FILING - 03/27/2013
Basis and Purpose
Chapter W-9 - Wildlife Properties
Basis and Purpose:
Annual changes have been made to Chapter W-9 - Wildlife Properties. These changes include
modifications to the regulations applicable to all Division-controlled properties, property-specific
regulations, and non-substantive cleanup. Specific changes include:
Newly-opened Properties
Newly-acquired properties have been included in order to provide public access while implementing
stipulations of associated agreements. They are:
 Bighorn Springs SWA (Fishing Easement)
 Perkins SWA
 Ruby Mountain SWA (Fishing Easement)
 Karney Ranch STL
 Mud Springs STL (previously inadvertently removed from regulation)
 Shaw Creek STL
 Ted’s Canyon STL (previously inadvertently removed from regulation)
Bodo SWA
A winter closure was enacted on Bodo SWA in 2011 to protect wintering elk. These regulations allow an
exception for a popular winter hiking trail (Smelter Mountain). The intent is to allow compatible hiking
recreation while maintaining the integrity of the closure intended to protect wintering elk. For this purpose,
access is restricted from 10 am - 2 pm, the time elk are generally the least active, and dogs are prohibited
as ungulates are generally sensitive to their presence.
Boyd Ponds SWA
Boyd Ponds SWA was acquired through a fee title purchase in 1966. It is situated on the South Platte
river near Fort Morgan. Boyd Ponds is completely surrounded by development, including occupied
dwellings and structures, which creates safety concerns for residents adjacent to the property. The City of
Fort Morgan had previously entered into a lease with CPW to manage the SWA and incorporate it into
their parks and nature trail system. That lease has since been formally terminated by both parties.
Consequently, these regulations are intended to address safety concerns and allow for proper
management, and they closely mirror those of other river SWAs on the South Platte.
Jackson Lake and Jumbo (Julesburg) Reservoir SWAs
Waterfowl hunting boat reservations have been removed from these SWAs.
Jackson SWA - Regulations regarding hunting waterfowl from vessels on Jackson Lake during the regular
duck season were introduced through the Blue Ribbon Panel (BRP) study on waterfowl hunting pressure
in the South Platte River corridor. Hunters were required to obtain a reservation through the CPW hunting
reservation system to hunt from vessels. Those regulations allowed waterfowl hunting from vessels until
the opening of the regular dark goose season in November. Under current central flyway season
structures, this amounted to less than 20 hunt days before the start of the dark goose season. This
conflicted with parks regulations, which close the reservoir to boating the first weekend in November.
Prior to the adoption of BRP regulations by the former Wildlife Commission, Parks Board Regulations had
already allowed for hunting from vessels on the reservoir up to the November 1 boat closure. There has
been very little use of this access both during and prior to BRP regulations. In addition, field staff has
received inquiries from members of the fishing public asking why hunters are allowed on the water during
the month of November yet fishing access remains closed. These regulations simplify regulations on
Jackson SWA while still allowing for boat hunting, and they remove a user inequity between waterfowl
hunters and anglers.
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Jumbo SWA - Duck hunting has been allowed at Jumbo SWA from vessels, although very few hunters
have taken advantage of the opportunity. With aquatic nuisance species concerns (Jumbo is positive for
quagga mussel) boaters must be inspected before and after boating on the reservoir. Due to the lack of
interest in this activity, and added administrative expense to inspect boats, these regulations eliminate the
boat hunting reservation program. The use of hand launch vessels for setting and retrieving decoys or
retrieving downed game remains legal.
Mitani-Tokuyasu SWA
The Mitani-Tokuyasu SWA is a CPW-leased property on the South Platte River east of Greeley. The
property is heavily used by duck hunters. There are four designated parking spots on the property.
Regulations restrict access to occupants of those parking spots, and such access is prohibited prior to
4:00 a.m. Previous regulations operated under a first-come, first-served system. Under that system
hunters arrived on the property as early as 10:00 p.m. the night before a hunt in order to insure a parking
spot, which created conflicts with the landowner of the property as well as legal hunters who arrived at
4:00 a.m. to find the lot full. Law enforcement efforts to patrol the property during the night and evict
violators have not solved the issue. These regulations implement a reservation system intended to
remove incentive for hunters to arrive early and spend the night on the SWA.
Pueblo Reservoir SWA
Jumping, diving, or swinging off of rock cliffs, ledges, or man-made structures has been a popular but
dangerous activity conducted around Pueblo Reservoir. Many times alcohol consumption both illegal (under 21
years of age) and legal along with drug use are associated with these activities which further adds to the
inherent risk. Littering, graffiti of the rock face bluffs, and social trail development which damages the native
vegetation also occurs. These activities present an ongoing public safety issue and property management
concern for both Park and SWA managers, and serious injuries as a result of this practice have occurred on
the reservoir. These regulations help preserve public safety and mitigate the potential liability associated with
injuries to visitors by establishing a regulation that prohibits jumping, diving or swinging off of rock cliffs, ledges,
or man-made structures on Pueblo Reservoir State Wildlife Area. A duplicate regulation on the Lake Pueblo
State Park portion of the reservoir has been concurrently established in Chapter P-01.
Shriver-Wright SWA
The Shriver-Wright SWA, formerly the Veteran’s Home parcel of Rio Grande SWA, was recently renamed and
dedicated in the name of two San Luis Valley residents who died tragically in a snow removal accident and who
both had strong interests in water, wildlife, hunting and fishing. Historically, there has been an incorrect
perception that hunting was prohibited on this parcel. Neighbors to the property have expressed safety
concerns about the property being open to hunting. While there are several SWAs that are near developed
urban areas which safely allow hunting, these regulations implement method of hunting restrictions intended to
balance the opportunity for hunting on the SWA with the safety concerns of neighbors.
La Jara STL
The La Jara State Trust Land has been enrolled in the STL Access program since sometime before 2002.
In 2002, this property was administratively closed to motor vehicle access for hunting purposes during the
hunting seasons by common agreement of State Land Board managers, CPW (then DOW) managers,
Colorado State Forest Service managers, and private landowners in the area that were affected. Public
meetings were held at the time in local communities to provide information and gather public opinion. The
closure was an effort to provide a quality hunting opportunity as well as a refuge area in this otherwise
heavily pressured part of the unit for elk in seasonal transition areas between summer and winter ranges.
The closure area was gated and signed, and has been enforced for nearly 10 years. However, the closure
was never entered into regulation by any of the agencies involved. Enforcement was handled through the
regulation that pertains to the signing of closed areas by the Division. These regulations codify and add
enforceability to that closure.
The primary statutory authority for these regulations can be found in § 24-4-103, C.R.S., and the
state Wildlife Act, §§ 33-1-101 to 33-6-209, C.R.S., specifically including, but not limited to: §§ 33-1106 and 33-1-107, C.R.S.
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EFFECTIVE DATE - THESE REGULATIONS SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE MAY 1, 2013 AND SHALL
REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT UNTIL REPEALED, AMENDED OR SUPERSEDED.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE PARKS AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF
COLORADO THIS 7th DAY OF MARCH, 2013.
APPROVED:
John W. Singletary
Chairman
ATTEST:
Mark Smith
Secretary
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