current places open for people needing to get out of the storm.
- Patriot Learning Center – 11990 Swingline Road, Falcon, CO 80831
- St. Peter Catholic Church – 55 Jefferson St, Monument, CO 80132
- Huerfano County Community Center – 928 Russell St, Walsenburg, CO 81089
- Kilmer Elementary School – 4285 Walker Ct, Monument, CO 80132
For more details, visit http://cowyredcrossblog.org/Feb22-warming-center. This link will continue to be updated as conditions change.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.