https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/7b4d75deb75d6dc0018e3fa0f307763d.pdf cceab3135f42787612082f63b613afdf PDF Text Text FOR WILDLIFE, FOR PEOPLE >- "' :5 b it ~ Ul STATE OF COLORADO Roy Romer, Governor DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Ken Salazar, Executive Director COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE Perry Olson, Director 6060 Broadway• Denver, CO 80216 (303) 297-1192 1992 ANNUAL REPOR ~1--- - - -- - - - - -- - -- - -- - - - - -- - - - -- -- - -- - - - -- - -- - - -- - - - - - - -- --j g Di vision of Wildlife Fulfilling Promises of Its Long-Range Plan 0 7. < "" Where The Money Comes From § A The Div ision·s L ong-Range Plan ( LRP) promised that a significant amount of money wou ld be spent increasing the public' s access to w ildli fe. What 's been done to do that? Ua In 1992, the Division or Wildlife got legislative approval for three i mportant acquisitions: a 22-mile stretch of the South Platte Ri ver near Han sel , a 4-m ile stretch on the South Fork of the South Platte and 1,666 acres along the Colorado and Wi lliams Fork ri vers near Parshall. These acquisitions will provide anglers, big and small game South Platte River. hunters and wildlife watchers w ith excellent opportunities in the years to come. The Di v ision also arranged to open up new fishing areas - three reservoirs on Pikes Peak and Monument Lake - to public use. The Pikes Peak reservoirs have been closed since 1900. The Di vision also opened up 1.5 miles of the Arkansas River near Salida to public fishing. I I A The LRP also promised significant . . . efforts to improve wildli fe habitat. What ' s been clone? I Using revenue from the state's waterfowl stamp. the Di vision funded 16 waterfow l habitat improvement projects worth over $600.000. Since its creation two years ago, sales of the stamp have funded 40 projects worth $ 1.3 million. A Pheasant Habitat Improvement Program was begun to increase wi nter survi val of pheasants, and 57 sorghum plantings and 38 plum thi ckets were establi shed. I In addi tion, a half dozen real estate transactions were completed during 1992. protecting 2,000 more acres for wildlife habitat. Last year, the Fishing Is Fun program al so funded 12 projec ts worth $900.000 in communities throughout the state. These proj ects not only improve habitat but also increase fishing access. To elate. Fishing Is Fun has paid for 11 9 projects worth $7.5 million. Where the Money Comes From FY 1991-92 ■WildlHe Cash/Other $56,315,873 86.3% □Federal Aid $8,525,547 A What' s in · • store for the future? Last year. the Di vision clraftccl plans for what the D enver CHASE s w 1F1 Post cal led the " most ambitious land-acquisition program in the agency" s history." In addition to the purchases described above. plans call for acqui sition of another $500.000 worth of big game access. S2 million wo11h of river-bottom hunting access and for $2 million 10 provide water to improve fishing and wildlife habitat at reservoirs in southeastern Colorado. The Di vision also asked the Colorado Wildlife Commission for authority to lease up to 500,000 acres of state school lands and open them up to w ilclliferelatecl recreation over the next 10 Mule deer buck. CI./\UDE STEELMAN years. WJ J.l)SJJOTS I The Colorado D i vi sion of W i ldli fe recei ves no state tax money. Instead it is funded by the purchase or hunting and fishing l icenses and by federal funds generated by an exc ise on the manufacture of guns. ammunition and o ther sporting equipment. II 13.1% ■ Nongame Checkoff $377,320 Totol Revenues $65,218,740 .6% Wildlife Cash includes license soles revenue. Interest ond othe1 cosh income. Federot Ald includes Prttmon-Robertson ond Dlngetl-Johnson f\Jnds, grants and ofh8! federal monies. The Nongome Checkoff includes donations from Colorodo toxpoyers who give o portion of their fox refund or moke o donation using the state tax form. Revenue From License Soles FY 1991-92 ■Nonresident Hunting $32,071,345 62% Resident Hunting $8,223,663 16% □Resident Fishing $7,924,542 15% □Nonresident Fishing $3,296,904 7% Total Revenues $51 ,516,454 Where the Money Goes FY 1991-92 ■Hunting Recreation $27,633,101 50.7% O Fishing Recreation $23,198,450 42.6% ll!Nongame Wildlife $2,099,086 3.9% O watchable Wildlife $1,524,577 "2.8% Total Expenditures $54,455,214 �THE YEAR IN REVIEW Division of Wildlife Has Long List of Accomplishments in 1992 For the most part, the past 12 months Estimated Sportsmen Expenditures* for have been good ones for Colorado's Hunting and Fishfog in Colorado in 1991 wi ldli fe resources. In 1992, the Di v i sion of Resident Nonresident Total Wi ldlife: All Hunting $403,631.800 $186.997.800 $590.629,600 • Transplanted 26 moose to an area Deer Hunting $126.390.000 $91,363,800 $217,753.800 above Creede as the initial step in starting Per Hum~r $854 $1.067 a m oose populat i on in southwestern Elk Hunting S134.321.000 $94,938.800 $229.259.800 Col orado. Per Hunter $1,164 Sl.450 • Stocked nearly I 00 million fish, All Fishing $585,978,800 $334,433.000 $920.411,800 including 5 million catchable-sized (9- 12 • tndudc~ sccom.13ry economic impact using a local ~crvicc mul~ inches) rainbow trout, in the state's waters. tiplicr of 1.2. • Released 80 prairie ch ickens o n the eastern p l ains, three river otters alo ng the Dol ores and 29,000 g reenback cutthroat trout in Rocky Mountain National Park and along the Arkansas River as part o f the state's effort to recover these species. • Started work o n nine projects to improve habitat for mountain goats and bighorn sheep. • Upgraded efforts to help citizens learn about and enjoy wi l d li fe with publicati on of new guides to w ild li fe v iewing, hunting and fishing. " Lugares Propici os Para Pescar en Col orado" provided a Spani sh language vers ion of tips on some of the state's best fishing holes. • Taught ethics and safety training to more than 18,000 new hunters throug h the Following is the actual appropriat ion to the Division by the state legislature and what your license dollars are buy ing for FY 1992-93. The figures are for operat ing expenses only and exclude capital construction costs. FY 1992-93 Budget What The Money Buys Di vis ion Adm ini stration ~ Pays for human resources, accounting, computer serv ices, $2,534,457 (29.8 FTEt) plann ing and other administrati ve ser v ices. Hunting Recreation $2 1,537,536 (339 FTE) ~ Pays for trapping . transplanting, biological research, property managem ent, law enforcement, hunter education, brochures and all activities re lated to hunting. Fishing Recreation ~ Pays for bi o logi cal research. regulation devel opment, hatch$ I 6,4 34,040 (286. 7 FTE) eries and stocking operatio ns, l aw enforcem ent, aquatic educati o n, brochures and all acti v ities rel ated to fi shing. Watchabl e Wildli fe $964,992 ( 14. 1 FTE) ~ Pays for development of wildli fe vi ewing sites on 10 Di vi si on propetties, publication of books, brochures and other informatio nal activ ities. Nongame/Endangered ~ Pays for efforts to recover peregrine falcons, prair i e chickWildlife ens, greenback cutthroat trout and other speci es, research o n $2, 100,342 (29.2 FTE) b iodiver sity . L i censing Informat i on System $ 1,239,2 14 (2 FTE) • Trai ned nearly 1,500 teachers in Project W I LD, a program that enables classroom teachers to pass in format ion about w ildli fe and the environ ment on to their students. • R el eased anot her 15 osprey into the wi ld near Fort Col lins in a j oi nt effort with local busi ness and citizens. Hunting Recreation Program m FY90-9l FV?l-92 FY?l-93 Actual Actual lt~l. 1;1 ELK No. of Hunters <2l 192,907 205,394 207.200 Elk Population m 183.497 198.860 190.000 Success Rate 27% 23% 25% Harvest 51.595 46.320 50.000 DEER No. of Hunters 121 246.797 241.977 210,300 Deer Population 131 600.560 585.410 580.000 Success Raic 37% 33% 35% Harvest 90.490 79.384 85,000 OTHER BIG GAME No. of Hunters C2I 18.462 17.182 14.586 SMALL GAME No. of Hunter.. 121 143.342 142.497 145,000 Hunt Prag. Rev. $40,841.580 $45.783.763 $47,662.467 Hunt Prog. Expd. $24,077.992 $27.633.101 S32.226,779 Revenue Per Hunter $67.89 $75.36 $82.59 Expenditure Per Hunter $40.03 $45.52 $55.84 Fishing Recreation Program (lJ FY90-91 FY9 l-92 py92.93 Actual Adual E.~t. ,Sl No. of AnglersNl 698.894 719.510 687,075 Recreation Days 7,059.000 8,224.000 7,560.000 Catch per Day 2.7 2.8 2.5 Fishing Rev. $15, 160.857 $18,457,809 $18,803.089 Fishing Expd. $19,582,45 1 $23,198,450 $37,756,351 Nor•game/Endangered Species p) FY90-9I FY91-92 FYl/2·93 Atlual Actual Est. 1.S-1 eas ier to buy o r apply for licenses, find information o n preference po ints, hunter education cards, etc. Pays for ser v i ces provided by other state agencies - e.g., the attorney general , the Divisi on o f Accounts and Control s, etc. ~ Pays for an nual Commi ss ion initiati ves such as research projects, efforts to i nc rease minority students and inner c ity youths' invol vement in natural resource managem ent, educati o nal programs, etc. Colorado Outdoors ~ M o ney generated by sales o f subscriptions to and products Magazine Revol ving Fund created by the state's conser vation m agazi ne. Pays for productio n o f the magazine and its products. $589,057 (4 FTE) Search and Rescue Prog. ~ M o ney comes from the 25-cent surcharge on licenses and $80 ,000 ( .5 FTE) pays for costs of finding lost hunters and fishermen. Instream Flow Program ~ Prov ides funds for Col orado Water Conservation Board to ensure t hat there i s eno ugh water for fish and w i ldli fe in the $28 1,295 state's lakes and stream s. Wildlife Education Prog. ~ $53, 136 Habitat Partnership $485,000 . T aug It 1 I 200 11·1g h SC I100I SU t dents ' about water q ual ity and aquatic env ironments thro ugh the Ri vers of Colorado Water Watch program. ~ Pays for development of a computer system that w ill m ake it Indirect Cost Assessment~ $2,378,30 1 Commi ssi on Di scretionary Fund $500,000 hunter educat ion program. Pays for an environmental educati on consultant in D epartment o f Education. The Div i sion i s the onl y agency that funds env ironmental educ atio n efforts in Col orado. ~ Pays for cooperative effort between sportsmen, local l andowners and the Divisi on to improve wildlife habi tat. t FTE = One full-lime po'-ition. ,t cicsof ndetem1ined Status 246 246 246 Species of Special Concern 24 24 24 Species Threatened 6 6 6 Species Endangered 17 17 17 Recovery Plans in Place 10 II 14 Nongame Revenue S581.250 $824,039 $888.268 Nongame Expd. $2,214.047 $2,099,086 $2,210,422 Watchable Wildlife Program 01 FY9l-92 FY92-93 . Actual Actual &t. rsi No. of Participants 2,400,600 2,520.650 3.202,500 Revenue $336,293 $153,130 S161.093 Watch. Wild. Expd. $1,279,426 $1.524,577 S1,657.817 FY90-9l ( I ) Rc\'cnuc and cxpcndi1urc figure;; arc calculated on a fi~rtl rear ha.,i,. All other ligurc:-. arc cakulalL·d on :1 c.·alcndar yc:ir b~ is. Figures for progmm cxpcn<liturc:.. include allocation of :ill ai;cm:y cxpcnd i1urc:. (operating. capit:11 con, 1m<.·t1on, ;;pcc..·ial p11rpo-.c. paymcm-. 10 other agcncic:... c1c.). t2) Defined :1, !he nu mber of lil·cn'l"1' 1-oltl 1ha1 perm it the holder 10 engage in 1hc 'J>edficd :tetivi1y. (J) Po, 1 hum p<1pula1ion. (-1) Figure, for CY 1990cxcludc the number of additional-day liccm.c holder:,;.. (5} fa1im:11c in"·luding all cxpcndi1urcs a-.-.ociatcd wi1h the proir.un. such as capital com,1rui.:1ion 1.·o"t", lhc progr:.un's share of administr..ui , c co. . ,~. CIC. � https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/72b7405e6b351d987cc87e7ef49e34bb.pdf 1dbed6d495b7dae3523cd158cd9c07c3 PDF Text Text STATE OF COLORADO Roy Romer, Governor DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Ken Salazar, Executive Director COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE Perry Olson, Director 6060 Broadway• Denver, CO 80216 (303) 297-1192 1993 ANNUAL REPOR Division of Wildlife focuses on habitat, public access in 1993 In its 1988 Long Range Plan, the Colorado D i vi sion of Wildlife promised citizens that it would invest in protecting w ildlife habitat and increasing access to wildlife areas. The D i vi sion continued to keep that promise during 1993, spending $9.6 million to open 100,000 acres and 50 miles of stream to public use. Among new properties available to the publi c are 28 state school land properties, leased from the state Board of Land Commissi oners and totalling 90,000 acres. Notable among those are 32,000 acres surrounding LaJara Reservoir in southwestern Colorado. Leasing this property not only provides access but also provides opportunities to improve habitat for deer, elk, bighorns, other mammals, birds, amphibians, repti les and fish. T he 1993 acquisitions are part of a I 0-year project by the D i vision to lease up to 500,000 acres of state school lands. During 1993, the Division also opened the Breeze K emp Unit of the Hot Su lphur Springs State Wildlife Area (SWA). Acqui sition of this former Denver Water Board property makes 3.5 miles of prime fishing areas on the Williams Fork and Colorado rivers available for public use for the first ti me. The Di vi sion also opened two properties Badger Basin and the 63 Ranch - which together provide access to nearl y 30 miles of the Middle and South forks of the South Plaue Ri ver and Four M ile Creek, all in South Park. The James John SW A (formerly the Vandermeu len Ranch) southeast of Trinidad in Las A nimas County also opened during 1993. Acqui sition of this property protects habitat for deer, elk, turkey, small game and waterfowl. T hough less glamorous than acquisition pro- Leasing 28 state school land prOJ?erties increases public access for wildlife recreation. jects, activities such as working with local governments and public land management agencies to include w ildli fe needs in development plans, and monitoring minimum streamflow and water quality, are ongoing contributions to the protection of wildlife and its environment. Status of peregrines, eagles upgraded in 1993 Ul In what the Denver Post described as a " maj or move to restore beleaguered species to levels of stabi lity," the Colorado Divi sion of Wildlife " downlisted" four birds from endangered to threatened status during 1993. The four birds included the A merican peregrine falcon, the bal d eagle, the greater sandhill crane and the greater prairiechicken. Just how well are the four species doing? In the early I 970s, for example, Colorado had just one breeding pair of bald eagles and si x breeding pairs of peregrines in the state. By the close of I 993, biologists counted 19 breeding pairs of eagles and 53 breeding pairs of peregrines. Simi larly, the populati ons of greater sandhill cranes and greater prairie-chickens had exceeded recovery program targets. ..J "':, "' !;; z < 2 "',_ "' ~:t .. z § ;;: Ul z 2 ~ .."' Ul Division turns attention to LRP The Divi sion put a lot of effort into revising and updating the Long Range Plan over the last year. The draft plan i tsel f di vided Division activities into four areas - wildli fe resource, wildlife-related recreation, wildlife education and quality management. The plan envisioned the Division maintaining the resource and current customers while allempting to expand services and outreach efforts to all citizens. A second draft of the plan was to be ready in January, with final approval by the Colorado Wildlife Commission set for March, 1994. Where the money comes from The Colorado Division of Wildlife receives no state tax money . Instead the agency i s funded by the purchase of hunting and fishing Licenses; by federal funds generated by an excise tax on the manufacture of arms, ammunition and other sporting equipment; by donations to the nongame fund and by federal endangered species funds. Where the Money Comes From FY 1992-93 Where the Money Goes FY 1992-93 ■Wildlife Cash/ other FY 1992-93 ■Nonresident Hunting $57,863,209 83.2% ■ Federal Aid $11 ,346,920 16.3% ■ Nongame Checkoff $340,331 .5% Revenue From License Sales Total Revenues $69,550,460 Wildlife Cash includes license sales revenue. Interest and other cash income. Federal Aid includes ~~~gt~·~Of~~~~gr~6~1~i_n~~l~~~~~~~uc~:·ci~;ts Includes donatlons from Colorado taxpayers who give a portion of their tax refund or make a donation using the state tax form. $32,020,031 61 % ■ Resident Hunting $8,396,132 16% ■ Resident Fishing $8,187,532 16% ■Nonresident Fishing $3,546,193 7% ■ Hunting Recreation $30,285,258 43.6% ■Fishing Recreation Total Revenues $52,149,888 $35,043,384 50.4% ■ Nongame Wildlife $2,547,922 3.7% ■watchable Wildlife $1,593,944 2.3% Total Expendffures $69,470,508 �THE YEAR IN REVIEW Division of Wildlife has impressive list of accomplishments in 1993 The list of new areas opened to public use by the Division of Wildlife is just the beginning of what the Di vision did for you, wi ldlife and the environment during 1993. Those accomplishments included: ■ Transplanting 65 moose from North Park to an area near Creede and 20 desert bighorn sheep from Arizona to an area near Delta. ■ Stocking almost 100 million fish, including 5 million catchable-sized rainbow trout. ■ Reclaiming Lake John, the legendary fishing hole in North Park. In July, the Division began removing the large population of suckers and restocking the 565-acre lake with trout. By fall, the lake had regained it status as one of Colorado's major fisheries. ■ Teaching 200 middle and high school students about aquatic habitat and water quality at schools in 10 new river drainages through the Rivers of Colorado Water Watch project. More than 1,300 students now participate in this environmental education project annually. ■ Continuing to transplant greater prairiech ickens in northeastern Colorado. A n estimat- Estimated Annual Expenditures* for Hunting and Fishing in C olorado All Hunting Deer Hunting Per Hunter Elk Hunting Per Hunter All Fishing Resident S403.631.800 $126.390.000 S854 S134.32 1.000 S1.164 $585.978.800 Nonresident SI 86.997.800 $9 1.363.800 S1.067 $94.938.800 $1.450 S334.433.000 Total S590.629.600 $217.753,800 S229.259.800 $920.4 11.800 * Includes secondary economic impact using a local service mul• Iiplier of 1.2. ed 10,000 greater prairie-chickens now have expanded their range from Brush to Wray. ■ Granting more than $900.000 in matching funds to improve angler access and aquatic habitat in I 5 communities as part of the Fish ing Is Fun project. ■ Opening wildli fe viewing areas/exhibits at different sites throughout the state including Chatfield State Park in Denver, Pueblo SWA, Fountain Creek Regional Park in El Paso County, along the Boulder Creek Trail in Boulder and at the Woodward Nature Trail at the Radium SWA near State Bridge. Here's how much money has been appropriated for Division operations and what it actually buys, excluding expendi tures for capital construction. The state fiscal year runs from Jul y I to the following June 30. FY 1993-94 Budget What The Money Buys Divi sion Administration _ . Funds human resources, accounting, computer services, planning $2,5 14,476 and other administrative services. Hunting Recreation _ . Pays for trapping, transplanting, biological research, property mgmt., $22.309,2 17 law enforcement, brochures and all activities related to hunting. Fishing Recreation _ . Pays for biological research, regulation devel opment, hatcheries and $16,926,444 stocking operations, law enforcement, brochures and all activities related to fishing. Watchable Wildlife Funds development of w ildlife viewing sites, publication of books, $968,668_ . brochures and other infonnation activities. Nongame/Endangered Pays for efforts to recover peregrine falcons, greenback cutthroat W i ldlife $2,244,919 _ . trout and other species, research on bi odiversity, etc. Indirect Cost Pays for services provided by other state agencies - the attorney gen$2.011,269 _ . eral, the Division of Accounts and Controls, etc. W ildlife Commission Funds annual Commission initiati ves such as research projects, Discretionary Fund _ . efforts to increase minority students and inner city youths' involve$475,000 ment in natural resource management, educational programs, etc. Colorado Outdoors This money i s earned through sales of subscriptions to and products Revol ving Fund $568,784 _ . created by the state's conservation magazine. Pays for production of the magazine and its products. Search and Rescue Program Money comes from the 25-cent surcharge on licenses and pays for $300,000 _ . costs of finding lost hunters and anglers. Instream Flow Program _ . Provides funds for Colorado Water Conservation Board to ensure that $28 1,295 there is enough water for wildlife in the state's lakes and streams. W i ldllife Education Pays for an environmental education consultant in Department of Program $54,962 _ . Education.The Division is the only agency that funds environmental education efforts in Colorado classrooms. Habitat $460,750 - . Pays for cooperative effort between sportspeople, l ocal l andowners and wi ldlife officials to improve w ild life habitat. TOTAL $49,115,784 The Division also receives annual appropriations from the legislature for capital construction projects, covering everything from the repair of restrooms to the development of major recreation facilities. Tnfonnation on those funds is available from the Division at (303) 297-1192. ■ Moving 76 endangered Arkansas darters to a pond at Fountain Creek Regional Park. ■ Initiati ng an aggressive public information program to help prevent connicts between people and wildlife, particularly bears and mountain lions. ■ Providing training for about 1,500 Colorado elementary and secondary school teachers through Project WILD. an interdisciplinary approach that allows teachers to integrate information about wildlife into school curriculum. ■ Initiated efforts to stabilize water level s at John Martin and the Great Plains reservoirs in southeastern Colorado. Hunting Recreation Program ( I ) FY91 -92 FY92-93 FY93-94 Actual Actual EsL ELK No. of Hunters ( 2) 205.394 216.401 218.550 Elk Population (3) 198,860 211,300 210,000 Success Rate 23% 23% 26% Harves1 46,320 50.145 57.000 DEER No. of Hunters (2) 241.977 197.106 195,000 Deer Population (3) 585.4 10 607,200 575,000 Success Rate 33% 38% 35% Harvest 79.384 73,955 68,000 OTHER BIG GAME No. of Hunters (2) 17. 182 16,082 16,000 SMALL GAME No. of Hunters (2) 142.497 129,606 130,000 Hunt Prog. Rev. $45,783.763 $49,454,482 $47,582,335 Hunt Prog. Expd. $27.633.101 $30,285.259 $37,636,892 Revenue Per Hunter $75.36 S88.44 $81.88 Expcndi1ure Per Hunter $45.52 $54. I 6 $64.77 Fishing Recreation Program <tJ FY91-92 FY92-93 FY93-94 Actual Actual Est. No. of Anglers 719,5 IO 729,550 735.000 Recreation Days 8.224.000 8.006.238 8,050.000 Catch per Day 2.8 2.8 2.5 Fishing Rev. S18,457.809 $19,244, 129 $19,778,019 Fishing Expd. $23, I 98.450 $35,043,384 $31.140.702 Expd. per Fish Caught S.99 S1.56 S1.6 1 Nongamc/Endangered Species ( I ) FY 91-92 FY92-93 FY93-94 Actual Actual Est. Species of Undctennined Status 246 246 241 Species of Special Concern 24 24 24 Species Threa1ened 6 6 11 Species Endangered 17 17 15 Recovery Plans in Place 11 14 16 Nongamc Revenue $824,039 S660,710 S956.971 Nongame Expd. $2,099.086 S2.547,922 S2.398,263 Watchable Wildlife Program <1> FY91-92 FY92-93 FY93-94 Actual Actual Est. No. of Participants 2,520,650 3.300.000 3.362,625 Revenue $153.130 S21 1.159 218,592 Watch. Wild. Expd. S1,524,577 SI .593.944 $1,798,697 (I) Revenue and expenditure figures are calculalCd on a fiscal yoar basis. All other figures are cakulmed on a calendar year basis. Figures for program expendirurcsinclude operating, capital construction. special purpose. payments 10 other agcncie8, etc. (2) Defined as the number of licenses sold 1ha1 pennil lhe holder to engage in the specified activity. (3) Post hun1 population. � https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/50cc08d3aedb5df6fdcaab3a894dbf33.pdf 35cb9fc426de5dbc2a968bb225fff65a PDF Text Text 1994 ANNUAL REPOR STATE OF COLORADO Roy Romer, Governor DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES James S. Lochhead, Executive Director COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE Perry Olson, Director 6060 Broadway• Denver, CO 80216 (303) 297-1192 Division of Wildlife increases public responsiveness in 1994 trust land propenies opening up 60.000 Among the Di visi on's most signifiacres of land for hunting, fishing and cant accomplishments for 1994 was Every 15 minutes or so. squeals from across the pond alened the wildlife viewi ng. In two years. the adoption of a long-range plan ( LRP) group that a boy or a girl had just reeled in a prize. Di vision has leased a total of 150,000 describing changes the Di vision will "I got a fish! I got a fish," acres of state trust lands and made them need to make 10 belier serve its conscreamed one kid after another. avai Iable for public use. stituency in the future. The others would take a look The Division also responded to pubThat plan divides the Division\ work th st lie concerns about the future of into four areas - protection of wildlife and eame ty reel in eir lines and re-cast to try their luck and wildlife habi tats. wildlife-related again. w ildli fe-related recreational activities recreation, wildlife-related education During the summer of t 994. by proposing legislation discounting the and information. and responsive manabout 2,000 Denver children cost of hunting and fishing licenses for auended the Washington Park young people. Beginning Jan. I. 1995. agement. The LRP envi sions the those 15 and under can buy a fishing Divisi on maintaining both the resource Youth Fishing Program in and its current customers while expand- Denver. Sponsored by the Col orado Division of Wildlife. i t was pan and small game hunting license for $ 1, of an ongoing effon to encourage inner-city youths to fish and to with a hunter safety card and free coning servi ces for citizens. servation certificate. The Division al so undenook a review learn more about wildli fe and the natural world. Kids attended the class for one day. In the morning they teamed of its management activities with the about ecology, fish identification. safety and ethics. After lunch. they T he Di vi sion changed th e st ructure of idea of increasing the efficiency of its picked up trash from around the pond and fished in the afternoon. the big game hunting seasons for the activities by 15 percent. Study results The kids got to take home their rods and reels. And the fish, of course. next five years. Combined deer and elk are clue in the spring or 1995. '------'--~'--~ - ~ - -- - -- - - - - - - - - - ' seasons will continue: opportunities 10 hunt bucks will be slightly longer at the In I 994, the Division also responded will take the idea a step further in I 995 by request of Colorado deer hunters. to citi zen holding the drawing for all deer and elk licenscomplaints es in April , allow ing people more time to pl an about the for their vacations. GOCO, Lottery help wildlife timing of Last year, the Di vision started a database of In 1994. the Division used $ 1.5 million in the drawing citizens who participate in wi ldli fe-related GOCO (Louery) funds to stan 19 projects that for limited recreation. The Colorado Outdoor Recreation will not only help biologists understand more deer and elk Information System will make it easier for peoabout species such as the sharp-tailed grouse and hunting ple to retrieve information about hunter educathe boreal toad, but will also increase wildlife licenses by tion numbers. preference points, etc. watching opponunities statewide, educate holding a Responsi veness had a very practical impact youngsters about wildli fe, help recover and prosingle drawon license buyers during 1994 as well. Refunds tect T& E species and create the first. centralized ing for buck of the purchase or licenses, changing licenses database about wildlife species in Colorado. and bull from season to season and several other adminThe GOCO trust fund dispenses the money licenses earistrati ve procedures are more customer friendly from Lo11ery ticket sales 10 projects to protect lier in the now. parks, open space and wildlife and its habitat. year. The In response to citizens' requests for more 1.....:::__ _:.:::.:::L:..::...~~ .e:.....'"""'"""'....it1 Division access 10 wi ldlife, the Division leased 46 state Kids Plunge into Washington Park Fishing Program Where the money comes from The <:;olorado Division of Wildlife receives no state tax money. Instead the agency is funded by the purchase of hunting and fishing licenses; by federal funds generated by an excise tax on the manufacture of arms, ammunition and other sporting equipment: by donations to the nongame fund and by federal endangered species funds. Where the Money Comes From FY 1993-94 □Nonresident Hunting $34,970,62 1 63% □Resident Hunting $8,651,398 □ Federal Aid $9,756,649 13.8% Total Revenues $70,603,891 .5% FY 1993- 94 FY 1993- 94 [ ]Wildlife Cash/Other $60,484,676 85.7% ■ Nongame Checkoff $362,566 Where the Money Goes Revenue From License Soles Wildlife Ca sh includ es license soles revenue. interest and other c ash income, Federal Atd includ es 1 ~~;;i,~-:~l~I!~r~~~l~.n8'~ ~t~~~~uc~~~~~ts inc ludes d onations from Colorado taxpayers who give a portion of fhelr fox refund Of make a do na tion using the stare tax form. ~ D 15% □ Resident Fishing $8,41 9,882 15% ■ Nonresident Fishing $3,7t4,075 7% □ Hunting Recreo1ion $28,910, 177 45.7% Fishing Recreation $30,546,138 48.3% [:]Nongame Wildlife $2,437,777 Total Revenues $55,755,976 3.9% ■ watchable Wildlife $1,348,628 2.1% Total Expendttures $63,242.720 �THE YEAR IN REVIEW Division of Wildlife produces significant achievements 1n 1994 Borrowing a phrase from Mr. Sinatra, I 994 was a very good year for the Colorado Di vi sion of Wi ldlife. Among its more significant achievements were: ■ Completion of 27 habitat improvement projects aimed at helping waterfowl , bighorn sheep, mountain goats and elk. The Divisi on matched about $9,000 from the w ildlife cash fund with donations from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, from an auction of sheep and goat hunting licenses and from sales of the state waterfowl stamp to raise nearly $500,000 for those projects. ■ Rearing and stocking more than 44,000 pounds of warm-water fish species and 82 million inches of cold-water fish species, including more than IO mi llion rainbow trout. In all, nearly 65,000 miles of stream and 2,000 indi vidual lakes were stocked last year. ■ Completion of 13 "Fishing I s Fun•· projects designed to help improve habitat or fishing access in local communities statewide and okayed $9 16,000 wort h of new projects. ■ Increasing work on a large number of species of special concern and threatened and Estimated Annual Expenditures• for Hunting and Fishing in Colorado :All Hunting Resident Nonresident $433,856.000 $206.958.000 ))eer Hunting Sl26.769,000 Total $640.814.000 $98,592,000 $225.361.000 :Elk Hunting $152,589,000 $107,661,000 S260.250.000 :All Fishing $975.834.000 $608,094.000 $367,740,000 *Includes secondary economic impact using a local service multiplier of 1.2. endangered species. This work ranged from the banding of white pelicans on the Western Slope and in ventorying of burrowing ow ls to work on recovery plans for other endangered species. ■ Training more than 19,000 students in hunter safety and outdoor ethics. Included in that group was the state' s first-ever women only hunter education class and i ts first-ever class for single parents and their children. ■ In partnership with CSU' s Human Di mensions in N atural Resources Unit, completed I 0 research studies aimed at assessing public atti tudes toward wi ldlife issues. ■ Establ ished the Colorado Ecosystem Following is the Division of Wildlife's actual appropriation from the state' s L ong (budget) Bill and what that money actually buys, excluding expenditures for capital construction. The state fiscal year runs from July I to the following June 30. FY 1994-95 Budget What The Money Bought Divi sion Administration_. Pays for accounting, human resources, computer services, planning $2,734 .402 and other administrative services. Hunting Recreation _ . Funds trapping and transplanting, biological research, propeny mgmt.. $23. 123.975 l aw enforcement, brochures and all activities related to hunting. Fishing Recreation_. Funds biological research. regulation development. hatcheries and $ l 7, 593,75 I stocking operations. brochures, law enforcement and all acti vities related to fi shing. Watchable Wildlife~ Pays for development of w ildlife viewing sites, publication of books $ I ,023, 22 I and brochures and other information activities. Non_gar~e/Endangered ~ Funds efforts to recover T &E species like greenback cutthroat trout, Wildlife $2,303.730 research on other species, biodiversity, etc. Great Outdoors Colorado ~ Board Grants $ 1,500,000 l n~irect Cost ~ $2.374,74 I The appropriation of lottery funds from GOCO; pays for wildlife habitat improvement. species inventory, etc. Funds servi ces from other state agencies, i.e., the A ttorney General, Di vision of Accounts and Control, et al. Wi l~life <;ommi ssion Pays for annual Commission initiatives such as mgmt. review of Discretionary Fund _ . Di vision activities from the LRP recruitment of diverse workforce. $475,000 ' Money earned through the sale of subscriptions and products of the Colorado Owdoors ~ state conservation magazine. Pays for production of the magazine Revol vmg Fund $735,365 and its products. Search and Rescue Program ~ Money from a 25-cent surcharge on licenses; pays costs of finding $300,000 lost hunters and anglers. Instream Flow Program ~ Provides funds for Colorado Water Conservation Board to ensure that $299,01 7 there is enough water for wildlife in the state's lakes and streams. Wildlife Education ~ Pays for an environmental education consultant in Department of Program $57.540 Education. The Division is the on ly agency that funds environmental education effon s in school classrooms. Habitat $734.795 ~ Pays for cooperative effon between sportspersons, landowners and wi ldlife officials to improve local wildlife habitat. TOTAL $53,255,537 In 1994, the Division also recei ved an appropriation of$8,702.657 for capital construction projects ranging from development of recreation facilities to building repairs. Partnership which aims to bring loca l. state and federal officials and landowners together to focus on ecosystem management. ■ Beginning to develop watchable w ildli fe sites at eight of Colorado ·s state parks and on 15 state wildli fe areas. ■ Adding another 200 middle and high school kids to the Rivers of Colorado Watcrwatch Progam . A bout 1,500 students annually participate in thi s environmental education program, which teaches kids about aquatic habitat and water quali ty. ■ Looking for sites for the potential reintroduction of black-footed ferrets by continuing to map prairie dog colonies. Hunting Recreation Program ( ll FY92-93 Aetuol FY93-94 FY94-95 r ~i A , t ..nl ELK No. of Hunters (2) 216,401 236.904 220.000 Elk Population (3) 211.300 196.400 220.000 Success Rate 23% 20% 23% Harvest 50,145 47.365 50,600 DEER No. of Hunters (2) 197.106 195.054 195.000 Deer Population (3) 607.200 545.200 580.000 Success Rate 38% 32% 35% Harvest 73.955 61,5 15 68.000 OTHER BIG GAME No. of Hun!ers (2) 16.082 20.016 16.000 SMALL GAME No. of Hunters (2) 129.606 133.079 130.000 Hunt Prog. Rev. $49,454,482 $50.478.338$51.3 11,228 Hunt Prog. Expd. $30,285.259 $28,910.177 $31.362.747 Revenue Per Hunter S88.44 S86.28 S9 l.46 Expenditure Per Hunter S54. 16 $49.42 S55.4 I Fishing Recreation Program (I, FY92-93 FY93,94 FY94,95 Actual Actual Est. No. of Anglers 729.550 751.281 765.000 Recreation Days 8.006.238 7.600.000 8,100,000 Cmch per Day 2.8 2.5 2.5 Fishing Rev. S19.244.1 29 $19.086.256 $19,40 1.1 79 Fishing Expd. $35,043,384 $30,546,1 38 $33,898.163 Expd. per Fish Caught S1.56 $1.61 S1.64 Nongame/Endangered Species ( I ) FY 92-93 Actual FY93-94 Actual FY94-95 Est. Species of Undetermined Status 246 171 17 l Species of Special Concern 24 31 31 Species Threatened 6 11 12 Species Endangered 17 15 15 Recovery Plans in Place 14 15 21 Nongamc Revenue S660.710 S854.240 S868.335 Nongame Expd. S2,099,086 S2,437,777 S2.667.396 Watchable Wildlife Program (t) FY92-93 Actual FY93-94 FY94-95 Actual Est. No. of Participants 3.300.000 3.360.000 3.500.000 Revenue $2 11 ,159 $188.057 S188,111 Watch. Wild. Expd. Sl.593,944 Sl.348.628$ 1.535,142 ( I) Revenue and expenditure figures arc calculated on a fiscal year ba.sis. All other figures are calculated on a calendar year basi.s. Figures for program e,c:pcnditures include operating. capital construction. special purpose. payments to other agencies. etc. (2) Defined as the number of licenses sold that pcnnit the holder to engage in the specified activity. (3) Post hunt population. � https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/2eac18fa9acd14bcb20572dcaee2ebd0.pdf 6c95c7d35ac0b29be735ff958cd9576c PDF Text Text STATE OF COLORADO Roy Romer, Governor DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES James S. Lochhead, Executive Director COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE John W. Mumma Director 6060 Broadway• Denver, CO 80216 (303) 297-1192 1995 ANNUAL REPOR Division of Wildlife enters era of change during 1995 1995 marked the beginning of maj or changes in the way the Colorado Di vision o r Wildlife operates. The most signifi<.:ant change may have been at the top. Long-time direc1or Perry Olson retired af1er a 37-year career w ith 1he Di visi on. He was replaced by John Mumma, a former regional forester for the U.S. Forest Service and wildlife consultant. A mong the major challenges M umma faced was implementation of the Di vision's management review, an effort to free up resources to implement the agency's l ong-range pl an, approved a year earlier. That plan envisions the Division maintaining both 1he wildlife resource and customers al current levels while expanding services to citizens. W hen fully implemented, the management review promises to streamline Di vision acti vities, increasing i1s efficiency and effectiveness. " I strongly support the mission, goals and obj ectives co111ai ncd in the D i visi on's longrange plan and i111cnd to implement the recommendati ons in the D ivision's management review fully and on lime," Mumma said. The Division offered angler education programs and new youth fishing licenses to encourage young pco11lc to learn to fish. A lso during 1995, the Divisi on introduced damage their properly, bul banned stell -jawed new youth hunting and fishing licenses in an traps. Responding to requests from sportspersons, allempt to encourage young people 10 particithe Di vision al so tried to hold its drawing for pate in wildlife-related recreation. Nearly limited hunting licenses two months earlier 11 ,000 young people took advantage of the than usual. The idea was to gi ve hunters earlier combination license and another 12,000 young notice of the success of their application and people purchased the big game hunting license. more time 10 make vacation plans as a resull. Responding to anglers' concerns, the Unfortunately, despite its best efforts, this Divi sion and the Colorado Wildlife was one change that did not go as smoothly as Commission last year enacted simpli fied reguhoped. Problems with the computer forced the lations covering fi shing on the state"s 8.200 Di vision to delay the actual draw- the first miles of streams and 180,000 acres of l akes. such delay since the agency began the compulGenerally, the Commission continued existing er drawing almos1 three decades ago. Thanks 10 bag limits for most species, except on some the effort of a lot of indi vidual employees, specific waters, and defined artifici al flies and licenses evenwally ended up in hunters' hands lures to keep up with industry advances. and the big game sea ons came off w ithout a T he Di vision and the W ildlife Commission hitch. also a11empted 10 strike a balance between the needs and John Mumma was appointed director of the desires of trappers and Colorado Division of Wildlife on a Friday. That the state's agricultural Monday, he was on the job. interests and those ''I wanted to get going," the 56-year-old former opposed to rec real ion- U.S. Forest Service manager said. al and commercial Mumma became just the eighth director in the 98trapping. After an year history of the Division in November, 1995 and ex tensi ve effon profaced several immediate challenges, capped by the viding all sides with need to implement the Division's long-range plan. opportunities to re"Change does bring about a certain amount of anxsolve the issues them- iety," Mumma said. "But there are some things that selves, the Commiswe will need to change so that the public will be satisfied." sion set speci fie seaHolding a bachelor of science degree from the University of New sons for eight furbear- Mexico, Mumma began his career with the U.S. Forest Service in 1968 ing species while clos- and sc;rved as director of wildlife, fisheries, and ecology for Colol,'B,do ing seasons on another oontain Re~on. as a - J}!l nine. T he Commission n region ontana, onn ota, an o) 101l): . umma allowed landowners to managed an independent natural resources consultant firm since 1991. take predators that Mumma named Division director Where the money comes from The Colorado Division of Wildlife recei ves no state tax money. Instead the agency i s funded by the purchase of hunting and fishing licenses; by federal funds generated by an excise tax on the manufacture of arms, ammunition and other sporting equipment: by donations to the nongame fund: by federal endangered species funds and with state lottery funds administered by GO Colorado (GOCO). Where the Money Comes From FY 1994-95 Revenue From License Soles $61,513,3-14 83% □Federal Aid $10,790,144 15% ■GOCO $1,079,058 1% ■ Nongame Checkoff ■ Nonresident Hunting ■ Hunling Recreation 533,880,008 62% □Resident Hunting 58,263,927 $33,585,426 49% □ Fishing Recreation $29,491 ,589 43% ■ Nongame/Endangered Prag. $3, 127,269 Tolal Expendilures 5% $68,257,113 ■Walchable Wildlife $2,052,829 3% 15% Tolal Revenues $73,695,370 $312,824 ■ Resident Fishing 58,657,023 16% .4% Wildlife Cash Includes llcense soles revenue. Interest and o ther c ash Income. Federal Aid Includ es 0 0 ~i~~gt~!, ,~~~~~~~~e~'.~~~~ ~8~g~it8~1~;i~~ Includes lotlery proceeds. The Nongome Checkoff Includes d onatioris from the s1ote tax form. Where the Money Goes FY 1994-95 FY 1994-95 ■ Wildlife Cash/ Olher ■ Nonresidenl Fishing $3,989,869 7% Total Revenues $54,790,827 �THE YEAR IN REVIEW GOCO educational project among Division achievements 1n 1995 Officials from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), the Di vision of Wildli fe and the Denver Zoo used 1995 to prepare for a spring ground breaking for a major new environmental education facility, the Gates Urban Wildlife Conservation Center. Located at the Denver Zoological Gardens, the 16,000-square-fool building will serve as a focal point fo r wildlife education programs for thousands of Colorado stude nts annually. Construction of the center will be funded with lotlery money granted by GOCO and significant contributions from the City of Denver, the Denver Zoological and Gates Foundation. Other achievements included: ■ Completion of 38 habitat improvement. projects aimed at helping waterfowl, sheep, mountain goats and elk. The Division matched donations from t11e Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, from an auction of sheep and goal hunting licenses and from saies of the state waterfowl stamp 10 raise nearly $ 1.5 million for those projects. ■ Beginning 47 projects. costing $337,000, to improve pheasant habitat. ■ Continuing educational programs designed to provide classroom teachers with info rmation &timated Annual Expenditures$ for Hunting and Fishing in Colorado All Hunting Deer Hunting Elk Hunting All Fishing Resident $4I2,896,000 $131,621,600 $141,605,200 $554,963,200 Nonresident Total $210,949,200 $623,845,200 $103,063,400 $234,685,000 $107,100,400 $248,705,600 $3n,271,400 $932,234,600 "Includes secondary economic impact using a local service multiplier of 1.2. about wildlife that can be passed on to students. Funded with GOCO money, the Teaching Environmental Science Naturally (TEN) program in Pueblo reached about 60 teachers and 700 students last year. In all, TEN, Project WILD and other Division education programs reached 12,000 teachers and their students . ■ Stocking more than 47 mi llion warm-water fish species and 15 million cold-water fish species, including more than IO mill ion rainbow trout. In all. 323 streams totalling 4, 155 mi les and 1,046 individual lakes were stocked . ■ Completion of 15 " Fishing ls Fun" projects designed 10 help improve habitat or fishing Following is the Division of Wildlife"s actual appropriation from the s1a1e·s Long (budget) Bill and what that money actually buys. excluding expenditures for capital construction. The stale fiscal year runs from July I 10 the following June 30. FY 1995-96 Budget What The Money Pays For Division Administration_. Pays for accounting, human resources. computer services, planning $2,857,8 14 and other administrati ve services. Hunting Recreation _ . Funds trapping and transplanting, biological research, property mgml.. $24,069,406 law enforcement, brochures and all activities related to hunting. Fishing Recreation_. Funds biological research. regulation development. hatcheries and $I8,0 17 ,339 stocking operations. brochures, law enforcement and all act ivities related to fishing. Watchable Wi ldlife_. Pays for development of wi ldlife viewing sites, publication of books $ 1.009,8 19 and brochures and other information activities. Non_game/Endangered _ . Pays for work to recover T&E species such as greenback cullhroat Wildlife $2,348,956 trout, research on other species, biodiversity, etc. Great Outdoors Colorado _ . The appropriation of loucry funds from GOCO; pays for wildlife n ___. r-, ____ ,. _ d' I £ AC. A 1 , 1 uua ,u ,.na,n~ .p i ,u-.u,-.,.., habitat improvement, species inventory, etc. st Indirect Co _ . Funds services from other state agencies, i.e., the Attorney General, $2. 197,269 Division of Accounts and Control, et al. access in local communities throughout the state. Colorado's Fishing is Fun program received a national award from the American Sport Fishing Assn. last year. Since inception in 1987, Fishing is Fun has completed I55 angling projects worth almost $ 11 million. ■ Increasi ng work on species of special concern and threatened and endangered species. This work ranged from the transplanting of 43 pl ains sharp-tailed grouse 10 Raton Mesa to in ventorying of wood frog popul ations. ■ Training more than 19,000 stude nts, including nearly 70 in a for-women-only class, in hunter safety and outdoor ethics. ■ Building watchable wildlife kiosks at eight state parks and on seven state wildlife areas. ■ Adding 35 schools to the Ri vers of Colorado Wa1erwa1ch Program . About 2,250 students annually participate in this environme ntal educa1iu11 prugra111. Hunting Recreation Program ( I> FY92-93 FY93-94 FY94-95 ELK No. of Hu111ers (2) 216.401 236.904 211.485 Elk Population (3) 211 .300 196.400 196.220 Succe s Rmc 23% 20% 21% Harvest 50.145 -17.365 -15.-103 DEER No. of Humerrn, 197.106 195.05-1 178,878 Deer Population (3 ) 607 .200 545.200 538,9 17 Success Rate 38'k 32% 30% Harvest 73.955 61.515 54.780 Hum Prag. Rev. S49.-154.482 $50.478.338 S51,311.228 Hum Prog. Expd. S30.285.259 $28.910.1 77 S33.585,-126 Revenue Per Hunter $88.44 S86.28 S131 Expendilllre Per Hunter $54.16 $49.42 S86 Fishing Recreation Program ( I ) FY92-93 FY93-94 FY94-95 No. of Anglers 729.550 751 .281 765.380 Recreation Days 8,006,238 7.600,000 8,029.732 Catch per Day 2.8 2.5 2.5 Fishing Rev. $19.244, 129 $19.086.256 S20, 110,649 Fishing Expel. $35.043,384 $30.546, 138 S29,49 1,589 Expd. per Fish Caught Sl.56 $1.61 SI.47 .l Wildlife Commission Funds annual Commission initiatives such as mgm1. review of Discretionary Fund _ . Division activities from the LRP recruitme nt of diverse work force. $475,000 ' Money earned through the sale of subscriptions and products of the C:0 lorado Owdoors _ . state conservation magazine. Pays for production of the magazine Revolvmg Fund S752.042 and its products. Search and Rescue Program _ . Money from a 25-celll surcharge on licenses: pays costs of finding S440.000 lost hunters and anglers. [nstream Flow Program _ . Provides funds for Colorado Water Conservation Board to ensure that S299.0I 7 there is enough water for wildlife in the state's lakes and streams. Wildlife Education _ . Pays for an environmental education consultant in Department of Program $60.4 17 Education. The Di vision is the only agency that funds environmental education efforts in school classrooms. Habitat $735.604 _ . Funds cooperative effort between sportspersons, landowners and wildlife offi cials to improve local wi ldli fe habitat. TOTAL $54,909,097 In 1995, the Di vision also received an appropriation of $ 18,677,993 for capital construction projects ranging from development of recreation facilities to building repairs. Nongame/Endangered Species O> FY 92-93 FY93-94 FY94-95 Species of Undetermined Status 246 171 171 Species of Special Concern 24 31 31 Species Threatened 6 11 11 Species Endangered 17 15 15 Recovery Plans in Place 14 15 21 Nongame Revenue $660.710 S854,240 $1,380.888 Nongame Expd. S2.099.086 S2.437.777 $3.127,269 Watchable Wildlife Program c1> FY92-93 FY93-94 FY94-95 No. of Participa111Sl4) 3,300.000 3.360.000 1,322,8 15 Revenue S211 .159 S188,057 $785,144 Watch. Wild. Expd. $1,593.944 S1.348.628 S2,052,829 ( I) Re\'enue and expenditure figures arc cnlculntcd on a fi~ year bash. All other figures are cnlculatcd on a c:ilendar )'Cat basis. Figures for program c~pcndi1u~ include opernting, capi1al construction, ~pe.· e.ial purpo'-C, payment, to Qlher agencies. c1c. (2) Defined as the number of liceni.cs sold that pem1it the holder to engage in the ~pecified activity. (3) Pos1 hun1 populu1ion. (4) Improved methodology for cstimaiing pMticipan~ was used for PY 94.95 resulting 1n a ret.lucuon ofpanicipants. � https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/11f3a1e30963d02803e78db229c1b298.pdf 2208099a3af80c365d9207961bf3d697 PDF Text Text -- SH 11 FOR WILDLIFE, FOR PEOPLE C5B 1996 STATE OF COLORADO Roy Romer, Governor DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES James S. Lochhead, Executive Director COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE John W. Mumma Director 6060 Broadway • Denver, CO 80216 (303) 297-1192 1996 ANNUAL REPORT Division of Wildlife implements new management strategies The Colorado Di vision of Wildlife in 1996 began 10 implement the strategies that emerged from a two-year review of its management activ ities. Antici pated in the agency's approved long range plan. the management review produced over 100 recommended changes in Di vision operations. all intended to identi fy ways in which the agency could use its resources more efficientl y and more effecti vely. The resulting changes made during 1996 included: ■ Stream lining agency struclllrc by reducing top management from 17 10 fi ve positions and the overall number of supervisors in the 600-plus person organization by half. A Youth in Natural Resources (YNR) crew takes a brc:1k during a college \'isit. College \'isits are an integral parl of the YN R program as it encourages youths to pursue c.arecrs in natural resources. This angler education cr ew. along with two other crews. conducted fishing clinics for more than 5.000 urban children. ■ Reducing administration of the agency's field operations from fi ve to three regional administrative units. ■ Creati ng a new human dimensions unit to col lect information on customer and constituent desires to be included along with biological concerns in agency deci sions. ■ Accepting credit cards in payment for hunting and fishing licenses at Division offices in Colorado Springs and Montrose as a pilot project. ■ Simplifying the regulati ons governing hunting and fishing and the brochures explaining those regulations. ■ Making i t easier for Colorado landowners who allow public access 10 their properties to receive payment for property damage caused by wild life. ■ Budgeting for a new phone system. which will make it easier for people to get answers to questions about w ildli fe . Even as it "reinvcmcd'' itself. the Di vision continued managing the state' s wild li fe and w ildlife-related recreation during 1996. For instance, efforts to encourage young people to participate in hunting and f'ishing picked up steam this fall. Colorado hunters 15 years old and younger and their adult mentors gained exclusi ve use or six state wild li fe areas. totaling almost 4,000 acres in hopes of encouraging participation in hunting. Recent legislation also created several hunting opportunities that young people took advantage of last year. In 1996. 11.452 youngsters under the age or 16 took advantage of a new law allowing them to purchase a small game hun ting and fi shing license for $ 1. Additionally 11 ,748 you ngsters under the age or 16 took advantage of the youth licenses to hunt big game. Di vision biologists also continued their battle against whirling disease (WD). caused by a parasite that a11acks the nervous system of some f ish species. especially rainbow trout. Among the efforts combating WD l ast year were new Wildlife Commission policies on the use of WO-exposed fish, continued research on the impacts of WD on w ild trout populat ions and increased fish sampling. The Di vision also purchased 40,000, I 0-inch WO-free trout for stocking. W ildli fe habitat also drew considerable a11en1ion from Di vi sion biologists in 1996. A mong the more innovati ve approaches to habitat protection was the System for Conservation Planning. An on line system. SCoP enabled officials in Summi t and Larimer counti<.!s to map wildli fe habi tat according 10 its value and predict how future changes in land use wi ll impact wi ldli fe habitat. T he Di vision also continued efforts to understand the needs of and manage nongame wi ldlife species in the state. A multi-agency task force successfull y moved several thousand borcal toads reared by Di vi sion biologists to an alpine lake in western Boulder county. Watchable wildlife enthusiasts also benefited during 1996 with the opening of 16 interpreti ve wi ldlife viewing kiosks. There are now more than 400 wi ldlife viewing sites statewi de. Where the money comes from T he Colorado Division o r Wildl i fe recei ves no state tax money. Instead the agency is funded by the purchase o f hunting and fi shing licenses; by federal funds generated by an excise tax on the manufacture o f arms, ammunition and other sport ing equipment: by donations to the nongamc fund and by federal endangered species funds. Where the Money Comes From FY 1995-96 ['.]License Sales S55, t 72,312 76% l □ Federal Aid SS,.19t,-l 12 OOther S6,5-14,923 8% ■GOCO $2,132,095 3% □ Hunting $51,387,.JSS 70% D Nongame Checkoff $367,6 19 1% Federal Aili include, Pittman. Rohcn,mn and Dingcll•Joh11>-on funds. gr.1nh from other fcclcrnl money. Grc:u Outdoon. Colorado include, lottery proceeds. The Nongamc Checkoff includes don:ition, from 1hc s1:11e tax fonn. 01hcr include, in1crc:-i1. don:ttions. rent~. fines. sales from Colorado Outdoors mag,vinc :md olhcr miscellaneous income. □ Endangered Wildlife $1,962,203 3% □Watchable Wildlife $ 1,229,597 o H . FY 1995-96 unt1nQ S33,373;372 46'o ~ □ FishinQ S28,97(J,392 40% □ Endangered Wildlife ~~~1129, 103 Total Revenues $72,708,361 Expenditures By Program· FY 1995-96 □Fishing 12'" 0 Revenue By Program $4,074,8"84 Total Revenues $72,708,361 6% D $3,759,059 To Fund Balance 5% 0 Total Expenditures $72,708,361 Watchable W ildlife $2,530,654 3% 2% • Expenditures include overhead co.,t~ ~uch a~ services provided hy other agencies. capi tal outlay. worker' s compensation. etc. Hunting and fo;:hing recreation funds biological rc!\carch. law enforcement. regulation dcvclopmcn1. transplanting and stocking. hatchery operations and habitat protection. \Vatchablc \Vildlife pays for dcvclopmcnl of wildlife viewing sites. publicntions and oth er infonn::11ional ac1ivitic:.,. ong;1111c and Endangered ftmd~ work 10 n:cov• er threatened and endangered specie:,. '.'.-,Uch as 1hc greenback cuuhroat trout. conduct research. etc. �THE YEAR IN REVIEW "New" Division of Wildlife lists accomplishments for 1996 Even with the emphasis on implementing the management review and creating a .. new·• Di vision or Wildlife. the agency conti nued managing the state·s wildlife resources. Accomplishments for I 996 included: ■ Leasing 46 new properties from the State z Land Board and opening up 94.000 acres to ~ wildlife-related recreat ion as a resul t. ~ ■ Stocking 45 1 streams and 1.2 1I individ- ~ >ual l akes in Colorado. More than 65 million "' warm-water fish and 14.6 million cold-water fish were stocked last year. 4.8 milli on catchable-sized rainbow trout were also stocked. ■ T eaching 5.000 urban youth to fish through the angler educat ion program. ■ Establi shing the Wonders in Nature program in 17 pilot schools in the Denver metropolitan area. The program introduced more than 2.000 students to the wildlife and wildlife habitat in their local community. ■ Training 21.399 students in hunter safety and outdoor ethics; 320 women participated in the Becoming an Outdoors Woman program. ■ Providing meaningful employment experiences, including environmental education lessons. as well as field trips, for 99 students as part of the Youth in Natural Resources program. ■ Awarding cultural di versity scholarships totaling S50,000 to 46 students who are pursuing college degrees related to natural resou rces and w ildli fe management. ■ T ranspl ant ing 40 sharp-tailed grouse to hi storic habitat in southern Colorado. ■ Releasing 4,000 genetically pure Colorado Ri ver cu11hroats in a stream south of Division GOCO projects support wetland habitat Using its share of state l011ery funds, Great Outdoors Colorado awarded the Di vision of Wi ldlife $3.8 million in 1996. That money funded 33 proj ects supporting habitat and species protection, wild life education and watchable w ildlife. Notable among those were wetland development projects in the San L ui s Valley and other western Colorado counties. When complete, the projects wi ll add 25 new weil and areas totalling 126 sur face acres, as well as enhance 2 miles of riparian area and add 2.300 acres of shallow seasonal wetlands. Mountain States Hunting Fees Elk License Fees Col orado Idaho Montana New Mex ico U tah W yoming Resident Nonresiilem $30.25 $24.00 $20.00 $75.00 $55.00 $28.00 $250.25 $428.00 $475.00 $465.00 $333.00 $350.00 Deer License Fees Col orado I daho M o111ana New Mex i co Uiah W yoming Resident Nonresident $20.25 $ 18.00 $ 17.00 $23.00 $30.00 $22.00 $ 150.25 $328.00 $243.00 $ 180.00 $203.00 $ 160.00 T h e Antc ro p roperty, south of F:iirplay in Park County. represents more than 9,600 acr es of State Trust Lm1ds open to the public. Kremmling. T he nati ve trout will be used for spawn-taking in the future. ■ Monitoring the 78 breeding pairs of peregrine falcons and 26 nesting territories of bald eagles in the slate. ■ Identifyi ng 200 wc1lancl enhancement projects and undertaking more lhan 400 woody and grassland plantings 10 improve pheasanl habitat. The resull was belier habitat cond itions during winter and nesting seasons and improving pheasant harvests. ■ Increasi ng the use of volunteers to help meet Di vision objec1ives. More 1han 36.000 volunteer hours total ing over S285.000 worth of work were recorded during 1996. ■ Dedicating the nation· s only inmate-run trout-rearing unit. The Buena V ista Correctional Fac ility produces 50,000 catch:iblc and I 00.000 sub-catchable trout and is spring feel 1997 marks the Centennial Year for the Colorado Division of Wildlife Si nce cs1abl ishment o f the Department of Forestry . Game and Fi sh i n 1897, the Di vi sion of Wi ldlife has an unparalleled record o f stewardship of the state's wi ld life resources. M oose. river otters and other speci es have been rei111roduced in the state; the largest elk herd i n North A meri ca resides here: brown and rainbow trout are among species i ntroduced to the state: cutthroat trout and other threatened and endangered species ar~ recoveri ng. thanks to the work o f Di vi sion biolog ists and others. T he centennial w i ll celebrate the hundreds of accomplishments i ntended to preserve the state·, w ildli fe resource, for the enjoyment of its citiLcns. I -- ~ Hunting Recreation Prog ram ELK No. of Hunters 11, Elk Population ill Succcs, Rate Harvest No. of Hunters t l l Deer Population 11, Succe,s Ralc rvcst $430,650 $220.020 Catch per Day $650.670 Deer Hunting $ 137.282 S107.495 $244,777 Elk Hunting $ 147.694 $111,705 $259.399 A ll Fishing $578.826 $393,494 $972.320 Watching Wildlife $746.066 S591.188 Sl.337.254 * Includes secondary economic imp:lct using a local scrYicc multiplier of 1.2. Hun1ing and ri,hmg c,pcmfiturc, from Rro\\ne. Ron1 & Coddingron. lnl'.. Hunting .:ind Fi,hing l ndu,1ric.~ Economic ~l odel. Warching wildlife expenditure, from Southwick J\!<-,OC. 236.90-l 196,400 20% 47.365 211.485 196.220 21% 45.403 231.862 203.000 16'h36.1 71 195.054 5-15.200 32'7,, 61.515 178.878 538.917 30'h5-1.780 181.-182 530.36-l 30'i'r 51.899 __, FY93-94 Actual FY94-95 Actual FY95-96 Actual 75 1.281 7.600.000 2.5 765.380 8.029.732 2.5 756.026 7,938,000 2.4 Nm1game/Endangered Species FY 93-94 Actual O F N A N ACI N C YOUfl: WILDLIFE A ll Hunting FY95-96 Actual Fis hing Recreation Program - Total FY94-95 Actual ~ ,.,,yEAR 5,,,, Nonresident FY93-94 Actual DEER No. of A nglers Rec real ion D ays Estimated Annual Expenditures* for Hunting, l<' ishing and Watching Wildlife in Colorado ($000) Resident making it easier 10 keep the trout free of disease. ■ Succeeding in gaining legisla1ion to permanently establish the Habitat Partnership Program to reduce conllicts between big game and li vestock by gi ving authority and resources to Ha rlan Day was local groups 10 resolve issues. named Munter Edu■ Completing 11 habitat cation Instructor o f the Vcar. Da y, a and access improvement volunh•cr, hus proj ec1s 1hrough the Fishing taught mo re tha n 4,500 people how to I s Fun program . Costing more lhan $ 1.4 million. the Ile sa fe hunters. projec1s provide new fishing opportunities for more 1han 67.000 anglers annuall y. ■ aming of Baca County rancher Jess Perkins as landowner of the year for hi s ramily' s efforts 10 develop and protect wildlife habitat on 1heir Campo property. ■ Successfully prosecuting 1he high-profile case of' a Denver man who poached Samson. !he trophy-cl ass elk that symbolized 1he importance or wildlife 10 both the community or Estes Park and i ts tourist-based economy. T he poacher recei ved a lengthy jail sentence and a large fine as a result of Di vi sion efforts. Species of Undc1ermined Status Species of Spccial Concern Species Thrcatcncd Species End,111gcrcd Recovery Pl,lllS in Place 171 31 FY94-95 Actual FY95-96 Actual 171 31 157 -15 II II II 15 15 15 21 15 23 watchable Wildlife Program l'Y93-94 FY94-95 FY95-96 No. of Panic ipants (3> 3.360.000 1.322.815 1.369.115 ( t ) Defined as the number of license.,; sold thal J>l!rmil the holder 10 cng:1gc in the specified activity. (2) Po,,1-hu111 populaiion. (3 ) lmprcncd methrx:lology for c~timating participant~ wa,;;;; u,cd for FY 94-95 resu lt ing in a reduction of participant~. l I � https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/c8669da09ed9db54ac1bf01d19428eb4.pdf 7e38a35f7081f1c52d8523cd297db552 PDF Text Text SH 11 C O L O R A .D O • D .I V I S I O N O F . W I L 1) ·L I F l .C58 1997 C. 2 For Wildlife, • For • Peopl~. • ·. . �SH 11 .C58 1997 C.2 For wildlife, for people : 1997 annual report DATE DUE . 0 ~ ~ ~qyOF~ COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH CENTER LIBRARY 317 West Prospect Fort Collins, CO 80526 USA D[MCO �CO L·O RADO I) IV I S ION 0. F ·W- IL I) L I F E Welcome ·to Colorado's Wildlife Future By j oh11 W. M1111111111 • DOW Direc/Clr Wfrh the end of 1997, th e Di~ision ofWildlife officially closes- the last chapter in the book on Colorado's first century of conservation. During the past I00 years, our state has exper ienced renurbble achievt/ mcnts in protecting and preserving its.wildlife reso"),1rces. It's hard to believe that just 100 years· ago, our majestic elk, deer, pro nghorn antelope and numerous other species o f w ildlife were near extinction du e to. unrestricted market huntiog. With the advent o f wi ldlife managem ent at the turn of the century, the Divisio n of Wildlife has worked hard to reverse those· decli nes. Today; we can be proud of the tremend_ou_s populatio n increases of gam e species, such as deer, elk, prongho rn, bigho rn .sheep, ducks, geese and turkeys. Equally significant are the succesiful efforts to introduce and ·reintro duce species into our state; including 1J1oose and m ounr,1in goats, as ,..veil as· recovery prog rams tl~at have boosted populations of threatened and endangered native spec ies, such as the peregrine falcon, ri ver otter, bald eagle and greater prairie-chicken. The past century has also seen d rama tic changes in our aquatic wildlife resources: Introductions o f numerous fi_sh species - rainbow trout, b rown trout, lake trout arctic cha1:, eastern . brook trout·, noithern pike, bass, saugeye, wiper and tiger muskie - have- expanded fishing opportunities across the state, so mu ch so tliat angliog has become a majo r ec_onomic benefit to Colo rado . . While the Division's fisheries managem ent program focused on recreational opportunities, we didn 't forget • o ur n~tive fis h · species, som e of which were in decline. Than ks to aggressive recovery effor ts, the . greenback cutthroat tro ut, Colorado River cutthroat and Rio Grande cutth roat are experiencing • populatio n gains and 1im ited fishi ng is allowed for these species. W ildlife _lJ 1J 7 •A N N U A I R.E l-' O R J' managers cannot take sok credit for these accomplishments. Much of our w ildlife management efforts were made possible by the spo rtsmen ;md women who helped fund the Division through· their license .fees. AU is no t good news, however. The .human population is increasing in Colo rado as well, and at an alarming rate. Today 3.9 million _p{;'.Ople inhabit QLir State. Dy the year 2020, it's anticipated that I million mo re people w ill be living here, and in•50 years, the state's populatio n co.uld double. We're already seeii:ig considerable pressure to • "Too 111 a 11y people con.ver! wildlife habitat other uses - ho uswit!,. co1tflicti11g values, into ing developmen ts, shopp-ing malls, etc. In the too 11111d 1 develop~ years ahead, that pressure is on ly going to get /I/Cl.If, too l1ea11y {I stronger, placing g reater • strain on the d\vindling l)//rden 011 11at11ral h; bicat now remaining.· Iri respo nse, conflicts resources - that is • will arise between gen..: eracions of people debat11iliat 111ildl!fe 111(111ing how to manage wildlife and for what • a<{?CYS deal with OIi a purpose: Suffice it co say, I see m o re ·con fiict o n daily basis." the horizon, rather than less. Dn11e l:311chmiat1 For th·at reasoi1, the G rand Junctio n .Sentine l D ivision ofWildlife has • 1997 embarked on a new • approach to deal with the inevitable conflicting needs o( humans-and \~ildlife. A new unit, called Human Di1i1ensions, has been ·c reated by the Di\/isio n, which provides a framewo rk to consider both the p ublic's views and th e needs ofwi lalife in making management decisions and to help ·us meet the challenges _that li e ahead. This is a time for everyQne who yalues wildli fe to • ·stand up and be cou nted as we enter o ur second century of conserving C olo rado's wildlife .. I ask that you join us --' th e New Colorado-Divis.ion ofWildlife - in helping secure ou r wildlife heritage, not just for the immedi..: ate future, but for die lo ng run. Opr sh ared m issio n o f ·protecting and preserving the state's m agnifice nt wi ldlife i-esources ,~ill require the collec·tive effor_ts o f the D ivisioil and all concerned citizens. o.i f C .~.,y EAR 5,.., · OF MANAGING YOUR WILDLIFE THE\': LT.S.S11pre111c Co,m a.ffintis �COLORADO DIV I S I (1 N OF W 1.L D l I FE Colorado ·Division of Wildlife: For Wildlife, For Peop-le C_olor:ido h:is I 13 species of sport game, ·100 species ot spor:t fish and 773 spe<;ies of nong:ime w ild li fe. Its rivers, lakes, plains, deserts, forests and mou ntains offer a . variety of fobitat supporting these species of wi ldlife. More than 300,000 resident and nonresident hunters and 740,000 resident and nonresiden t anglers purchase li_censes in Colorado annuaUy. Several million people e1-uoy tht! state's game and nongame resources in a var iety of consu mptive and non-consumptive ways. Hunters and anglers annually contribute over $1 .7 bil!ion to the· state's economy. Others spend nea rly S792 million to enjoy ,vatching wildlife. Ex.penditures for watchable wildlife, when multiplied by the economic mrnover, add another S I .3 billion to the state's _economy annuaUy. ,l_n short, wildl ife makes a funda111ei1tal contribution to the quality of li fe in _Colorado. Established by an :ict of the state Legislature on April 16; ·1897, the Colorado Division ofWildlife was created to ensure chat steward- · ship of that resource would cominuc into the fucure. The Divisio n 's goals ·arc intended to enhance this quality of life thr0ugh sound wildlife management. _The Division .is under the :iuthor ity of the eightmember Colo rado W ild li fe Commissio n._Appointed by the governor and con firm ed by the Senate, this board sets policy, promulgates regulations, determines licensingrequ irements and autho rizes the bnd and water agreem ents necessary to preserve wildlife habitat. · By statute, five of the W ildlife Commission members· represent geographical regions of th e state, and three represt!nc the state at large. O ne member must be appointed from each of the fo llowing categories: live-· stock producers; ag1:iculcural o r produce growers; spores.:. l) () 7 /\ N N U t\ L R I P O R T men or outfitters; wildlife organizations; and boards of county commissioners. Long-term goals and objectives for the Division are . est:ibl ished in its Long- R.ange Plan, which is approved by the W ild li fe Commission. The agency's. goals and ii1itiatives are organized under four major headings: Protectio1i ofWildlife and Wildlife Habitat.~, WildlifeRelated R.ecrcation, Wildlife-Related Education and lnformation and Responsive Management. The age~cy's intei-n:il planning, budgeting and evaluations arc or iented ar()ltnd these headings. ]J is t/,e policy ~f T he D ivision perforn~s a number of functions, such t/,c state of as law enforcem ent, habit.)t management and developColorado that the m cnt, surveys, research, fish rearing and stocking, regu111i/d /ije a11d their lation drafting :ind education of sportsmen and e1111iro11111e11t are to women and tlie· general publit:. The specific mix of be protected, prethese activities necessary to acconiplish goals are semed, e11/,a11ced spelled ou t in five-year operations-and annual {I /I d /1/ (l /l (IJCd for t/, e workplans. For admji1istrative purl/SC, bm~fi t and poses, the Division has three regional operations • · e11joy111e11t ~( the and service centers: Grand Ju nction, Denver and Color~do Springs. Sci·vice pe_oplc ~f t/,is state cci1ters arc also maintained in smaller communities a11d its 11isitors. from Glenwood Springs and Lamar to M ontrose and Fort Collins. Colorado Re11ised Sta1111es 33-1-1 OI . To cover Coloiado's more than I 00,0(iO -square· mi les, the Division has allocated close to three-fou rths of its 600-plus member staff to field officers, bio logists and customer service and/ or support positiom in local communities. • The Denver headquarters provides program direction for statewide issues. The Division also maintains a i'csearch u ni:t in Fort Collins and 16 fish hatcheries and/ or rearing units throughm,1t the state. Colorado will kick off it.~ seco·nd century of wildlife management by becoming the first ·state in th e nation to. construct_a hatchery. solely for the propagation of native aquatic species, including thre;itt:ned and en dangered species. Engineering work has begun on the $4.5 m illion facility to be located in the San Lt_1is Valley. When compl ete, the hatch ery will research and r:iise species from· the _Arkansas darter to boreal toads, with the goal of planting them in the wild. . All information in this document is. current as of December 3 1, 1997. �COLOR A I) 0 D J·V IS IO N OF WI LI) L The Color4do Wildlife Commission The Colorado Wildlife Commissio~ - the citizen • policy-making board for the Division ofWilcilife - celebrated its 60th anniversary in 1997. The Department of Forestry, Game and Fish (the Division's predecessor) was already three .decades old by ch_e .time of the .Great Depression· of rhe I930s. During these difficult times, poachers, bootleggers· and oth_ers· filled the courts with game law v•iolations, especiaUy . d.uring the early years of.chat decade. . In response·, sportsmen statewide p ressured- the legi~la• ture ro adopt the_commission fo rm of administration fo r the department. On·.Macch 3, 1937, the- Colorado . • • General Assembly did j ust that, e1i1powering the W ildlife . Commission co establish policy, sec-rules· an_d regulations and seasons-and bag limi ts . • The first Commission was appointed by rh en Gov. Teller Ammons -and consisted of six members: H a'rold Watson of Denver, Otis ·McIntyre of Colorado .Springs, B.H.Jorgeosen of G unnison, H. G. Kendall ofTrinidad, • R.. G. Lyttle of Meeker and Dean Henry ofWray. That Commission-was co provide the firm basis_ io public policy for scientific wildlife management in the scare that . con_tinues coday. • "Probably no group... ever attacked their problems with greater enthusiasm," the editor of Colorado Co11ser11atio11 Co111111e11ts, predecessor co Colorado 011tdoors magazine, wrote in its inaugural issue. . A little over a year later, however; the Comn1ission.. l I- E. lJl)7 A"JNUAI· REPORT was being criticized for " profligate spending" on stich things as fish rearing ponds at .Buford a;1d the operation of a· gar11e bird fan:u near Colorado Springs. A move co abolish the Commission during the 1939 legislative session failed by just one vote, ensuri"ng that the Commissio"n would continue co serve as a kind of board of direccors for the Division ofWildlife ever since. In the 60 years since its establishment, 78 men and ~ne woman have served on. the Wildlif~ Commission and helped the Division ofWildlire continue as one of the niost highly regarded wildlife management agencies in the country. .• •• Among Comi11.ission accompJishment., are the introduction of such species as bass and kokanee salmon and the reintroduction ·o f species chat were ·o nce extirpated ·;n .the state·, such as moose and.river otter. With guidance from the Commi_ssion, Colorado established the first non gam e i"ncome tax checkoff to generate donations for management of threatened and ' endangered species; discovered treatmerts for lun~Ol--111 disease in bigho rn sheep; i"ncreased recreational opportun ities for wildlife enth usiasts and much more. The Con'lmission has been recognized twice --: in 1976 ·and 1986 - as Conuiussion of the Year by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. A new commissioner, Bernard Black, was app~inced and a c~1rrent ·member, Mark LeValley, was re-appointed during th:e past year. Serving ·o n the Wildlife Commi_ssion during 1997 were: Arnold Salazar was appointed co the Commission in 1992 from the southwest district. He represents the· public at large and currently is Cominission chairman. Salaz~r is executive director of SyCare, a managed health ........z< 1 �C OL O RAD O D.I V I S I ON OF W. ILl) LI FE care facility in Alamosa. A San Lui~ native, Salazar is active•in the Colorado Hispanic Agenda Project and the San Luis Valley Hispanic League. R ebecca Frank. the form.er news editor of the Grand Junction ·o aily Sc11ti11el, was appointed to the Commission in ·1985 from the pubiic at large. She represents the -northwest distr ict and currently serves as Commission vice-chair. She _alio is a member of the "Mesa County Econom ic; Development Council a1icl t he Grand J unction/ Mesa Cot:mcy Riverfront Comm issio n. She is a member of the board of the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund. • Louis Swift, was appointed to the Commission in .1990. as the agricultural/produce grov.rer representative. A CSU graduate with an agronomy degree, Swift bas been a farm and ranch real estate broker for 27 years. He_ is 'preside nt of New Mercer Ditch Company in Larimer County and is a board.member for the Box Elder Oitch Company. In 1989, the Division named him Landowner of the Year.· • • Mark Le Valley, a rancher and outfater froq1 1-Iocchkiss, was appointed to the Wildlife Commission in 1993 as a sportsmen's and women's representative from southwest Colorado. Le Valley is__ a me1nber of the Colorado Outfitters Association. He also represented the Cattlemen's Association on the Division cask force that established the Habitat Partne1:ship Program. He .is.currently Co1i1missio11 secretary.· John )t. Stulp, a rancher and farmer from Prowers County, se rved on ·the Colorado Wildli_fe Com111issio11 from 1995- 1998. A licensed veterinarian, he resigned in 1998 to ser ve on the Colorad.o Board of Land Comm·issioners. . James R. Long, a real estate developer -from Boulder County, was appointed to the Wildlife Commission to represent sporcspeople. Long has served on the board of directors for the Boulder County United Way, the Boulder Co.unty Open Space Task Force, the board of . directors for the Ilroomfield Development Cor·poration and the Up With People Colorado Leadership . Committee. C harles D. Lewis was appointed to the Commission in '1996 to represent wildlife organizations from Middle Park. Lewis is a partner in WF.R. Ltd., a family ranching operation. He is a meniber ofTrout Unlimited, the •Colorado Wildlife FederJtion, the Colorado Ski H all of Fame and a for mer m ember and· past chairman of the Middle Park !-Jabitat Parti1ership. Bernard L. Black, J r., a Denver attorney, will serve on the Co mmission as an at large member fro1i1 the Denver area. ·He worked for the Division while a scudent studying zoology at Colorado State Uni.versity. Black attended the University .o f Denver College of.Law and is a mem-· ber of the Colo rado and Denver bar associations. He serves o n the board of directors for World Bound, Inc., which is a non-profit organization for underprivileged ~Lt~. • • l 1JLJ7 ANN .U :'\.L REl'()R 'l Division Celebrates 100 Years of Managing Wildlife On April 16, 1897, Colorado's 11 ch General Assembly and then Governor Alva "Adams created the· Departmen t of Forestry, Game a·n d Fish, making Colorado just the fourth state in the nation to establish a conservation agency as a function ·of_ its government . One hundred years ago, Colorado residents recogn ized the importa11ce of the state's wildlife resources to th e quality of their lives. " It is... very gratifying to know," early Game Commissioner John M. "Tl,e Colorado Wood,vard, would write a few years later, • Division of Wildlife " that the g reat majority of the people of the lias a pro11d liistol'y. state are in sympathy with the work of this Sports111en and women department, both in the manner of p_rotecting are a part of that the game and of propagating fish." history! and the As the Colorado Division ofWildlife, 111i/dlife tl,at jlo1rrishes successor co chat early department, enters its today is a result of second century of oper- · acion, chat sentiment tl,at succ_essf11/ partner- continues. Colorado's wildlife and the oppor- • sl, ip between sports- · cunicies for people co . enjoy it have increased 111en and orga11ized as a result of the ' Division 's management · 111i!d!ife ma11age11u:nt. )) of the resource. Today, 986 species of Bob Radocy w ildli fe - including Colorado Bow/11111rers Associatio11 literally millions of in dividual ani;nals, birds and fish - reside in Colorado. But chat wasn 't always the • case. The state's first settlers depended on wildlife for sustenance and plowed prairie, cut timber and d tig mines. The u·nrestrained harvests and loss of habitat' that resulted c!ireatened to decimate the resource. 1n 1911, for example, tl-ie U.S. Forest Service estimated· Colorado's deer herd at 8,J 10; in 191 8, the state's ante lope popu lation was reported to be less than 1,000. Similarly, the state 's elk populatio n was estimated at 5;643 in l 920. • With the su.pport of.the state's citizens, incltiding ics sportsmen and sportswomen, the Division established hunting seasons and bag limits and began applying the �C 0· I O R. A D O D IV ISl O N O I· \XI I L D L I F E principles of w ild life management. Today, as a res.ult of that resource management; Colorado's d k herd is estimated to be 216,000 animals and is tha largest in North America. Deer number almost 600,000, ai1d there are 60.000 antelope in the state. Species from moose to m,ountain goat have been reintroduced to Colorado. Others, including the state's famoi.1s ·rainbow and brown trout, have been introduced to fill ava ilable biological niches in terrestrial and aq uatic habitats. • ·1n fact, Colorado is on·e of the· few stares having had enough-success managing wildlife to remove or _Gonsider removing species from it:5 threatened and endangered lists. White pelicans, peregrin~ falcons, bald eagles, gre:iter sandhill crai"1es, g reater prairie-chickens and greenback cutthroat trout have all seen th eir status improve in recent yea1:s, thanks to Divisio"n ofWildlifr: efforcs·. Wildlife is· also a big business in the state. Hunting and fishing annually generate ·s 1.7 billion dollars fo r the Color:ido economy. Those who watch or photograph wildlife, feed birds, ere. add another SI .3 billion ·co the state's economy eve1·y year, making wildli fe-related recreation roughly equivalent to the state's ski industry in -terms of it, contribution to Colora.d o's economic engin e. Today, che Divisio n ofWildlifc· cominues to keep its I l) 'J 7 A :\J N U A l REPORI' promise to the people of Colorado. At the beginning of the 1990s, fo r example, the Division 's Long- Range Plan promised that.a significant • • amount of money would be spent both improving the · public's access ro wi ldlife and ·providing opportunities for himrers, anglers and all wildlife enthusiasts. In the last yea r alone, _the Division acquired the 1, 100. acre Higel R anch no rth of Alamosa. and th e 5,500-acre X-Y Ranch ;1orth of G ranad_a, w hich includes 5..2.~iles of access to the Arkansas River. That comes on top of earl ier acqu isitions of 22 111iles o f the South Platte River near H artse I, a 4~milc stretch of the South Fork of the South. Platte, a 1.5-mile stretch along the Arkansas near Salida, and 1.666 acres alo ng the Colorado and Williams Fork rivers near Parshall . . and more. . The Division has also arranged to o pen new fishing areas, including three l~kes on Pikes Pe;1k,. to public use. Other signifi cant acquisitions during the 1990s that benefited sportsmen and other wildlife enthusiasts include the Vanderm eulen R.anch near Trinidad, wh ich protected important habitat for deer, turkey, small game and other animals. Si milarly during the I 990s, the Division has negotiated public access to m ore than 470;000 :icres of Stace Trust .Lands that i.vcre previously closed to public use. A partnership .b.etween the Division, COCO and Ducks . . �CO LO RADO I? l V l S I () N. () r· W I LI) l I F Ii Unli1n.ited has also produced SS.6 million for the conseryacion of n~arly 25,000 acres of wecland_s throughout the state·. And du1:ing the 1990s, 178 Fishing ls Fu1i projects through whicli the _Division provides matching grants 'co. local communities - have. improved .recreational opportunitie_s and aquatic habitat in cities throughout the srate, providing more than I million recreation days for· Coloradans. Hunters; too, have benefited significantly from Division .activities during _chis decade. La~t year, elk hunters har vesc..:d a record 54,000 animals, and deer and antelope hunters also-reported incr..:ased harvests. Hunters also have benefited from the Ranching for Wildlife (R FW) program. Through R.FW,·the Division n)akes private properties that would otherwise be closed to the public avai lable fo r hunting. 111 the 1990s the number.of ranches participating increased frol'n five· co 23, and the number of hunting licenses available·to the public as a result has tripled. . Likewise, anglers will benefit from the nearly $20 mil_lion th e Division has committed to upgrading its· fish hatchery facilities. . By a_ny objective standard, the Division's accomplish-· me1its during the 1990s demonstrate thanhe agency has done just what it promised people it would do. The Mount Ouray Hatchery expansion is part of a nearly S20 million statewide project to upgrade the Division's fish hatcheries. 997 ANNUA L REPOl'-lT Division, Conservationists Combine to Protect Wildlife More than 400 constituents representing sportsmen and women's clubs, ..:11vir0nn1encal organizations, gov-· crn m en t agencies and ·ocher groups gathered at Division ofWildlife headquarnm 011 April 16, 1997, for a Centennial Convocation, celebrating the I 00th anniversary of tlie establishi11e11t of rhe Division of Wildlife.• Among the highligh(s of the evening\vas the unveiling o_f a permanem _·p laque dedicated co "Colorado's sportsmen and sportswomen and citiz..:i, conservationists in recognition of a cc11niry of comervation and coop er'ation ..." Admittedly, there have been some dis• "You r. staff deserves agreements along the way, but ·the commo.n . 111ore credit fo r a j ob effort to conser:ve chi,: • state's wildlife resources I/Jell done.. , There an: continued dur ing .1997. . Th~ big game license n good 1111111ber of us allocation project · (DG LA P) provided one· that think very l,ighly of the most.significant examples o f such durtheir efforts a!ld a~e ing the year. Bringing togctl1er Division officonfidenf'that tl,eir • cials a~1d 25 stakeholde rs re'prese_nting interest lll(l!?agement of today g roups rang ing_ from ..hunters and a1~glers co will have a positir1e landowners and ocher conservac\on interests, effect on 0 /IY natural BGLAP reviewed how .hunting .licenses are disreSOI-IYC~S _111 ,tl,e tributed in Colorado. The goa ls were to. f uture." i1J1provc the quality of hunting, maintain rl11drey Barnell healthy herds, protect P11eblo, CO local economies that 1987 d_epend on wildlife ·and &ecure Division re~enues. • BGl_A P recoi11111endatio11s included increasing re·es c harged. for deer and elk-licenses, bringing Colorado's fees in line with those c harged in the oth..:i- western states and increasing Wildlife Commission authodty co provide limited licenses for landowner~. l3oth wilJ • • require legislative approval during 1998. • • BG LAP was initiated and managed cooperativ(;!ly by the J?ivision\ terrestrial section and i~s-new human ef �CO LOR A I) 0 DI V I S I O N .0 .r- di,~ensions sectio11, which is designed to balance pu\:>li_c and sociological information· with the biological infoi·mation on wh ich J)ivisio11 decisions are made. Fishing, too, drew much of the a·ttencion of the state's wildlife managers ·during 1997 a~ \\;'ildlife biologists continued their battle against whirling disease. (WD ), a para_site affecting the ca~tilage in rainbow tro ut, causing j'ish -tb swim in circles when stressed. Though tl1e disease. is not harmful to humans, the 'Divisio n ofWildlife has committed to a $20 nullion dl:ort to upgrade its hatch"·eries. The disease reduced ·hatchery production of catch~ble-sized rainbow trout to 3 million fish in 1997; fewer than 300.000 of which were disease-free and ~v~lable to be planted in WD-frce waters o n Colorado's Western Slope. . . • 1n an ett:ort co spread the available stocked trout . among anglers, the Colorado Wildlife Commission enacted regu lations· allowing anglers to keep only rwo crout from most West Slope st1:c:1ms and four trout from West Slope lakes, begimung iJ1 1998 . The Cori11~1issio11 continued 'the .eight trout bag limit fo r ca?t slope waters, many of which already test positive for WD and can be stocked with WD-positive trout. • Trout Unlimited helped resolve ·the shortage of fish by working with the Division to purchase and stock catch. able rainbows fo t waters 111 the Gunnisoi1, Salida and Estes Park areas. T he Commission also eliminated the bag limit~ o n . warm-water game fish species, i,icluding catfish, bass, • W I I. D L 11~ E l tJ 9 7 ANNUAL 1-z.·E PO R pike, walleye and o thers, 011 portio1is of th e Colorado, Gunnison, Green and Yampa rivers. The Commissjon· cxpect~d that. re mova l of bag limjts cin these non-native species wquld reduce predation on native endangered fish in those drainages. The Colo.rado squawfish, bonytai_l chub, h umpback chub and razoi:back sucker are the subject of a joint Colorado-federal recovery project. The ·macro debates on aquatic wildlife management djd not impact Ja1:ret Edwards or S<;:ott Regan, ·however. Edwards set a new state· record for largemouth bass •with a ·catch of i 1 pounds, 6 ounces out of Echo Canyon • R.eservoir near Pagosa Springs. R·egan hooked an 18pound, 13-ounce wall!'!ye at Standley Lake in Westminster to shatter the old state record. The- Division also designated the portion of the· Animas River between Lightner Creek and Pu rple· CJiffs . as a Gold M edal water during 1997. The design_ati.on recognizes the excc)l ent habitat _and large fish populations of the river and marks it as· one of the b etter fish_ing spots in the state . Mo-ther Nature also h ad an i1i1p_act o ,i the Di,;ision in 1997, as late w inter ~nows resulted jn a conimunirywide e_ffon to feed deer and elk in the Gunnison and Steamboat Sprinbrs areas. Similarly. a heavy. July rainstorm •.•sent Spring Creek, south of Fort Collins, out of its banks and into facilities at the Division 's Fort Collins Service Center.The flood caused more than S I million in darn- · age to vehicles, comp uters and other equipment stored at th~ facil ity. • r �C O L O R.. A J.) 0 J) I V [ S I O N O F W I L D I I FE .I The Year In Review DIVISION OF WILDLIFE LI STS ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 1997. The D ivision o!Wildlife marked its Centennial year i.n 1997 with an impressive list of accomplishments, many of which were associated wi th the 100-year celcbration.'Some of these.accomplish111e11cs included: • Providing employment and enviro nmental education for 83 students as pare of the Youth in N atu ral R esources (YNR) program. This year the Division challenged YNR participants to develop centennial projects m aking a permanent <;oncribution to the age.n cy. Among the highlights of those were the Woodhouse State Wildlife Area (SWA) Y NR crew which inventoried all native and non- native vegetation. on the:: property; the Hoc Sulphur Springs YNR crew, which restored the Angehrn Ditch; the Pitkin Hatchery crew, which designed and buil t a nature trail: and the Litcle Hills SWA crew, which built picnic shelters and an information .center on the property. . . • Continuing to manage· the state's wildlife by transplant\ng species imo available habitat, jn'cludirig, among ocher projects, introducing 15 bigho1·n sheep· into the . Dinosaur P;irk area near Rangely and 20 chukars into . the 'Brown's l)ark area. • Awarding scholarships to 29 students at state colleges co encourage the study of natural resource management. So far, 160 students have received scho larships. rot3lling. more than $200,000. • Providing angler education and infor mation for more than 20,000 children statewide, including many. from ~he metropolitan area. _•Add ing 25 ·schools and about 250 students to tbe • Riyers of Colorado Water Watch program. The program tea~hes middle and high schools students about aquatic environments. More than 260 schools and 2,500 stu- lJ tJ 7 A NN U A I R. I· I' 0 RT dents participate:: in the program annually. • Leasing 30 new properties from th e State Land 13oard and opening up 60,000 acres to ,vildlife-related recreation as.a result. A total of 197 properties and 470,000 acres have bGen opened to public use since the program began in 1993. • • Stocking 129 screams, and 734 individual lakes in Colo rado. More than 66.8 m.illion ,~arm-wa ter fish and 16. l million cold-water .fish we1·e stocked last yca ro· • Establishing the Wonders· in N ature/ Wonders in Ne ighborhoods p rograin in 17 pilot schools in the Denver area. The program introduced m o re than 2,000 stu9encs to the wildlife and wildlife habitat in their local community. • Trainirig 17,00(i new students in hunter safety and outdo9r eth ics; I00 women participated in the Becoming an Outdoors Woman program. T he BOW program got an additiQnaJ .boost in 1997 when the Col·orado Bowhunters Assoc. and individual member Mick D avis of Alamosa each donated S 1,000 to support the BOW progra·m, which provides butdoor skills tiain.ing for women. • • Providing training for nearly 1,300 teachers th~ough . Project W ILD, an interdisciplinary approach ·tlut allows teachers co integrate informatio n about wi ldlife in scho ol curricu l:111s. Sin ce it started in 1984, i11ore than 18,000 educators and as many as 450,000 students have received educa tio n by Project WILD. • Monitoring the 78 breeding pairs of peregrine falcons and 29 nesting territories of bald eagles in the state. • Granting conditional approval for 15 habitat and access improvement projects to~alling $2.0 million in local communiti es throughout the state th ro ugh the ·Fishing ls Fun program . Si nce 1996, the Fishing l s Fun • program lps approved 178 projects valued at S1 I m..illion statewide, providing new· fishing opportunities fo r thousands of anglers annually. 6 _::..__:_...:......:_..:__:....=....:....:..:...._ _ _ _ _ ___,_-'-:-_ _ _ __ _ c:i �C O L O R A D ·o D I V I SI O N O F W I L D L I FE Division F.inancial Statements: Where The Bucks Are For most of its history, the Division of Wildlife has been something of an anoma ly among state govern ment agenc ies. Unlike most ocher agencies, the Division receives no tax monies appropriated from th e General Tax Fund. Sin ce beiug directed to do .so by the state Legislature in ·1 921, thc,Divi.sio n relics primarily o n fees paid fo r ·hunti ng and fishing licenses to pay for it~ operations. It . also receives some federal fundin g and -public donations through the nongame income tax ch eckoff., Those nionies are placed· in the Wildlife Cash FLind, from which the state Legislature appropriates the Division's an nual budget. But the economic benefits to the state are far greater · . than the income generated by license sales. Hunters and anglers annually irtject S 1.7 billion into the economy. when they purchase the equipment, gas, lodging and other materials ·in pursuit of tlieir' sport. Expenditures ·by bird-watchers, wildlife photographers and other watchable wildlife enthusi~sts add another $1 .3 billion annually. LONG-RANGE PLAN GOALS · l 9 ') 7 A N N U A T R E JJ O R T RESIDENT & NONRESIDENT LICENSES BY TYPE FY 1996-97 Fishing 6.85% S3.7million Deer 3.48%: Other 1.56% Sl.9 million $844.506 ·Resident Total S16.5 million Pisl;ing 15.-13% S8.4 million Other 1.68% $912.719 Elk 42.75% S23.2 million . . LICENSE REVENUES BY TYPE FY 1996-97 O ther 3.2-1% SJ.8 milhon Deer 21.73% Fishing 22.28% S,12.0 million S11.8 million · COSTS Smali Game 3.02% Sl.6 million IN MILLIONS· H abitat Protection ...·............. ............. ..... $12.3 Species Protection ......... :................... ... ..... .4.4 Hunting ·R ecreation ............................ :... . 15.4 flshing R ecreation .............. .'........... :........ 14.0Watchable Wildlifc .. :............................ : ...... 1.0 Law Enforcement~ ............. .'....................... .4.7 C ustomet: Service ............. , .. ........ :..... ......... .4.7 License Administration .............................. .2.7 Wildlife Education ...... ... :............ ............... 5.5 Public Information ... .. :................ ......... ...... 2.5 Public Policy' ............................... ...•.. :.. ....... 1.1 To W ildlife Fund Balance ... ............. :.. ...... :.8.4 Total Division Programs ..... ..... ...... $76.7 Total S54 .3 rnillion Elk -19.72% $27.1 millio n WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM FY 1996-97 GOCO 6.90% • No ngomc Checkoff U-.-1(,% • $356.030 Federal A id 12. 18% S9.3 million Total S76. 7 ·m illion Licei1se Sales 70.77% SS-1.3 million . Federal aid includes Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson funds and grants from other federal money. Great Outdoor~ . Colorado includes lottery pro.ceeds. Th,:' Nonb,ame Checkoff includes donations from the state tax form. Other income includes imeresr, donations, rents, fines, sales of Colorado Ou(doors magazine and other n!iscellaneous incomt:. �CO LOR A I) 0 D IV I S ION OF WI LI) ~ I f E I <J lJ 7 A N N "l.J AL IZ. I: P (). l{. T' E.c ·oNOMIC IMPACTS OF . HUNTING AND FISHING* R.ESIDENT AND NONR.ESIDENT DIRECT AND SECON DARY EXPEND ITURES BY COUNTY - 1996 D lll..EC T EXPENl::;>ITURES. IN MILLIONS ~ DEi 1 COU NTY ADAMS ALAMOSA ARAPAHOE ARCHULETA . 52, Sl,2 • SS,J S2.◄ OTIU! ELK BIG GM .. GAME 1.'XP. EJi EXP. S000 $(Jj - SEC- .. ONDAR¥ • EXP. 0.0.W TOT. FrS ~ DIRECT . DIRE S000 soc S000 $~ S000 SMALL '• EXP. T S4,916 S3 S1 .7(,7 $16.~ S2,034 S2!!,3 S-¾7,994 $76 S3,-144- · Stl $7-16 St,O S254 S6,8i S6,246 Sl3, S9,714 S6 S2,788 S33,5 S1,427 S53.~ S85,556 S139, SS,-197 SU S287 $9 S246· S9,S S7,227 Sl6, 13ACA s S-lS S! S558 SI S30 S8 S897 SI, 13ENT $ . $23 ~ S854 $2,71 S-165 S4.2 S3,15-1 $7 BOULDER S2,7 . SS.006 SJ: Sl,563 S24.0l S2.3-15 S36.1 $54,719 S90, C HAFFEE SI ,4< S2,258 Sl S570 S3.9 ·S3,92-l Sl2,2 SI0.281 S22,5 s S-16 ~ S365 so $6 $615 SI.~ $1 Sl85 S36 SIi $3,2 S102 $3,7. S3,219 .• $6,~ 's S35 $20 $4 S102 • $§ $96 1 St, S54 • S2 S 189 . S774 -$.I, • $86 1 SI, $3, C H EYENNE CLEA R C R.EEK CONEJOS COST ILLA S220 $ -S17 S3 1$ $4 .so $' S454 s: ·S 139 $9 S261 S8 SB S?,I! $11 $71 Sl ,227 • ·s2,2' $612 S11.7 Srl,2 18 ·s22, $3,320' . $40,2 ·SS.709 $69,0. S111.707 $180, C ROWLEY C USTEJl.. .. -- DELTA $2,8 S4,661 DEN\.'.ER. $6,6 S12,304 DOLORES $4 DOUGLAS Sl,O EAGLE ·s2.-1 ELUERT S1 S3,8 EL PASO HUMONT s GARFl E[D S5,◄ GR.AND GUNN ISON .. S1,639 $ $1 $29 .$31 S1,719 S502 S5.f;27 $1 S605 S67 s S127 S6,892 S4' S2,183 S6;S. S9,9: .$2: S:?2,3' S8-19 S! Sil S521 Sl,110 S-17 S51 so $9 S880 $ S532 S20,9 S1,304 S30,$ S703 SS.729 $1 S190 SS,963 S2~ S-t. S102 Sl,6 S1,197 • S651 • S17,780 S306 S10,5 S19,0 so SSI Sl,5_39 S2,1(,9 $37,9 S4.9: S69,791 S6,651 SJ 1,1 'l,23,7 S22,877 S22,068 S-16.~ S1,I $52,i • SSl0 ' $3,654 S17;390· s2,e S211,. S36, S:?.l SIU?, s S77-1 $19,7 S2.237 S35,0 S27, 139 $62,\ S 153 • ... S7 S6 $302 $1;2 $845 $2,( S8-l8 . 11 S202 SJ.! Sl02 $2,0 Sl ,8(19 s $2,903 .s S 172 S(,,1 ss_oo Sl0,4 S6,9 16 S4,1 S7,597 S4 S2,043 $31,3 S5,607 $51,1 s Sl~ $ $2 17 s·2.o S102 S1,58 1 . S2,6 19 SS,I l $5 1IINSDALE HUERFANO JACKSON JEFFERSON .. Sl.7 $3,~ G ILPI N ' SB,633 S3..S Sl7 . S86,209 • .. $137, KIT CAR.SON ~ . $174 '$ Sl.277 ss $480 $2.4 S2,9 LAKE $2 S399 $ S70 $ 102 S6.S $4,799 · m .: $28 St 13, KIOWA LA PLATA S2,4 $4,963 s S477 S5,6'. S4,4 Sl ,7 12 . s14,1 $ 14,20 1 LAR.IMER. . S3,(: . S5.760 $! S3.8-18 $28,3 SI 1,339 S52,7 S60.653 LAS ANIMAS ~ S-168 S{ S-178 S6 S326 S2,3' $2,897 LINCOLN S1 $99 SI S236 M $102 Sl,L Sl,333 s~ S328 $3.~ S5,723 LOGAN MESi\ MONTEZUMA S5, $2, i S3,367 Sl,3 .$821 'S6, S6.121 Sl2 $2 S3,059 ss.o S2,854 S23, $28,028 SSI . $ S290 S5 •• St,5 $102 $2,(l S1,306 ,$3, $3~ S4,917 $3 S606 S'l S530 SIO,~ S8.663 Sl9, S2~ S2,8-12 s SS-1-1 Sl ,6J S510 $7,f S7.508 SIS MINERAL MOFFA:r .. $4,( - . ~ �C O L O 1~ A D O D I V- I S l O N COUNTY O F W l L D L I FE I <) ') 7 A N N U A I. SEC-·- D.0.W DIRECT EXP. ONOARY EXP. S000 • S000 SQOO ELK EXP. SMALL GAME EXP. S000 FIS $3,306 S l_.2-19 S3.068 SI 1.87-l MO R GAN S3J2 Sl .576 $824 S5.-188 OTERO S243 SJ ,257 S593 OURAY S329 Sl2 Sl02 S3,924 s1.1·21 PARK S83-l • S516 S537 S 19,972 PHILLI PS S.IJ2 S629 SI02 SI,172 S2 1I $204 SS,9-16 S285 Sl,05 1 S612 ·s3.-l67 PUEBLq S2.127 • S1.123 • S2.008 $26.86-1 R.10 BLANCO S7,637 S589 S I,331 S10.627 R IO G RANDE Sl,3 17 S2-l0 S816 S-l,021 ROUTT $6,226 S502 S623 $19,620 SAGUACHE S890 Sl18 S20-l • SI,855 SAN J UAN S51 9 SI7 so MON TROSE PITKIN .SI,399· PROWER S SAN MIGUEL SI,506 SED GWICK S88. S102 S608 S3,750 · S44 S600 ·S102 S818 S2,09-1 $309 S163 SI-l,333 $563 S2-13 S20-1 S-l,320 SSI $334 WELD ' S2,J 18 S6,672 S I,-12_7 $27,759 YUMA S159 S1,635 S527 S3, l-l i SI 57,766 $56,614· SUMM IT TELLER WASHINGT ON TOTALS . so . $67.672 • R E' P O R T S83-1 $94-1,448 . . . . Wildlife Economic Impact Model. The original model of Hunting and Fishing Industries Economic lmfJClcl Model was prepared by·Browi1e, Bortz & Codoington, Inc., in 1988 and updated by William S. Devenney, Westat Consultants, Dec. 1997. The model tracked key. character istics, including residence of participants, number ·of activity days, nature of activity (elk, deer hunting, etc.), level and location of expenditui·es and secondary effects of visitor expenditures. *·From Cpforado Division of The Colorado Division of . Wildlife receives .no state tax 111011ey. l,istead, the agency is .f1111ded by t/1~p1.1rchase offishing and 1i,;11,ti11g l_ice11ses, by federal . f 1111ds generated by an excise ta,'( 011 the 111(1111ifact11re of arl/ls, a1111111111itio11 and _other sporting eq1i1p111ent, by d~nations to rhe 11011ga111e fund a11d by federal endangered species.f1111ds. .., l �C o.'1. 0 R. A))" 0 I) IV I S I· 0 N Of- w_ I L D LI FE Elk Demonstrate Success ofWildlife. Management · No big game species better than elk tells the story about I 00 years of successful wildlife management. Before the fi rst settler~ arrived in rhe territory that later became Colorado, elk. deer, antelope, buffalo· and · other wildlife species were bountiful. 13ut the demand for wild game multiplied ~s settlers, trappers, miners and • other explorers began surging into Colorado. In the early 1900s, the picture for elk was bleak.The U.S. Forest Service estimated that in 1910, a mere IO elk herds were left in all of Colorado with a total of 5001,000 animals. In 1913, Colorado closed the hunting season for elk, a prntective measu re that lasted until 1930, and gave the herds time to regenerate. l3ut more aggressive steps were needed, and Division ofWildlife biologists began to • . transplant elk to ·help _re- establish hcrds throughout the State. Said the March 26, 1914, edition of the Aspen De111ocm1 newspaper, "The addition of these new animals will, therefore, materially enlarge the herd from which it is expected the na"tural increase will i.n a few years, give . to this section one of the largest and finest in the West. Hurrah for our forest officials. Hurrah foi elks, both the two-footed and four-footed variety." Elk herds starting growing. . . As the elk multiplied, s·o did problems with game damage. Even as far back as 1931 . ranchers and farmers compbined that elk were raiding their haysta.cks. Through continued wildlife management, DOW biologists have monitored the state's elk herds to make suie populations scay. in balance wi~h the available habitat. Ba~ed on su rveys, biologists estimate Colorado now has 'J 9 7 :\ N !'\J U A L R. E P O R T 216,000 .elk statewide - the largest herds. in North America and evidence _o f successful wildlife management in the state. Current elk hunting seasons demonscrace the DOW's success· in achieving chose goals. In 19_96, h~nters sec a reqird for the overall harvest, caking 53,93-t animals. •. wii:h a 24 percent ,rnccess rate. Despite uncoopei-acive weather i1_1 1997, 43,-t70 elk were ha~vested. • Today, _Colorado also has one of che most liberal game damage laws in ~he West, reimbursing landowners up to SI miUion a11i1ually for property that is damaged by • wildl ife. The landowner_s, in turn, are required to allow "It 1110 11/d be public hunting on thei r property to qualify. hard to _fin d a The Division also works \Vith the state's lando\vners spot 111i t l, 011 t .elk through the Habitat Partnership Program (HPP) to • i11 the western improve habitat for -wild life in local communities. Since two-thirds of 1990, the Division has spent . nearly S2.7 million to · Colorado. " iniprove wildlife habitat, install fenc ing and lease pi-operty to improve wildlife habitat as f:d De11ny part ofthe. H PP effort. R.ocky Mountain News Today, elk and other terres1997 trial species are managed co provide optimum populations for their habitat and multiple recreational opportunities for Coloradans. Species su ch as moose (1975) and r iver otter ( l 976) that were once extirpated from the state have been reintroduced. Ocher species, such as desert . bighorn sheep, have been introduced to fill available niches in che state's ecosystems. • Thanks co scientific wildlife management, Colorado approaches the millennium with a wildl ife iesource that is 111ore diverse and more abundant than ev_er.. • witd~!fe ma,ragers 'statewide. �COLOR: A 0 I) D IV I S I ().N OF W I LI) L I FE 120,000 "'\ r ' \\ I 80.0(Xl I 60,000 40,000 ,I\ " " /. I I ' \ \ I I 20,000 ...,,I 0 1'!03 191'1 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 I'!% COLORAD O.ANTELQPE HARVEST 1950 1%1) • 1970 1980 1990 19% COLORADO ELK .HARVEST 60,000 ,.- 50.000 I I 40.000 -- J I 30.0(10 / ' ~v 20,000 _/ _/ 10,000 -o - ---- 1930 19-IO _;.,,,...-- 1'! 50 1960 • 1970 REPORT Hunter E·d Instructors Ho.n ored COLORADO D EER HARVEST 100.000 l 9 9 7 AN NU A l 1980 1990 1996 When Jose Al varado got started as a volunteer hunter education instructor for the Division 'of Wildlife. tyndon IJ. Johl)son ~vas president and the Viemam War was le~ding newscasts. It's a whole new era now, but 30 years later Alvarado and 10 either volunteers are stilJ with the Division of Wildlife. On Nov. 15, the D ivision hoHored 11 Coloradans who have volunteered as liunter education· instructo rs for at least 30 years with a luncheon at th e Denver IJu ffa lo Company in Denver.Those people are Alvarado of Pueblo, Dick Benson of Lakewood, Lloyd J3rill of M ontrose, 13iU Canterbury .of Howard, Loree and Tom Jo hnson of Kremmling,J im Knight of Greeley, Sam Pitzen of Aurora, Sid SelJers of Denver,Jayne Zmijewski . of Longniont and Ed Borowski· of Aurora - who started volunteering befqre the rest, in 1957. • This grou p of volunteers has taught 445 compkte courses - graduating 43,395 people. In Colorado it's mandatory that all hunters. bo.rn on or after Jan .- I, 1949, must have completed an approved hunter educ:nion course. The Division relies on 500 skilled volunteer instrucrors to reach rlut course. 1-luntei education coutses cover a variety ·of topics includ ing, firearm safety, hunter ethi'cs, wildlife management, .1rchery, marksmanship, o utdoor survival, fi rst aid, . wild li fe identification and game care. T he classes are also open co nonhunters who·wanc to learn about wi ldlife recreation issues. This mandatory requirement is primarily responsible for a reduction in the number of liunting accidents in Colorado. �COLOR. A I ) 0 I) I V l SI<) N OF W I L D LI F E <) l) 7 A N N U AL R 1:. P O R. T Commissioner R o land Parvin in 1919 as construction ~f hatcheries in De nve r, .l3ellvue, C edaredge, Du rango, G lenwood Springs and La Jara, and the purchase of reservoirs, such as Haviland near Fore C oll ins and ;Tafry,a ll west· o f C olorado Spr ings, e nabled the rearing and planting offish . . D i.iring the late 1940s and eaily I 950s, conti"nued emphasis .was put 011 warm- water, as well _as co ld- water, fishing. Colo rado's w ildli fe managemet~t legacy began \~id, Six new hatcheries were. added to the syste m d uring • fish . W hen the eadkst o fficials o f the ten 'itory chat lacer the 19n0s, and aer ial stocki ng o f fish _became co111111o i1. .became known as C olo rado met in · 186 1, fo re most on By" 1997, more than 16 _mi ll ion c"old-wate r and 68 their minds in ·ce rms o f ~1\/ild li fc management was-pron1illion warm- wate r fish were s.cocked in •Colorado 's . ceccing fisheri es·. That was co continue for decades as waters an nually. . Coloradan!> fou ght co reve rse early exploitation. Due, the 1990s ha, brought a b ig challenge-. From its earliest secclemenc, fish had been netted, whirling disease. The disease has been present in ~eined and dynamited. Waterways were dammed, divertC o lorado since the 1980s, but it wasn't un til the early ed , polluted and de-watered . In 1870, the Territorial 1990s chat it became tllo re prevale nt.A parasitic in fe_cAssembly reac ted and passed laws.co' protec·c fisheries. tion that causes skeletal deformities, _discoloratio n and During chat first session , C olorado's first wildlife man- · even death in some rainbow trout has been fou nd in· 14 agement o fficial, Fish Cpmmissioner.W ilso n E. Sisry, was of the state's 15 major river systems. appo inted. The resulting establishme nt o f. a scare· fish c ul. The DOW is working w ith fe de ral and state agencies cure program bro ugh t new directio n co fishe ries manthrougho ut the 1iatio n ro research the d isease. R esearch agement in C olorado. efforts are aimed at either eli111i1iacion, m itigatio n o r Fishe ries management cook anothe r step ·forward fol - . management of the d isease ~nd its im pacts o n lowing the appoincme_nt o f State Game and .Fish C olorado's and the nation's fishe ries. In 1997, the ~i.::il::~1"" _ _____:________--,----.,,_,· 1ft!Wl■nill!l!IW! Divisio n committed .a total" 1• ofS20 mi llion to restor ing its" hatche ries and e nsur ing rhat Colo rado continues. to provide some of the . best fishing in the natio n. T he W ildlife C om111issioi1 • approved cl1anges in the stocking po licy and regulatio ns reducing the bag. liriiic 011 tro ut o n the West Slop e, w hic h were also designed to o ffset the impa~r o f whi1_:li ng d isease. Today,- in spic~ of the challenges posed ,vitl, whirl ing disea$e,_ C olo rado ·remains an excellent place· co fish . l:3rowns and brook cro.uc and_ warm- water species from wipers or walleye provide chaUei1ges . and opportun ities for the state's anglers. So m uch so chat Divisio n bio logists estim ate chat, by 1997, fisbing was providing anglers with mo re tha·n 8 million recreaci·o n clays annually. Wildlife Management Began With Fish. , MaµagemenJ r:~•••• 11 tf:i}j1Ji4 arou.n.d wild orput-m1d-,i:toum trollf, so1111d habitat, rcaso11able p11blic acfess a11d"iJYotective . itifmited ,n screams a11d rivers" Ed Dcutr , The Ro£1y M o untain N ews �C O· L O R.. A D O D I V I S I ·0 N O F W I L Colorado's O.nly. Native Trout A Special Catch For Angle~s Imagin e.a time when an apgler can cast into a highcountry lake, hook a native cutthroat trout. and keep one of Colorado's finest for dinner or for mounting. • Thar's the ultimate goal Di~ision ofWildlife aquatic. managers have for Colorado's cutthroat trout:·the lU o . Grande cutthroat,.Colorado Rive·r cutthroat and the· greenback cutthroat-:- named the state fish in 199-L • Alt~ough significant progress has been made in resurrecti ng the state's· native cutthroat • populations, the D ivision is not ". . . . I/(IS • yet at the point of allowing harvest of Colorado's only .native II/ 11c1i to be trout. But anglers can get a flavor .for pleased about i11 native cut.throats usi'ng catcb-andrclease methods..Not bad, consid- its century of • ering g reenbacks were though.t co be extinct until the 1960s when stewardship." some remote populations were discovered. At the tili1e, R.io • Grande and Colorado R.i ver cut- Charlie Meyers throat wer~ thought to be th·e Denver Post only remaining native trout pop- 1997 ul~tions, which ·were at critically low levels.• • As uoiquico.us as.rainbow, brook and brown trout may • be in the R.ocky Mou1itain.West, they arc relatively. • recel'lt arrivals.' Little more than I00 years ago, the only. trout found east of California from Mexico to Montana were cutthroats. All of Colorado's rivers. such as the Gunnison, South Platte,Colorado and Arkansas; renowned today for rainbo~ .and brown trout fishing, •were inhabited by cutthroat trout. R.csearchers say the species existed in what's now Colorado for about 8,000 years. n·ow Recovery efforts have increased the populations of the greenback cutthroat trout, i!nd catch-andrelease fishing has been allowed in Colorado since 1982. I) L I F E. But ovei'-harvest, loss or hahitat caused by w~ter cxploit:ition, mining, loggi ng, agriculture and land devcl-. opmcnt, along with competition from non- native . species, led ro the cutthroats' downfall. One species, the yellowfin, was foreve·r lost a.round the turn ofthe century. . But thanks •to recovery programs, the tide has turned for Colorado'~· remai ning 'native trout. • . Greenbacks are making a comeback in the .upper Sou.th Platte and Arkansas river drainages, where there are 22 populatio.ns. Colorado River cmthroats .are recov:... ering o n the Western Slope (also_ 22 populations), and ·Rio G rande cutthroats (38 populatio ns) have made a comeback in the southern part of the state with help from the Division's recovery programs. .Fish Introduced Into Colorado Waters YEAR SPECIES 1879: ...................... ................... Black ·Bass (large1i1outh) 1882 .... :. :................................. Brook· trout, carp, crappie 1886 ............. :..... R.ainbow t~out, lake trout (Mackinav,'.) , . Atlantic salmon (did not acclimate) 1903 .......................... : ......... ... ...... ..... :......... Brown trollt .1921 ................... ... .... ....•. Yellow perch, sunfish (blLicgill) .·J 932 ................. ................. .... ....... Golden trout; grayling 3 ::1~ ::·.:::::::·.::·.::·.·.::··.:::.:::::::::::·.:::::::·.::·.::::·,::::~. ~:~rcet:1l:~ 1949 ......... ..... : .......... ................ ........ Walleye pike, perch 195 ·1......... .... .... Kobnee salmon, drum, smallmouth bass 1957 ............ ......... .. ........... Northern pike, redear sunfish 1958 .......... ....... .:....... ...................... ... :..Brown bullhead 1963............... ............ : ........................ ..... :.. Silvcr salmon • 1964 ............ .. Sacramento perch, grayling (reintroduced) . 198 1 •... ............... White bass, striped ba.ss hybrids ·(wipers) 1984 .: ... .......... :.............. •......................... :.. Tiger muskie 1985 ......... .. :..... ....... :.. .......................... Chinook saimon �COLORA D O \ ) ! V f S I ON O F W I L l ) LIF E Division Focuses. On Preserving Habitat The Division of Wildlife owns, leases o r has consCJ·vation easements on 385 properties totall ing ,rn;ire than • 675,000 acres. Since 1990 alone, tht: Division has purchased or leased 95,000 acres and nearly 50 miles of streams. Also during tlie. 1990s, the Division arranged to ka~e and open co public use an additional 197. State Scliool Trust Lands totalling 470,000 acres. Thirty of those prope(·ties were opened during '1997. It is an impressive array of habitat and public access. It is also only about I percent of all. Colorado's land mass. Meaning that Colorado's wildlife depends on private landowners and federal and state agencies other than the Division ofWildlife for protection of the lands and • • waters the resource needs.· • Providing appropriate data about wild.life and habitat to land-use decision makers is a key strategy i_n the Division's habitat protect.i on efforts. The Wildlife R esource lnformarion System (\XIR.IS) and System fo r Conservatio n Planning (SCoP) garher, analyze arid provjde data to federal., state and loca l land-use d ecision makers. WR.IS uses satellite imagery to map habitat. SCoP is an on line system that also 1;1aps habitat according to its value and enabl.cs county officials to predict how. future changes in land use will affect wildlife: habitat. Funded by COCO money and using data coll_ected t_h rough WR.IS and SCoP, the Natural Diversity Information System.(ND IS) will distribute wildlife habitat data th~ough the internec:The ND IS. system will • provide interactive 111appi1ig capabirities to online users as well as educational and other oppornm ities. NDIS was on line to a limited number of users in 1997 during development of the prototype. The systen~ is expected to be widely available within a cmiple of years. . . The Division has also attempted to work with and through ·ocher land n1anagers to improve wildlife habitat. In recent years, cooperative efforts with Trout Unlimited, for example, have re-su ited in stream improvements along Trout Creek, the South Platte and North Fork of the 13ig Thompson River (1 ~8?). Similarly a joint habitat improvement venture w ith city and county govcn,1ments and Ducks Unlimited resulted in ponds and reservoirs for waterfowl production as ,vel.l as public recreation at the 1,600-acre Brush Waterfowl Management Area. In 1997, a co operative .effort between the Division, the l~ocky M·o untain Elk. Foundation, G reat Outdoors Colorado, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the U.S. Fish and W iJd]jfe Service resulted in the;: state's pui·chase of the Main Gulch property near Gunnison County. Purchased. in commemoration of the Divisiqn 's 1997 ANNUAL XZEPOR.T Centennial :\nniversary, the 1,800-acre property will p rotect critical winter range for deer -and elk and two ·active breeding areas for the- Gunnison S:\ge g rouse, a species of special concern. Publi_c and pri.vate coopera~ tion enabled .the project to protect the property from private development. During 1997, die Division, in cooperation with Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, Partners for · Wildli fe and the state park system, under.t ook. projects •• that will evemually conserve and restore 25,000 acres of wetlands as part of the GOCO fonded Wetlands Initiative. The goal of the project will be to conserve a total ot_l 00,000 acres of wetlands aud the associ;1u;d wildli(e by 2005. Educating land managers has also been an important part of the Division's overa ll habitat protection effort. In 1997, the Division conti nued to do so by recognizing the R.ichard Gcesen family of Elbert County as the Landowner of the Year. The Geesens were cited fo r n1.anagement of their 112,000-acre ranch southeast of Denver and fo·r allo.w ing public access, including . ._ access by schoQI ~ groups and handicapped hunters, to • the property_Started in · 1~83, the landowner recognrnon prog ram attempts to encourage pro~erty owners to manage • arid improve their lands a'n d waters· as wildlife habitat. . GOCO Funds Wildlife Protection Efforts The Great O utdoors Colorado Trust Fund (COCO), which is charged with distributing part of Colorado's lottery revenues, agreed to help fund 16 Division projects durin g 1997. ,O f the 16 projects,.six target programs to ensure viable populations of species .at risk; two focus on- using a variety of management and information strategies to protect critical habitats; three projects develop wildl ife watching opportunities in Colorado; and five education projects enh ance. programs that provide thou- . sands of school children and inner-city youths wi~h a variety of wi ldlife-related experiences. • Great Outdoors Colorado's S3.5 million investment in • FY 97-98 projects will be leveraged wlth S3.6 million from .the Division and S2.9 m illion from other partners. _G reat Outdoors Colorado funds projects ~in:ied at �C O L O R A D O D I "y I S I {) N O F W I L D I I F I:' l 9 1J 7 A N N U A l habitat and species protection and wildlife education and watchable wildlife-related recreation. Since establishment by the state legislature in 1994, ·coco has funded i 17 wildlife-related pr~jccts totalling more than $ 15 million. • Tec_hnology, Customer Services · • Highlight ·Divis.i on Administration When it came time to pay then executive director C leland Feast in 1947, entries of his salary (he made a w hopping $366 per month) were neatly recorded by hand in a payroll ledger that would grow to be ~!most a foot thick and .w•e igh close to ·3() po unds. • Today, payroll deposits directly to employees' financial instim,tions and direct paymen~ to employees· creditors • fro m that point suggest that th e administrative activ_ities of the Divisio n ofWildlife over the last century have indeed come a long way, baby. . One of the most significa nt milestones in such progress came with the establishment of the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Information System or COR.IS in 1993.,CO RIS is a business system , which auto mated and replaced several Division programs. By issuing free conservation certificates, a ki1rd of identif.icacio1i card, co license· buyers, CO R.IS ·has enabled the creation of a data base of customers chat makes their interaction with the Division much easier. Information ranging fro m · hunter education certificate numbers to the number of preference points an individual hun·ter has is now available in one place fo r Oivision customer. . C O n..I S has faci li tated the inventory a1id accounting of licenses, supervision of li~cnse agencies, pc;:rformi1ig the drawin gs for limited licenses, conducting various Division surveys, etc. Like Feast's payroll records, almost all of those fim ctio ns were performed nianually prior to the availabi liry of CORI S. . By 1997 the CO R.IS system helped maintain the i·ecords of nearly 1 millio n Division custo.i:11ers. Technology, today, plays a major role in· wildlife man-. agement in Colorado, facilitating every thing from satellite niapping of habitats to interoffice communicatio ns. Technology win make the pla11ni11g and modified zero·b:ise budgeting syste.111 the .Division implemented 'in J-997 available online· to aU agency managers via _computers. In addition to technol9gical innova tions, _th_c Divisio n ofWildlife in the 1990s emphasized_improvc111ents in customer ser vices as well. At one point in its history, the cabs of game warde1~s'._ trucks were the Division offices. Today the Division • maintains service centers, w hich sell licens_es and· provide I( E p O R I' information and other services to·consticuencs,·i1~ 18 communities throughom ti1c state.' Wh en custo~1er service representatives and ·support personnel are .added to tbe biologists and commissioned district wildlife m:inagers, the Division now .has many more employees in the "field" than it did in Feast's day. • • In December 1997, the Division answered another concern by replacing its antiquated telephone system and by adding a call center. staffed with customei service representatives responsible for answering requests for in formation . That call center was expected to amwer • nio1:e than 160,0()0 calls annually. Also dw·ing 1997, all buc a handfLil of Division employees received custom~!' service train ing as p:irt of Gov. lloy R.omcr's Colorado Cares program co·· improve ·services to the public. The best may be yet to com e, however. The Division's home page went up on the Internet' during 1997. Regulations .and other information arc available at w111111. d11r.srnt£;_ro.11s / l/lild/1fc; licenses and ocher Division pi-od~ct, will eventualJy be available through the internet a well .. In 1997, the Division successfu lly completed pilot programs allowing ct1sto111crs to. use credit cards to buy hunting and fishing licenses. The project will be expanded to Division serv ice centers statewide in corning years, and the Division is studying the possibifity of. selling licenses over the telephone, too. •"' 0 L-- - - - -- -- -- - - - - - - --------'= THE,'\":'111c Coloradq A~telope a �C OL O R A D O DI V l Sl ON ·o F W I I_ D·L.I FE Environmental .·Movement· Spawns Nongam'e .Management The environmental movement that produced various pieces of fcdcral ·legisbtion in the late 1960s and early 1970s brought riongan;e wildlife management efforts.' intq focus for the CoJorado Division ofWildlife. In the early i 970s, the Divi~ion, reflecting these broader concerns of society as a whole, formalized its non game wildlife managem ent efforts and created an organizational Llilit dedicated to the managemellt of nonga me, threatened and endangered wildlife. Nonga me w ildlife include those; species char are ·ne ither hunted nor fished.To~lay, 773 species, including 26 threatened or ·endangered species, are ctirrcncly classified as no'nga1nc. l;'o suppo rt .m anageme11t efforts on ·.their behalf, Colorad_o created the nongame income tax checkoff in 1977, becoming the first state in m·e nation to do so. Since cop ied by almost every other stare, the checkoff provides an qpportunity for taxpayers to .donate funds co .the Division for•the managemenc of nongame, chrcarened and endangered wildlife: Nearly 60,000 citizens use cl~e checkoff and annually clonate about $400,000 to the. fund. Since 1994, GOCO (Great O utdoors Colorado) has add'ed a coral of S3.2 million for non game wildlife managemenc. l (J 9 7 • ANNUAL I~ E P ORT • Thar funding has helped Colorado make sig!1 ificant progress. in research ing and recovering the state's nongame species . Colorado's scare fish, the greenback cutthroat trout js one such success story. "We support the Originally one of four species of native trout DOW 11011ga111e in Colorado, overhar·vest and habitat . progm111. It is ... • destruction took their col.I on the greenback. i111porta11t to 1111der- • Thought t0 be extinct . by 1937, two sma ll stand 11011ga111e species populations were dis-· covered in the· South thro11gh resewch to, Fork of the Poudre R..iver and in Como· • e11s11re.J11t11re pop11/a~ Creek in Boulder Cou11ty in the 1960s. tio11s ~f wildlife 111ithii1 With funding in part from the riongame Colorado." checkoff, a recovery . program fo r. the greenSam P11cke1T backs was put in place. Li1Tle1011, CO . More than 1.1 0,000 fry . • ~,vere taken ,f~om greenbacks in Colorado streams, raised in federal hatcheri es and released into eastern slope waters. In 1997 there were 22 populations of greenbacks in che upper ·South Platte and Arkansas l°(iver drainage - enough to all~w· catch-and:release fishing opportunities for a· species nearly extinct just 30 years.ago. . Iii fact, the Division's nongame progr~nis have been sufficien tly successful that, in 1993, four species of birds were "down listed" from endangered to threatened statLJS. T hose four are the' An1erican peregr ine· falcon, the bald eagle, the • greater sandhill crane and the g reater . prait;e-chicke-n. _ ·H ow well have those four clone' In the early 1970s, for example, Colorado counted just six breedi ng pai rs of peregr ine falcons. T ha nks to · the efforts of the state's w ildlife biol- . ogists, nearly 80 breeding· pairs of . peregrines were c.ounted in the state . d uring .1997. Simi larly, in the 1970s,. just one breedi'ng pair of bald eagles was known to reside in Colorado, In 1997, biologists counted 29 breeding • pairs ofeagles in th e state. Work.'011 heh;Jlf ofi1ongame wildlife C<?ntinued du ring 1997 . . Biologists collected w.ild R..io Grande· suckers from New Me~co and moved them to Colorado, increasing the popul~tions from ·one to three. �CO LOR ADO • D l V l S I 0 N 0 F W I L D LI FE . I lJ 97 J.\ N N ·U A L R LP 0 R. T An inventory of wood frogs is demonstrati ng that stable populations exist, w:trranting delisting of this threatened species. Biologists also worked to determine the distribution of and canduct genetic research on Prebles'. meadow jumping mouse and to drafi: conservation. strategies for the mouse, the lynx and the wolverine. 13iologists also bega ri to analyze the distribution and abundance of native fish species in· the Arkansas and : South Platte rivers and were working with ocher state and federal .authorities to recover and manage the state endangered Western boreal toad. . The state also rook a giant step fo rward in its nongame management efforts last year by begi nning engineering work chat will ultimately lead to construction of a-native aquatic species hatchery in the San Luis Valley. The goal w ill be to research and raise thes~ species, eventually releasing them to the ,~ild. Colorad·o Threatened (T) .or Endangered .(E) Species SPECIES NAME STATUS Arkansas darter ............•...... .............., .....:............ ....... T G ree nback cutthroat trout ...... ......... :....... ........... :.......T • R~zorback sucker ............·.. .. .. ...................................... E Tionytail ........ .: .............. ...... ............ ............... ...... ...... .. E .Humpback chub .. ........................... ..................... : .... .. E Colo rado squawfish .. ... .... _. ....... .................................... E Rio Grande sucker ......... :......... ........... : .... .... ................E Wood frog ............................... :•..... :... :.........................T Western boreal toad .......................................... ........ ... E Lesser prairie-chicken ..................... ·.......... ; ............. ... T • American peregrine falcon ............ :···· ···· .. ············· ...... T Arctic peregrine falcon ............. ..... , .. ,.................... ,.... T Piping plover. ....... ............................ ....................... :···T Greater·prairie-chicken .:..................... ........................ T Plains sharp-tailed grouse ..: ....... ................... ...·............ E American peregrine falco n ....•...... .... .... .... •..... .-......._. .... ... T • .13ald eagle ... .... ............. ............... ......... :: ..'. .... ..... :........ T Wliooping crane ............. ......... ,..... : ..... ...... ................. £ Least tern ........... ....:..............~ ..................................... £ Mexican spotted 0~¥1 ........ .. ...................... .................. T ~ ~ ~ ~ 0:: s :)) ..., <". ej % ..__ __:__ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ __ _ ____,g ~~~:!~i~:a r::::::::::::::::::~::::::: ::::::::: :::::·:::: :::::::::::::: :::::::~ . River otter .. ............. .... ............. :.... ............................. .E Lynx ........... .......... .................. .............. ..:... ...._. ............ E . Gray wolf ................................ .... ........................ .'..... E • Black-footed ferret ................ :.. .. ...... .................... ..... :. E �C (j LO ll A D O . l) I V IS I O N O F W i ·L D L I F E . Watchable.Wildlife P.rovides Both Education And Recreation .• The C olorado Division ofWildlifc established a watchable wildlife program in 1.987 in respon~e to inf9rmarion indicating that as many as six· our of 10 Colorada.ns par cicip;_ired in wildli(e viewing and related activiti es.• Today_ i-nore tlun 1·,2 tn.illion residents are believed to participate regularly in bird-watching, wildlife photogrnpliy and che other educational and recreational activities· chat arc induded in watchable wildlife. The Division .instituted it~ watchable wiidlife prog ram· because it recogn ized chat, given sign ificant public par-.ticipation in watchable wi ldlife activities, these efforts could have a1i important impact on its ability to prot_e ct • wildlife and provide opportu ni ties in the future. Watchable wildlife activities are also jmportant contributors co the state economy. The U.S. Fish atid • Wildl ife Service estimates that the state's watchable -wildlife enthusiasts. spend more than $792 million a yea r on such recreation. A Division scudy in-1991 suggested that such expenditures turn over in the local eco.110 111y . several times producing an impact _o f over S1 .3 billion a year. Since its inception, the Division's watchable wildlife. program has attempted to help enthusiasts learn· to enjoy and take advantage o f opportunities to·view wildlife. U.S.· Fish and Wildli fe Service studies suggest tliar 63 percent of hunters and anglers are also active wildlife watchers, and almost o ne-third of those make specific trips to see wi ldlife in addition to their hunting an~I fishing activities.· To help people enjoy anc;l learn from these recreational activities, the wa_tchable wildlife program. has produced and marketed a comprchensivc;_ viewing guide to the state's wildlife, newspaper articles, brochures and videos and .o ther product~. In addition , the Division has _d eveloped.opportunities spec ifica_lly for wi ldli fe vie\~ing on many ·of the state's wildlife areas_. By 1997, Watchable Wildlife in Parks had· ci1hanced wildlife viewing and interpretive opportunities in 24 ·of the Colo1'ado's 40 state parks, . O ne o f the more important efforts so far was construction of the bighorn sheep viewing fac ility and interpretive center on Irirerstatc 70 at Georgetown . Opened in 1988, the facility was a j o int project of the Division, the Colorado Department.of H ighways, the C ity•of Georgetown, Clear Creek County, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service and the Colo rado Bighorn Society. . Tht: facility pr9vides spotting scopes and interpretive I LJ 9- 7 · 1\ N ~ U "/\ I R I:.. P ( ), R. r inforn,1ation alk>wing rh6usa1;ds of visitors a .year to see and learn about a very cooperative herd ofbighonis inhabiting the peaks above ·che interstate highway. . • In ·l 997, the watchable wildli fe progra1;1 took another big step •.fo1ward with the start of the Face-to-Face with Wildlitc program. As part o( this progra m , Division• trai ned inscructo.rs offer workshops enabling participant~ to develop rhe skills to observe wildlife as well as an . appreciation ·and understanding of the resource and its habitat. • . . . Face to Face is expected to ;_ippeal to fapu lies, hikers, birders, youth g ro ups and many others with an interest in wildlife. The workshops ·w1ll eventually be offered through local parks and recreation departmencs;-schools, the Division itself, etc. Three pilot Fae~ ·co Face worksho ps for about 30 peo,ple were completed during 1997. The program is exp ected to grow co reach 3,000 people in 1998 and about 5,_000 annually after that. Defining Watchable Wildlife .. ~ -• · Where ·Does It Fit? vV!wt is watch(lb/e wildlife? vVatcliable 111ildlife is ·a Di11isio11 ef f Vildlife j,111ctio11 that e11ha11ce~ public opport1111ities for sustai1Table, low-i111pact • rccreatio11. Watchable wildlife includes vieu1i11g, photo,f!_raph}~ bird feedi,ig, 11at11re study a11d 111ildlife appreciatio11 . • vVarcl,able 111ildlife en,<?cigcs people in . diverse 1ie111i11g experic11ces a11d associ(lted leami11,(!_ experic11ces. Watchable 1/Jildlife teaches viewi11g skills a11d 11ieu1i11g ethics, teache~: pcopl& about u1ildlife a11d i11creases public support for 111ildlife !tabitat acquisitio11 a11d protection . It addresses a 11e111 constituency for. the Division . The pro< (!_m111 •exists l/Jithi11 the a,{!_CIIC)' becil11se it supports , • Division efforts to 111eet it~ 111a11dates, goals and • o_bjectil1es. Watchable 111ildl[fe is_ a -fool t!tat will fos ter coi1sen1atio11 of wildlife and tl,eir habitat by pro11idi1!g a variety of recreational, educational arid ec<:110111ic be11~fits ·to diverse audiences across Colorado. .; �STATE OF COLORADO R oy R omer ............................ .Governor DEPART MENT OF NAT URAL RESOURCES James S. Lochhead ...... Executive Director WILDLIFE COMMISSION as of May 1998 Charles D. Lewis, Chair ..... ....Kremmling Mark LeValley,Vice-Chair ........ Hotchkiss Bernard L. Black,Jr., Secretary ..... Denver Dorothea Farris ................ ... .. Carbondale Philip J. James ... .......... ..........Fore Collins James R. Long ............................Boulder Arnold Salazar ............................ Alamosa John Singletary ......... .................... Boone DIVISION O FW ILDLIFE LEADER SHIP TEAM John W Mumma ........................Director Bruce McCloskey .... Chief Administrator Steve Cassin ............. Planning/Budgeting Wale Graul... ... ...........Wildlife Protection James Guthrie ............. Legislative Liaison Steve Norris .................... Public Services Marilyn Salazar ............. Support Services DIVISION O FWlLDLIFE INFORMATION (303) 297-1192 �How To Reach Us ( , I .,,! , I) , 1· \ .h1 ;, 1 ot De11ver ./-leadq11artc•1·s 6060 BrPnd111ay •Dct111er, CO 802 16 _(303)297- 1192 2./-/rour/d,ry Recorded Seaso11 · bifomiatio11 (All arl'II r01ies are 3_03) Fislrir~~ Co111/itio11 Report.i: 291-75j./ I'islr Storki,i~: 291-753 1 J-/1111tcr Ed11wtio11 Classes 11,,ailable: 291- 7530 • Dccr/Elld:A11tdopc/Bear Seaso11 Dates: 291-7529' u.fto11cr Limited Lire11sc bifomwtio11: ·29 1- 75i 9 Small Came Se11sm1 dates: 291-75./6 UJJlm1d CameF/irrkey Sca,011 Dates: 29i-75./7 IM1teif;11,/ Seaso11 .Dates: 29 I~ 75./8 2./-lw11rl daJ' Recorded. Season l11(ormatia11 for tire -Cm11d • J111wio11 Arca: (970) 255-6101 WEBSIT.E: www,dnr.sqtc.co.us/wildlife 11 11 1l l" 6060 Broadway Dmver, CO 802 16 (.JOJ) 291-722~ Fo~t Collins Service Center 3 I 7 West ProsJJert f-ort Colli11s, CO 80526 (9,70) ./72-4300 Arca Oflice •• 1~0 . Box J28 Bmslr, CO 80723 (970).8./2-312./ \ 7 11 l11deJJeriile11t Ave. Cm11d j1111ctio11, CO 8 I505 (970) 255-'6 / 00 Area Ofliccs: 50633 ·1-1,;,ys. 6 & 24 Cfo11111<1()d Spri11,~s, CO /rt 60 1 (970) 9./5- 7228 " Center 2126·N. ,lllebcr Sr. Colomdo SJJri11gs; CO 80907 (7'I 9) 227-5200 Arca Offices: 120./, East Olive.' umiar, co 8 1052 (7 19) 336-./852 346 Cm111/ Co1111ty Road 362 • P.O. &x 216 7405 1-lwy. 50 /-lot S11IJJl111r Spri11gs, CO 80451. . Sa/ilia, CO 81201 (7 19) 539-3529 (970) 725-3557 PO. /Jox. 118./ 1\lecker, CO 8 I 6./ 1 (970) 878-./493 . 600 Reservoir Road P11eblv, CO 81005 (719) 561-./909 J~O. Box 775777 Sre-m11boat Spri11gs, CO 80477 (970) 870-3324 Montrose Service Center 2300 S. To11111swd A11e. Mo11trose, C'O 8i401 (970) 2./9-343 I Arca Ofliccs: 151 E. 16rh Sc. North •Drrrmrgo; CO 81 JO 1 (970) 247-0855 _.JOO W Ne111 Vork Arie. · C111111iso11; CO. 81230 (970) 641-0088 _0722 So11rh lfoad, I Dasr -.\lo111e Vista, co 81144 (719) 852-4783 Cm't'r pl,otos: Qj/i«'r - DQI V p/1010. Gmul'r /Jr.Jirir-(l,itkm - © Sltrrm Sp,.,els1m. B(1;lwm shrfJJ tmpJmtt/ - Cl Shmn Sp"c/s1ti,. ,\/ulr deer burk - O Sltrrm Sp«Isrm. &uk Coilfr pl,(,r,>s: Ht11r/1rry "'"'"' - DOIV photo. m,uh.J1/t 11 ildlffi: kio,k - DOI I' photo. Bri,;11_li)'aly c!f Colden with 28-it1d1-l0t~f.! r.1i11b,n1• trout l4m~l,t a11d rr/r,ued on 1hr ·t,q•lor Rim /~,ow () &,/, R)'rrly. � https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/1256501bddfc4bf56c51004a8cd10014.pdf fa6d6aa7d7865b17b9e0ca44eccb6248 PDF Text Text RT �The mis PROTECT WILDLIFE AND WILDLIFE HABITAT Division Preserves Habitat with Largest Acquisition in History [Editor's Note: Adopted by the Colorado Wildlife Commission in 1994, the Division of Wildlife's Long Range Plan (LRP) organizes tlu;agency's 33 goals into the followi11g major categories: protection of wildlife and wildlife habitat, wildlife-related recreation, wildlife information and education, responsive management, accountability, efficiency and work force. The annual report for 1998 reports on activities in support of those goals. A copy of the LRP is available from the Division at 6060 Broadway, Denver 80216. This annual report cost 9 cents each to print.} n meeting its goals of protecting wildlife and wildlife habitat during 1998, the Division purchased or obtained leases or easements on 16 new properties during 1998. Notable among these was the largest single purchase of property in the agency's history- the 30,000-acre Bosque de! Oso property in the Purgatoire River Basin in Las Animas County. The purchase was a cooperative effort between the Division and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and cost $9.5 million. The purchase enables protection of important riparian habitats as well as lands for the second largest elk herd in the state. The property is expected to open to public use in the spri ng of 1999. Other activities to protect habitat during 1998 included acquisition of the 5,600-acre Bitterbrusb Ranch in Moffat County, and signing of a conservation easement on the LCross Ranch in the San Luis Valley as part of the Division's Wetlands Initiative, which is itself a Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) Legacy Project. The acquisitions protect wetlands; winter range for deer, antelope and bighorn sheep; as well as habitat for peregrine falcons, golden eagles and other species. Those acquisitions, leases and easements enabled the Division to protect an additional 51,000 acres of wildlife habitat last year. The agency has acted to protect more than 137,000 acres of habitat and 50 miles of stream since 1990. Overall, the Division owns 220 properties totaling 344,000 acres. Division easements and leases protect an additional 239,000 acres. State school trust lands leased by the Division to protect habitat and opened to tl1e public total an additional 470,000 acres. Supported by a GOCO grant, the Wetlands Initiative will protect up to 25,000 acres of Colorado wetlands by the year 2000. Several species benefited from past Division efforts during 1998. Notable among those was the threatened blackfooted ferret, J9 of which were reintroduced at a site near Maybell, in a joint effort between the Division, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Lynx were also scheduled to be reintroduced to a site in southern Colorado at the end of 1998 or early in 1999, depending on success in trapping the animals for transplant from Canada. And during 1998, the Colorado Wildlife Commission, in response to successful recovery efforts, removed the greater prairie-chicken, greater sandhill crane and peregrine falcon from the state's threatened and endangered species list. Colorado currently has 120 nesting pairs of cranes and a total breeding population of about l,200 birds. Colorado's peregrine population, which had dwindled to four pairs during the 1970s, had risen to at least 82 pairs by 1998. The Wildlife Commission also listed the Preble's meadow jumping mouse as a threatened species. The mouse is found in riparian areas along the developing urban corridor of the Front Range. The Division along with the USPWS, the state Department of Natural Resources, developers, private landowners and conservation groups are completing a habitat conservation plan which will outline the state's effort to recover the mouse and make a fed er. al threatened or endangered species designation un necessary. In cooperation witl1 the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the Division finished design plan ni ng for the $4.7 million Native Aquatic Species Restoration Facility on a 760-acre site in Alamosa County in the San Luis Valle)'. It w.ill be the first facility dedicated to the protection, enhancement and preservation of sensitive aquatic species, including fish, amphibians, crustaceans and mollusks. Ground for construction is expected to be broken next spring. There are 54 fish species, 17 amphibians and 37 aquatic mollusks native to Colorado and of those, 52 percent of the fish, all of the amphibians and 3 percent of the mollusks are listed as endangered, threatened or as a species of special concern. The Division also continued to forge partnerships with private landowners to benefit wildlife as well. Among the most successful of these was the Habitat Partnership Program (HPP), which last year committed more than $750,000 to aid local landowners on a wide variety of projects improving almost 56,000 acres of wildlife habitat in communities throughout Colorado. The South Park HPP committee, for example, funded an innovative approach to cattle management to improve forage at Reinecker Ridge, a property leased earlier from the State Land Board. As a result, the property now attracts l,200 elk that historically fed on adjacent private lands. The Division also moved to protect additional habitat with a financial grant to the USFWS' Partners for Wildlife Program, through which nearly 500 Colorado landowners have agreed to protect nearly 12,000 acres since I990. GOCO Supports Wildlife Conservation reat Outdoors Colorado gave the Division of Wildlife$4.5 million to preserve wildlife habitat, protect declining species and enhance wildlife education and viewing programs during 1998. The grant emphasized protection of habitat through acquisitions, on the ground management and leases. It also stressed preventing further decline or federal listing of some species. The money was matched with other funds to pay for 14 projects with a total value of$13.6 million. �WILDLIFE-RELATED RECREATION Hunting, Fishing, Watching Wildlife Dominate Recreational Opportunities untingand Colorado's hunters are key tools of wildlife management. 216,000 elk are probably more than enough. The state's game managers combined those two facts with the first either-sex elk hunting licenses in history to reduce the state's elk herd during the 1998 hunting seasons. Though popular among hunters, the licenses may not have resulted in the harvest biologists hoped for as warm weather thwarted hunters' efforts. Harvest results wi ll be available in March; the Colorado Wildlife Commission will decide whether or not to continue the either-sex seasons in l999. Mule deer also drew considerable attention from the state's wildlife managers. Deer herds throughout Colorado and die West have decl ined and, in 1998, the Division and Commission have committed to understa nding why and reversing the trend. In response to the decline, the Commission last yea r committed to limiting all deer hunting for die 1999 seasons. As a result, all deer hunters in Colorado will need to apply for and draw hunting licenses for 1999; applications will be available in March and due on April 6. Por its part, the Division was conducting half a dozen separate research projects to understand the causes of the decline; changes in habitat, predation, and competition with elk are among the suspected contributors. Even so, tht?re are almost 600,000 deer in Colorado. The Division worked aggressively to mi nimize the impacts of whirli ng disease (WD) on rainbow trout and fishing in Colorado during 1998. Following recommendations by a blue ribbon panel of aquatic biologists, the Commission and th~ Division imple- Slope rivers. Those rainbows will be catchable-size next spri ng. The Division also successfully expanded warm-water fishing recreation during 1998 with record-setting results. The most dramatic of those was a state record saugeye caught by Clinton Athziger of Lakewood. Achziger took a 6-lb., 14-oz. saugeye 25 inches long from John Martin Reservoir in October. Division biologists first stocked the saugeye, a hybrid of the female walleye and male saugcr, in reservoirs in southeast Colorado in 1990. Excellent populations have developed. Saugeye tolerate fluctuating reservoirs and have been prai ed by anglers for the sport and taste. State fishi11g records for grass carp, lake trout and tench were also set last year, and a Colorado Spring anglers catch produced die first-ever tiger trout record. Tiger trout are a hybrid of brown and brook trout and were origi- mented new fish management strategies in response to WD. These included new regulations allowing anglers to keep two trout from West Slope streams and four from West Slope lakes; the goal was to spread the available 1VD-negative (i.e., disease free) stocked trout among more anglers. New regulations also prohibited stocking of fish from \<VD-positive hatcheries into waters assumed to be negative for die parasite. The Di\'ision also initiated broad researd1 efforts to identify habitat conditions which favor the parasite, new state-of-the-art genetic testing for the disease, methods to immunize fingerling trout and strains of trout with natural Tesistance to the parasite. Finally, the Division under took the initial phases of what will eventually be Species $18 million in improvement projects at Mackinaw • Grass Carp nine of the state's 18 fish hatchery units. The goal is to produce 2 million • Tiger Trout WO-negative trout in the hatcheries by 1ench • Saugeye 2001-02. Overall, more than 73 million cold-and warm-water fish, frysized and larger, were stocked in Colorado in 1998, including 3.5 million catchablesize rainbow trout. Plus 1.2 million fourinch rainbows from federal batcberies were stocked by the Division in Western 1 nally stocked in the Ya mpa River Basin. In an effort to provide angling opportunities as well as protect the species, Division biologists stocked a total of 410,000 Yellowstone, Rio Grande and Pikes Peak strains of cutthroat trout into 22 1 high-country waters during 1998. And finally, 10 serve those Coloradans who enjoy watchi ng wildlife, the Division initiated a pilot program to improve wildlife viewing skills. Called "Wildlife Watch;' the program featured 60 volunteer instructors who conducted 23 workshops in wildlile viewing for 28 I people in 1998. At least 1.000 people are expected to take similar workshops in die coming sbc months. The Di1rision's watchable wildlife efforts received a National Association for Interpretation first-place award for quality for the wildlife interpretative panel and artwork at Golden Gate Canyon State Park last year. 1998 Fishing Records southern Colorado man faced more than $5,000 in fines last year as a result of being charged with shoot• g a trophy antelope with a rifle during archery season near Pueblo. The stiff fine resulted from <1pplication of the ''Samson Law;' enacted by the Colorado Legislature in 1998. The law came about as a result of a poacher shooting a 1000-pound elk, Angler/Hometown Jerome Vinet, Gun nison Kris Hegert, Westminster Timothy Fisk, C~>lo. Springs Craig Curtis, Alamosa Clinton Achziger, Lakewood named Samson by local residents, near Estes Park two years ago. The law adds significant, mandatory fines to existing penalties for illegal hunting of trophysize animals. The Division's 160 district wildlife managers and other commissioned employees issue about 5,000 tickets a.nd penalty assessments for violations of the state's wildlife laws an.nually. Location Blue Mesa Hyatt Lake private pond Home Lake John Martin Weight Length 38 lbs. 6.5 oz. 39.5" 38 lbs. 38" 2 lbs. 7 oz. l7.5" 5 lbs. 6.8 oz. 20" 6 lbs. 14 oz. 25" Hunting, Fishing, Watching WildUfe Equal Big Business ildlife-related recreation continued to help fuel the Colorado economy duri ng 1998. According to Division of Wildlife statistics, expenditures by hunters and anglers contribute over $1.7 billion annually to the state's economy. USFWS has estimated expenditures by watchable wildlife enthusiasts at another $1.3 billion each year. �"I have been a resident for 43 years a11d a hunter and}lshemumfor, 27. years. Your game 111mwge111e11t and your willingness to make a,ljustniei'its, even when unfiked, to 11a11age our. wifdli_& has bee11 app_reciated." KoisRW@louisville.stortek.com WILDLIFE EDUCATION AND INFORMATION Students, Women, Young Hunters &Anglers Benefit from Division Education Efforts ivision of Wildlife educational programs reached tens of thousands of students during 1998. The Division's 475 volunteer hunter education instructors conducted 900 courses teaching 18,000 mostly young people hunter safety and ethics. Another 250 students graduated from the bowhunter education course and 450 graduated from the hunter education home study course. The Division also granted $22,000 to fund improvements at shooting ranges throughout the state to support the shooting sports. During 1998, the State Legislature enacted a measure clarifying the Wildlife Commission's authority to set aside licenses for youth and mobilityimpaired hunters. About 28,000 young people took advantage of the program last year. Division education programs encourage adult hunters to mentor thei.r younger counterparts; the agency also set aside 11 wildlife areas especially for youth/mentor hunting. About 4,000 acres in 10 counties provide opportunities for big and small game hunting for young hunters. CoUaborative efforts to encourage young hunters during 1998 included the Youth Hunter Ed Challenge; the Leopold Workshop, provided by Pheasants Forever; the USA Outdoors youth waterfowl day; and the Coloradobased Outdoor Buddies program which offered youngsters trap shoots and bird and goose hunts. As part of the agency's program to mentor young hunters, Division ~ employees in cooperation with the !;: Peabody Coal Company introduced five g inner city Denver youngsters to big mgame hunti ng at the company's ranch ~ near Hayden. I998 marked the second §l year of this joint effort. Also, 114 women participated in Division-sponsored Becoming an Outdoors Woman workshops last year. Young anglers also drew interest from the Division during 1998 wi th nearly 17,000 kids, many from Denver's inner city, participating in fishing clinics sponsored by the agency. Project WILD, an interdisciplinary effort that integrates wildlife-related information into a teaching curriculum, trained 969 teachers during 1998, bringing the total number of educators trained to more than 19,000. With class sizes running between 20-30, Project WllD teachers have opportunities to reach a lot of kids with information about wildlife. In addition, the Division-sponsored Wonders In Nature-Wonders In Neighborhoods (WIN-WIN) served about 16,000 students from pre-school through grade 5 in the metro Denver area. Participating students get a field trip to an off-school site natural area; the program is offered in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. More than I0,000 students in 260 middle and high schools learned about aquatic envirnnments and monitoring water quality on 125 rivers and streams throughout the state last year through the Division's Rivers of Colorado Water Watch Network or River Watch. The Division also sponsored 90 high school students in the Youth .in Natural Resources program during 1998. The nine-week environmental program provides high school-aged students both summer jobs and a learning experience, working in the field of natural resources. And finaUy, the Division of Wildlife's Web site (www.dnr.state.co.us/wjldlife) was up and running during 1998. More than 2,600 people per day used the site this spring to find out whether or not they had drawn limited hunting licenses. And the hits just kept on coming duri ng 1998. Visit our web site at www.dnr.state.co.us/wildlife �"Thank vo11 to the- Cr1/omdo))it•isio11 of:J l'i/d{ifc for s11pporti11g y.outh h;1i'.1i;ij oi11/qr],;;!~~it~X!JtU'£!!':e·1ike-you ii( dw1r cf oui wtfd/J c, 1 cm ha •e, more)Jml tune Ill the }111111-e. Aaron Trujillo, Pue"b!o RESPONSIVE MANAGEMENT Work with Constituents Increased Division Responsiveness during 1998 n general, the Division's goals for responsive managernent require it to obtain infor m.i tion on public desires and expectation regarding wildlife management, to incorporate tJ1ose into agency decision-making and to evaluate public satisfaction with the agency's efforts. To meet those goals, the Division la. t year initiated a series of meetings with interest groups throughont the state, identifying and addressing issues of mut1ial concern. Roundtable meetings with anglers and environmentalists were held periodically throughout the year aUowing citizens to voice their concerns. In addition, agency staff initiated regular meetings with a Sportsmen Advisory Group, comprised of representatives from varions hunting and fi hing organizations and including agency critics, to resolve a variety of coll flicts and i sues . Division staff ~ also worked with g members of the 11 newly created Wildlife Management Public Education Advisory Council (PEAC) to help design a media-based public information program to educate the general public about the benefits of wildlife, wildlife mar1agement and wildLife-related recreation, specifically hu nting and fishing. Created by the State Legislature in 1998, PEAC is set to present its plan in 1999. The agency also initiated several scientificaUy soUJ1d surveys of constituents on subjects ranging from determi ning big ga me hunters' and anglers' satisfaction to finding out where resident hunters wa nt their license dollars spent. The Division also asked people who visited its 18 customer service centers for their evaluation of service received. .More than 94 percent of nearly l,700 respondents statewide reported that the quality of service received at Division offices as excellent to very good. The Division added to its ava ilable customer service during 1998 by enabling hunters and anglers to use credit cards to purchase licenses and other products at Division service centers throughout the state. The agency also established a call c<mter at its Denver J-Jeadquar ters to prov ide i.nformation to the nearly 165,000 constituents who phone the agency each year. At the request of the Division, Colorado hunter told CSU's Human Dimensions in Natural Resources Un it how tbey wanted tbeir licen e dollars spent. See pie chart below. To Protect Th,·eater\ ed. Endar,gered an d Other W ildli fe Not Hunted or Fished I 5% To Manage Hunting 15% Hunter Spending Preferences EFFICIENCY ACCOUNTABILITY Implementing Management Review Streamlines Division Budget & Reporting Increase Division Accountability he Long Range Plan goals for efficiency centered on implementation of the 1995 management review; implementation of its recommendations continued last year. As a result of this review of Division operations, the Division had: reduced administrative regions from 5 to 3; cut top staff from 17 to 7; increa cd supervisors span of control and eliminated half of its mid-level supervisors; and transferred 30 positions, including biologists, customer service reps, tecl1nicians, hydrologists et al., to "field" operations. In addition to increasing customer services by offering longer how·s and streamlining its metro-Denver area leftover licenses process, the Division also continued to increase the availability of technology not only to its own staff but also to the public as well. As a result, programs such as the Natural Diversity lnfo rmation System and Wildlife Resource Lnformation System continued to make information about important wildli fe habitat available to local land-use planners and other officials and the general public, too, through the internet. ma rked the third full year of the Division's new planning, budget ing and evaluation system, linking individual agency unit budgets to specific performance objectives. Agency planners upgraded communication about the Division's budget in an attempt to provide both decision-makers and constituents with improved financial reporting. The Division also provided legislators with a zero-based budget scenario for the coming fiscal year. The Division received no general tax funds during 1998. Agency operations and capital expenditures, including property acquisitions, were paid for by revenues from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, federal excise tax on the manufacture of sporting goods, lottery (GOCO) funds and donations to the nongame income tax checkoff. �CANADA GOOSE O TOM TIETZ WORK FORCE Teams, Volunteers Help Expand Division Work Force he LRP anticipates increased teamwork in a "new" Division of Wildli fe, and tJ,at approach continued during 1998 as the agency's leader hip and its three administrative branches Wildlife Programs, Public Services and Support Services- continued to employ team approaches to decision making whenever appropriate. In add ition, the Division undertook a second "cultural survey" in an ongoi ng effort to understa nd the organization's values and attitudes and monitor and adapt to change. Also in 1998, all Division commissioned wildlife officer completed the rigorous Peace Officer Sta ndard and Training (POST) exam and are now POST certified, a fall i1ear ahead of a legislative deadli ne to do so. Volunteers again played a sign ificant role in Division operations as well. [n add ition to the lea rning experience the work provided, volunteers contributed nea rly 54,000 hours of service, the equivalent of 25 employees and $481,000 worth oflabor. Activities ranged from data entry to game counts, transporting injured wildlife and others. Si nce 1993, volunteers have contributed I92,000 hours wor th S1.6 million in labor. Sl\~1/:SO.\''SHAll'K >;, TOM J'/HT7. Financial Statements The Division of Wildlife uses the state fiscal yea r for acco un ting and reporting fina ncial data. The fiscal year is the period July I through June 30 or the follow ing year. Statement of Revenue, FY 1997-98 Revenues arc all sources of income the Division ha - primarily license fees, Colorado's share of federal taxes on hunting and fishing equipment (Federal Aid), Great Outdoors Colorado (lottery) grants and interest on fund balances. Source Prior Year Actual FY 97-98 Actual License Revenue $55,145,14 1 $58,821,479 Federal Aid $9,338,360 $8,887,684 l ntere l on Fund Balance $4,216,984 $4,752,545 GOCO (Lottery) ' $5,290,410 $3,506,353 Other Grants and Donations $429,032 $496,634 Sale of Goods and Services ' $1,106,859 $960,208 Other ' Sl,101,890 $1,735,388 TOTAL $76,628,676 $79,160,291 Others C ombi ned 4% Federal Aid 12% Li cense Revenue ' GOCO grants are made annually, but are not recognized as revenue until project expenditures occur. Since some expenditures aoss fiscal Two-Year Average Revenues :'ears. this line will not equate to the amounts granted by GOGO in a given year. ' Revenue from such sources as sale of publications and salvaged equipment. property rental. and fees collected for services. ' Revenue from such ources as insurance reimbursements, fines and miscellaneous sources. Expenditures are all those payments made within a fiscal year $25.ooo.ooo for salaries and benefits, goods and services, acquisitions, leases and construction and are show n below according to the Strategic $2o.ooo.ooo Areas that incurred them. t- $ 15.000.000 - Strategic Area Protect Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat Wildli fe-Related Recreation Wildli fe Education and Information Responsive Management ' Other ' TOTAL FY 97-97 Expenditures $ 17,845,362 $22,632,718 57,578,025 $19,548,37 1 $5,268,2 17 $72,872,693 ~ $ I 0.000.000 · $5.000.000 " 0 Protect Wild life& Wildlife Habitat Wildlife. Rela ted Expenditures 'Includes expenditu res for services to support core l)ivision programs such as telephone. computer. vehicle, otlice support, purchasing and i\ccount ing. legal services and engineering. ' Includes payments lo other state agencies for centralized government services and expenditures not charged to specific programs. STATE OF COLORADO Bill Owens ................................................................ Governor DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Greg Walcher ............................................. Executive Director WlLDUFE COMMISSION Charles D. Lewis, Chair.......................................... Kremmling Mark Le\lalley, Vice-Chair ........................................Hotchkiss Bernard L. Rlack, Jr., Secretary ..................................... Denver Dorotheit Farris ..................................................... Carbondale Ph ili p J. James ....................................................... Fort Collins James R. Long .............................................................. Bouldcr Arnold Salazar ...........................................................Alamosa John Singletary .............................................................. Boone COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE OFFICES Northeast Region and Denver Service Center 6060 Broadway Denver, CO 80216 (303) 291-7227 Headquarters: (303) 297-1192 West Region and Grand Junction Service Center 7ll Tndependent Avenue Grand Junction, CO 81505 (970) 255-6 lO0 Southeast Region and Colorado Springs Service Center 2126 N. Weber Colorado Springs, CO 80907 (7 l9) 227-5200 Web site: www.dnr.state.eo.us/wildlifo n% � https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/48a799be998f6f20073f55e8ad3a97db.pdf 0d140fd4997e021d71941b5f9ffb75ed PDF Text Text M aybe the start of a new millennium is a good time to pause in our many debates about what the Division of Wildlife should or should not be doing to reflect on the big picture - that is, on the resource itself. From any point of view, Colorado's wildlife and the opportunities to enjoy them are more diverse and more abundant than ever. We enjoy large herds of elk. Bears, lions, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, songbirds and nearly a thousand other species inhabit Colorado from the plains to the high country. Fishing - and especially warmwater fishing - remains good in Colorado. Modernization projects at five state fish hatcheries are producing positive results whileexperiments with whirling disease-resistant strains of fish like the Snake River cutthroat and other hybrids also appear promising. It may just be that we are beginning to turn the corner in the fight against whirling disease. Colorado has also been pro-active in managing nongame, threatened and endangered species as well. Though not everyone agreed, the reintroduction of 41 lynx to what is the southernmost extent of their range not only fills a biological niche, it also is intended to give the state greater control over wildlife management decisions if the federal government were to decide to protect the lynx under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Peregrine falcons, bald eagles and other species have been removed from the threatened and endangered list; and biologists continue to work 10 recover boreal toads, Preble's meadow jumping mouse and other species. Populations of greenback cutthroat trout have been restored lO levels that even allow for some catch-and-release fishing opportunities for the state fish. The Division of Wildlife also continues to work to protect habitat and provide oppornmities for the public to enjoy wildlife. Last year, the 30,000acre Bosque del Oso property in Las Animas County and the 5,600-acre Bitter Brush Ranch in MoITat County both opened to public use. Since 1990, the Division has acted to protect more than 143,000 acres and 50 miles or stream. The Habitat Partnership Programenabled the Division to work with landowners in local communities to improve wildlife habitat while the Division's Wetlands Initiative moved closer to its goal of protecting 25,000 acres of wetlands by 2005, which provide critical habitat for many of the state's wildlife species. All of these successes come al a time when the Division is trying harder than ever to listen lo and respond to the public. There are lots of controversial issues associated with doing so. But in survey after survey, Coloradans continue lo say that wildlife is important to them and that the Division is doing a good job of managing the resource. The key to the future is providing good scientific information for a public that is very interested in what we do. Professional wildlife management and working with our constituents has proven to be a very successful combination. They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In the new millennium, wildlife managers will need to be proactive to ensure that we maintain viable levels of wildlife populations so that species do not need the protection of a federal ESAlisting. At the end of the year. several groups proposed that the Colorado River cutthroat receive such protection. However, an agreement between Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has led to successful efforts to restore the species. As a result of restoration eITorts, the cullhroat is now found in 87 streams and nine lakes in Colorado: the goal is to increase that to 111 streams and 15 lakes. We think those eITorts make a listing in Colorado unnecessary. Our commitment to you is to keep it that way in the future. 10h11 W 1\IJ1111111w Director, Colorado Division of Wildlife �f Editor'.v Note:Adopted lir the Colorado victims of automobiles, five died of on the deer herds. million and received an additional Wildlife Co111111issio11 in 1994. the uncertain causes. While most of the lynx Though Colorado still has more than $225.000 from the Legislature to expand Dirisio11's Long R1111ge P/1111 (LRP) stayed in the general vicinity of the 500.000 deer. the repon noted that the research. inventory and habitat improveorg1111i:es the agell(T S33 goals population is only half of peak ment work to help recover the states mule into thefollmri11g major cmelevels during the 1940s and deer herds. A$ I0.000 gilt from the "One ofthe sweetest things about liv~"!l, gories: protection of 1rildlife and 1950s. That decline prompted the Western Colorado Chapter of Safari in Colorado is feeling part ofa beautiJul 1rildlife habi111t, 1ri/dl(fi'-relatl'd Colorado Wildlife Commission 10 Club l111erna1ional allowed Division place that stillhas the rich environment recreation, iri/dlif<' i1!for111mio11 limit all deer hu111ing in theslate researchers for the first time to use where coyotes,faxes, dee,; elk, bighorn 1111d ed11catio11. respo11sirc' 111a1111gefor the 1999 hunting seasons. cartags rather than neck-collar transmitsheep, bears and even mountain lions 111e111, acco1111tabilit_1; ef{icielllT According to the Divisions ters 10 study natural mortality rates in can thrive. " 1111d 1rorkforce. The 1111111,al r1'purt report. fluctuating numbers of bucks and docs. Deer hunting will also for 1999 reports 011 actiritil's in deer have historically characterremain totally limited for the next five t::;- D IANE CARMEN support of those goals.A C0/!1' of ized deer years as well, under Denver Post the LRP is arailable_f,·0111 the populaa new hunting seations. Dii'isio11 at 6060 Broadir111; son structure De11re1; CO 80216. This 11111111a/ Suspected approved by Ihe report cost IO cmts each to prim./ release sites, some surprised biologists causes of the curWildlife with their travels: one lynx was shot in rent decline include: Commission in Nebraska: another died of unknown conversion of habi1999. causes in New Mexico. tat to other uses and Protecting wetThe reintroduction program proved lowering of the carlands was also a eat Outdoors controversial as some agricultural interrying capacity of high priority last Colorado ests worried that reintroduction of a existing habitat, year. Supported by GOCO) continstate-emlangered species might ancc1 land competition with a Grc,11 Ou tdoors ued to support use. and animal rights activists expressed elk and predation, Colorado (GOCO) nanagement of Lynx Reintroduction Headlines concerns about the overall mortality rate. particularly by coygrant. the Wetlands Colorado's wildlife resources by The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service otes. According lO Initiative is a volunSpecies Conservation far I999 approving nearly $16 million in (USFWS) is considering a proposal 10 the report. neither tary and incent ivegrants lo support Division activiprotect the lynx under the federal disease. including based program iologists believe 26 ties for the coming fiscal year (FY or the 41 lynx reinEndangered Species Act. By being proacchronic wasting disfocusing on the 00-0 I). Among such proposed protive in reintroducing the cats and then ease. nor CXCCSSll'C protection of wettroduced lo thestate jects arc acquisition of the 5.400harvests appeared lo of Colorado during seeking lcderal designation of the lands via partneracrc Circle Ranch, which is located 1999 survived to sec Colorado lynx as a separate and distinct be major factors in ships. In 1999, the between and contiguous to existing population. wildlife managers argued the decline. the year 2000. Division signed Lone Pine and Lower Cherokee that they would, in foci, be in a be11er The report noted agreements with 65 The lynx were trapped in Alaska and Park SWAs northwest of Ft. position 10 protect rcside111s'in1ercs1s. that the available private landowners Canada and released in southwestern Collin . When completed. the A LynxAdvisoryTeam that included evidence did 1101 Colorado in the winter and early spring. 10 p rOICCI I. 752 acquisition will enable protection not only wildlife managers but also unipoint to any single wetland acres and Division biologists had cautioned that. in of more than 15.700 contiguous 1·ersi1y researchers. scientists and other citfactor as the cause 4.932 upland acres any 1ranspla111 program. more than hair acres of habitat for elk. deer. the izens lrom both the U.S. and Canada also of the decline. al a cost of of the animals being reintroduced might Preble's meadowjumping mouse worked to improve the transplant effort. Over the last two SS 13.000. So for. die. After some initial fatalities. biologists and other pecies. changed the protocols of the releases. The Colorado Wildlife Commission years. wildlife biolthe Wetlands Another significant 11ortion of decided during its January 2000 meetogists trying 10 Ini tiative has now holding the animals longer in Colorado the GOCO grant will be used 10 and allowing them to become more familpurchased, restored acquire water resources along the or created 21,000 iar with their new environment. lower Arkansas River in southeastacres of The changes in release protocols ern Colorado. When completed, brought increased success as the year wetlands/uplands, this acquisition will allow comprebenefiting more closed. hensive water management and than 30 species. ·'We've lost fewer animals than expectwetland habitat development al ed. especially since we changed our initial In 1999, the John Martin Reservoir, at the new Division protected. release protocol, and we've plowed a lot of Great Plains State Park and along new ground in lynx rcsearcl1,''Joh11 either through purthe river itself. Among species chase or foe ti tle or Mumma, Division of Wildlifo Director, expected to benefit arc the piping by casements and said. plover, interior least tern, the suckleases. an additionOf the transplanted animals that died: ermouth minnow, the Plains minal 6.390 acres of five starved, three wereshot. Iwo were now. the Arkansas darter and othhabitat. ers. The project is also expected 10 understand the ing 10 allow biologists to reintroduce Last years be an asset in implementing the another 50 lynx to Colorado. causes of the deer acquisitions includwork of Governor Bill Owens' new Weighing between 20-40 lbs., lynx are decline have impleed the 580-acrc Interdepartmental Management carnivores and prey primarily on snowmented extensive Emerald Mountain Team on Endangered SpL'Cies, population moniand Steamboat shoe hares and other small mammals. which is charged with developing Lynx virtually disappeared from toring studies in the State Wildlife Areas and implementing a strategy 10 Uncompahgre. (SWAs) along the Colorado in the 1970s. probahly as a recover each federally listed threatresult of loss or habitat. The state is :Vliddle Park and Yampa River south ened and endangered species as Red Feather Lakes of Steamboat regarded as the southernmost extreme of soon as possible.. the animals·range. areas and have Springs: GOCO The Division plans 10 leverage increased the numprovided part of The state's mule deer population also GOCO grants through partnerber of deer counts the funding for the drew increased a11entio11 fromstate ships with The Nature in western 1irojec1. Division of wildlife managers during 1999. Al the Conservancy, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife onicers request of the State Legislature, bioloColorado. During Wildlife Service. Colorado State I999, the Division were working with gists completed a comprehensive report University and others. reallocated S1.3 80 local high school GOCO GRANTS HELP WILDLIFE CONSERVATION PROTECT WILDLIFE AND WILDLIFE HABITAT B G �students to develop a management plan for the property. A land exchange among the Division, the BLM and the Ute Water Conservancy Dist rict culminated nearly 20 years of negotiation and opened Jerry Creek Reservoirs# I and #2 near Grand Junction to public fishing. The Division also acquired I05 acres of riparian habitat along the Colorado River near Palisade as part of the GOCO-sponsored Colorado Riverfront Greenway Legacy project. The acquisition protects riparian habitat and oflcrs riverfront access to anglers and waterfowl hunters. Overall, Division casements and leases protect a total or 241.000 acres: the Division also owns 256 properties. totaling 348.000 acres. State School Trust Lands (SLT) leased by the agency protect habitat and provide for public uses on another 432,000 acres. Two new state wildlife areas. the Bitter Brush SWA near Maybell and the Bosque del Oso SWA in Las Animas County, opened to public use for the first time last year. The Division frequently earned plaudits for its eflorts to manage noxious weeds on state wildl ife areas during 1999. A report to the State Legislature assessing how agencies were doing on weed managcme711 ranked the Division fifth highest out of the 14 agencies/categories surveyed. The Division ranked above average in all categories surveyed and significantly higher than private landowners. Invasive weeds threaten to degrade wildlife habitat. Also during 1999. the Fishing I Fun Program completed projects- ranging from in-stream habitat improvements at Riverside Park on the Dolores River to construction of a handicapped fishing pier at Ranger Lakes in the Colorado State Forest- in IOdifferent communities throughout the state. Agency onicials estimated that the projects combined to provide new fishing opportunities for more than 18.000 anglers annually. Through fishing ls Fun. the Division provides grants matching local funds to improve fish habitat and angler ,1cccss. A partnership between the Division and the South Platte Lower River Group allowed the agency to drill wmcr wells on the Tamarack and Pony Express SWAs in northeastern Colorado. The well water was used to create wetlands on the wildlilc areas and manage populations of sucker mou th and brassy minnows in an art ificial stream. making federal listing of the fish under the Endangered Species Act unnecessary. The efli:Jrt supports Colorado's commitment under a memorandum of agrcemcnI with Nebraska and Wyoming and is rcry important to the continued operations of reservoirs and Division JVlanaies Old and water developmelll projects along the New Hunting Season South Platte. Structures The Pheasant Habitat Improvement Program (PH IP) is a joint project ig game hunting. bet ween the Division and local chapters of both for the autumn Pheasants Forever and Quail Unlimited of I999 and for the and is designed to improve habitat in eastnext five years as well. ern Colorado. During 1999. volunteers got a lot of attention ranging fromlandowners to Scouts plalllfrom wildlilc managers last year. ed 174 shrub thickets. nearly 28 miles of In re ponse to concerns about the wind breaks and 587 acres of food/cover state's deer herds. Colorado limited all plots to improve upland game bird habitat deer hunt ing during the 1999 seasons. in IOcounties throughout eastern Preli minary data indicated that the Colorado. With the encouragement of Division sold 132.660 resident and PHIi~ local farmers planted a total of I08.073 nonresident elk licenses and more than 10.000 acres with a pheasalll 59.474 resident and 33.318 nonresident grass mix as part of the Conservation deer licenses for all 1999 seasons. Final Reserve Program. which pays landowners license sale and harvest data wi ll not be to convert cropland to wildlife habitat. available until spring. At High line Lake on the Colorado River, the Division. State Parks, the Bureau of "The Colorado Division ofWildlife is Reclamation, the USFWS and years ahead other states ihat I've dealt the Colorado River Water with from a customer service and Conservancy District cooperatknowledge standpoint. " ed to install a 360-foot-long. 19-foot-deep net. intended to ~ JOSH COOK hold nonnative sport fish in the E-MAIL lake. Doing so prevents competition wi th the River'.1 four threatened and endangered fish species, The results from the previous year. which arc the object of a fede ral/state however. showed one of the largest elk recovery project. Once the net was up, harvests on record: 254,9 13 hun ters harthe Division stocked 15.000 bluegill and vested 51.500 elk (a 20 percen t success 7.000 largemouth bass to meet demands rate). including a record of 26,000 cows. of local anglers for warm-water fishing Terrestrial Wildlife Manager Jim 0JlJJOrt unities. Lipscomb assessed the 1998 harvest: WILDLIFE-RELATED RECREATION B ef �between wildlife and private landowners and livestock. The deer harvest in 1998 was down as 150.000 hunters killed 40.500 deer (a 27 percent success rate). Wildlife managers and the Colorado Wildlife Commission also invested considerable effort developing a new fiveyear big game season structure. To gather public input on issues related to big game hunting. a team or Division tcrrcs- "Elk population goals arc established on a herd-by-herd basis. and many herds in the state were higher than the set objective. The high cow harvest rate should bring us closer to these objectives... Colorado has about 215.000 elk the largest elk herd in North America. Abenefit to hunters. outfitters. businesses and others. the large herd can also be a threat to habitat and increase the connicts HARVEST TOTALS FOR DEER, ANTELOPE&ELK COLORADO DEERHARVEST 120,000 ..V\ r ' I00.000 I I 80.000 60.000 \ "" I I ,I 40.000 20,000 ,I\ \ ) \ ' '~ ..,.,I - trial. human dimensions and public service staff designed and conducted 75 public forums and accepted comments via e-mail. letlers and testimony before the Wildlife Commission Ol"er a I0-month period. About 4.000 people and groups took advantage of the multiple opportunities to comment. A cooperative effort between the Division and the lluman Dimensions in COLORADO BIG GAME SEASON DATES 2000 2001 Aug. 26-Sept. 24 Aug.25-Scpt. 23 Antelope: Bucks only: Either sex: Oct. 1-27 and ov.8-Dec. 3 I Aug.15-31 Sept. 1-20 Oct. 1-26 and Nov. 7-Dec. 3 I Aug. 15-3 I Sept. 1-20 MUZZLELOADI G RJFLE Deer/elk (by drawing only): Plains Deer - east of 1-25: Antelope: Sept. 9-17 Oct. 14-22 Oct. 21-29 Sept.8-16 Oct. 13-2 1 Oct. 21-29 RIFLE COMBINED DEER/ELK SEPARATE LIM1TED ELK Combined (deer/elk): Combined (deer/elk): Combined (deer/elk): Oct. 14-18 Oct. 21-27 Nov. 4-10 Nov.I I-IS Oct. 13-1 7 Oct. 20-26 Nov. 3-9 Nov. 10- 14 RIFLE DEER (east of 1-25): Oct. 28-Nov. 7 Oct. 27-Nov. 6 LATE RIFLE DEER (cast of 1-25): Dec. 1-14 Dec. 1-14 Sept. 30-0ct. 6 or Oct. 7-13 Sept. 29-0ct. 5 Oct. 6- 12 O 1903 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 19601970 1980 1990 1996 1997 1998 ARCHERY Deer/elk west of 1-25, (and Unit 140): Deer cast of 1-25, (except Unit 140): COLORADO ANTELOPEHARVEST 12,000 _,,.._ 10.000 / 0 -1950 ......... / r / 4.000 2.000 ' ~" / 8,000 6.000 J _.,/ 1960 Na tural Resources Unit at Colorado State Lniversity also sun-eyed 3,000 Colorado residents and nonresident hunters using their input to help shape management objectil'es for the types and quantities of hunting opportunities to be oncred in the five-year season structure. The chart below describes the new big game season structure for 2000-04. 1970 1980 1990 1996 1997 1998 COLORADO ELKHARVEST 60,000 ,- ~ 50,000 I I 40.000 ,J, / 20.000 0 I\. V I' 30,000 10.000 ,, / - ,.,- ~" / ~ 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 1996 1997 1998 RIFLE ANTELOPE (by drawing only): BLACK BEAR* Limited (by drawing only) Sept. 2-30 Sept. 2-30 Archery (unlimited): Sept. 2-24 Sept. 2-23 Muzzleloading (unlimited): Sept. 9-17 Sept. 8-16 Rifle (unlimited): concurrent combined deer/elk rinc scasons *To participate in the unlimited bear seasons a hunter must also hold a deer or elk license for the same unit{s) and season. �Also during 1999. the Division continued to be on the cutting edge of efforts to combat whirling disease (\VD) - the parasitic infection that attacks cartilage in rainbow trout causing the fish to swim in circles when stressed. The best news was that modernization projects at five Division fish hatcheries resulted in tests showi ng no evidence of the \VD organism. Most of the modernization involves protecting groundwater sources fromsurface water contamination. At Bellvue Fish Hatchery. for example, Division engineers developed a recirculation system that alternately pumps water between ponds. allowing those to be cleaned periodically and eOectivcly breaking the \VD life cycle. The result was negative tests for \VD. Biologists expected that. if the hatcheries continue to show no signs of the disease. they would be able to produce several hundred thousand more \VD-negative trout for stocking next summer. Division hatcheries arc replacing some rainbow trout production with Snake River cutlhroats, which arc more resistant to \VD. Biologists, in cooperation with federal onicials, also continued lo investigate the ability of hybrid and other strains of trout 10 resist \VD. ·1esting hatchery and feral fish for \VD kept fish pathologists at the Divisions Aquatic Animal Health Lab in Brush busy with nearly 1.1 00 samples a month being tested. ··1think we are 50 to 75 percent of the way there in learning how to manage our fisheries and hatcheries lo drastically reduce the impact of whirling disease:· Barry Nehring. the Divisions wild trout researcher. s;1id. Overall. the Division stocked more than 18.3 million cold-water and 62 million warmwater fish. fry-sized and larger. in Colorado's waters last year. That includes 3. 1 million catchable-sized rainbow trout. including some from federal hatcheries and fish purchased from private hatcheries as well. For their part. anglers continued to set fishing records during the year.The state saugcye record fell three times in 1999. first in February to Bradley Brack of Aurora, then in June to Colorado Wildlifo Commissioner Rick Enstrom of Lakewood and finally in November to Bruce Henry of Englewood who took an 8-lb., 12-oz. saugcye from John Martin Reservoir near Lamar. An excellent sporllish. saugeye arc a hybrid of the female walleye and male sauger and were first stocked in southeastern Colorado in 1990. Frank Davis of Colorado Springs set the tiger trout record with a 3-lb, 5-oz.. catch at a private pond on the Yampa River Drainage. Tiger trout arc a hybrid of brown and brook trout and were originally stocked in the Yampa River Basin. And Leo Marquez of San Antonio. Texas, reset the state grass carp record WILD LIFE EDUCATION AND INFORMATION Diverse Education Efforts Help Interest Youngsters in Wildlife 8 ~ ~ ~ ~ T he Division of Wildlife provided a variety of hunting opportunities, including hunter recruitment and training, during 1999 as part of its diverse education and information efforts. Astate law authorizes low-cost youth hunting licenses for small game, waterfowl, elk, deer and antelope. About 28,000 youth licenses were sold last year. Another law gives the Colorado Wildlife Commission the authority to offer youth and mobility impaired preference on some deer, elk and antelope licenses. The Division's Youth Mentor Hunting Program encourages family participation in outdoor activities and ofiers adult hunters opportunities to mentor young participants. More than 150 families participated during 1999. The agency has also set aside 11 state wildlife areas specifically for youth/mentor hunting, with about 4,000 acres in I0 counties now providing big and small game opportunities just for young hunters. with a 42-lb. fish taken from Bear Creek Pond. Colorado's Master Angler Award Program reeled in 285 entries for potential awards for fish caught in state waters. Of those. 133 were for record-sized fish that anglers released back into the water. The Master Angler Program recognizes anglers who catch trophy-size fish and encourages them to conserve their catch by releasing the fish. Division law enforcement onicers were also bi1sy with several high-profile cases during 1999. Among those: a North Dakota man and two Colorado men faced jail time/probation and stiff fines after pleading guilty to multiple felonycounts of willful destruction of wildlife for their roles in slaughtering as many as I00 pronghorns and deer in Routt and Mofiat counties in 1998: a Pueblo man was fined $50.000 and jailed for a year for illegal possession "You really have a GREAT Web page. of live bighorn sheep; and two It is impressive to be able to access so Texas men were charged with much info, latestfishing updates, big multiple violations for illegal game drawing results ana on and on... " possession of a desert bighorn, a deer and an elk under the ~ R2WEB "Sampson Law"that provides E - MAI L an additional surcharge for the illegal killing of trophy-quality animals. In cooperation with the Colo Wyo and Final tabulation of citations issued in Peabody Coal companies, Division field 1999 was underway at press time, but staff hosted five young hunters from the were expected to be comparable to 1998 Denver metro area for a deer and elk hunt when wildlife violations totaled 4,943. on the Morgan Creek and Williams Fork The Division has 200 multi-purpose ranches near Hayden in northwestern employees whose jobs include a lawColorado. All five harvested an animal. enforcement component. This was the third year of this cooperaAs a result of efiorts by Division tive effort. wildlife managers, nearly all of the state's Other joint efforts to recruit young 40 slate parks provided opportunities for hunters during 1999 included: the Youth visitors 10 watch and learn about wildlife Hunter Ed Challenge, an upland game as part of the Watchable Wildlife in Parks bird hunt sponsored by Pheasants Program. The program provides each Forever, several waterfowl hunts sponstate park with wildlife interpretive prosored by USAOutdoors, a big game hunt grams, nature hikes and hands-on sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Elk exhibits for children. Each is keyed to the Foundation and a youth trapshoot sponunique landscapes, habitats and species of sored by the Metropolitan Wildlife the individual parks. Association. The Division sponsored a The watchable wildlife program also youth rabbit hunt and a"Youth Hunter received two awards for publications from Gathering"that included dinner and surthe I ational Association of vival-skill training. Interpretation. the sixth and seventh The Division's 450 volunteer education national awards the program has received instructors taught 850 classes providing in the last three years. 18,000 new and mostly young hunters with hunter safety and ethics training. �Program during 1999. The nine-week environmental pro. "The opportunityfor hunters to get gram provides high school-aged mvolveif{with thejiv_e-yem: hunting students with both summer season structure}, to voice thezr concerns employment and learning expeand to listen to the responses ·made them riences, working in the lield of part ofthe process. The interchange of natural resources. Those stuideas between the average hunter and dents contributed more than the D ivision is healthy and imp01'tant. . . 1.500 hours to removing noxThanks for a job well done. ious weeds from wildlife habitat as part of their activities. [;::? CONRAD D REHER Finally, the Division continCOLORADO ued to respond to literally hunBowH UNTERS AssN. dreds of thousands of requests for information from constituents. Its Web site alone was among the most popular in state government receiving an average of 4.500 hits a day. Similarly. the eight agents who stalled the Division call center answered almost 99.000 phone calls during 1999, including more than 21 .000 during the big game limited hunting license application period lrom March to the lirst week in April. Exhibits al the Colorado Stale Fair and several sportsmen's shows along the Front Range also allowed Division managers to talk wi th thousands or other constituents. ciplinary approach, Project WILD inteBowhunter education classes graduated grates wildlife-related information into a 200 more students and 500 students comleachi ng curriculum. Last year. the pleted the hunter education home study Division trained 1.223 teachers in the course. Project WILD discipline, bringing the The Division also granted a total of total number of Colorado teachers who $20,000 to pay for improvements at 21 have received Project WILD training to shooting ranges in communities throughmore than 20.200. With class sizes out the state. Also. 152 women participated in the Division-sponsored between 25-30 studellls. Project WILD teachers h,we a chance to provide wildlifeBecoming an Outdoor Woman workshops related educational opportunities for a last year. lot of young peoDivision manple. agers also focused In addition, the on young anglers Division-sponsored last year. Nearly Wonders In Nat ure17,000 kids, many Wonders In from melropolitan Neighborhoods Denver's inner city (WIN-WIN) proneighborhoods. vided educational participated in fishopportunities for ing clinics sponabout 16.000 sored by the agency. he Division of Denver area stuThe clinics not only Wildlifes Fishing dents from pretaught fishing skills ls Fun Program school through but also offered the provided a match grade 5. Students in young students for local funding the program study opportunities lo to enable Limon public school stuhabitat and the learn about outdents to raise tiger muskies at the environment al an door ethics, aquatic schools'new hatchery. With the aid on~school site. natwildlife and habior $44,000 from the Division, the ural area. WINtat. students will test water quality, WIN is olforcd in Division employfeed the 650. 10-inch tiger muskies Spanish and ees were also active and watch themdouble in size. The Vietnamese as well providing environfish will be released in reservoirs as English. mental education this spring. Tiger muskies are sterThe Division for students in forile hybrids of muskellunge-northalso sponsored 88 mal school settings ern pike and can grow to 40 lbs. or sllldents as part of during 1999 more. the Youth in through Project Natural Resources WI LD. An interdis- LIMON STUDENTS GET DOW GRANT TO RAISE TIGER MUSKIES T Fishing Is Fun project Riverside Park on the Dolores River RESPONSIVE MANAGEMENT Overall, Customers Give Division High Marks 0 nc of' the goals of' its Long Range Plan requ ires the Division lo regularly monitor public satisfaction with the responsiveness and performance or the Division. When Division managers did that in 1999. they had to be happy with the answers the public provided. The Division completed a major survey of' Colorado anglers last year. Almost 60 percent of anglers who fished reported being satisfied with their experiences and a majority said that the Division was doing a good job of protecting aquatic resources and habitat. Nearly hall' of' the respondents to that survey told Division managers tha1 fishing was their most importan t recreational activity. llowe1er. they also indicated that they were concerned about the Ol'erall health of' lish populations and willing lo accept lower bag limits or season closures to maintain the health of those population. Survey data was collected in 1998 and the analysis completed last spring. Division Human Dimensions staff also completed a survey or constituents on Division law enforcement efforts last year and began analyzing the data: the results will be available next year. And. in a spring opinion survey. three out of four Colorado residen ts said wildlife was important to their quality of life. In that sample. two out of three �wi th anglers in also rated the performance of the roundtable discusDivision as excelsions 35 times. All groups provided lent or good. Overall. increasinterested citizens ing public particiwith opportunities pation in the to discuss issues agency's decisionand concerns. wo DOW Also during making process was employees 1999. Division a major focus of earned comDivision managers staff continued to mendations for in 1999. As work with the important disWildlife described above. coveries of noxious weeds during Management agency staff colthe summer of 1999. Education Council lected input from Lamar biologist Jeff Yost found to help the group thousands of conpurple looseslrifc, a wetlands noxstituents to guide reach its goal of ious weed, growing around a pond designing a mediaDivision managers al the Rocky Ford State Wildlife based public inforin developing a Area in Otero County. Aserious mal ion program lo new, five-year big problem in the Denver area, the educate the general game hunting seaweed had 1101 been found in the public about the son structure. "The southeastern part of thestale. process to establish benelits of Likewise, Wildlife Technician wildlifo. wildlife season frameworks Jerry Brinker located a population management and for the years 2000of the invasive rangeland plant. 04 ... has been exewildlifo-related orange hawkwecd, on a state Land recreation. The cuted with all the Board tract in southern Douglas Council will kick care and concern of County. It is only the third known off its efforts with a space launch:' population of the weed in the observed De11rer a checkoff box on state. all 2000 license Pos1outdoor Wildlife technicians quickly application forms writer Charlie eradicated both weed populations. allowing hunters Meyers. Brinker was named" 1999 Weed and anglers to In April. the Manager of the Ycar"'and habitat donate to the fund. Division convened biologist Dave Weber'' 1999 Those donations. the first-erer Pacesetter of the Year"by the in turn. will fund Greater Prairie Colorado Weed Management the media-based Chicken Working Association for their work to coninformal ion camGroup to develop t rot noxious weeds. paign. alternatives for The Division hunting seasons for also continued 10 the greater prairie respond lo customers with improved serchicken. a species whose status has vices last year. For the second year. improved sufficiently to enable it 10 be delisted from the state's threatened and Division customer service managers used a wristband drawing process instead of endangered species list. Using technical a first-come, first-served process to information from Division biologists, the group included landowners, sportsenable more than 2,300 hunters 10 obtain leftover hunting licenses at the men and women and community and agency's major service centers in Brush, conservation interests. The group Ft. Collins and Denver. reached a consensus and wi ll make hunting season recommendations lo the Colorado Wildlife Commission next year. The Division also continued its series of'·roundtable''meetings with interest groups statewide to enhance communiTweaking Orianization cation and discuss issues. 11 uman Structure Proauces Dimensions (HD) staff and terrestrial Conservation Section and aquatic biologists conducted five meetings with the Sportsmen Advisory he Division tweaked its Group. which included representatives organization structure from various hunting and angling orgaa bit during I999 10 nizations. HD staff also conducted nine create a species conserEnvironmental Roundtable meetings vation section to implewhile aquatic wildlife managers met ment Governor Bill Owens· 1999 executive order requiring coordination of endangered "You guys are doing a stand-up species issues al an interdepartjoothere at the DOW . . " mental level. Last year alone, various interests proposed proP' DANIMALSON 1ce1ing the Rio Grande cutE - MAIL throat trout. mountain plover. ALERT EMPLOYEES HALT INVASIVE WEEDS T EFFICIENCY T ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ;:;; :s ; Again after soliciting public input. Division managers responded last year by drafting a four-year financial plan that would drastically reduce agency expenditures in future years. but also enable it to operate within its revenues. Roughly three-fourths of the Divisions revenue in any given year comes from fishing and hunting license S<tlcs. About 11 percent comes from lcderal funds. Interest on the wildlife cash funds adds another 6 percent GOCO and other grants ,1ccount for 5 percent and the sales of publications. rents and other activi ties add the final 4 percent. The Division receives no stale tax money. Over the next five years, however, the mix of revenue sources will change with license revenues expected to decline by S8 million annually. primarily because of the limits on deer hunting and other sources such as GOCO increasing. While total revenues arc expected to grow, Division lynx. black-tailed prairie dog. Columbia sharp-tailed grouse and others under the Endangered Species Act. Governor Owcns·ordcr created a statewide management team. which will include a rcprcscn1a1ive of the Division to deal with issues relating lo the ultimate recovery of threatened and endangered species as well as those proposed for such designation. The new section will consist of a manager and five biologists and will enable the Division to provide more focus on threatened '1 trust the Div ision to manage and endangered and declining the wildlife ofthis state ... [fo1} stable species. Thesection would ana healthy herds. ' allow for improved planning. coordination and integration P MFF.LDER of management activities E-MAIL intended to recover those species. Internally. the Division leadership financial managers began preparing for the effects of this changing mix of fundteam also began implementing a policy of reviewing all full-time employee vacancies ing on Division programs. The result was the four-year financial as they occurred. The intent. in part. is 10 plan. Depending on the actual revenues ensure available positions are used for the from the 1999 hunting seasons. pote11tial highest priori ty activities and that administrative staff did not increase. legislative changes and other factors, the These··1weakings.. con1inued the plan will need 10 be approved by the streamlining of the agency that began Colorado Wildlife Commission this spring. If approved and implemented, the with management review that reduced administrat ive regions from live to three. plan will result in scaling back a number or Division programs. cul top staff from 17 to seven, increased supervisors span of control. reduced midTo help with budgeting and planning activities. the Division fully implemented level supervisors by half and transferred use of its new BRASS financial software 30 positions to field operations. Also in I999, the Division responded during 1999. The software not only makes budgeting more efficient, it also 10 Governor Owens'Ncw Century Colorado (NCC) project by assigning a allows individual managers to check on expenditures and products produced as a full-time employee to work with the CC taskforce charged with improving the uses result of those expenditures. of technology within the state and making stale government itself more efficient. WORKFORCE ACCOUNTABILITY Four-year Financial Plan Is Ultimate in Accountability T he bollom line. Division financial managers said. is simply that the agency can·1 spend more than it earns. When the Wildlife Commission decided that limiting deer hunting was key to improving deer populations, it also decided to reduce Division revenues and expenditures in future years. Wildlife Groups Cite Division Employees T he Division of Wildlife continued to emphasize a team approach to both work and decision making during 1999. Even so. the work of several individuals stood out as wildlife and conservation groups took opportunities to recognize Division of Wildlife Employees during 1999. Tops on that list may hal'e beenThe Wildlife Society's decision lo present an �WILDLIFE OFFICERS CREDITED WITH LIFE-SAVING EFFORT A southern Colorado woman is honorary membership to Division of pretty sure Wildlife Director John Mumma. Only one that Division such membership is issued per year and District Wildlife Managers Brian Mumma was recognized for his"dcdicaBcchavcr and Jerry Pacheco saved tion to wildlife resources and the wildlife her family's lives. profession."Earlicr. Mumma who has 40 It seems that she was a victim years experience working with wildlife. of on-going violence at the hands received the International Association of of Abad Martinez. Martinez, a Fish and Wildlife Agencies·Ernest suspect in the murder of her comThompson Seton Award. recognizing his mon-law husband, had threatened leadership in the discipline lo kill the woman'sirandchilAlso receiving recognition last year dren. He had escaped custody and were: Assistant Chief or Law was evidently on his way to make Enforcement Dave Croonquist from good on that threat when stopped Shikar Safari International. which recogand arrested by Bechaver. nized his efforts to get the anti-poaching Bechavcr was responding to a ··Sampson Law"enacted by the request for assistance from the Legislature; Gunnison Arca Wildlife local sheriffs office. ''My grand kids arc the most important thing in '1 was impressed by, a_nd thankfo.iJoi; my life and, if not for you, the courtesy, amstance and they would be gone now." profassionalism shown to me. .. " the woman said in a letter to the two Division omp •J AMES L. T HORNTON cers. "You gave me the best SEDALIA gift I could ever receivetheir lives." The arrest capped both oniManager Jim Young, who was honored by ccrs'ongoing efforts to help the the Colorado Wildlife Federation for woman after the death of her husinnovative elk management in the band. "Wildlife has been there for Gunnison Basin and Arca Wildlife me when no one else was,"she said. Manager Larry Budde from Brush who "You have a great crew." was recognized by the Colorado Riparian Society for his extensive effort in preserving wetland along the Sou th Platte River. STATE OF COLORADO . ........ Governor Bill Owens . . DEPARTMENTOF NATURAL RESOURCES Greg E. Walchcr . ...... .. Exccutire Director COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE OFFICES Northeast Region and Denrer Service Center 6060 Broadway Denrer. CO 80216 (303) 29 1-7227 l lcadquartcrs: (303) 297-1192 DIVISIO.'< OF WILDLIFE John W Mumma .. . ... Director WILDLIFE COMMISSION Charles D. Lewis. Chair. .. ... Kremmling Mark Le Valley. Vice-Chair ... . .. . . Hotchkiss llcrnard L. Black. Jr.. Secret,1ri . . Denver Rick Enstrom . ......... . . . .. . .... Denver Philip J. James . . . . . . . . ... Fort Collins Marianna Raftopoulos .. .. . . . . ..... . Craig Arnold Sala1.ar . . . . . . . . . . . ... . Alamosa Robert Shoemaker .. . ... ... . .. . Canon City EX OFFICIO MEMBEl!S (Eflcctivc 1/ 1/00) Greg E. \Valcher Don Ament West Region and Grnnd .Junction Service Center 711 Independent Avenue Grand Junct ion. CO 81505 (970) 255-6I00 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS The Division of Wildlife uses the state fiscal year for accounting and reporting financial data. The fiscal year is the period July I through June 30 of the following year. Statement ofRevenue, FY 1998-99 Revenues arc all sources or income the Division has - primarily license fees. Colorado s share or federal taxes on hunting and fishing equipment (Federal Aid). Great Outdoors Colorado (lottery) grants. and interest on fund balances. So11rce Prior Year Actual FY 98-99 Actual License Revenue Federal Aid Interest Federal &Other Gran ts & Donations Other Wildlife Cash Less Interest $58.82 1.479 8.887.684 4.752.545 4.002.987 2.695.595 $6 1.904.292 12.797,3 15 4.569.179 4.4 15.984 1,577,417 Tot,11 $79, 160,290 $85,264, I87 Federal & Other Other Wildlife Cash Lm Interest 3% Federal Aid 13% License Rercnue 73% T1.vo-Year Average Revenues Expenditures, FY 1998-99 Expenditures arc all those payments made within a fiscal year for salaries and benefits. materials and supplies. services. acquisitions. leases. and construction and arc shown below according to theStrategic Areas that incurred them. Strategic Area FY 98- 99 Expenditures Wildlife Habitat &Species Management Wildlife Recreation Wildlife Education & Information Responsive Management• S30,6 I 0.968 25.931.604 9.688.224 23.258.793 Tota l $89,489,589 $35,000,000 Expenditures 30.000.000 Soulhcast !legion and Colorndo Springs Serricc Center 2126 N. Weber Colorado Springs. CO 80907 (7 19) 227-5200 Web Site: www.dnr.state.eo.us/wildlifo 25.000.000 20.000,000 15.000.000 10.000.000 5.000,000 0 '------'---,,-,i= ld-li= fe~ jj,- l_\l_ild-1-ifc_._ ll'ildlife Rcsponsil'e llatitat & Recreation Education & Man;tgcmcnt• Species Information Management '. Includes c,pcnditnrcs for sen ices 10 ~upport core Dil"ision programs. suchas,·chicle. facilities. O&M. public 111\olvcmrnt. telephone. computer. other support. purchasing aml accounting,. legal services. and cn_ginccring. � https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/1ec3b8a41fb48f5b0339726473446b86.pdf 6c4076d5a7004b0ae447f9df3469aead PDF Text Text ie most annual reports, this L one is filled with agency accomplishme.nts. Last year for example, the Division of Wildlife and the Colorado Wildlife Commission continued reintroduction of lynx in southwestern Colorado, implemented a new big game hunting season structure, enacted new fishing regulations and established a policy prohibiting the stocking of trout infocted with whirling disease. opened the first hatchery in the nation dedicated to rearing threatened and endangered fish and amphibians, and more, much more. Despite that lengthy list of accomplishments, there is more 10 be done. As the new director of one of Colorado's most important agencies. I look forward to serving as the chief advocate for wildlife and for the dedicated prof~ionals in the Division of Wildlife. Our abundant wildlife resource is a natural treasure that we must cherish and protect for economic and aesthetic reasons. l'm a farm boy by birth, so I'm also an advocate for our farms and ranches, esp1-'Cially the familyoperations whose history is interwoven in tbe fabric of Colorado srich heritage and so important to the foture economy and quality of life in our state. I also grewup hunting and fishing, an equally important part of my Western Slope heritage. So I grew up respecting the wildlife professionals that lived in our area. They were respected members of the community. With this upbringing. it's not surprising that I believe Colorado's agricultural producers and wildlife professionals should be allies. The natural connection is clear. I firmly believe that the finure of Colorado's wildlife and agricultural resources are so tightly interwoven that neither can be fully sustained without the other. With almost 60 percent of the state in priva(e ownership. private property owners provide much of the critical habitat wildlife species need 10 survive. Farmers and ranchers arc tied to the land and have a deep appreciation for natural resources. Wildlife recreation can also provide additional revenue for agricultural producers through leases, easements and cooperative agreements that allow hunters and anglers onto private property. Colorado's rapid growth is having extraordinary impacts on both ;;, wildlife and agriculture. Profound ~ changes have already occurred for 8 both. Water purchases have dried up thousands of acres of prime farmo I land. Growth around ski areas and other popular mountain towns has disrupted migration corridors, as well as calving and fawning habitat for big game. l believe that cooperation between the Division, the Colorado Wildlifo Commission, the agricultural community and other agencies and groups can help minimize these impacts. Oneexample is the Division's Habitat Partnership Program (HPP). Adecade ago. local wildlife managers and agriculturnl producers were sometimes at odds over the damage caused by big game grazing on private land. So the Division initiated HPP, forming local committees comprised of local landowners, federal land managers, hunters and Division game managers. The result has been a successful program that has literally made friends of old adversaries. Over the past year. HPP has pro\lided an example of how we can work together. Athird success story is the restoration of thegreater prairie-chicken in northeastern Colorado. This nal il'e member of the grouse family had declined drastically. Acooperative efiort was needed to save it. That efiort brought wildlife managers and landowners together who shared a commitment to protect the prairie-chicken. As a result. last year the first hunting season for greater prairie-chickens in many decades occurred. thanks entirely to the successful public/private partnership. I'm proud of what the Division has already accomplished. These succes.~ful enons have made Colorado a leader among state wildlife agencies and our programs have been copied in other states. We need each other. We must work to understand each other's needs and roles in Colorado's rapidly changing society. I absolutely believe that cooperation and mutual understanding have made our combined enorts greater than we could ever accomplish working as separate interests. Such cooperation won·1 always be easy. We'll need to listen. take the time to explain and go the extra mile to work in good faith even when relations may be strained. I pledge to you my full support toward this goal in coming years. RUSSC£0RC£ Director. Colorado Division of Wildlife �PROTECT WILDLIFE AND WILDLIFE HABITAT Grouse, Prairie Dqg, J,ynx Headline Species Gomervation Efforts far 2000 lack-tailed prairie dogs, Canada lynx, sharp-tailed grouse, boreal toads and cutthroat trout arc among the many species benefiting from Division of Wildlifo efiorts to preserve, 11rotect and enhance wildlife in Colorado in 2000. Once one of the most abundant upland game birds in North America, the Columbian sharp-tailed grouse has declined dramatically since it was first noted by Lewis and Clark during their exploration of the western United States. But the Columbian, the smallest of six subspecies of sharp-tailed grouse, has rebounded in northwestern Colorado. Prior to 1997 there were 77 known sharp-tailed grouse leks or brnt'Cling grounds in Routt and Mom11 counties. Conservation efiorts by the local mining industry and private landowners involved in the federal Conservation Reserve Program resulted in development of more diverse plant communities and the relatively undisturbed habitat needed for breeding and nesting. As a result. lek surveys during 2000 identi fied SI new leks. Thesharp-tailed grouse is brownishgray with many small, buff and black markings, a white belly and a long, mostly white, wedge-shaped tail. Out of six subspecies of sharp-tail grouse, two - the plains and the Columbian sharp-tailed, B / Ediwr:\' Note:Adopted by the Colorado Wildlife Cr1111111issio11 i11 /994, the Dfrisiu11's Long Ra11ge Pla11 (LRP) org1111izes the agmcy 33 goals into t/1efol/oiri11g 1111,jor categories: protectinn of 1rildlife a11d 1rildlife habitat. ll'ildlife-related recremio11, wildlife i11forma1io111111d ed11catio11. respomire 111wwgeme111,acco1111fllbilit): 1jficiemJ1 wul ll'Ork force. The 1111111wl re110/'/ fi11· 2000 repol'ls 011 a,·ti11ities in support ,if' those goals.A copy of the LRP is m·ailable from the Dii>isio11 /ll 6060 Browlw111 Denre,; CO80216. This m1111wl repon cost 12 cems each toprim.J s 1• '1n the (ace ofincreasing political pressure, clian1Jng_ demogr_afhics, declining habitat (lhis 7ist is... huge) I think the Divisfon '?as done a gootljo°(jiotrying to maintain some semblance o balance, and I applaud their e orts. " Orville Petersen E-mail occur in Colorado. 1-1 istoric records indicate that the subspecies may have inhabited at least 22 counties in western Colorado. The decline of sharp tails in Colorado has been attributed to the loss and degradation of native grassland, sagebrush and mountain shrub vegetation types. The success or conservation cfiorts during 2000 has led the Division to oppose any potential listing of the bird under the federal Endangered Species Act. Ditto the blacktailed prairie dog. The Division of Wildlife last year proposed spt-cilic actions to ensure that Colorado continues to have selfsustaining populations of thespecies. Those included: closing hunting seasons for black-tailed prairie clogs, clarifying Division policy on relocating the animals within counties and implementing a program that would provide financial incentives for private landowners who maintain prairie dog colonies on their lands. In November, the Colorado Wildlife Commission prohibited sport shooting of prairie dogs. Division biologists will nowspend the next year trying to establish how many of those animals are in the state and developing a conservation strategy for them. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) ruled that a petition to list the black-tailed prairie dog under the Endangered Species Act was"warranted but precluded. "That designation means that the animals need protection but would not get it immediately because of more pressing needs. The ruling also means that, alier a year, if the number or prairie dogs is declining, they will be listed as a threatened species. AColorado Department of Natural Resources study during 2000 indicated that black-tailed prairie dogs occupy more than 214,000 acres east of the Continental Divide. The black-tailed prairie clog is listed as a species of special concern by the Colorado Wildlife Commission. With approval from the Colorado Wildlife Commission, biologists also continued reintroducing Canada lynx in the state, releasing 55 more cats in southwestern Colorado. At the end of 2000, Division biologists were actively tracking 67 of the 96 lynx released since february 1999. No more releases were planned. But Division researchers, using satellites, aircrali and ground tracking, continued intensive monitoring and study of the animals. �The USFWS listfacility had good ed the lynx as threatsuccess hatching the ened under the eggs and. by the end Endangered Species of the year. housed Act. Because of the toads from 11 reintroduction. imperiled populawildlife managers tions throughout sought federal desigthestate. nation of the Researchers were Colorado populaalso using the tion as a separate hatchery lo sllldy and dislim:I populathe chytrid fungus, tion and argued that unique partnership which has been Colorado had taken between the Division of linked to the decline the first steps to Wildlife and inmates at of amphibians recover lynx in the the Colorado around the world. southern Rocky Department of Other research Mountains. The Corrections"(DOC) Buena Vista focuses on increased state's wildlife manCorrectional Facility led to ultraviolet radiaagers expected that improl'ements in aquatic habitat in tion, environmental their argument the South Platte Rim drainage in contaminants. habiwould put Colorado South Park hL~t year. tat destruction and in a better position other pathogens. With the help or inmates in the to protect residents' Listed as an endanBuena Vista vocational heavy interests as a result. equipment tl'chnology class. gered species in the A Lynx Advisory Division biologists and engineers state and"warrantlcam, including cott~tructcd a small clam and a ed but precluded" at wildlife managers, high-now flood channel, about the federal level, the university seven-tenths of a mile in length. boreal toad is researchers, scienoff Threemile Creek at Spinney Colorado's only tists and other citialpinespecies of Mountain SWA in Park County. zens from both the That channel has allowed silt in toad. U.S. and Canada flood waters to be deposited in a The Wetlands assisted with the large borrow area nearby rather programcontinued lynx transplant than in the main channel or the to protect wetlandeffort. South Platte Ril"cr. improving dependent species Weighing and wetlands - a aquatic habitat there. The borrow between 20-40 lbs., area itself may ultimately prol"icle high priority for lynx are carnivores Division biologists wetlands and waterfowl habitat as and prey primarily well. during 2000 on snowshoe hares through its As a result of the partnership and small mammals. with the DOC and the Denver Wetlands Initiative Lynx virtually disapWater Department, Division bioland Duck Stamp peared from ogists and engineers were able to efforts. The Colorado in the create a 3,600-foot river channel Wetlands Initiative early 1970s, probais voluntary and for the South Fork of the South bly as a result of Platte Ril'er immediately downincentive-based and trapping and the use focuses on protectstream from Antero Reserrnir. or poison, both of Inmates added boulders and other ing wetlands via which arc now promaterial to create spawning partnerships. By the hibited. Thestate is grounds and improl"e ol"erall trout end of the year. regarded as the Wetlands Initiative I habitat in the channel. southernmost The unique arrangement has was complete and extreme of the animore than I4,000 allowed wildlife biologists to cremals'range. acres of wetland ate river and aquatic habitats and Also during DOC ollicials to provide rncationhabitat and 85,000 2000, the Division acres of critical al skills for student inmates. opened the $6 milColorado Contractors Association habitat connected to wetlands had lion John W. members serve on an advisory Mumma Native been protected board that approves projects for Aquatic Species (either purchased, the DOC vocational heavy e<JuipRestoration Facility restored or created), ment class. benefiting more southwest of Alamosa. The hatchthan 30 species. The ery is the first in the nation specifically Division and Wetlands Initiative partners, designed and built to raise threatened and including Ducks Unlimited. The Nature Conservancy, Partners for Fish and endangered fish, amphibian and mollusks species. Wildlife and the Colorado Division of Among its first residents were a dozen Parks, leveraged a $4.46 million Legacy boreal toads and hundreds of toad eggs, Grant fromGreat Outdoors Colorado into a S17.4 million effort to protect the collected frombreeding sites in early May to build a captive brood stock at the facilistates wetlands. In 2000, the Division protected, either ty as insurance against extinction. The Unique Partnership Produces Habitat Improvements A through purchase of fee ti tle or by casements and leases, an additional 9,262 acres of habitat. Last years acquisitions included the 6, 120-acre Circle Ranch in Larimer County. Renamed the Rabbit Creek Tract of the Cherokee Park Stale Wildlife Arca (SWA), the acquisition connected the upper and lower portion of Cherokee New Rc1!;iilatio11s, Hatche1y Park and enables protection of a total of J'v1odern~wtio11 Improving 15,000 contiguous acres of prime wilcllile Angling habitat. The properly provides winter range for big game, habitat for the threativision of Wildlife managers and ened Preble's meadow jumping mouse and the Colorado Wildlife hunting. fishing and wildlife watching Commission cont inued their opportuni ties. aggressive efiort to improve fishThe Division also purchased 175 acres ing, and specifically trout fishand cight-tcnlhs of a mile of the South ing, in Colorado du ring 2000. Platte River for the OverlandTrail SWA in In November, the Wildlife Commission Logan County and added 330 acres and a required that the Division stop stocking third of a mile of the Rio Grande to the fish exposed to the whirling disease (WD) Rio GrandeSWA near Monie Vista. parasite in lakes and streams where trout Other significant acquisitions incluclccl reproduce by 2003. As part of that policy, an casement on Willow Creek Ranch in the stocking of exposed lish will be limitDouglas County (696 acres), a lease on ed to lower-elevation waters not near Hollenbeck Ranch in Lake County (996 trout habitat such as Cherry Creek acres) and 160 acres in foe title in Grand Reservoir in Denver. 1-lighlinc Reservoir in County. Grand Junction and Prospect Lake in Overall, Division casements and leases Colorado Springs. protect a total of 24 1.000 acres: the The Commission also adopted new Division also owns 230 properties, totalfishing regulations reducing statewide ing 348.000 acres. Stateschool trust lands daily bag limits for trout from the 2000 leased by the agency protect habitat and bag limit of eight fish to four for lakes provide for public uses on another and streams. The Commission conIinuecl 470.000 acres. the special two-lish bag limit for some Also during 2000, the Fishing Is Fun select waters on ColoradosWestern Slope, program completed 1irojec1s in eight comincluding Gore Creek and the Colorado, munit ics throughout the state.Those proBlue, Yampa, Fraser, Eagle and Roaring jects ranged fromin-stream habitat Fork rivers. The newstocking policy and improvements along the Blue River to lower bag limits, in part, reflected the acquiring one-quarter mile of river state's reduced ability lo stock rainbow frontage and nearly nine acres of riparian trout as the DOW continued its ellorl to habitat along the Yampa River in clean the hatchery system. The Ste,nnboat Springs. Agency ollicials estiCommission action recognized research mated that the projects combined to provide new fishing opportunities for more than 45.000 "... The DOW has always been a.friend anglers annually. Through ifthe hunting population ... " Fishing Is Fun, the Division provides grants matching local funds lohn Ashford to improve fish habitat and Evergreen, CO angler access. WILDLIFERELATED RECREATION D �suggesting that continued stocking of whirling disease-positive lish even in waters already containing the parasite increases the level of infoctivity in brown trout and may reduce the brook trout population. The Commission also established special regulations for several popular fishing holes, including Granby, Cheesman, Crawford and other reservoirs and several stretches of the South Platte River. Division biologists continued to make progress toward eliminating \VD from state fish hatcheries during 2000. The Finger Rock Rearing Unit near Yampa became the newest of thestate's 18 hatcheries to test negative for WD following extensive renovations. Finger Rock is the most recent beneficiaryof a S13 million stale effort to modernize facilities, including e0orts to protect groundwater sources from surface contamination. HARVEST TOTALS FOR DEER. ANTELOPE &ELK CILORAIO Q_,EER1HARVEST ' 120,000 I" 100,000 I I j f~ 80,000 -'qv -,, "i' 60,000 15.• ~.: ft I J;J 20,000 t ',{ j iff -·-0l - ~ - -- Ir_ I~ I I" I _I '"•,~ i"ii.. .;... 1903 '10 '20 '30 '40 '50 '60 '70 '80 '90 '96 '97 '98 '99 ..::, • ~- I ClllRAII ANTEl:OPE HARVEST 10,000 I -. l 8,000 1 0 ~ 1950 60,000 I ----1 '60 I I I '70 '80 '90 '97 '98 '99 I 50,000 t 40,000 t / 30,000 t ~ 10,000 r 0 '96 Cll,;ORADOJE~I HARVEST - --~ 20,000 I , ~ / / I_.L' 'r · ~ sf' Aug. 31-Sept. 29 Antelope: Bucks only: Either sex: Oct. 1-26 and Nov. 7-Dec. 31 Aug. 15-31 Sept. 1-20 Oct. 1-25 and Nov. 6-Dec. 31 Aug. 15-31 Sept. 1-20 MUZZLELOADlNG RIFLE Deer/elk (by drawing only): Plains Deer - east of l-25: Antelope: Sept. 8-16 Oct. 13-2 1 Oct. 21-29 Sept. 14-22 Oct. 12-20 Oct. 21-29 RIFLE COMBINED DEER/ELK SEPARATE LIMlTEDELK Combined (deer/elk): Combioed (deer/elk): Combined (deer/elk): Oct. 13-17 Oct. 20-26 Nov. 3-9 Nov. 10-14 Oct. 12- 16 Oct. 19-25 Nov. 2-8 No11• 9- 13 RIFLE DEER (east of 1-25): Oct. 27-Nov. 6 Oct. 26-Nov. 5 LATE RIFLE DEER (cast of 1-25): Dec. 1-14 Dec. 1-14 Sept. 29-Oct. 5 or Oct. 6-12 Sept. 28-Oct. 4 or Oct. 5-11 ,:, I / 1 ~ RIFLE ANTELOPE (by drawing only): hold a deer or elk license for thesame unit(s) and season. I I I I- Aug. 25-Sept. 23 "lb participate in the unlimited bear seasons a hunter must also -- . 4,ooo I 2,000 2002 BLACK BEAR* Limited (by drawing only): Sept. 2-30 Sept. 2-30 Archery (unlimited): Sept. 2-23 Sept. 2-29 Muzzleloading (unlimited): Sept. 8- 16 Sept. 14-22 Rine (unlimited): concurrent combined deer/elk rille seasons 12,000 6,000 200I ARCHERY Deer/elk west of 1-25, (and Unit 140): Deer east of 1-25, (except Unit 140): \ Jr 40,000 COLORADO BIC CAME SEASON DATES I I I I I __I - __,.,1 _ _._........... 1930 '40 '50 '60 '70 '80 '90 '96 '97 '98 '99 WD is a parasitic infection that attacks cartilage and nervous system in rainbow trout and other species and causes the fish to swim in circles when stressed. Despite the \VD problems, the Division stocked nearly 4 million catchable-sized ( I0+ inches) and over 11.5 million fingerling-sized trout and salmon during 2000. Division biologists also continued e0orts to restore Colorado's native cutthroat trout, including stocking nearly 30,000 Rio Grande cutthroat fingerlings in the Rio Grande basin during 2000. Greenback cutthroats were thought to be extinct as recently as 40 years ago and populations of Rio Grande and Colorado River cutthroats had declined dramatically. Thanks to recorery efforts by Division biologists, today there arc 76 known populations of Rio Grande cutthroats, 22 populations of greenback cutthroats (the state fish), and 111populations of Colorado River cutthroats in streams and another 15 in lakes. Those populations arc self~sustaining and allow some catch-andrelease fishing opportunities for anglers. Aquatic biologists also announced plans to increase fishing, boating and wildlife viewing opportunities in urban waters in 2000. Division onicials targeted 32 lakes in the Denver met ro area, 80 gravel pits along the northern Front Range and in Brighton, se1•en other impoundments in Weld County. access to eight streams in the foothills, eight creeks in the Sedalia area and several lakes in Golden. In partnership with cities, counties and other entities, the Division will consider funding facilities development, stocking and managing the lisherics to open up these lakes and streams for public fishing. These and previous efforts appeared to be paying off. ADivision trend analysis of di0crent statewide studies of license sales, trout angling recreation days, angler satisfaction and angler use of Western Slope waters led to the conclusion that angler satisfaction with catching tish and enjoying their surroundings has increased over the last four years. Division of Wildlife oflicials estimate that expenditures by anglers add more than $900,000 to the Colorado economy annually. Colorado's sportsmen and women also got their first look at the state·s new big game hunting season structure and. �2000. The increase species list in 1998. though final data For those who enjoy watching and was the first increase won't be available until next spring, in the cost of photographing wildlife, the Division Colorado hunting began olforing monthlyWildlife Watch the view appears to workshops during 2000. Available be a good one. and fishing licenses in IO years and only statewide, the workshops provided not Under the new only wildlife viewing skills but also inforthe fourth in the last five-year season structure approved 35 years. The new mation about habitats and animal behavnonresident fees ior as well. Five to eight workshops were by the Wildlife il·ision wildlife managers oficrcd monthly attracting nearly 2,000 Commission in continued to monitor the make Colorado's citizens last year. rates comparable to January, Colorado states mule deer herds Division law enforcement ofiiccrs, often hunters had four those charged in the mul the general consenwith the aid of tips from citizens, were also other western states. seasons to choose sus seemed to he that Big game huntbusy during 2000. Among those: a hunter from during 2000: deer numbers were improving but scouting a buck and several docs in a an early, limited elk not "back··10 population obje<:ing pumps about $500 million a year meadow along the Eagle River heard a only season, foltivcs. lowed by three cominto the Colorado gunshot and watched the buck drop. When Mule deer populations in bined deer and elk economy with nonhe saw a man walk into a clearing, the Colorado and throughout the west residents typically hunter quickly contacted DOW ofiicers. hunting seasons. All have lfodined from peak levels of deer hunting licensspending more (for The ofiicers' investigation led to the arrest the 1940s and 1950s. Biologists outfitting services, of a Lake County man. He was el'entually es were limited investigated mcral causes. ranging again during the lodging, anmmniconvicted of violating the Sampson Law. from predation. primarily hy coy2000 seasons. otes. to dcclinL'S in the quality of tion and other which prohibits the illegal hunting of troFull game proequipment) than phy-sizcd game animals in the state, and habitat. Most agreed that the decicessing facilities and residents. was lined S11.000. Likewise, a tip from an sion to limit <focr hunting beginalert citizen who suspt.~ted three others of anecdotal evidence ning in 1999 had helped as has Colorado also from hunters themheld its first greater poaching antelope in the San Luis Valley improved habitat because of more scives suggested that prairie-chicken led to confessions which cost the men more favorable weather. the 2000 big game hunt since 1936 last than $3,000 in fines and their Colorado "Buck-doc ratios in almost seasons were among year. Prairie-chickhunting privileges. every game management unit the best in recent en populations The Division encourages citizens who showed some level of increase as a history. plmnmctcd during hare information about wildlife violations result of limiting licenses last ·'we think it was the dust bowl years to call O11eration GameThief at 1-800)'ear."John Ellenberger. state hig an exceptional seaof the 1930s. An 332-4155. Callers cmt remain anonymous, game coordinator. said at the son," biologist John and a reward is available if the tip results estimated 600 birds beginning of the foll hunting seaEllenberger said. remained in the in a conviction. sons. 'There's not going to be tons "Everything points state by 1973, and The number of citations issued during or trophy bucks out there. but the to a much better the birds were 2000 was being compiled at press time. number or bucks should be up season than in placed on the state's from the 11.t~t year:· but was expected to be comparable to 1999, perhaps the endangered species 1999 when citations for wildlife violations Early reports from both hunters best since 1996, list. In the late totaled 4,414. The Division has 200 and the states wild meat procei'iors which was the last 1970s. however, multi-11urpose employees whose job seemed to contirm Ellenbcrgcr's good year for snow'.' farmers and ranchincludes a law enforcement component. assessment. For all manners ers in Colorado's Meanwhile. research biologists of take during the took another step toward under1999 big game seastanding the dynamics of the sons, 239, I09 Uncompaghrc Plateau deer herd "... Your website... is intuitive, informative, hunters took when they began an experimental fast and about Iooo percent better than one 39,700 elk (a 17 nutritional study in December. The would ever anticipate comin,g.fr.om a state percent success study will inrnlve !ceding a grain agency. It's more helpful and Oj a hiK~er ~,uality rate); 80,650 supplement to dL'Cr on DOW propthan most large corporate weosites. hunters took erty south or Montrose. then 29,600 deer (a 37 observing the animals m-cr the GT.Weit percent success winter and checking 011 survil'al of E-mail rate). Following the their otlspring. Biologists think 1999 hunt, nutrition could he a problem on Colorado had nearly northeastern counthe Uncom11aghre Plateau bL•cause 529,000 deer and of the condition or deer winter ties took an interest almost 265,000 elk. in the birds, changnmge. Responding to ing their grazing the demands of resipractices to grow dent sportsmen and others, the Colorado more high-calorie food and provide nestWildlife Commission directed that, begining cover. Donations to the nongame ning next year, Colorado resident hunters wildlife fund through a state income tax be guaranteed at least 60 percent of the checkoff (54,000 donors gave $540,000 Diverse Ed11mtion Programs deer and elk licenses issues via computer for tax year 1999) also supported an Help Division Interest drawings. An unlimited number of bull extensive trapping and transplanting Youngstm in Wildlife elk licenses will still be sold over the program on behalf of the chickens. ivision of Wildfifc employees counter to both nonresidents and resiToday, Division biologists estimate that provided nearly 1,000 conserdents. between 10,000 and 15,000 now reside in vation education programs The Colorado State Legislature Yuma, Phillips. Weld and Sedgwick counand reached almost 250,000 approved increases in the costs of nonresities in eastern Colorado. The birds were students and other particident hunting licenses during the spring of removed from the state's endangered pants during 2000. Deer Herds Improving But Not BackYet l WILDLIFE EDUCATION AND INFORMATION I ~ ~ cS ~ ~ ~ "' t;; ,, § d ,; Statewide, DOW staff provided 11 3 hun ting programs reaching 9,000 people. Those programs ranged from "howto-hunt.. classes for Denver area residents to youth hunts for upland birds. small and big game that provided more than 250 days of hunting opportunities for young people. About 2.500 young people under 16 benefited from these kinds of Division-sponsored, mentoring programs last year. Division staff was also involved with 4-H shooting sports programs and the regional and stale Young Hunter Education Challenge events, which provide hunter training for young people. More than 25.000 young people purchased special youth small game and big game hunting licenses last year. About IO percent of all Colorado hunters arc youth hunters. The Division has set aside 11 state wildlife areas specifically for youth/mentor hunting, with about 4,000 acres in IO counties now providing big and small game opportunities just fo r young hunters. The Divisions 418 volunteer hunter education instructors taught 800 classes providing 16,000 new and mostly young hun ters with hunter safety and ethics training during 2000. ln addition, 35 schools throughout the state, including some in Pueblo and Grand Junction, oiler Division-sponsored hunter education classes during school hours or as an after school elective. More than 1,000 received their hunter education certification through this program last year. The Division reimbursed 71shooting �ranges more than $8,000 in return for their support of hunter education activities and granted a total of almost $34,000 to pay for improvements at 26 other shooting ranges in cities throughout the state. Division managers also focused on young anglers last year. Statewide Division staff held more than 400 fishing clinics and taught 20,000 people how to fish. In the Denver metropolitan area alone, 7,200 kids, many from inner city neighborhoods, participated in 80 fishing clinics sponsored by the agency. The clinics not only taught fishing skills but also ofiercd the young students opportunities to learn about aquatic wildlife and habitat. Most were enthralled by the experience. In the southeast region, Division aquatic biologists and district wildlife managers held outdoor, hands-on fish- Whitehorse Yauth Hunt Is Win-Win far All Involved he Whitehorse S\VA. a perpetual conservation casement near Barr Lake State Park in northeast Ocnl'cr. oflcrcd more than I00 young goose hunters and their mentors opportunities to learn about and hunt waterfowl during 2000. The program produced a winwin situation for all involved: the kids and their mentors raved about hunting and having access to great hunting close to the metro area. The landowner has rnluntarily improl'ed habitat on the property and greatly enjoys the success the kids arc haring. and Barr Lake SP has St'Curcd another piece or their huller zone. Jared Steiner. 14. one of the youth hunters from Aurora. on his cxperience:"This was my first dark goose hunt ... What I liked the most was when the geese were flying in from all directions. and the sky looked like a speckled cloud .. . It was a cold morning hut it was worth it." Last year. the project received a gift from the family of a man killed in a trallic accident while on his way home from deer hunting. The giti will be used to provide goose decoys for the young hunters who don·1 hare them. T cries managcmcnt clinics during gill net inventories on local warm-water reservoirs. Acros.s the state, Division biologists participated in eight "water festivals;' teaching fishing or promoting clean water as fish habitat. During the Greeley Water Festival. for example, district wildlife managers set up a small fish tank and created pond ecosystems in a plastic wading pool providing aquatic education activities for 1,400 fourth graders. Likewise in Grand Junction, the Mesa State College water festival foaturccl water mazes and"salmon sniffing''programs for 1,600 fourth and fifth graders. The Rivers of Colorado Water Watch Network, or Riverwatch, provided students in 13 newschools with opportunities to monitor water quality and learn about aquatic habitats in local rivers and streams. A total of 153 schools and more than 3,000 students area. WIN-WIN is oflcrcd in Spanish and throughout the state now participate in Vietnamese as well as English. the program. Division staff provided information Through Project WILD, Division for an estimated 150,000 citizens through employees were also active providing enviits booths at expositions such as the ronmental education for students in forColorado State Fair in Pueblo and the mal school settings during 2000. An interDenver Sportsmens Show. The Divisions disciplinary approach, Project WILD weekly radio and television programming incorporates wildlifo-relatcd information aired on a total of nearly 50 stations into the teaching curriculum. Last year, statewide: a Division study last year estithe Division trained 1,025 teachers in the mated the cost of buying an equivalent Project WlLD techniques. bringing the amount of advertising time and space al S4 million. More than one million copies total number of current Colorado teachers who have rC<.-eived Project WILD trainof the agency's information and regulatoing to more than 13.000. With class sizes ry brochures also provided residents and visitors with information on wildlife manrunning between 25-30 students, Project WILD teachers have a chance to provide agement and wildlife-related recreational activities. wildlile-related educational opportunities for a lot of young people. Finally, the Division continued to Project WILD facil itators from respond to literally hundreds or thouColorado also trained 158 educators sands of requests for information from const ituents. Its website alone was among from Nat ive American communities in the four-corners area and provided Project the most popular in state government and received 7 million hits last year. Similarly. WILD traini ng in Spanish for 100 bilinthe eight agents who staficd the Division gual educators from the Adams County school system. call center answered almost 167,000 In addition. the Division-sponsored 'T love coming_to Colorado everyJew Wonders In Natureyears to hin~t. Y~u people do a greatjob Wonders In ifmaking it a nice place to ;so. Neighborhoods (WINKeep up the goorl work.' WIN) provided educational opportunities for D eWayne M ereness about I0,000 DenverFort Plain, NY area students from preschool through grade 5. Another 6,000 older stuphone calls and e-mails during 2000, dents got training in wildlife management including more than 21,000 during the and hunting and fishing through the big game limited hunting license applicaWIN-WIN program last year. Students in tion period from March to the first week the program study habitat and the enviinApril. ronment at an oll~school si te or natural �FUHDED DY: GREAT oumoons COLORADO DEPARTMENT ol NATURAL RESOURCES : WATER CONSER\fATIOH BOARD ond the OlUISION of WILDLIFE RESPONSIVE MANACEMENT/ ACCOUNTABILITY Overall, Customers Give Division High Marks oth the Division and the Wildlife Commission continued efiorts to encourage public participation in ecision-making and to increase opportunities for dialogue between wildlife managers and the public. Last year, for example, more than 1,000 citizens commented on the Colorado Wildlife Commission's review or the state's fishing regulations and on its development of a whirling disease policy. Often facilitated by staff from the Division's Human Dimensions Section (HD), angler round tables and public meetings, the mail and the internet, all provided opportunities for citizens to get information about and provide input into the management of the state's wildlife resources during 2000. HD staff also organized and conducted nine Environmental Round tables and several Sportsmen's Advisory Group meetings, which provided additional forums for public input on wildlife issues. The Private Land Licensing Work Group provided further opportunities for public involvement for citizens. The group was created by the Division to provide the Commission with recommendations on how hunting licenses should be allocated to landowners through the DOW's landowner preference program. Stakeholders included landowners, sportsmen, outfitters and members of conservation organiz.itions. Stakeholders were also working with wildlife managers on the Predator Management Advisory Council. The Council's charge included reviewing the agency's newly drafted predator (coyote, black bear and mountain lion) management plans. Also during 2000, Division staff continued to work wi th the Wildlife Management Public EducationAdvisory Council to help the group reach its goal or designing a media-based pubIic information pro- gram to educate the general public about the benefits or wi ldlife, wildlifo management and wildlilc-rclatcd recreation. Acheckoff box developed for the Council for all license applications resulted in 12,000 hunters donat ing a total of $60,000 to the Council. Those donations. in turn, will help ftmd the media-based information campaign during the spring of 2001. Constituents continued to give the Division high marks for its efforts. In a survey conducted in early 2000, a majority of Colorado residents, hunters and anglers rated the Division's overall wildlife law enforcement efforts as good to excellent; '·poor.. ratings were virtually nonexistent. The surveys results suggested that law EFFICIENCY D ivision Plans to Streamline Licensing System he Colorado Outdoor Recreation Information System or CORIS provides a database of the nearly 2.2 million hunters and anglers who purchase Colorado licenses. Thanks to that database, citizens with almost any question about their business dealings with the Division have been able to get quick answers. Division managers last ye,tr began a complicated efiort to upgrade CORIS to what's called a point-of-sale system. Dubbed the total licensing project (TLI'), Division of Wildlife business managers began a process that will eventually solicit bidders to design and implement a new point-of~sale system. Stakeholders. including Division managers. license agents. hunters and anglers and guides and outfitters, along with business consultants, spent much of the year analyzing the agency's existing business procedures and needs associated with the Division's current licensing processes. TheTLP details remain to be worked out. One alternative. for example. could employ a systemcomparable to the swipecard system common in most retail outlets now to provide the kind of e-busincss solutions needed for the agency's futu re licensing processes. The expectation is that whatever technology is used, TLP will provide T "Your staff .. was efficient and courteous ... Mjproblem_ was ~r;solved in a matter ofminutes. Ed Saltzman Grand Lake enforcement should remain a priority for the Division. The public also rated the Division customer services high during 2000: 9 out of IOwalk-in customers who responded to a survey at Division service centers in Brush, Fort Collins and Denver s.1id they received excellent service from Division em1iloyecs during their visits. for electronic rather than paper-based, manual licenses on demand (some perhaps even available by internet and home computers). That will reduce costs for license agents since they will no longer have to maintain an inventory of licenses. Under the newsystem, license agents may also be able to sell lefto1·er hunting licenses, making acquiring a leftover license more convenient for hunters. Also under a new licensing system, field ofiicers will be able to retrieve information to help thembetter manage game and habitat. Biologists wi ll be able to get harvest and other user survey data sooner. And hunters and anglers will continue to ha1·e easy access to information about their dealings with the Division. Pending final approval, Division 1ilans call for the release or a request for proposals to potential vendors in June 200 I with full implemcntation of the new system, including the purchase of licenses through the internet. by March 2003. �of DWMs had remained constant for many years. The Division reclassified admin istrative, public information and other existing positions in order to create the new New DWMs to Increase DOW DWMs. Volunteers continued to play an Law Enforcement Effarts important role in the Division's work force last year, completing more than nc of the things respondents 300 projects on behalf of the agency. told Division of Wildlife manThose projects ranged from serving as agers as part of its survey of "hosts" at state wildlife areas during law enforcement efforts was hunting seasons to capturing and transthat there is a common percepplanting species from sheep to geese. In tion that people violate hunting and addition to the help they provide to the fishing laws consciously and arc seldom agency, volunteers also have opportunicaught. In recent years, sportsmen themties to learn more about wildlife and selves have argued for increased law wildlife management. enforcement efforts. The Division also sponsored 93 students for positions with the "(DOW staffwas) ver)! responsive and agency as part of the Youth in proftssionat. .It's a real}o)! lofind state Natural Resources program duremployees who are responsive and dediing 2000. The students provided cated to their work. " weed control and weed management on state wildlife areas and Vaughn Smith worked in fish hatcheries and on Dripping Springs, TX other wildlifo-related projects. The nine-week environmental program provides high school-aged students with both summer employment The Division responded in 2000 by and learning experiences working in the shifting resources lo increase the number field of natural resources. of employees with law enforcement commissions. As a result or this shill, new positions wi ll be created in locations wi th the highest priority need for more law enforcement. wildlifo management, landowner "The DOW is to be commended on contact and other commaintaining the state's animals and it munity-oriented work. should be noted that it is completely_ In creating the posifunded by the sales ofhunting ana tions, Division manfishing licenses. " agers cited the importance of DOW employTomCacl ees having a presence in Peetz, Co. local communities and the foct that the number WORKFORCE I STATE OF COLORADO Bill Owens .. . ....... . .. Governor DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Greg E. Walcher ........ Executive Director COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE OFl'ICES Northeast Region and Denver Service Center 6060 Broadway Denver. CO802 I6 (303) 291-7227 Headquarters: (303) 297- I I92 DI VISIO ' OF WILDLIFE Russell George .... . .. ... ....... Director WILDLIFE COM~IISSION Bernard L. Black. Jr.. Chair . . Denver Rick Enstrom. Vice-Chair ........ . . Denver Philip J. James. Secretary . .... . . Fort Collins ·1om Burke ..... . .... .... . Grand Junction Olive Kimbleton Valdez .... .. ... . .. Conejos Mark L<!Valley ... .... . ......... Hotchkiss Marianna Raftopoulos . .... ... .. . ... Craig Robert Shoemaker ...... . . . ... Canon City EX OFFICIO ~IEMUERS (Eficctive 1/ 1/00) Greg E. Walchcr Don Ament West Region and Grand Junction Sen'icc Center 71 I Independent Avenue Grand Junction. CO8 I505 (970) 255-6 I00 Southeast Region and Colorndo Springs Service Center 2126 N. Weber Colorndo Springs. CO 80907 (719) 227-5200 Web Site:www.wildlife.state.co.us FINANCIAL STATEMENTS The Division of Wildlife uses the stale fiscal year for accounting and reporting financial data. The fiscal year is the period July I through June 30 of the following year. Statement efRc·venui:, J•Y 1999-2000 Revenues are all sources of income the Division has - primarily license Ices, Colorado's share of federal taxes on hunting and fishing equipment (Federal Aid), Great Outdoors Colorado (lottery) grants. and interest on fu nd balances. Source Prior Year Actual FY 99-00 Actual License Revenue Federal Aid Interest Federal & Other Grants & Donations Other Wildlife Cash Less Interest $6 1,904,292 12,797,315 4,569, 179 4,4 15,984 1,577,41 7 $55,059,586 13,109,633 4,689,571 11 ,328,785 3,615,360 Total $85,264,187 Sll7,802,935 Federal &. Otha Other WildlifeCash Le&ll lore.rest 3% federal Aid 15% iccnsc Revenue 68% TWO-YEAR AVERACE REVENUES Expenditures, rY 1999-2000 Expenditures ,ire all those payments made within a fiscal year for salaries and benefits, materials and supplies, services, acquisitions, leases, and construction and arc shown below according lo the StrategicAreas that incurred them. Strategic Area l-Y 99-00 Expenditures Wildlife Habitat & Species Management Wildlife Recreation Wildlife Education & Information Responsive Management• $29.695.662 25,826.357 10,256.90 1 22.966.869 Total $88,745,789 3~, 000,000 EXPENDITURES zs,oeo,ooo ~o,ooo,o~o 'ro,oao,ooo 5)000,000 Wildlife Habitat & Species Management Wil!llife Recreation Wildlife Responsive Education &. Management' rnformation 'Includes expenditures for scn·iccs 10 suppon core Dil'ision programs. such as 1~hiclcs. focili1ics. O&M. public inrolwmcnl. 1clcphone. computer, uni cc support. purchasing and accounting. legal scr\'ices. and cngin('fring. � https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/cfd7aa954875f7883893c65ccb6476c9.pdf 1a64222dec7136dc72fbd5d5e59eb547 PDF Text Text W elcome to the Colorado Division of Wildlife 200 I Annual Report. We are taking this opportunity to showcase some of our accomplishments over the last 12 months. Please give us some of your time to read what we have provided to you in this report. I think you will be pleased and proud of sec what your state wildlife agency is doing for people and for wildlife. I wish to highlight two particular events deserving special emphasis, not otherwise mentioned in this report. Legislatively, we were able to obtain enterprise status for the Division of Wildlife. When the voters passed the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) a few years ago, they adopted the e111erprise provision allowing a state agency to be free from the TABOR revenue and spending limits if theagency receives less than IO percent of its revenue from taxes and if theagency is engaged in a business activity. The Colorado Division of Wildlife recei,-es no revenue from the state general fund (sales and income taxes). making the agency an appropriate candidate for enterprise status. As an enterprise, the agency can save our reserves from one year to the next to be ready for any unusual expenses that may arise as Mother Nature gives us a bad turn. Also, if game activities are healthy causing an increase in license revenues, the agency is able to adjust its budget expenditures accordingly. The revenue and spending limits ofTABOR are no longer a concern. Enterprise status does not give us any new revenues, nor decrease our accountability, but gives us the flexibility to save and spend in ways hopefully more responsive to the needs of wildlife. We are grateful to the Legislature, Governor Owens and our manyconstituents for supporting this important change. Much time and eflort has been spent this year looking ahead 10 the next five years. A number of hardy employees and friends from the publicspent many long and tedious hours looking at every aspect of the agency's activities and suggesting priorities for the future. These volunteers were divided into work groups in tl1e areas of hunting, fishing, species conservation and wildlife stewardship/awareness. These groups. with the help of our able stan: reached out across the state to get the opinion and guidance of anyone who would help us. then developed priorities, goals, objectives and means to accomplish the work of the Division of Wildlife in the coming years. While no one can predict the future, we are generally benefited in our endeavors by spending time and thought in trying to plan ahead. Such is the purpose of this new strategic plan. While it cannot be built with concrete, it certainly sets meaningful markers by which we can direct our activities and record a measure of success in evaluating how ,veil we are achieving our mission. I will never be able to adequately thank or repay all of the people inside and outside the agency who gave unselfishly of their time and their creative thinking in helping us in this important exercise. Final!); I wish lo end with a big word ofTHANKS to all of you who have supported me in my first year as director and particularly to all of you across the State of Colorado who have helped and supported all our wildlife managers in the Colorado Division of Wildlife. While we try lo do the right thing for wildlife, we never forget that we are public employees with a duty to the citizens of Colorado. We hope you are encouraged by the work we are doing. �IEdiwrs Note: In 1994. the Colorado Wildlife Commission organized agency goals into four main categories: wildlife habitat and SJ)L'C ics protection. wildlife-related recreation. wildlife educatiou and information. and respon ire nmm1gc111en1. This annual report for 2001 reports on activities in support of those goals. A newStrategic Plan. guiding future activities of the ageucy. was developed during 2001 and will help organize the Division·, aunual report next year. This document cost 12 cents 10 print.I WILDLlFE HAB ITAT AND SPECIES CONSERVATION Black-Footed Ferrets, Lynx Among Conser·vation Efforts far20or or the last quarter of a century. wildlife managers have pointed to the Canada lynx and black-footed forrcts as examples of endangered species whose extirpation Ii-om Colorado reduced the overall quality of the states environment. Thanks to the efiorts of Division of Wilcllifo biologists and others, both species made comeback~ in 200 I. Division biologists continued to track 44 of the 96 lynx transplanted to the state over the last two years. Twenty-six of those were females. and biologists co111in11ed to look for evidence of reproduction. Snow tracking of the radio-collared lynx began in December of 200 I and will continue through the winter in ho11es of detecting killcn tracks in the snow. Biologists believed that several more of the original transplants may be alive but have moved outside the research area: they hoped that expanded cnorts 10 track them might locate the missing lynx. Weighing betwt-en 20-40 pounds. lynx F arc carn ivores and prey primarily on Black-footed ferrets arc long. slcndcrsnowshoe hares and small mammals. Lynx boclicd animals. approximately 24 inches virtually disappeared from Colorado in long. They hal'e a brown-black mask the 1970s. The state is regarded as the across the face. brown head. black lcet and southern-most extreme of the animals' legs and a black tip on the tail. Their hisrange. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service toric range is believed to have extcnclccl (USFWS) has listed the lynx as threatened from Canada to Mexico along the Great under the federal Endangcrccl Species Act. Plains grasslands. In mid-November. biologists rclcasccl more than three dozen black-footed ferrets Prairie Dogs, Plovers Draw along the Wolf Creek drainage in northAttention west;rn Colorado. It was the first release lack-tailed prairie clogs also or black-footed ferrets. considered one of drew the allcntion of the rarest mammals in North America. in Division of Wildlifo biolothe state. gists during 2001. wit h Biologists from the Colorado Division clcvclopmen t of a of Wildlife hare worked in partnership Shortgrass/Black-Tailecl Prairie Dog with the USFWS. the BLM. the U.S. Incentive Program. The pilot program Geological Survey (USGS), the Animal will compensate private landowners in and Plant Health Inspection Service and selected c,L~tcrn Colorado counties who the Utah Division of Wilcllifo Resources arc willing to protect prairie clogs and to manage the release. their habitat. The Division and local soil Thirt)-One kits and sevenadults were conservation districts evaluated potential released. properties based on quality or habitat. The black-footed ferret was listed as size or the colonies. acrns of shortgrass. federally endangered in 1967 and was etc., during the fall of 200 I. with implethought to be extinct by 1979. However. mentation of the programset to begin in 198 1, a colony of about 130 ferrets was Jan. I, 2002. located in Wyoming; following an outThe USFWS has listed the black-tailed break of distemper and plague among prairie dog as warranted but precluded those animals. 18 were moved lo the fi-om a threatened listing under the National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center, a captive breed'As alw_a,ys, the Colorado Division of ing focility in Sybille Wildli.;e_ has ~onie tkrough like_they Canyon, Wyo. should.. .You;ust cant put a p_rice fag Reintroduction to the on a... vacation in the 'beautiful, great wild began in 1991 , and outdoors." so far five states and two countries received ferrets. BRUCE HAKES Black-footed ferrets E-IVWL are totally dependent on prairie clogs both for food and habitat. Wilcllifo biologists conEnclangcrccl Species Act. That means that sider ferrets to be an "indicator species:' the species needs protection but would not whose sta111s provides a barometer of the gel it immediately because of more pressprairie ecosystem. ing nl'Cds. In response. Colorado and the IOother states within the prairie dog·s range arc developing plans to conserve the species and prevent federal listing. Astudy by the Colorado Department of atural Resources last year determined that there arc a minimum of 214.000 acres in Colorado cast or the Continental Divide containing prairie dog towns. It is unclear how many acres or habitat is needed to maintain the species but biologists arc working with the Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Conservation Team to determine that number. Division of Wildlifo biologists were also cooperating with the agricultural community to collect scientific information about the decline or the mountain plover. a shortgrass prairie bird species that is at home in cultivated fields. rangeland and prairie dog colonies. Partners included the Colorado Farm Bureau. the Colorado I atural Heritage Program. the USFWS and the USGS. The goals arc to understand any decline in plover numbers. enhance exist- B PIIOTOS 8 \'© MANK /'11/ICIIMIIN I nresponse to sportsmen's concerns about the number of deer in the slate. the Divi,ion of Wildlife tested U1cir methods for estimating ,1 ildlifo populatio11s in a 2001 study. That study featured an aerial survcv of deer on the Western Slope.and concluded that suney systems used by Idaho wildlife managers produced deer population estimates similar to those resulting from Colorado censusing methods. Colorndo USt,'S computer models basedon aerial counts and other information to estimate the size of the stale'.~ wildlifo populations. "Colorado USC'i sampling techniques that are long tested and similar to what 11e use,''Jim Un~worth. a research biologist \lith the ld.iho Department of Fish and Gume who participated in 1be study, said...The estimaltl$ using our techniques tended to agree with those of Colorado." Some sportsmen, however, continued to be com:crncd that Division population models substantiallyoverestimate the ~ize of deer population~ on the Western Slope. Statewide, Oil'ision wildlile managers are concluding I.hat deer numbers arc imprOI iag. Mule deer populations in Colorado and throughout the West hul'c declined from peak levels of the 1940s and 195(},. Biologist, continue to inYestigate $e\Cral causes, ranging from predation, primaril) b) CO)0tes, to disease and declines in the quality of habitat. Most agreed that the decision 10 limit deer hunting beginning in 1999 had hclJJCd. ing populations and prevent the need for federal listing or the birds under the Endangered Species Act. With the cncouragcmclll of the partners. private landowners were oficring access to their lands to document species numbers and behaviors. Also in 200 I. DOW rapt or biologist Jerry Craig recorded the highest number of nesting bald eagles in the state. 51 pairs. since the monitoring 11rogram began in 1974. Only a single nest was found at that time. �Stocking, Trapping, Transplanting in Biologists' Toolbox T ransplanting animals has always been a part of the wildlife biologists toolbox and. in 200 I, southwestern Colorado benclitcd from the trapping and transplanting of 50 bighorn sheep. The first of the transplants saw 25 bighorns moved from the herd at Georgetown, which had reached the carrying capacity of its habitat. to a site in the West Needle Mountains. From Durango. the sheep were moved 30 miles up an Animas River canyon on cars provided by the Durango &Silverton arrow Gauge Railroad. About a month later. 25 more bighorns were moved from a herd in Utah to habitat along the Dolores River near Bedrock. The state's population of wild turkeys also expanded as a result of transplanting efforts by Division biologists. In 200 1, 23 wild turkeys were captured on the U.S. Air Force AC'ademy grounds near Colorado Springs and moved to a release site west of Grand Junction where turkeys were not currently found. Colorado is home to two subspecies of turkeys, the native Merriam's and the Rio Grande, which was introduced to the state in 1980.The.Merriam's wild turkey is found primarily in open meadows and in ponderosa. oak brush and pinion juniper stands in mountainous zones west of Interstate 25. The Rio Grande species inhabit cottonwood and riparian areas adjacent to agricultural lands in the eastern portion of the state. There are au estimated 21.000 Merriam's turkeys and 3,000 Rio Grande wild turkeys statewide. Division biologists also continued efibrts to restore native cutthroat trout, using trucks, airplanes and horses to stock 407.000 greenbacks. 150.000 Colorado Rivercutthroats and 215.000 Rio Grnnde cutthroats in 246 lakes throughout the Western Slopes high countri·. Some of those lakes had not been stocked in fil'e years. lnApril. biologists stocked 7.000 endangered bonytail chubs into the Colorado River near Grand Junction. It was the first stocking of these endangered fish into the main stem of the C'olorado. last year, bonytails were introduced into the Green and Yampa rivers. Bonytails-. along with pikeminnow, rnzorback sucker and humpback chub, arc the object or a joint federal-state endangered species Participating hunters paid a £20 fee for a··walk-in access stamp"to be at !ached to their conservation certificate along with the S15.25 small game license stamp ($40.25 for nonresidents). Hunters also received an atlas that included detailed maps and locations of the properties, descriptions of cover types. hunting tips and strategics. etc. The Division worked through local organizations such as service clubs and chambers of commerce 10 find and reimburse landowners willing to participate. Landowners were reimbursed on a peracre basis. The result was to makea lot of quality hunting and habitat available to sports"' men and women. Though final sales of' the stamp won't be available until next year, hunters were responding enthusiastically. •"I normally go to Kansas for pheasants 1,j - - - - - - - - - ---' because their access program makes things a lot easier,"Colorado hunter Steve Olson 348,000 acres. State school trust lands leased by the agency protect habitat and said. "This year I'm staying in Colorado for the opener .. .I think a lot of people provide for public uses on another will be staying... because of the program. 45 1.000 acres. including 21.100 acres at IO properties added during 200 I.Those It's better to keep the money that they properties were located in Chance (Sand spend in the state." Wildlife nmnagers also regard ~mall Creek), Moffat (Morgan Gulch. South Duffy Mountain and Castor Gulch). game hunting as the entry point to the Grand (Slide Mountain). Larimer sport for young people and were hoping improved access might encourage interest (Poudre River Trust), Fremont (furkey Gulch). Alamosa (Medano) Bent (Keller). in the sport. and Routl County (Yam1ia Ril'er). The The walk-in access atlas was also availleases opened up the lands to public use able free at Division offices and on the agency website(www.wildlife.stale.co.us). including hunting. fishing and watching wildlife. The properties provide habitat for a variety of ~'J)ecics from deer and elk to Bt Gam. h mtmg F.. warm- and cold-wmer fish species. hough final results will not be available until hunterAlso during 200 I. the Fishing ls Fun harvest surveys are fmished program completed projects ranging from rehabilitating and improving facilinext spring. big game ties at Monument Lake to providing new hunters evidently did not fishing access to theThornton Gravel fare as 11ell during the 200 I seasons. As Lakes in nine different communities that season ended. wildlife managers conthroughout the state. Total value of the cluded that a warm. drv autumn and a agency"s share of the projects was over $3 la,k of hunters combi~ed to produce a million. Through Fishing Is Fun. the quality hunt for participants but a Division provides grants matching local reduced harvest of deer and elk. funds to improve fish habitat and angler As expected. an increase in nonresident access. hunting lees reduced the number of out01:staters coming to Colorado. A nonresident deer license went from $150 to S270; nonresident elk licenses went from $250 to $450. The effect prompted one newspaper to proclaim Colorado's big game hunting season as the"Year of the Resident:· Diniculties in traveling that accompanied dew wal!l n /Jcrw f:'mcrram the country\; war on terrorism were also Encoura '-i m1 ·n'l' belie\ed to have contributed to the decline olorado's pheasant and in nonrcsident participation. small game hunters got a "I was on the Uncompaghro Plateau boost during 200 I with for opening day during the second sea, thestart of' the Division's son," big game manager John Ellenberger new walk-in access huntsaid."You had to look at your calendar to ing program. be sure it wasn't grouse season - there The program reimbursed pri1•ate were so few hunters. landowners, primarily on the state\; east"Hanes! is down, hunter numbers are ern plains. who opened up their properties down and hunter success is poor because to allow pheasant and small game huntof the weafher:· ing. More than 113,000 acres were includThe result had Colorado's wildlife ed in the program. providing bountiful managers putting their heads together to new hunting opportunities. develop new strategies to reach harvest ~l ~!~! recovery project. In a unique project, Division information 1cchnology staff provided the U.S. Forest Service with an electronic map or the state lakes and strcmns showing whirling disease-based stocking restrictions. The map will allow lire management ollicials to select clean sources of water in whirling disease (\VD) -free drainages and not spread WO when fighting !ires. 1>rore, z v Habitat A I, zorrty rotecting wetlands continued to he a high priority for Divi~ion biologists during 200 I. Using wildlife cash and wildlife quadrant funds from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) and Wetlands Program partners such as Ducks Unlimited (DU) and The Nalllre Conscmnci (TNC), biologists were able to restore nc.1rly 7.200 acres of' 1\etlands and as.5ociated uniands and 33 stream miles of riparia~ wetlands on private property alone last year. In addition. biologists completed co1t~rva1ion easements and restoration projects protecting a 101al of more than 8.400 acres of weLlands and associated uplands during the year. The Wetlands Program is voluntary and incenti1e based and focuses on accomplishing the protection of wetlands via partnerships. The efforts have benefited 28 difierent species of wildlifo. Wetlands Program partners included. among others, private landowners. the Division. DU. TNC. Partners for Fish and Wildlifo and Colorado State Parh The Division also acquired a recreational easement on 3.100 acres from the Fort Lyons Canal Company. The acquisition guaranteed continued '1 have hunted Oregon, Idaho, public fishing acces.5 10 Wyoming1 Montana, Nevada, Blue Lake and ot her local California ana Colorado and, bvfar, )!OU reservoir<;. folks are the most friendly_ and 'helpfiil of Overall Division caseall thefish antigame ilepartments." ments and leases protect a total of' 241,000 acres: GRK the Division also owns E-ma.i.l 230 1iropenics. totaling WILDLIFERELATED RECREATION 'Q i~ , i;: f~ !~ ; -.; :«: I~ j~ �trolling the size or the herds through transplants and hunting have resulted in an increase in numbers fro m2,200 in the early 1970s to 7.500 prior to the 200 I hunting seasons. Ilunting itself was big business in Colorado during 200 I, with expenditures by hunters adding an c timated $500 million to the economy annually. HARVEST TOTALS FOR DEER, ANTELOPE & ELK C0 1 ('T?/ HAPVfST f)') 0[fR 120,flM r 100.()(V) Sf.l.()(ll> 1 40(\N) I/ 20,M') \ '10 C~IVD J \ in._ 'ti I ~ ~ LP . Li r,. 0 1 A!(_<'llcics Coop,•ralc to Corm/ ~ \ I 60,0 ') '70 'I!!) ,, I CO ry 12 ~ 'Q 'TEI C - l ''EST : 0.... 10000 "~ / - -a ,/ 6 l 4.000 il"""' ~ ... 0 '7 I c0Lo..., r ) rtr 1·1 r ,. :T 70 (iQ no- ;o. I r\. n V .,, ' ,/ I - I ~ ,...,,, l.,CT ~ I-CJ"' D CO LO RADO BIG GAME SEASON DATES ?002 2003 Aug. 3 I-Sept. 29 Aug. 30-Sept. 28 Antelope: Bucks only: Either sex: Oct. 1-25 and Nov. 6-Dcc. 31 Aug. 15-31 Sept. 1-20 Oct. 1-24 and Nov. 5-Dcc. 31 Aug. 15-3 1 Sept. 1-20 MUZZLELOADING RIFLE Deer/elk (by drawing only): Plains Deer - cast of 1-25: Antelope: Sept. 14-22 Oct. 12-20 Oct. 21-29 Sept. 13-21 Oct. 11-19 Oct. 21-29 RIFLE COMBINED DEER/ELK SEPAR ATE LIMITED ELK Combined (deer/elk): Combined (deer/elk): Combined (deer/elk}: Oct. 12-16 Oct. 19-25 Nov. 2-8 Nov. 9-13 Oct. 11-1 5 Oct. 18-24 ov. 1-7 1ov. 8-12 RI FLE DEER (cast of 1-25): Oct. 26-Nov. 5 Oct. 25-Nov. 4 LATE RIFLE DEER (cast of 1-25): Dec. 1-14 Dec. 1-14 Sept. 28-Oct. 4 or Oct. 5-11 Sept. 27-Oct. 3 or Oct. 4-10 ARCHERY Deer/elk west or 1-25. (and Unit 140): Deer cast of 1-25. (except Unit 140): J 2. ivision biologists also co111inucd to w.ork with ollicials from the Department or Ilealth and the Department or Agriculture to combat chronic wasting disease (C\VD). a degenerative neurological di case that allacks the brain or infected animals and eventually results in death. Scientists have found no link between chronic wasting disease and any human neurological disorders. The disease has been found in deer and elk in 15 game management units in areas northwest or Fort Collins and along the South Plalte Rircr on Colorado·s eastern plains. l.,.O"'" " '3 '7 objectives. l'Specially ror elk. in coming years. Going into the 2001 big game seasons. Colorado had an estimated 260.000 elk and 490,000 deer. Under the best or circumstances it would have been hard ror hunters to equal the record harvest of the previous year. In 2000, 246,778 elk hunters ki lled a record 60,120 animals - the largest elk harvest since wildlife agencies began tracking hunter harvest. Also last year, 84.335 ' ) ' - 2 hunters killed 37.908 deer a 46 percent harvest rate and the best harvest rate for deer in two decades. Bighorn sheep and mounwin goat hunters also set harvc t records, bagging 192 mountain goats ror a 9 I percent success rate and 193 bighorns. a 58 percent success rate. Biologists estimatc that Colorado has 1.600 mountain goats in the state. Bighorns arc a Colorado success story. Treating the sheep ror lungworm and con- In September. the Colorado Wildlife Commission adopted a CWD policy that requires wildlife managers to reduce disease prevalence to I percent or less in the a0cctcd or endemic area deer herds and to keep the disease from spreading into uninfected areas. Wildlife managers adjusted the management plans for game management units in the endemic area based on a mix or criteria that included keeping herds in balance with available habitat. providing recreational opportunities and reducing game damage. Population objectives were tied to prevalence rates or the disease: the initial goal of these revised plans call for maintaining reduced dc>er numbers throughout most or the endemic area. Testing of 2.000 free-ranging deer and elk elsewhere in the state during the past 5 years confirmed the health of Colorado's big game animals: the disease had not spread to wild herds outside the original endemic area. However. at the end of the year. agricullllral and health onicials were closely monitoring animals from the state's private elk ranching industry. which had allowed some infected animals to be shipped outside the endemic area. RIFLEANTELOPE (by drawing only): BLACK BEAR* Limited (by drawing only): Sept. 2-30 Sept. 2-30 Archery (unlimited): Sept. 2-23 Sept. 2-28 Muzzleloading (unlimited): Sept. 14-22 Sept. 13-2 1 Rine (unlimi ted): concurrent combined deer/elk rine seasons *To participate in the unlimi ted bear seasons a hunter must also hold a deer or elk license for the same unit(s) and season. �, D i/ However, no cases of CWD in free-ranging deer and elk outside the endemic area had been discovered by theend of 200 I. Wildlife, health and agricultural ofTicials all worked hard to get accurate information about CWD to the public. Officials wereconcerned about public perceptions because CWD is in the same family of disease (transmissible spongiform encephalopathies) as mad cow disease. Howel'er, health omcials emphasized that there is no evidence to date of CWD (or another family member, scrapie, which has long been found in domestic sheep) being transmillcd to humans. catchable sized \VD-negative trout 200 I. The Gunnison River was another area benefiting fromstocking cni.>rts last year. Division biologists stocked 50,000 5-inch rainbow trout in the river downstream from the confluence with theSmith Fork. That marked the first time in 30 years that the Gunnison had received small rainbows. Following damming of the Gunnison as part of the Curccanti project, the river evolved into an exceptional and naturally reproducing brown and rainbow trout fishery. Over the past few years, whirling disease has had a devastating impact on the river's rainbow trout. Whirling disease is a parasitic infection that attacks cartilage and nervous systems of young rainbow trout and other salmonid species, causing the fish to swim in circles when stressed. lt poses no threat to humans, mammals or other fish species, however. Wildlife Commission policy required that the Division stop stocking fish infected with whirling disease in trout waters by the end of 2002. The policy is working. I I .. ' \t U t s Promote Anl{ling ended with both men pleading Juilty to a felony char~of willful destruction of I ivision biologists activewildlife and waste of meat, a misdej Iy encouraged new j anglers during 200 I by meanor. The two were sentenced to seven days in the Grand Countyjail and paid j participating in m_nner, ous events promoting $4,282 in fines. The case began in November 1999 and • fishing statewide. The'Take a Kid is a testament to the perseverance of Fishing''event at Buckley Air Force Base wildlife officers. in Aurora was typical of many of those. The Division encourages citizem who 'early 400 children from throughout the have information about wildlife violaDenver metropolitan area participated in tions. such as the California case above, to the May activity, learning knot tying. fish report them to Operation GameThief at identilicatio,r, casting, angling safety and 1-800-332-4155. Callers can remain ethics. Th~kids also got to do a little fishing during the day as well. anonymous, and a reward is available if the tip results in a conviftion. Alittle lcss typical was thc" Ladies, Let's Go Fishing"seininar at Chatfield State Park in suburban Denver in September. About 75 participants got instruction on fly-fishing, casting. lake fishing, etc. ·'Women . . . have different attitudes toward fishing;'event marketing director Bonnie Doeskin s;1id. " . .. »1omen tend to be more geared toward the family and social aspects of theS!ldrt We call it the __= i, , 'No YellinR Schnol of Fishing''' ivision of Wildlife techni'._:=,i· According to aquatic researcher B arry Divisio~ of Wildlife officiais estimate:• , , : ' = , • 1 Nehring, research during 200 I showed that expenditures by anglers add cian Chris that ther~ have been dramatic declines in $900,000,000 to the Colorado economy Parmeter and the prevalence (i.e., the percent of wild annually. two Colorado fishJflectccl) and on the severity of infccSlate Park Rangers caught twin ~- tion among wild brown trout dowmtream Watchable Wildlife Workshops ,.1 . brothers " ho were ultimat&lycQn• victed of the murder of a Chaffee ~ fromthese bodies of water. F or those whq enjoy !vatching ~ ~ Nehring also reported that research and photographing wildlife, _., County Deputy Sheriff and the ~ had demonstrated that water laden with the Division continued o'llcr- j injuring of two other police offi•~ ... ' ~ the waterborne spore that infects young • ing monthly Wildlife Wa(ch cers. trout can be passively filtered through a workshops during 200I. .. Parmeter was at home in Salida sand [Liter or other filtration media to Availablestatewide. the worksh6ps proon aSaturday night in late ! \ • remol'e the ljj20re from the waler completevided not only wildlife viewing skills but September when he heard about F:o· hin Opportunities Increase ly. Wildlife mal}l!!ers 11k?re working with also information about habitats and anithe manhunt for the cop killers. ivision of Wildlife manprivate comparries to develop and test mal behavior as well. A Divisibn of "I was working oo myhouse, agers and theColorado water filtratio~systcms that could be utiWildlife-Colorado Stale Univer_sity stpdy , I,_ putting a window in," hesaid."I • Wildlife Commission lized to remove thespores from hatchery released in June indic.ited that more than finished that andcalled the Chaflec continued their eflorts water.supplies and enluent of private fish half of the state's residents current~• / Countysheriff's dispatchand lo improve fishing in ponds infected with the parasite. watch or photograph wildlife. More tha11 f oflered to help relieve a deputy al a the state las! year~vith 11111ny-water fishDivision hatchery managers suflcred a 80 percent of the state's residents rep,orted j roadblock orsomething, because ing t>fforing ~nglers an•abundance of tem,;orary setback in their eflorts to 'clim- 7,_ iin interest in taking !inure trips to watch/ 1 they had been there all night." opportunities during the year. Wipers, ! inate whirling disease from·state fish, wildlife. # 1 He and the parkrangers wure walleyes, bass. tiger musk,i_es and other l, ha~lieries during 2001. la~gers I!~ t J assigned to a stakeout near Bear I • species made fishing at ateas fron cc t been1boping to fast !ra the Mf Shavano f I.av; En ~cement 1 Creek Road in Chaffee Count). Nosheand John M?rtin reservoirs'm j and R'ifle Falls hatcheries f .~D !1egative,, 1 ivision law enforcement I Parmeter said he had been at the ' southeastern Golorado to Qumcy and 1•bµt hasJ to restart the receruftcallon pro- 1 officers continued to be l stakeout for about an hour and 45 Che y Creek rese~irs in the Denver . \ cedures in Qctober when both facilities l busy during 200 I. Tho ~ minutes when, around 10 p.m., metrp area li'oth accessible and challeng-j ~ ' tested JJ?Si~ve for_the WD·organism. Id . j , number. pf citations they hl-&rd the suspects moving 1 ing last year. l water pipes contanled low levelsoNh_ ,ti* °'.;}vri ten,Just year was though the underbrush nearby. l Corn Lake, near Clifton, was one ~f j parasite and were believed to be the cause..., [ being compiled a4>r~ tin!Jl but was Parmeter and t11e park rangers the beneficiaries of the growing interest in j of the very light infoctions. The pipes were j expected to be compal'able10 the previous ordered the suspects to drop their warm-water fishing. In October, Division l quickly replaced. I year. when 5,349 citations were issued for weapons and surrender. Parmeter biologists constructed a bermat the 191 In cooperation with officials from the 1 violations of the state's wildlife statutes. radioed for back up_ and the twin acre lake next to the Colorado River to j Department of Corrections as well as j The figure represented a 16 percent brothers were taken into custo<h prevent the possibility of non-native fish ) with local residents. wildlife managers l increase over the number of citatiom without incident. • from that body of water reaching the river 1 were investigating the feasibility of 1 issued the previous year. The Division has The brothers later pied guilty and threatening endangered native fish 1 expanding the water supply at the fish l 200 multi-puqiose officers whose duties and were sentenced to life in prison. there during a flood. As a result, biolol rearing unit at the Buena Vista 1 include a law enforcement component. The Division's district wildlifo gists will restock the lake with largemouth j Correctional Facility. Additional water j Acouple of"bad guys"from California managers and many of its wildlife bass, bluegill and, possibly, black crappie. l would enable the facility to produce more I learned that Division law enforcement technicians undergo extensive law Biologists expect the lake to flourish asa j WD-neg_q_tive trout for stocking. The 1 officers don't quit easily. At the beginning enforcement training and arc certiwarm-water fishery in the future. f Divisionshired a ground water expert to 1 of the year. the two confessed to killing fied peace officers under state law. Statewide. Division fish hatchery crews l cnsure'that the project would not cause 1 two mule deer and taking only the heads They commonly help local law were scheduled to stock a total of 1.25 l any harm to domestic well owners in the 1 and antlers. The investigation included enforcement officials in a wide million catchable-sized (I0-plus inches) ) s1/9unding area. j reports fromlocal hunters and the use of 1ariety of circumstan~es. WO-negative trout anl! 6.5 million sub- l I computers 10 track down licenses and i D !...:, j .. ,:' .. ~ i I . . . 'I•• ~I l:·: ,.j Ir !• •! _= • t ' • I '"\ r �vidently, nothing breeds SU~ like succ:es.,. That, at least. seemed to be the lesson from the Division of fet Colorado Aquarium (CAP). • gthe2000-200l scbool •on edu(;ation specialises from the USFWS and the ntyschool district $!1 up ·um ina thirdgradecl3$ rson Elementary ool in Grand Junction. Using • life as the context for its studthe third graders rai<ieel raintrout from v provided by OOWs Ccystal Rhu Hatchery aquarium provided by CAP. clll$scored in the 99 pereon the state CSAP test and otn)e(l at levels 20 percent er than projected in all acadeareas on the Northwest E¥illuationAs.,ociation test. The testisfi~given in the fall and provides a baseline of anticipated student performance to be tested again in the spring. Word of thestudents'slKXllSi $pread quickly. LaSl fall. IO aquariums \W1'e placed in cwsrooms in • New Castle. Silt, Grand nction, Ridgway and Mancos. • t of those held endangered rback suckers. Thegoals are Id vel• than a 15 perc.ent mortalirate among the aquarium-raj~ and to s6ow impro\-ementsin AP scores forall participating . Is. W I LDLIFE EDUCATION AND INFORMATION Division Education Effort Makes Residents 'BenrAware' ovcrnor 13ill Owens proclaimed the fi rst week in May 200 I as ''13ear Awareness Week.'' As it turned out. he could have extended the proclamation for the entire summer and early fall as DOW onicials worked intensively to educate Coloradans about how to coexist with the state's ubiquitous bruins. The mutli-faceted information and education project was the largest enort yet to inform residents abou t living in bear G country. Wildlife ollicials employed brochures. door hangers, news releases. videos. presentations to homeowners organizations and virtually every tool in the kit to teach citizens how to avoid connicts with bears. The habits and habitat or Colorado's 8.000- 12,000 bears often bring them in connict with the state's growing human population. Drought conditions in several parts of the state. most notably the Trinidad and Cucharas areas. li1rther aggravated those conflicts during 200 I. The state's wildlife managers 1ra1i and relocate bears only as a last resort; two such incidents with the same ani mal result in it being killed by wildlife onicers under the statc's"two strikc''policy. Surprisingly, during thesummer or 200 I. much or the connict between humans and bears took place literally on the main streets of small towns like La Veta and in suburban communities along the Front Range. "13car Awarencss"e0orts emphasized proactive steps people can take to avoid bear encounters. And it seemed to be working. At press time. a total of 119 black bears had bL-cn killed as a result of conflicts with humans, excluding hu111ing. In 2000. 130 bears had to be killed following connicts with people. Two other Division educational programs won prestigious awards during 2001 . The Pikes Peak Teaching Environmental Sciences Nat urally Program or TEN was honored by the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education (CAEE) for its unique partnership between the Division. the Colorado Springs public school system and local environmental groups. Through TEN, K-12 teachers attend a 3-5 day workshop, visiting outdoor classrooms and learning about an area's natural history and resource management. A kit of instructional material aided teachers in sharing what they learned with thei r students when the teachers return to their own classrooms. The Wonders in Nature - Wonders in Neighborhoods (WI 1-\VIN) program also received recognition from both Pomar Foundation or Colorado Springs last year. The goal or WIN-WIN is to bring wildlilc and natural resources into the daily lives or urban students and their families. WI N-WIN is a partnership of 34 Denver area private. public, government and non-profit organiwtions and provides up to se1en classroom lessons and two field trips for students in 26 elementary schools in the six-county metro Denver area. Last year about 12.000 students participated in WIN-WIN. DOW Recruits Yo11J1gsters to Wildlifi-Re/ated Recreation W ildlifo managers also worked hard to engage youngsters in wildliforelated recreation during 200 I. An estimated 7.000 people participated in Division-sponsored fishing clinics in the Denver area and an aclditional I0.000 youths did likewise in clinics statewide. DOW staff also provided a variety of in troductory hunting programs. ranging from"how to hun t"classcs to youth hunts for upland birds, small anti big game. for 2,500 young people. More than 26,000 youths. aged 12-1 5. purchased special youth small game and big game hunting licenses last year. About IOpercent of all Colorado hunters arc youth hunters. The Dil'ision has set aside I0 state wildli fe areas specifically for youth/mentor hunting. with about 4,000 acres in 10 counties now providing big and small game opportunities just for young hunters. A special Colorado Wildlifo Commission regulat ion allowed some youths with unlillcd antlerless elk licenses to hunt from Nov. 15 through Jan. 31 in game management units oflcring late or private land only elk seasons. The Division's 404 voluuteer education instructors taught 762 classes providing 16,800 newand mostly young hunters with hunter safetyand ethics training. In addition. 35 schools throughout thestate. including some in Pueblo and Grand Junction, oner Division-sponsored hunter education classes during school hours or as an after school elective. More than 1,000 students received their hunter education certification through this program last year. The Division reimbursed 49 shooting ranges more than $9.700 in relllrn for their support of hunter education activities and granted a total of almost £22.500 to pay for improvements at 23 other shooting ranges in cities throughout the state. "I believe the Division has been on to-p of the problem and we can expect changes as the Division learns more about CWD." Conrad Dreher The ColoradoBOWHUNTER Magazine �':As I work with the DOW .. as a licensed outfitter, it is m)'. impression that the service and response ofyour g,:oups has been steadily improving over the ~tfew years. I also believe that your website ts a very valuable asset to your endeavors. Keep up the good work." ardware to their pby case during 2! A!nQOg those: Bo g-rime'ClistticJ w,il mTr-inidad, was 1 •can WildJile tomcer-s~ atio rof tile Year. 'llolder W3$ fl>r his wort< with,Jando ns,for hi&law BruceAyers Ponderosa Guide and Outfitters : V) :~ : \:) l~ !~L--~ deducation or is ro e'in helping thei Through Project WILD, Division employees were also active providing env.ironmental education for teachers and their students in formal school settings during 200 I. Last year, Project WILD provided I, I00 Colorado teachers with an interdisciplinary approach, incorporating wildlife-related information into·the teaching curriculum. More than 13,000 Colorado teachers have received Project WILD training to date. With class sizes running between 25-30 students, Project WILD teachers have a chance to provide wildlife-relaled educational opportunities for a lot of young people. Division staff again used theColorado Stale Fair in Pueblo, the Denver Sportsmen's Show and other shows and expositions to provide information for an estimated 150,000 Coloradans. Division radio and television programming aired weekly on nearly40 radio stations and a dozen television stations and cable television outlets slate1vide. More than one million copies of the agency's information and regulatory brochures provided residents and visitors with information on wildlife management and wildlife-related recreational activities. Finally, the Division responded to hundreds of thousands of requests for information from constituents. The DOW website (www.wildlifc.state.co.us) was among the most popular in thestale, receiving more than 3 million hits a month. Similarly, the eight agents who staffed the Division telephone call center answered almost 190,000 phone calls during 200 I, including more than 21,000 calls during the big game limited hunting license application period from March to the first week in April. ireJhe Bosque de! OSO State • e~nearTrinidad, tl1e , t~ingle purchase of habitat in . Hbldci; coll)pctcd with;· ~ Wildlife cnfottern!Ynt officers • tbroughnut _tpe llnitptl Sta~ nnada for the award. ve Fred~y,q~ biol ront the Western Slope, TheWifdlife Society's Ji •• ou'gl,tAwardfor ex.fullen fi'cld of biology, A21-yoor 11; Freddy-recei1'~ the>'p [j!S awaro fonvorfton popul· tecbni<J,ues for er~rry •\led tlie Professic,1nal nservationistAwaro from limited, Nehring was·· bis i ork in~ chlng loping WaJ$ to combat . ·diSease; a parasitic inlecattacks primanly raint. He was the lii;st f() !1'6~ ~nl thlihafmtul nature of the ectfon and'nis work demonstratthat stocking mfccte'd fi$b ' reascs lC\'-eb of infection in wnstreamanvironnrent\ ha~ n instru(llental in establishing a C!!tive stocking nolicy. cl<s, project coqr4ufa1or do; receiveda Project ntetnational·reoognition cellenoo in leadership, initi3il ln11ovati9n in iheadvance,. of ellvir9nm,enrarooucatioh. s was cited for ihe mulli_ple ~rships I\~Jmd cstabli~hed ·e'ducafion progran1$ in the . d'eJ13!lmcnts of agricu!runi, '' ry and edutatfon and'their expanding thescope of do ProjectWJlD pf gram. too witli coollijnators;tn ik :Pruj&tWJlI> pro-, ningifo'r teachers allo thJ i)jtegration Qf wildlife vi:t'oJJll)entaJ principles'il)to ~ssroomcurricu1om?, ~ ~::::Y RESPONSIVE MANAGEMENT Commission, Division Involve Public in Processes !,,,',,,,, f" r • _ heColorado and Wildlife Commission the Division engaged the public in their policy and regulatory setting processes through a variety of avenues during 200 I. Chief among those was direct public involvement in development of the agency's newstrategic plan. Work groups comprised of 24 citizens and an equal number of agency employees developed recommendations, which provided the foundation for the new document. That plan will guide Division activities over the next five years.The plan organizes the Division's activities into four major categories: Runting, fishing, species conservation and wildlife stewardship and awareness. The new strategic plan establishes goals for each and desired achievements, performance measures and means to accomplish them. Asteering commit tee comprised of Colorado Wildlife Commissioners and members of the Division's leadership team provided overall supervision of the plan's development Afinal draft of the plan was made available for public comment through the end of the year with formal Wildlife Commission action expected at the January 2002 Commission meeting. Division managers also worked directly with members of the field trial organizations to draft new regulations for conducting field trials on state wildlife areas. On a related issue, staff sponsored open houses and other public meetings to consider changes in use of state wildlife areas by outfitters, horseback riders, dog owners and others. In another cooperative effort, staff worked with committees of sportsmen and landowners to implement a portion of the modified Landowner Preference Program. Habitat Evaluation Committees were established in four areas of thestate to work with local Division personnel to assess landowner contributions to the establishment or maintenance of wildlife habitat - a plus for both local, public participation and habitat enhancement. The landowner preference program allows hunting licenses to be allocated lo private landowners who manage their properly to benefit wildlife. Similarly, staff worked with a committee of both landowners, other agencies' personnel and environmentalists to devcl- op recommendations lo manage lands to benefit black-tailed prairie dogs. The USFWS ruled earlier that a petition to list the black-tailed prairie dog under the Endangered SpeciesAct was warranted but precluded. The designation meant that the species needed protection but that there were more pressing needs regarding N i:ii::; ~ other species. The hope was that the Division-sponsored committees could develop ways of preserving black-tailed prairie dog habitat, stabilizing what bi ogists regard as a keystone species in prairie ecosystems. Also during 200 I, Division staff cor tinucd lo work with the Wildlife Management Education Council to hel1 the group reach its goal of designing a media-based public information progra to educate the general public about the benefi ts of wildlife, wildlife manageme and wildlife-related recreation. A demor stration project in Durango and Grand Junction at the end of the summer suggested that the use of paid advertising could bean asset in educating citizens o wildlife issues. Volunteers' Role Critical \:3 l~ olunteers continue to play an important role in the '"' Division's work force. For i;;J calendar year 2000, the most recent for which data 1~ is available. Volunteers completed more V li 1° �than 226 projects. ranging from spawning walleye and saugeye eggs to capturing and transplanting species from sheep to geese. In all, volu111ccrs donated more than 63.000 hours or the equivalent or almost 30 full-time employees to the agency. In addition 10 the help they provide to the agency, volunteers also have opportunities to learn more about wildlife and wildlife management. There arc now an estimated 21.000 Merriam's turkeys and 3.000 Rio Grande turke)S in Colorado due lo trapping and transplanting efforts. FI NANC IAL STATEMENTS The Division of Wildlifo uses the stale fiscal year for accourlling and reporting financial data. The fiscal year is the period July I through June 30 of the following year. State111t·11t ofRc-vc1111,·, F}' 2000-2001 Revenues arc all sources of income the Division has - primarily license fees, Colorado's share of federal taxes on hunting and fishing equipment (Federal Aid). Great Outdoors Colorado (1011ery) grants, and interest on fond balances. Source FY 00-01 Prior Year Act11al Actual License Revenue Federal Aid Interest Federal & Other Grants & Donations Other Wildlife Cash Less Interest $55,059,586 13,109,633 4,689,571 11,328,785 3,615,360 $55,099,989 12,851,154 4,362,929 11,596,036 1,427,945 Total $85,264,187 $85,.H!l.052 Fedew &. Other Other Wildlife Cash Lesslntcrest 2,% Ucens_e Revenue 64% "Thank y_ou so muchfor your quick response ana immediate, easy solution.. .I am impressed to learn that such responsive service is availablefrom the DOW." Bill Owens ....... . ..... Governor Expfndit11res, FY 2000-2001 Expenditures are all those payments made wi thin a fiscal year for salaries and benefits, materials and supplies, services, acquisitions, leases, and construction and are shown below according to the strategic areas that incurred them. Ed Robinson E-mail STATE OF COLORADO TWO-YEAR.AVERAGE REVENUE S COLORADO DIVISION 01' WILDLIFE OFFICES Strategic Area FY 00-01 Expenditures Norlheasl Region and Den\'Cr Sen·icc Center DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Greg E. Walcher ........ Executive Director 6060 Broadway Dcnl'er. CO 80216 (303) 291-7227 llcadquarters: (303) 297-1 192 DIVISIO OF WILDLIFE Russell George .. ... Director WILDLIFE COMMISSION Rick Enstrom, Chair ... .... .... Lakewood Robert Shoemaker. Vice-Chair ... Canon City Marianna Raftopoulos. Secretary ...... Craig Bernard Black. Jr. .. .. ............ Denl'er Tom Burke ..... . ......... Grand Junction Philip J. James ............... Fort Collins Olive Kimbleton Valdez.. .. ........ Conejos Brad W. Phelps . . . . . . . . . . . . Parlin EX OFFICIO MEMBERS (Eflcctive 1/1/00) Greg E. Walcher Don Ament Wcsl Region and Grand Junction Service Center 711 Independent Avenue Grand Junction. CO 81505 (970) 255-6100 Sou1heast Region and Colorado Springs Service Center 2126 N. Weber Colorado Springi, CO 80907 (719) 227-5200 Web Sile: www.wildlifc.state.co.us Wildlife Habitat &Species Management Wildlife Recreation Wildlife Education & Information Responsive Management• $29,878,5 12 28,029,483 I0.064. 142 22,742,684 Total S90.7 1.i,82 I 30,000,oeo ~-~EXP EN DITUR.ES 2;,oeo,000 20,000,000 15,000,000 10,000,000 j,000,00G 0 ~ - -..,......,..-.....--- - - - - - Wildlifc Habitat & Species Management W;ldlifc Recreation Wildlife Responsive Education.& lYl!lflllgemeQ-~ lnfurnw:ion • Includes expenditures for services to support core Di1•ision programs. such ns \'Chicles. facilities, O&M, puhtic irwoh·cmcnt, telephone. computer. oOicc support, purchasing and accounting, legal service;, and engineering. � https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/f6169fc2e775d5af392fa9880e0fd3c7.pdf 51605fd98a8e3ead7d75dad80d06a96a PDF Text Text snow. and 860 more deer collected al or obvious reusons, directors like to recognize extra isolated hot spots in eastern Colorado? Unless }OU were there. you don't realize efiort by their employees. how difficult it was. And yet there was But at the Colorado Di1•ision of Wildlife (DOW) never a whimper. Maybe we credit those who put aside in 2002, there was such a high level of effort. it reallywasn"t"extra." their regular duties and pitched in to help with the testing of harvested deer For instance, there was the work of and elk. so the DOW could understand the hatcherystaff to protect the more about the spread and prevalence Glenwood Springs facility from summer fires and. according to the Roc/..y of the disease. Like the technicians who endured the cold weather and long Mo11111ai11 News, the''heroic"efiort to hours to actually collect samples from collect kokanee eggs from fish trapped by an irrigation dam in the Gunnison animals for testing. People from outside the DOW volRiver. There were the efforts of aquatic unteered as well. Members of thestate's biologists to salvage big, beautiful trout fromAntero Reservoir as it hunting community and the Colorado Veterinary Medical Assn., guides and drained, and of customer service reps who opened offices early and closed late outfitters, and staff from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest in order to help license buyers. Service and other federal and state Or, consider what chronic wasting agencies lent much needed hands to the disease (CWD) meant for the DOW. effort. Colorado State University's We don't know enough about the disease, but it is apparently the result of Veterinary Diagnostic Lab wa~a tremendous partner with staff devoting an aberrant protein. and it is always many extra hours to ensure quick. relifatal to deer and elk. This obviously proved to be a large hurdle for able lest reporting. Coloradoshunting season and huntMany, many people pitched in. We could not have done it withing traditions. In fact. CWD could have been a tremenout all of them. DOW employees spent a dously negative blow to the lot of time in public meetings state's economy - a loss of hundreds of millions of dolin western Colorado where people were legitimately conlars a year. But that did not happen and will not happen cerned about the impact of fur Wildlife- CWD. We tried to decide how in the future, based on what fur People best to strike a balance we saw in 2002. between community expectaThere is little that is extraordinary about CWD in tions and fears, which were mostly economic: between Colorado, except for the efforts of our people in dealing with it, and the our own expectations and unusual things we've done. CWD control efforts began in the area northwest fears. which of Fort Collins where DOW employees were mostly sciput in a lot of extra work trying to entific: and understand and manage the disease. between Last spring, a handful of cases of onlookers' CWD was discovered on the West expectations Slope. The effect was to step up the and fears, which pace, and we've been running hard ever were mostly since. It is difficult, however, to name political. specific individuals who deserve credit In doing so. because there are so many. we learned that Do we credit the heavy duty thinkCWD isn't the ing of researchers and managers in message, it's the Fort Collins who set up the teams to medium that gave us the message. That deal with CWO? Do we credit the team message is that extraordinary efforts of field officers and biologists who arc ordinary for the employees of your spent two weeks culling 1.000 deer and Division of Wildlife. In 2002. we were elk near Meeker in the mud, ice and truly for wildlife. for people. F ~ r:·-c:011Tfis Serv1ce aJlt1Rcsearch Ccri11.:r ATTN: Steve Bri nkman Aquatic ·--~ ···------ ANNUAL REPORT �I Colorado Division of Wildlife 2002 Annual Report !Editors Note: In 2002. the Colorado Wildlife Commission approl'cd a fil'c-year strategic plan organizing agency goals into four main categories: hunting. fishing. species conservation and wildlife stewardship and awareness. The Annual Report for 2002 reports on activities in support or goals in each or those categories. This document cost 14.5 cents to print.I '"0-vt'r the pa.rt.30 years 1 ho·ve h1111l<'rl all oz•er the world a11d def/It with many, ma11y state dcpart1~1cnts r/wildliJi-:Colomdo, w1tho11t a do11hl, IS the most coof>_eml ive, h1111lff/ri, 111llr ii hm heen mv plea.wr,· • • to dml 1.1.:ith." 0 Todd Smith Centennial. CO HUNTING Wi/d!ift biolog_isjs expand battle against CWD cording to its newly enacted 002-2007 Strategic Ian, the Division of Wildlifo's (DOW) top priority is maintaining healthy and viable game populations. The plan requires the DOW to research. identify and, when possible. eliminate diseases in free-ranging wildl ife. Thats exactly what DOW biologists did in 2002. and chronic wasting disease (CWD) was at the top of their list. Chronic wasting disease is a degenerative neurological disease that allacks the brain or infected deer and elk and eventually results in death. Scientists have fou nd no link between CWD and any human neurological disorder. The disease is bel ieved to be caused by an aberrant protein called a prion. CWD has been detected in animals in northeastern Colorado and southern Wyoming for several decades. }J CWD was originally found in game management units northwest of Fort Collins and along the South Platte River drainage in eastern Colorado. However. in the spring or 2002. CWD was detected in deer near Craig on Colorndos Western Slope. In response. Governor Bill Owens established a l~tsk Force on chronic wasting disease and charged it with reviewing and overseeing Colorado'.~ efforts to combat the disease. By year's end, theTask Force had provided a series of recommendations ranging from increasing te$ting capacity and research aimed al developing a rapid test for CWD to improving regional and national coordination among states impacted by the disease. Having already made CWD the DOW's top priority. the Colorado Wildlife Commission also enacted carcass regulations limiting the parts of deer and elk that could be transported from the established area. as well as what could be brought into Colorado from infected areas in other states and countries. The DOW also advanced the light against CWD by appointing its first-ever wildlifo disease manager - a position intended to coordinate CWD and other disease management. To understand the spread and prevalence of the disease, the DOW. in cooperation with Colorado 0 S State University's Diagnostic ~ Laboratory. ofiered hunters, both in the :;J originally established CWDarea and statewide, a chance to have deer and elk ~ they harvest tested lor the disease. By Q early December, more than 24,600 deer and elk heads had been tested lor CWD. Most hunters were able to get the results of their tests within two weeks of submitting their animals. From all harvest sources. including hunters. road kill and culling of herds by DOW field officers and biologists. CWD was detected in 193 animals. including just 48 from outside 5 HARVEST TOTALS FOR DEER ANTELOPE & ELK 120,000 100.000 COLORADO DEER HARVEST 80,000 60.000 40.000 20.000 O 1903 ' IO '20 '30 '40 '50 '60 '70 '80 '90 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 'O I 12.000 1().()00 COLORADO ANTELOPE HARVEST 8.000 6.000 4.000 2.000 0 L _ _ _ _ l_ ___L_ 1950 '60 80,000 70,000 _ J __ '70 '80 _j___ '90 j _ _ _ _ _ j_ '96 _ _ , _ _ - - ' -- - ' - - - ' - - - - - ' '97 '98 '99 '00 'O I COLORADO ELK HARVEST 60.000 50,000 40.000 30.000 20.000 10,000 ___,.,..., () Lal:::L-=-..L_---1._---'--'--'-- -'---'---'---'-----'---'--__, 1930 '40 '50 '60 '70 '80 '90 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 'OI :,; S; the established area. :,; To learn more about the disease. the 0 ; DOW in August hosted a national confer0 "' ence or biologists and researchers work~ ing on CWD.--c learly the (Colorado) ~ Division (of Wildlife) has been a leader in ~ chronic wasting disease research;· ~ Michael Samuel of the U.S. Geological ~ :IL!w&l~ ~riM~t.1i:11'6..;;.....,;,;&;;a.;...:..""""~---............._...,...__ _ _ _,. g Surveys ational Wildlife Health Center T!,e 2002 big game season was a good one, as more //,an 430,000 in Madison. Wisc.. told those attending. l,1111/ers applied lo l,11111 Colorado '.~ big game animals. '· But something that is not ofien talked about is that they do an outstandi ng job or providing information to the publ ic.'· Hwztinf(, "S11bstantia/ly Bette,;" M ore Harvest Needed elore the hunting seasons. Division biologists estimated that Colorado had more than 550,000 deer and 305,000 elk, continuing concerns that elk herds in some parts of thestate were 100 large. Final statistics for the hunting sea- B �Colorado Division of Wildlift 2 0 0 2 Annual Report son itself won·1 be complied until harvest surveys and winter counts arc complc1cd in March. However. the DOWand Wildlife Commission ensured that Colorado's 2002 season would attract hunters by lowering 1he cos! of a nonresident cow elk license subs1an1ially. and by making more limited licenses available.The s1ra1cgy worked. as more than 430.000 hunters applied for the s1a1cs limited big game hunting licenses, an increase of IO percen I li-Oln 200 I. The Commission also added 14,000 antlerless elk licenses 10 case pressure 011 winter forage, which was in poor condilion because of the snmmer-long drought. Third and fourth season snows meant harvest rates for elk were good across the slalC, though 1101 as high as DOW biologists had hoped. Deer hunters also found good numbers of mal ure bucks and good success in most areas. Even so. many animals remain for nex1years hunt. The increased number of hu111ers in 1he licld was also good news for many Colorado businesses. especially on the West Slope. A DOW economic model suggests thal expenditures by hunters generate S500 million for 1heslate's economy annually. During lhe 2001 hunt. nearly 200.000 elk hunters harvested 42,630 elk. and 74.553 deer hunters IOok 31 .634 deer. Addi1ionally. I0.523 antelope hunters look 6.4 17 animals. 2002 also saw the take of a state record-breaking mountain lion. The animal was laken nonh of Pagosa Springs and weighed 220 pounds before field dressing and was eight feel long. lls Boone and Crockett score was 16 0/16. besting the previous record of 15 12/16 held by President Theodore Roosevelt. Small game and pheasant hunters again gal a boost fro m Colorado·s walk-in access program duriug 2002. The program reimburses private landowners on the statc·s Eastern Plains who allow hunters access lo their properlics. The number of acres signed up fo r the walk-in access program increased from 120.000 to 152.000 for 2002. During 200 I. 13.688 hunters purchased access stamps and participated in the program. Many youth hunters also participated, bu t the exact number or youth participants is unknown because those under 16 did not need to buy the access stamp. Colorado's wildlife managers also expanded their efiort to recruit new COLORADO BIG GAME SEASON DATES 2003 2004 Aug. 30-Sept. 28 Aug. 28-Sept. 26 Antelope: Bucks only: Either sex: Oct. 1-24 and Nov. 5-30 and Dec. 15-31 Aug. 15-31 Sept. 1-20 Oct. 1-22 and Nov. 3-30 and Dec. 15-31 Aug. 15-3 I Sept. 1-20 MUZZLELOADlNG RIFLE Deer/elk (by drawi ng only): Plains Deer - east of 1-25: Antelope: Sept. 13-2 1 Oct. 11 -19 Oct. 21-29 Sept. 11-19 Oct. 9- 17 Oct. 21-29 ARCHERY Deer/elk west of 1-25, (and Unit 140): Deer east of 1-25, (except Unit 140): RIFLE COMBINED DEER/ELK AND SEPARATE LIMITED ELK Separate Limited Elk: Oct. 11-15 Oct. 9-15 Combined (deer/elk): Oct. 18-26 Oct. I6-22 Combined (deer/elk): Nov. 1-7 Oct. 30-Nov. 5 Combined (deer/elk): Nov. 8-1 2 Nov. 6-1 0 RIFLE DEER (east of 1-25): Oct. 25-Nov. 4 Oct. 23-Nov. 2 LATE RIFLE DEER (cast of 1-25): Dec. 1-14 Dec. 1-14 Sept. 27-Oct. 3 or Oct. 4-10 Sept. 25-Oct. I or Oct. 2-8 RIFLE ANTELOPE (by drawing only): BLACK BEAR* Limited (by drawing only): Sept. 2-30 Sept. 2-30 Archery (unlimited): Sept. 2-28 Sept. 2-26 Muzzleloading (unlimited): Sepi. I3-21 Sept. 11-19 Rifle (unlimited): concurrent combined deer/elk rifle seasons "To participate in the unlimited bear seasons, a hunter must also hold a deer or elk license for the same unit(s) and season. Small game and pl,easa111 '11111ters 110111 enjoy 111alk-i11 access to 152,000 acres tl,a11ks to a program tl,at reimburse.,· private la11do11111ers. hunters by filling an outreach coordinator job. The resulting recruitment cfiort extended to nearly every communi ty in the state through thc"'Partncrs in the Field Program ...which combines contributions from conservation groups. communities, businesses and volunteers to focus on specific events that expand publ ic hunting opportunities. The clfort seems to be succeeding - more than 200 hunters attended two elk hunting clinics in the Denver metro area, and more than 250 young people participated in DOWsponsored upland game bird and big game hunting events. Duck calling and grouse hunting clinics, a women·swingshooting clinic, and new resident seminars attracted similar responses from interested hunters. Overall, the DOW sold a total of 31,949 youth hunting and fishing licenses during calendar year 200 I - the last lor which complete data is available- and has set aside IO state wildlife areas specilically for youth/mentor hunting. The DO\Vs volunteer hunter education instructors also trained 17.1 27 new hunters during FY 200 I (the last year for which data was available). reimbursed more than 60 shooting ranges throughout the stale for their hunling-related activities. and provided $22.000 in grants for improvements 10 ranges from the Archuleta County Range in Pagosa Springs to 1he Routt County trnc Club in Steamboat Springs. Another high-priority goal in the new DOW Strategic Plan asks the DOW to increase hunter satisfaction by providing increased customer service. Agency customer service reps and other employees did just that while enabling hunters to purchase a record 11,653 '·teftover"big game licenses in just one day in August. The licenses arc those not taken during the summer drawing for limited licenses. In add ition. DOW customer service representatives responded 10 more than 547.000 phone and 67.000 e-mail requests for information during 2002. ':th 11h.mr1, Co/omrlo i:xc,ct/1 1i1y c.\'p<'(lation., . ... •• Alan Parker e-mail il;1an on the Run - Colorado Nabs Poacher in Michigan lier nearly a year on the run, Colorado's most-wanted poacher was arrested in Berrien County, Michigan, in April 2002. Wendell Cook, 41, or Montrose had been convicted of poaching five deer, two elk, two antelope and a black bear, and being a felon in possession of firearms. He lled the state on May 23, 200 I, the day he was to be sentenced, and had been sought by officials from at least four states ever since. "Just because you go a couple of thousand miles away doesn·1 mean we'll stop looking for you,"saicl Glenn Smith. the DOW's Operation Game Thief Coordinator. Cook was caught following a tip to Michigan's poaching hotline. Colorado's equivalent, Operation GameThief (1800-332-41 55) has produced tips that led to over 700 convictions or Colorado wildlife laws since its inception. Statistics on the number of violations during 2002 were still being compiled at press time. However. in 200 I, the most recent year for which statistics were available, Colorado's wildlife officers wrote 5,479 citations for violations of state wildlife statutes. �Colorado Di-vision of Wildl{fi' 2 0 0 2 Annual Report It was promising news for the states hatchery facilities. El cwhere. improvements and modifications at the Poudre Rearing Unit allowed the number or \V D Mount Sha·vano Hatche1y parasites coming 0 111 of the unit into the Certified Whiding Disease river 10 be reduced significantly. The facilFree ity produced 70.000 catchable-sized he best news for anglers in (9- 12 inches) rainbows and 2002'/The DO\Vs released them in waters in Mount Shavano Fish North Park and along the Hatchery was oflicially cerFront Range. Poudre also tified as free of whi rl ing produced more than one disease (\VD). II is the million Rio Grande and seventh and largest greenback cuu hroal. and Colorado hatchery to date 2. 75 million Tasmanian to be able to eliminate the rainbow eggs, which were \VD parasite. Operating at distributed 10 other hatcheries capacity, Shavano has the ability ~ 10 be hatched, reared and eventually to raise 350,000 catchable-sized rainbow trout. and two million fingerlings a ±1 stocked in Colorado waters. Ci The DOWs Rifle Falls Hatchery has year - good news indeed for aquat ic managers trying to reach the Strategic ~ the potential to be cleared in May. In Gunnison, the Roaring Judy Hatchery was Plan's goal of providing enough fish to completing several years or construction meet recreation day objectives. work; a 14-monlh monitoring enon was To rid the facility of WO, Shavano lo begin in early 2003 with final certificastaff replaced old pipelines and secured tion of the focility as WO-free likely in the its spring-fed water sources. As a result. spring of 2004. fish raised at Shavano can now be stocked In February 2002. DOW aquatic biolin locations where \VD-negative fish arc ogists hosted the eighth annual National needed. FISHING t ~ a: :s~ T The Mount Shavano /-latche1:J1 is oj]icial{y certified whirling disease free and can begin raising catchable-sized trout Ji1r the slate\ anglers. ~ ; . _~ ;:: ~ 8 §C a: P Michael Phelps, a 14-year-old Master Angle,; proudly di.1plays his 31-inch channel catfish caught in Aurora Reservoi,: Whirling Disease Symposium. The meeting drew both national and international researchers and policy makers, and ii focused on new findings on the parasites biology and new approaches lo its control. Whirling disease is a parasitic inlcction that allacks the cartilage and nervous systems of young rain!Jow trout and other salmonid species. causing the fish to swim in circles when stressed. It poses no threat to humans. mammals or other fish species. Overall for 2002. DOW hatchery facilities produced more than 70.6 million fish. including 53.4 million warm-water species. 1.2 million \VD-negative catchables. 8.5 million \VD-negative sub-catchables, as well as 1.6 million \VD-positive catchables and 5.8 million \\ID-positive sub-catchables for stocking in low elevation waters. Colorado Wildlife Commission 1iolicy required that the DOW stop stocking WO-positive fish in trout waters by the end of 2002. ''Fishing Is Fun"granls awarded to seven projects added new fishing opportunities for almost 26.000 anglers in 2002. The projects ranged from upgrading several small ponds lo constructing Irails. parking and other structures at Antero Reservoir in South Park. Lake Lchow Pond in Walerton Canyon in southwest Denver, Milliken Ponds. Pioneer Lake in Yuma. Doty Pond in Brush. the Runyon Lake project in Pueblo and Hayden Meadows in Leadville. Total value of the projects was more than S3 million. Through thc"'Fishing Is Fun··program. the DOW provides grants matching local funds to improve aquatic habitat and fishmg access. Division of \Vildlile staff also continued 10 help youngsters learn to fish during 2002. Employees at the Finger Rock Fish Hatchery. for example. staged a July 4th kids fishing clinic in Yampa. Fishing with homemade poles. about 250 youngsters under 12 angled for rainbow trout in a 3,500-gallon plastic pond provided by the Yampa Fire Deparlmcnl. ".. . For many. it was the first time they had ever fished or caught a fish.'" Finger Rock technician Toby Mourning said. In May. more than 300 children ages 8-15. took advantage or the DOW-sponsorcd""TakcA Family Fishing··event. Under the tutelage of agency aquatic biologists. participants learned to ident iIi•fish. tic knots. cast and more. Likewise. during FY O1-02. the Divisions Angler Education Program taught nearly 14. 750 elementary and middle school youngsters many from Denvers inner city - how 10 fish. and educated them on an~ler ethics. ~ Division of Wildlilc ollicials estimate that fishing adds about $900 million to the Colorado economy annually. Summer Drought Challenges A11glers U nfortunalely, the drought of 2002 made this a challenging ye.tr for both anglers and fisheries managers. Reacting to low flows and water temperatures above 70 degrees in some streams and lakes. the Colorado Wildlife Commission gave the DOW director the authority to close waters to fishing. Biologists and Commissioners were concerned that. at water temperatures above that level. the added stress of anglers hooking and releasing fish increa eel the chance of the fish dying when released back into the water. The authority was ne1·cr exercised. The DOW and people in the Yampa Valley did. however. voluntarily close a stretch of the Yampa River near Steamboat Springs. As the summer progressed. drought forced DOW oflicials to remove bag and possession limits and oiler emergency salvage opportunities for anglers at Kiser Slough. Buckeye, Bonita, Wahatoya and Antero reservoirs. Known as a prime trou t fishery, Antero was drained into deeper, lower elevation reservoirs in order to s,1ve water. In response. DOW biologists themselves began an emergency salvage operation that eventually enabled them to move more than 2.500 trout tu nearby Elcvenmile l{escrvoir. Aquat ic biologists also continued their aggressive eflorts 10 collect walleye eggs from Chatfield. Cherry Creek and Pueblo rnservoir during 2002. The goal was lo collect 200 million walleye eggs that were then incubated and hatched at DOW hatcheries at Wray and Pueblo. About two-thirds or the fry and fingerlings hatched are re-stocked in Colorado waters: the rest arc traded to other states. Colorado walleye grow to between 14 and 18 inches and arc known both as great table fare and a challenging sport fish to catch. "ft .i· 11ic",' lo know that )'OIi . . . an• 50 .-011.-,.,-11,·d and coi1rtco11J. IJi'd pri·z·iki;,·d to li·n· in this ' slah·." Corey G. Kuhne e-mail �Colomdo Division of Wildlife 2002 Annual Rt1port across the foce. brown head. black feet and legs and a black tip on the tail. Their historic range is bclicl'cd 10 hal'c ex1cndcd from Canada to Mexico along the Great Plains grasslands. Black-Footed Ferrets, Lynx Rcproduc1ion - or more accurately. hlight Conser·vation Efforts the lack or reproduction - was also an ivision or Wildlife biologists issue for the states small population or were encouraged 10 find endangered Canada lynx during a litter or at least ---2002. In response to. and as 1wo black-footed ferret kits part or the state'.~ ongoing as well as a wild-born clfort 10 recover the native female adult during the cats. the Wildlife summer of 2002. They Commission approved a were pleased because one resolution directing the of the top IO goals of the DOW to bring another new Strategic Plan calls for 180 lynx into thestate. implementation or recovery The resohnion was projects for threatened and a::: approved based on a new conservaendangered species like the ferret. and ~ ~ tion agreement between 1he stale and the a reproducing population is an obvious Cl key to reaching that goal. s: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) that reduced the potential impact of inci'The overall goal is 10 have a sclf-sus- ?i 0 dental take of lynx by hobcat hunters and taining. wild population. and the only livestock producers, allowing up 10 two way we can do that is wi th reproduction." lynx a year to be taken inadvertently. said Larry Nelson, head of the Division's The DOW reintroduced 96 lynx to species conscrvat ion cfiorts. "One litter Colorado in 1999 and 2000. Biologists docs not make a self-sustaining populaarc currently moni toring 34 of those and tion. but it is very encouraging." suspect that as many as half or the origiIn October 2002, wildl ife biologists nal animals may still be in southwestern released another 28 ferrets in the Wolf Colorado. The monitoring cllort has conCreek Black-Footed Ferret Management lirmed that the lynx have established terArca in northwestern Colorado. ritories and have sullicicnt prey to surConsidered one of the rarest mammals vive. Reproduction has not been docuin I orth America. black-footed ferrets mented. and experts say the most likely were originally released into the Wolf reason is that there are simply 1101 enough Creek and Coyote Basin areas in lynx on 1hc ground. Colorado in 200 I. Biologists from 1he Division of Wildlife biologists were DOW have worked in partnership with working with trappers in four Canadian 1hc USFWS. 1hc BLM. the US Geologic provinces to capture 50 lynx for release in Services (USGS). the Animal Plant the spring of 2003. The goal of the Health Inspection Service and the Utah DOW is to have a scll:sustaining populaDivision of Wildlife Resources to manage tion in the lynx recovery area or souththe release. west Colorado in the next I0-15 years. The black-footed ferret was listed as ''This has the poten tial to be one of endangered fede rally in 1967 and was the most succcssliil endangered species thought to have become ext inct in the efforts we'vc ever undcrtakcn."said Greg 1970s. In 1981, however, a colony or Walcher. executive director of the about 130 ferrets was located in Department of Natural Resources. Wyoming. Following outbreaks of Also during 2002. the DOW allocated plague and distemper among the animals. S15,000 - mnch or that from taxpayer 18 were moved 10 the National Blackdonations to 1hc I ongame and Footed Ferret Conservation Ce111er. a Endangered Wildlife Fund on Colorado); captive breeding facility in Sybille state income tax form - to study the Canyon, Wyoming. Rcintroduc1ion to the movements of the threatened ril'cr oilers wild began in 1991: thus far. five states in the state. Reintroduced into the and two coun tries have received ferrets. Piedra. Gunnison and Dolores river Colorado has much work in fron t of it drainages in southwestern Colorado in before the state can claim to have reached the 1970s, ottcrs have been reported in its strategic plan goal. the Green. Colorado and Roaring Fork ·'The mortality rate for captive-reared rivers. The monitoring cfiort will help lcrrcts released into the wild is high, it biologists identify their current distribucould be five years before we have a viable tion. population in Colorado...said Pamela Last year. 43.000 Colorado taxpayers Schnurr. the DOW forest and shrub lands used the checkoff on the state income tax coordinator and a member of the ferret form 10 donate more than S462.000 to recovery team. programs to manage the sta1e·s nongame. Black-footed forrcis are totally depenthreatened and endangered species. dent on prairie dogs both for food and Some of those donations also helped habitat. biologists from the DOW's John W. Black-footed ferrets arc long. slenderMumma Nat i1'c Aquatic Species bodied animals. approximately 24 inches Restoration Facility in Alamosa raise long. They have a brown-black mask endangered boreal toads. Colorado's only SPECIES CONSERVATION . D Employees and 11ol11nteers save k okanee one bucket at a time. Citizens, Division's 'Heroic' orts Save Kokanee W 1en low water levels in the Gunnison River threatened Colorado's future kokance salmon population, DOW employees and volunteers worked together to save it one five-gallon bucket at a time. Each fall, kok,rnee from Blue Mesa Reservoir swim up the Gunnison to the Roaring Judy Hatchery to spawn, the last act or their short lil'es. Unfortunately, this year low water resulting from the drought kept most of the fish from moving upstream. In turn, no kokanee eggs would be available for hatching and restocking 10 the more than two dozen bodies or waters in Colorado with kokanee populations. "Without the eggs from those fish, we probably would have been able to stock only the five lakes that supply the brood population,"said DOW aquatic biologist Dave Brauch. "That meant that up to 20 other bodies of water would not have received fish.'' Biologists at the DOW decided that their only option was to try to capture the salmon. Cold. wet, uncomfortable conditions were a big, but not the biggest 1>roblem. The biggest problem was that the fish were trapped by an irrigation dam and prelly much inaccessible, except on foot and by hand. So, DOW staff enlisted Lhe help of more than 30 volunteers,"drafting"some of them, to move the fish in live-gallon buckets. Waiting trucks took 20,000 of the captured kokanee to the Roaring Judy. "I heard they Shanghaied tourists and put them on the bucket brigade,''saidTom King.sley. DOW assistant hatchery superintendent. "They went the extra mile and a hair on that." The result or the extra effort was the 7.25 million kokance eggs needed to sustain thestate's salmon population and provide hundreds of thousands or fishing recreation hours every year. alpine toad species. for the first time ever. 1.100 of the toads were released i1110 Rocky Mountain ational Park in 2002. In October. about 8.000 federally endangered bonytails reared at the Mumma facility were released into the Green River near Brown's Park in Moffat County. In all, over 13.400 bonytail and 36,000 razorback suckers were released into the Colorado, Green, Yampa and Gunnison rivers in western Colorado in 2002. For state-listed lish species in eastern Colorado. 3.700 Arkansas darters and 2.800 southern rcdbclly dace were stocked into Hugo State Wildlifo Area and other suitable streamand pond habitats in the Arkansas lfacr basin; and 800 common shiners. 200 northern rcdbclly dace. I00 suckcrmouth minnow and 340 plains minnow were tocked into the Tamarack State Wildlife Arca and other suitable habitats in the South Pla11c River basin in 2002. To the south in the Rio Grande basin. 18.000 Rio Grande chub have been stocked. Blac/1:footed ferrets were released in 11orthwestem Colorado in 2002. Landowners Help Protect Prairie Dog Habitat so dunng 2002. DOW biologists cgan implementing the hortgrass/Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Incentive Program that compensates private landowners in selected eastern Colorado counties who are willing to protect black-tailed prairie dog.s and their habi tat. Potential properties were identified by the DOW and local soil conservation districts based on quality of habitat, size of the colonies, acres of short grass. etc. The DOW issued a total of $600,000 in incentive program grants in the Baca, West Greeley, South Puchlo andTurkey Creek soil conservation districts. The USFWS has listed the hlack-tailcd prairie dog as a··candidate for listing under the lcdcral Endangered Species Act (ESA).'. In response. Colorado and the I0 other states within the prairie dog's range are developing plans to conserve the species and prevent federal listing. Acomprehensive. range-wide survey by the DOW determined that prairie dogs occupy abo1n 63 1.000 acres in thestate. more �Colorado Division of Wildlife /11 2002, 1, 100 borea/ toads were released into the wild from the John W. Mumma Native Aquatic Species Restoration Facility. than six times the acreage reported by the National Wildlife Federation in its 2000 petition to the USFWS asking for a listing of the back-tailed prairie dog under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Greg Walcher, Executive Director of the Department of Natural Resources said the results were as he expected. "Two years ago when we sent a letter to the Fish and Wildlife Service asking them not to put prairie dogs on the endangered species list, we were confident that Colorado's po1JUlation was far larger than early predictions and reports"said Walcher."We can now study on a broader scale, wi th the knowledge that our efforts to ensure the survival of the species arc working." "We knew it was an error;'said Russ George, Director of the DOW. "It was our goal to conduct a thorough rangewide survey that would result in more succinct numbers and the best science by which to study the species - I am pleased that we have reached that goal." The intensive study revealed that 87 percent of the prairie dogs found were in eastern Colorado and the remaining 13 percent were found in counties along the northern Front Range. Colorado is home to two other prairie dog species, the white-tailed and the Gunnison, both found on the Western 1 2002 Annual Report Slope. A preliminary known-site inventory completed during the fall indicated that the Gunnison prairie dog occupies 86,000 acres and the whitetail 126,000 acres in Colorado. A range-wide survey of both species will be completed by next summer. The USF\VS was petitioned to list both species under the ESA during 2002. In September, DOW onicials, in partnership with the U.S. Department of the Interior. the Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) Trust Fund. county governments and other non-governmental organizations, launched a far-reaching, voluntary incentive-based program to protect species and help landowners. The Colorado Species Conservation Partnership (CSCP) pays landowners whose property includes certain types of habitat to help prevent the further decline of species using that habitat. As much as $25 million may be available for the effort in coming years. Characterized as a landscape approach, goals of the conservation partnership include: reducing the need to list species under the ESA; enabling the down listing and/or delisting of some species already classified as threatened or endangered; meeting the recovery goals for declining species in the state: and helping landowners who agree to protect habitat through management and conservation agreements or leases. Ken Morgan is the new DOW private lands habitat specialist and is managing the Conservation Partnership. "All of these landscapes. . . have species that are listed under the Endangered Species Act or have the potential lo be listed, and in order lo maintain those species, we need to make some serious conservation elforts,"said Morgan. "But while we're doing that, the program keeps landowners - whether A 2002 study revealed that Colorado'.~ prairie dog population is far larger than earlier predicted. Using donations from tl,e Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Tax Checkoff, biologists studied the movements of river otters reintroduced in tl,e state during the 1970s. its a cattle rancher or grower or anyone else - there doing what they do best:' Areas targeted by the CSCP include shortgrass prairie and grasslands on the Eastern Plains, Front Range riparian habitat for the threatened Preble's meadow jumping mouse, and lands in the Gunnison Basin and southwestern Colorado that arc home to the Gunnison sage grouse. Other species that should benefit include the state endangered suckcrmouth and plains minnows. the state threatened brassy minnow and the Arkansas darter as well as species of special concern like the burrowing owl. black-tailed prairie dog. ferruginous hawk and mountain plover. ..Conserving a species before it needs to be listed saves time and moncy,.. DOW biologist Gary Skiba said. ''You usually have more options when a species is still relatively common, such as deciding Approximately 6,000 acres of ,vetlmuls are protected using grants ji-0111 Great Outdoors Colora,lo. which areas need to be conserved." Thirty-seven properties have applied for casements under CSCP. The Strategic Plan lists expanding conservation partnerships with landowners and protecting species at risk of becoming threatened or endangered among its top IOgoals for the year. Protecting Wetlands a Priority U sing grants from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) and Wetlands Program partners such as Ducks Unlimited (DU) and The Nature Conservancy (T C). biologists were able to protect approximately 6.000 acres of wetlands and associated uplands and 16 stream miles of riparian wetlands last year. Nearly 40 1Jrivate landowners joined with the DOW to restore and enhance signed conservation casements intended to conserve wetlands in 40 different projects during the year. The Wetlands Program is voluntary and incentive-based. and it focuses on accomtllishing the protection of wetlands via partnershi1Js. The efforts have benefited more than two dozen difforcnt species of wildlife. In addition to TNC. DU. GOCO, the DOW and landowners. Wetlands Program partners included Partners for Fish and Wildlife and Colorado State Parks. For their part last year. DOW ofiicials began real estate negotiations that. when closed. would allow thestate to protect an additional 12.000 acres of wildlifo habitat. �Colorado Division of Wildlife Overall. the DOW's existing casements and leases protect a total of 248,844 acres; the DOW also owns 230 properties. totaling 369.5 18 acres. Stale school trust lands leased by the agency protect habitat and provide for public uses on another 481 ,333 acres. The leases opened up the lands lo public use including hunting, fishing and watching wildlife, while providing habitat for a variety or species from deer and elk 10 warm- and coldwater fish species. / 15 Low Water Allows Biologists to Native Cutthroats ivision of Wildlife biologists took advantage of the low water caused by the 2002 drought lo benefit native cutthroat trout populations. The Colorado Springs utility department has been a partner with the DOW in developing greenback cutthroat trout habitat in the South Slope Pikes Peak Collection System, which includes five reservoirs and three miles of pristine stream. The severity of the drought resulted in the drawing down of the system. Crews took advantage of the low water to remove all the remaining nonnative cutthroats from the basin. Once refilled, the area will be among the largest and best habitats for greenbacks in the Arkansas River drainage. For the last three years, DOW biologists, in partnership with the New Mexico Department of Fish and Game and the Vermejo Park Ranch, have been planning to restore Costilla Creek in southern Colorado as Rio Grande cutthroat habitat. Again, taking advantage of low water, biologists chemically removed nonnative salmon ids and improved the habitat that they hoped would serve large-scale projects for the Rio Grandes in the future. Biologists throughout the state monitored water levels and, when necessary, salvaged native cutthroat populations. "While we may have temporarily lost a habitat, the genetic resources have been rescued for reintroduction of future populations into these streams when better habitat conditions prevail,"said Tom Nesler, DOW aquatic biologist. Most of the fish salvaged were placed in DOW hatcheries. 2 0 0 2 Annual Report the metropolitan Denver area as active participants during the year. Through WIN-WIN, the students were able to visit and learn about omdoor education sites throughout the region. Staff and volunteer facilitators from the DOW trained 2,808 Colorado teachDivision R eaches Many ers in Project WILD. which incorporates Students and Teachers wildlife-related information into the ivision of Wildlife teaching curriculum. and education proother training programs grams such as Project reached many stuLearning Tree. In dents last year. addition, DOW for instance. staff provided in the fiscal year 18,650 teachers (July OI - June with educational 02, which materials and roughly matches follow up the school year) a resources during total of 9,280 stuthe year. With class dents and 315 teachsizes ranging ers participated in between 25-30 stustatewideTeaching dents. those teachers have Environmental Science ~ opportunities lo provide v Naturally (TEN) programs. The TEN wildlife-related education experiences for program uses outdoor classrooms to ; a lot of students. teach both teachers and students about an"'. In addition, about 2,440 school-aged ~ area's natural history and resource manyouth monitored and collected waler agement. Also, a total of 138,000 SIUquality data on 20 rivers throughout the dents were exposed lo aquatic education state through the DOW's River Watch activities through Project WET and the program. Under that program, students Aquatic WILD programs. Another collect information monthly on tempera15,628 students participated in DOWture, oxygen, nutrient and metal levels of sponsored education programs put on by local bodies of water. Students learn the Colorado Wildlife Federation, the about aquatic environments, and regularColorado State University Rocky ly see the data they have collected used in Mountain Raplor Program and other water quality hearings. wildlife groups. Increasing the number of students The Wonders in Nature - Wonders in who learn about wildlife issues is another Neighborhoods program (WIN-WIN), in primary goal of the Strategic Plan, partnership with the Denver Zoo, had 26 2002-2007. schools and about 12,000 students from WlLDLlFE STEWARDSHIP AND AWARENESS D s '1 have been in the office at 6060 Broadway ma,iy times this year. I have ne·ver had mzything but praise for a11yo11e Thave dealt with. I would al.w like to extend this thank y_on to the DOW officer I met in unit .;.8 this arc'he,y season awl the person who took the time to call me btffk w ith CWD test results. .. " Watchable Wildlife Workshops Draw a Crowd uring FY2001-02. more than 13,500 people participated in "festi1•als'"focusing specifically on viewing Colorado's wildlife. Those festivals ranged from the Elk Fest, which alone drew 8,000 people lo Estes Park, to the Georgetown bighorn sheep viewing and interpretive facility that was visited by 700 people. For those who enjoy watching and photographing wildlife, the DOW continued offering 72 Wildlife Watch workshops during the fiscal year 2001-02. Statewide, 953 people participated in the workshops, gaining not only wildlife viewing skills but also learning about habitats and animal behavior as well. DOW staff also completed nearly two dozen watchable wildlife interpretive projects in cooperation with several other agencies including the Colorado Department of Transportation, the U.S. Forest Service and several of Colorado's stale parks. Another 18 watchable wildlife projects were completed on state wildlife areas as well. In an eHorl to reduce bear-human conflicts, the Colorado Wildlife Commission last year passed regulations aimed at discouraging people from attracting bears to their homes and campsites. Bear Awareness Teams, as well as information provided through the state's news media, also helped local communities minimize such conflicts. The Grand Junction office of Waste Management even provided a link to the DOW's Web pages on bears to help its West Slope customers reduce bearpeople conflicts. Volunteers played a key role in the Bear Awareness program and throughout the Division as well during 2002, donating more than 50,000 hours of labor lo 280 agency projects. Volunteer efforts ranged from collecting deer and elk samples to test for chronic wasting disease to taking walleye spawn and helping at hatcheries. Division customer service reps were also busy during 2002. In addition to selling licenses and providing information for tens of thousands of visitors to area and regional offices and the Denver headquarters, the agency's customer service reps and volunteers stafled exhibits al the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo, the Denver Sportsmen's Expo and other shows that enabled an estimated 150,000 Coloradans to talk with people from the agency. D H Shaun Brownlee e-mail The Division of Wildlife's River l¥atc/1program enables school-age,! youths to monitor and coflect water data 011 rivers throughout the state. unters will be able to apply on line for Colorado's limited deer, elk and antelope licenses beginning in 2003 as part of the DOW's new electronic licensing system, the Total Licensing System or TLS. As part of that, the slate's 700-plus license agents will no longer issue conser- �Colorado Division of Wildlife The Division-staffed exhibits at the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo are popular with visitors. vat ion certificates and hun ting and fishing license stamps. Instead, under a contract signed during 2002. licenses will be sold electronically and printed on demand through point-of-sale terminals (comparable 10 current bankcard terminals), the Internet. and by telephone. The DOW will provide the terminals 10 agents. Agents. in turn, will be able to sell licenses directly through those, eliminating the paper process and simplifying agent accounting procedures. License buyers won·t need to fi ll out lengthy forms or arrange their schedules to buy licenses during"normal business hours."With the addition or the ability to purchase licenses through the Internet and over the telephone, hunters and anglers will be able 10 buy licenses anytime, anywhere. "Buyers simply will have to produce their drivers license - that's al l."said Rob Molloy, TLS project manager. "The STATE OFCOLORADO Bill Owen . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .... Gowrnor DEPARTMENT OF 'ATURAL RESOURCES Greg E. Walcher .... . .. . Exccutire Director DIVISION OF WILDLIFE Russell George ................. Director WILDLIFE COMMISSION Rick Enstrom. Chair ........... Lakewood Robert Shoemaker. Vice-Chair ... Canon City Marianna Rallopoulos. Secretary. ..... Craig Bernard Black. Jr................. Denver Tom Burke . ............ .. Grand Junction JclTrey A. Crawford ............ Englewood Philip J. James ............... Fort Collins Olive Kimbleton Valdez ...... . ... . . Conejos Brad IV. Phelps ................... Parlin EXOFFICIO ~IEMllERS Greg E. Walcher DonAment 2 0 0 2 Annual Report newsystemwill take information directly from that , authorize the sale of a license through a database, and then print a new license. The buyer will receive a compact, printed license about the size of a credit card. identifying the holder and the license purchased."' Plans call for testing the TLS systemin April 2003. with the systemexpected to be fully operational by June. During calendar 200 I. the last year complete data is available. the DOW sold: 726.882 resident hunting and fishing licenses generating S15.7 million in revenue: 130.94 7 nonresident hunting and fishing licenses, generating S40.5 million in revenue: and 606,852 licenses available to both residents and nonresidents (extra rod stamps, use permits, etc.), generating S3.8 million in revenue. "£,Vhoei·er set up http:llwildlif~·..rtatt!. co. u., 11eed, a raise" PAID FOR BY Sportsmen Sta/clilt'lll efR,·v,·111/,', f-1-1001-2002 Revenues arc all sources of income the Division has - primarily license fees. Colorado's share of federal taxes on hunling and fishing equipment (Federal Aid). Great Outdoors Colorado (lo1tcry) grants. and interest on fund balances. Soum: Prior Year Actual FY 0 I-02 Actual License Revenue Federal Aid ln1ercs1 Federal & Other Grants & Donations Other Wildlife Cash Less Interest $55.099.989 12.85 1.154 4.362.929 11 .596.036 1.427.945 S58. 783.3 70 11.580.602 4.158.189 9,475.072 2,421.10 I To1al S85J3l!.053 S8(1.4 I 8.334 Federal & Other David Sting! e-mail Other Wildlife Cash Less Imerest 2% New Internet Features Help Customers wo new features of the Division of Wildlifes Web site were proving helpful to visitors during 2002. Shop @DOW offered Web users the opportunity 10 buy books, magazines and videos about Colorado's wildlife through the Internet. The DOW Insider offers those who visit the DOW Web site a chance to leave their e-mail address and get the latest news and information about Colorado's wildlife sent to them automatically. (Visit http://wildlife.stale.co.us, click on"personalize this site,'"then on "sign up for my DOW"). More than 4.5 million visitors use the DOW Web site annually. T COLORADO DIVISIONOF WILDLIFE OFFICF.S Northeast Region and Denver Sen·ice Center 6060 Broadway Denver, CO 8021 6 (303) 29 I-7227 Headquarters: (303) 297-1192 Northwest Region and Grand Junction Service Center 71l Independent Avenue Grand Junction. CO81505 (970) 255-6100 Federal Aid 14% TWO-YEARAVERAGE REVENUES Expenditures, FY 2001-2002 Expenditures arc all those payments made within a fiscal year for salaries and benefits. materials and supplies. services, acquisitions, leases. and co11struc1ion and arc shown below according to the strategic areas that incurred them. Strategic Area FY 0 I-02 Expenditures Wildlife Habilat &Species Management Wildlife Recreation Wildlife Educa1ion & Informat ion Responsive Managemcn1• S19,663.083 33.282.824 9.781.370 25.052.724 Total S87.780.00 I $35.000.000 EXPENDlTURES 30.000.000 Southeast Region and Colorado Springs Service Center 4255 Sinton Rd. Colorado Springs. CO 80907 (719) 227-5200 25.000.000 Southwest Region and Durango Serrice Center 151E. 16thSt. Durango, CO8130 I (970) 247-0855 10.000.000 Weh Site: hnp://wildlifc.state.co.us For Wild/([eAir People FINANCIAL STATEMENTS The Division or Wildlife uses 1he state fisc.il year for accounting and reporting financial data. The fiscal year is the period July I through June 30 of the following year. 20.000.000 150.00.000 5,000.000 0 ' - - - - ' - - - - - - L- ' - - - - . . . . W""----......_L Wildlife Habitat & Species Wildlife Recreation Wildlife Education & Information Responsive Management Managcn1cnt ' lndudcs expenditures for scr'"iccs 10 support core Di,,ision programs. such as ,·chicles. focilitics. 0&M. public i1l\olwmcnt. telephone. compu1cr. ollkcsuppon. purchasing and accounting. legal scn·!ccs, all(! engineering. * � https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/4a1b7f625ca0d0ec27728f5164c27dea.pdf 115c7dd684802f9762012f3d732b8268 PDF Text Text COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE 2003 ANNUAL REPORT COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE 2003 ANNUAL REPORT hen I started as director of the Division of Wildlife (DOW) in August of 2000, I felt both the promise and uncertainty that comes with beginning any new endeavor. One thing I was sure of is that the mission of the DOW, of protecting the state’s wildlife, was a critical one. The employees at the DOW welcomed me in and immediately, together we rolled up our sleeves and went to work. Since that time, we have had outstanding accomplishments in protecting and enhancing the state’s wildlife, all of which are tributes to the expertise, hard work and dedication of the DOW employees. 2003 was a great year for the DOW as we saw the culmination of much of that hard work. Some of the many highlights of 2003 include the first reproduction of lynx since the species was reintroduced in 1999. Sixteen kittens helped demonstrate that Colorado is well on its way © MICHAEL MAURO W 2 to achieving one of the most successful carnivore reintroductions in the world. We also worked with landowners, federal organizations and other state organizations to help the recovery of the mountain plover. The Mountain Plover Conservation Program is viewed as a revolutionary approach toward species conservation. Our staff has developed a way to help species recover while minimizing the effects on private land rights, creating a win/win situation for all those involved. Both big game hunters and science has benefited from what we accomplished in 2003 in the form of quick and accurate chronic wasting disease (CWD) test results. By implementing cutting edge technology, we have built one of the most efficient CWD testing and data programs in the nation. Our fisheries staff won a key battle in the war on whirling disease by eliminating it from the Rifle Falls Fish Hatchery. The disease-free certification of this facility will help to improve fishing in Colorado’s most pristine waters. In its second year, our Hunter Outreach Program has already changed the lives of hundreds of Colorado’s children by offering them the opportunity to head into the field. This program ensures conservationists in future generations and that the tradition and ethics of hunting will continue. We were asked to examine our efficiency through the CORE Mission Project. We found that overall we are a streamlined organization that is putting its resources to good use. Along the way we did find several useful ways to cut costs and extend our resources. We will be able to implement these without disruption and refocus on protecting the state’s wildlife. By looking at our accomplishments for 2003, it is clear that the DOW is working on many different fronts to protect Colorado’s wildlife. The people of the DOW have dedicated their lives to this mission and they are some of the best in the world at what they do. Other states’ wildlife organizations continue to look to the DOW for examples of the best practices in wildlife management. It has been an honor to have worked along side the people who have created and implemented them. As I move on to new responsibilities at the Department of Natural Resources, again I have both feelings of promise and uncertainty. But I know that I have a tremendous resource to help guide me, the employees of the Division of Wildlife. Together, both as the Division of Wildlife and as the Department of Natural Resources, we will continue to protect Colorado’s rich diversity of wildlife and give everyone – hunters, anglers, hikers, campers and other recreationists – the opportunity to enjoy it. The future is bright for the state of Colorado and its resources. We will continue to perpetuate the wildlife resources of the state and provide people the opportunity to enjoy them. Bighorn sheep — Russ George Executive Director Department of Natural Resources Colorado Outdoors �COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE 2003 ANNUAL REPORT In 2003 the Colorado Wildlife Commission approved a five-year strategic plan organizing agency goals into four main categories: hunting, fishing, species conservation and wildlife stewardship and awareness. The Annual Report for 2003 covers activities in support of goals in each of those categories. CWD and Hunting ne of the highest priorities for the Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW), outlined by the 2002-2007 Strategic Plan, is to research and eliminate diseases in free-ranging and captive wildlife. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is the largest obstacle in the effort to accomplish this goal. During 2003, the DOW made tremendous progress in both researching and developing tools to combat the disease. CWD is a degenerative neurological disease that attacks the brain of infected deer and elk and eventually results in death. Scientists have found no link between CWD and any human neurological disorder. The disease is believed to be caused by an aberrant prion protein. CWD has been detected in animals in northeastern O Colorado and southeastern Wyoming for several decades. The DOW continues to be at the forefront of researching and combating CWD, now found in 12 states and two Canadian provinces. Fewer deer and elk were tested for CWD in Colorado during 2003, a reflection of a lower deer and elk harvest in many areas of the state. All of the animals that tested positive for the fatal prion disease were found in, or near, areas where CWD was found in 2002. With few exceptions, animals taken by hunters that tested positive for CWD were harvested north of I-70. To date, CWD has not been detected in the large deer and elk populations inhabiting the Uncompahgre Plateau, San Juan Mountains, Gunnison Basin, Sawatch Mountains or Sangre de Cristo Range. None of the 105 moose killed by hunters in 2003 tested positive for CWD. During 2003, 15,424 deer, elk and moose have been submitted for CWD testing for the 2003 hunting season, 37 percent fewer than the 24,652 animals submitted by the same time last year. New technologies were developed to help ensure hunters received accurate test results as quickly as possible, and that accurate data could be gathered efficiently. Nearly all of the hunters who submitted their animals in 2003 were notified of the test results within two weeks of submission. An electronic network of hand-held computers was implemented into the testing process to help make the process easier and faster for hunters to obtain results. Under the new system, wildlife workers in the field and lab technicians used personal digital assistants with built-in bar code scanners to glean vital information they need to track and test game specimens. Hunters were able to access test results in several different ways in 2003. Options included an interactive voice response telephone system and the DOW Web site, both of which help to make Colorado’s CWD testing program one of the most efficient in the nation. “ Thank you for making my life more enjoyable with your helpful employees. Keep up the good work and I hope to hunt CO again next year. Your CWD surveillance program is far ahead of the curve. ” © TIM CHRISTIE — Bryan Morrett, Hudson CA New technology implemented by the Division is helping ensure faster test results for hunters who submit their harvested animals for CWD testing. Pictured are two healthy-looking mule deer. March/April 2004 Big Game Season Colorado’s big game hunters harvested 61,174 elk in 2002, an all-time high, helping to reduce a herd that was over population objectives in many areas. In an effort to continue to reduce elk numbers closer to population objective, the Colorado Wildlife Commission set its sights higher for the 2003 season, offering additional opportunity in the form of either-sex licenses and more cow tags to reach a harvest target of 65,000 elk. Unfortunately, weather, the largest variable in hunter success, did not cooperate. The weather for the 2003 season was unseasonably mild in most parts of the state, there was little or no snowfall, woods were hot and dry through October and this lowered hunter success. Final numbers for the 2003 harvest will not be compiled until March, but DOW officials expect it to be significantly lower than in 2002. 3 �© DONALDMJONES.COM COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE 2003 ANNUAL REPORT Prime elk habitat of 3,600 acres was conserved through an agreement between the DOW, a landowner, Great Outdoors Colorado and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Efforts to lower the state’s elk numbers to objective will continue over the next several seasons, and while the 2003 season was a disappointment to many hunters, and a setback from a biological standpoint, the low harvest rates bode well for those who intend to take to the field next year. Biologists have seen a recurring pattern over the last several seasons. Typically high harvest years follow years of lower success. Both the record harvest seasons of 2000 and 2002 followed years where success rates were down. More animals left in the field from the 2003 season will not only make it easier for hunters in 2004 but will also provide a greater number of mature bull elk, coveted by out-of-staters and the majority of more than 300,000 elk hunters who hunt in Colorado each year. Colorado deer hunters are reaping the rewards of sound management. After declining in the past decade, deer herds have recovered in many parts of the state and are once again approaching population objective. DOW field personnel witnessed a high harvest of healthy mature bucks during the 2003 season and reported that most deer hunters were very satisfied with their experience. The DOW was able to conserve 3,600 acres of prime elk habitat and oversee managed youth hunting opportunities on the South Valley Ranch due to an agreement between the DOW, a generous landowner, Great Outdoors Colorado 4 (GOCO) and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. The conservation easement was a major achievement because the property, located between the Culebra Mountains and the Bosque del Oso State Wildlife Area, is critical winter range for elk and will serve as a catalyst for additional land protection efforts in the area. Under the terms of the agreement, each year one youth license will be drawn, allowing someone between the ages of 12-15 to hunt on the private ranch, home to one of the state’s largest elk herds and a coveted hunting spot. Habitat Conservation monumental partnership effort between the DOW, Colorado landowners, GOCO, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, conservation groups and other state and federal agencies conserved the Ochs Ranch, located in the Ohio Creek Valley near Gunnison. The $9.5 million easement protects more than 4,600 acres of agricultural land and wildlife habitat, which is considered critical to the core population of Gunnison sage-grouse, a national species of concern and is also important elk winter range. The DOW also worked with several other organizations, including GOCO, to A protect critical wildlife habitat on the Eastern Plains. One of the biggest accomplishments on this front in 2003 came with the Smith Ranch Conservation Easement. The 1,605-acre ranch is located on critical riparian habitat located at the headwaters of the North Fork of the Republican River in Yuma County. The $508,000 perpetual easement will protect critical shortgrass prairie habitat inhabited by ferruginous hawks, Cassin’s sparrow, swift fox, brassy minnows and orangethroat darters - all Colorado species in decline. The DOW contributed more than $1.1 million to wetland programs across the state protecting 7,427 acres. In many of these easements there were additional sources of funds from groups such as Ducks Unlimited, GOCO, Partners for Fish and Wildlife and the Nature Conservancy. These easements are owned by the DOW, or in some cases, by third party groups that will eventually turn over ownership to the DOW. By themselves, these examples of the DOW’s private land efforts are major accomplishments in protecting wildlife. But there is also a tremendous value in the foundation being established between the DOW and Colorado’s landowners. Expanding conservation partnerships with private landowners is an important goal listed in the DOW’s strategic plan. Recognizing the value in allowing and aiding landowners to be partners in the conservation of species, helps the DOW accomplish its overriding mission. While many of these agreements center on species of special concern, the benefits of partnerships can also be seen with the other species as well. The DOW is currently working on many other similar projects that are expected to be finalized in 2004. Species Conservation P rotecting and enhancing animal species that are at risk in Colorado is also one of the priorities listed by the Strategic Plan and great strides were made on this front in 2003. Mountain Plover The DOW allocated more than $800,000 in 2003 to conserve the habitat of this small prairie bird that nests on the state’s Eastern Plains. It also headed a coalition of state and federal groups to achieve this Colorado Outdoors �COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE 2003 ANNUAL REPORT Ranchers and farmers are working with the Division to protect mountain plover nests. goal, pioneering a new strategy in which government agencies and landowners work together to protect their best interests while helping the recovery of threatened or endangered species. The Mountain Plover Conservation Program enrolls landowners who allow biologists on their property each spring to survey crop fields for mountain plover nests. Biologists flag nests so farmers and ranchers do not run over them while cultivating fields. The program, hailed as a national blueprint for species conservation, led to a September decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to not list the bird for federal protection after determining that mountain plover numbers have stabilized. Lynx 2003 provided concrete evidence of the success of Colorado’s lynx recovery program. Biologists documented the first reproduction since reintroduction began in 1999, finding six dens with 16 kittens. To date, 129 lynx have been released with an additional 130 lynx expected to be released before 2007. This past year, 17 females and 16 males from Quebec, Manitoba and British Columbia were released in Colorado, and plans call for 50 more lynx to be transplanted in each of the next two years. The River Otter Colorado’s river otter population, once thought to be extirpated, also made enough of a comeback to warrant downlisting. Surveys confirmed three viable populations of river otters in 2003 and identified another 104 occurrences of otter sign. DOW personnel and citizen volunteers found otter populations in the Gunnison, Piedra and Green rivers. In addition, they found evidence of otters in the Cache la Poudre, South Platte, Michigan and Illinois rivers. The DOW’s recovery plan was completed July 8, 2003, and the Colorado Wildlife Commission downlisted the river otter from endangered to threatened on the state's protected species list. Boreal Toad Biologists released 14,000 captive-raised boreal toad tadpoles in June of 2003 on the Grand Mesa, and an additional 800 toadlets were released at the end of August. Research is also being conducted to develop a quantitative chyrid fungus test and to determine the impact of the fungus on the protection of boreal toads. Black-Footed Ferret Teams of state and federal wildlife biologists conducted five releases of blackfooted ferrets into the White River region of northwest Colorado in 2003, bringing the number of ferrets released into the wild to 58. The releases were a large step toward the goal of establishing 10 self-sustaining ferret colonies across the plains states. In their annual habitat evaluation, biologists charged with recovery of © MARK PARCHMAN © BRUCE GILL program also received a substantial financial boost from the Colorado Wildlife Heritage Foundation, which committed to raising $500,000 over the next two years to cover the cost of the transplants. The reintroduction of lynx in Colorado is one of the most successful mammal reintroductions ever. the species also were pleased to report an increase in white-tailed prairie dog numbers over 2002, the food source for blackfooted ferrets. Colorado’s Endangered Fish The threat of drought hung precariously over Colorado’s native fish population in 2003, but DOW employees successfully minimized the effects of low water with hard work and research. Several populations of native cutthroat trout were rescued from severely drought-impacted streams. These fish have successfully spawned in hatcheries to initiate brood stock for the future restocking. Preliminary data also indicates populations of Arkansas darter, suckermouth minnow and plains minnow, all state-listed under the Endangered Species Act, survived the drought. DOW employees conducted a successful habitat enhancement at Lefthand Creek. The creek now supports a reintroduced and expanding population of common shiner, another state-listed species. The state-listed lake chub, for- Five releases of black-footed ferrets – North America’s rarest mammal – were made into northwest Colorado in 2003. �© KEN ARCHER COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE 2003 ANNUAL REPORT © KEN ARCHER In an effort to meet angler demands, the Division stocks 35 different species of fish. The reintroduction of river otters has been so successful that they have been downlisted from endangered to threatened in Colorado. merly thought to have been wiped out, has been rediscovered or introduced in at least five waters and is now known to be reproducing. Fishing he DOW stocked 64 million fish in Colorado’s lakes, streams and reservoirs in 2003. The stocking included more than 35 different species of fish in an effort to meet the diverse demands of the state’s anglers. The DOW also scored a major victory in the battle against whirling disease when the Rifle Falls Fish Hatchery was certified free of the parasite that causes the disease. Rifle Falls, located north of Rifle, is the DOW’s largest trout rearing facility. Certification means that the DOW has T 6 regained its capability to raise more than 700,000 catchable-sized trout and over a million fingerlings a year for stocking in whirling disease-free waters. The DOW also resumed aerial stocking of high-altitude lakes in 2003. The program was suspended after veteran terrestrial biologist and pilot Jim Olterman died when the plane he was piloting on one such mission crashed Sept. 4, 2002. DOW pilots stocked nearly 300 lakes between Aug. 26 and Sept. 12. Resumption of highaltitude stocking will ensure great backcountry fishing for outdoorsmen who enjoy hiking in to remote mountain lakes. The DOW also made significant strides in providing additional fishing access for the people of Colorado. One of its most notable accomplishments was securing a 1.25-mile easement along the Roaring Fork River; one of Colorado’s premier trout fisheries. The contract creates a permanent fishing easement, allowing the landowner to retain ownership of the land, while providing fishing access in perpetuity. Nine-year-old Dylan Ross received a Master Angler Award for this 7-pound, 1.5 ounce brook trout he caught at Blue Mesa Reservoir. “ The Colorado Division of Wildlife has hooked a whopper of a fishing easement on the Roaring Fork River, and there’s no chance it will ever get away. ” — Lynn Burton, Post Independent Reporter Record Fish for 2003 DOW efforts to produce great fisheries can be measured in four records that were broken in 2003. Matt Smiley was the first to break the state’s lake trout record in Rainbow trout Colorado Outdoors �COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE 2003 ANNUAL REPORT April of 2003 with a monster weighing 44 pounds 5 ounces caught at Blue Mesa Reservoir. That record was eclipsed six weeks later by Larry Cornell of Penrose, whose fish, also caught in Blue Mesa , weighed 46 pounds, 14.6 ounces. State records for spotted bass and rainbow trout were also broken in 2003. Customer Service nder the Strategic Plan, the DOW is also charged with increasing hunter satisfaction by providing responsive customer service. The DOW took several steps toward improving customer service including the creation of a new Southwest Region, and building a new facility in Colorado Springs. It also launched electronic license sales known as the Total Licensing System (TLS). The overwhelming task of creating a new method of selling and tracking hunting and fishing licenses began in 2002. It went online in 2003 when license agents began selling big game licenses through the system July 15. DOW offices sold leftover licenses through the new system in August and license agents began selling leftovers in September. More than 1.1 million licenses were sold using the new system in 2003. The TLS also allows hunters and fishermen to buy licenses from the conve- “ I would like to express my appreciation and gratitude for the duck hunting opportunity given my son on behalf of the Colorado Division of Wildlife Youth Hunters Outreach Program. The safety education and attention to detail your program offers is outstanding. Your approach to the ‘ethical hunter’ and respect for the landowner and game reinforces the values I try to instill in my young hunter. On a more personal note, the outing provided me with two days of what I consider quality time spent with my son in a very positive environment. ” — D. Kozoh © KEN ARCHER U nience of their homes, either through the Internet or by telephone. All licenses were available by phone and Internet in November. To date more than 4,300 licenses have been sold on the Internet and nearly 1,000 licenses have been sold by phone. The DOW expects this number to increase in 2004 as the DOW publicizes its licensing options in the future. Hunters will also be able to apply for big game licenses on the Internet beginning in March of 2004 using the new system. The Hunter Outreach Program began its second-year effort to recruit and retain current and future generations of hunters as cited in the DOW’s Strategic Plan. The program hosted 15 hunting seminars attended by more than 1,000 members of the public interested in hunting deer, elk, grouse, turkey and waterfowl. The program hosted shooting clinics for women and youths, and will provide more than 500 novice hunters with a unique and educational hunting opportunity by the end of May, 2004. Expansion of the program continues with the recruitment and certification of 30 new hunt masters this past year. These volunteers organize and run youth and novice hunts across the state. As the progress of the program continues, the word has spread; landowners, ranchers and the general public have firmly embraced the concept and offered resources to help provide educational experiences and extend the hunting heritage. March/April 2004 The DOW created a new Southwest Region and the headquarters are up and running in Durango. Tom Spezze, who has had a distinguished 23-year career with the DOW, was named regional manager for the new region. The new region has allowed the DOW to better manage the large geographic region previously under the control of the West Region. The reorganization allows the DOW to better serve the large number of organizations, interest groups, agencies and individuals in the area and better manage the wide variety of wildlife. The Southeast Regional Office in Colorado Springs moved from its old facility on Weber Street to a new and upgraded facility located on Garden of the Gods Road. The old office, occupied since 1964, simply became too small to meet the needs of employees and the constituents they serve in the Pikes Peak Region. The new office, much larger in size and situated on a 2.5-acre lot, is shared with Colorado State Parks and the Division of Water Resources, offering one-stop Department of Natural Resources (DNR) shopping. The new office also includes a classroom facility that can be used for workshops, public meetings, hunter education and 7 �environmental education. A soon-to-beconstructed indoor shooting range for hunter education will provide further enhancement. The Walk-in Access Program enrolled an additional 10,000 acres into the program that provides access to private land for small game hunters. More than 160,000 acres of private farmland was accessible to hunters during the 2003 small game season. The program has become extremely popular since its inception three years ago, both with pheasant hunters and landowners in the eastern plains. The DOW’s effort to keep its customers informed also made tremendous strides. An e-mail service called the DOW Insider enables those who sign up to receive up-todate information on Colorado’s wildlife and its management. More than 8,000 subscribers were enrolled during 2003, its first year in operation, and those who signed up praise the service as being informative and helpful. “ Today, 19 Nov., I called the DOW office on Broadway. I spoke with a gentleman in the Customer Service area and he was wonderful. Unfortunately I did not get his name, but he was truly a professional, very helpful and answered my inquiry quickly, efficiently and with a great attitude. Just wanted to say thanks to your staff for great support and what you are doing for wildlife in Colorado! Thanks! ” — Randy Henline, Bennett CO Colorado’s hunters and anglers benefited from some technological advances made by the DOW. Computer-generated maps made available on the DOW Web site have been designed to provide critical information to DOW customers, including detailed maps of Colorado’s game management units for hunters who have access to the Internet. With many different useful tools for researching and finding hunting locations, along with a tutorial on how to COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE OFFICES 10 © TYLER BASKFIELD/DOW COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE 2003 ANNUAL REPORT District Wildlife Manager Travis Harris teaches participants in the Hunter Outreach Program about being contacted by a wildlife officer in the field and the importance of being an ethical hunter. use the program, hunters can now obtain information without having to waste time and other resources. Accurate directions to hundreds of Colorado’s best fishing spots are also just a mouse click away for the state’s anglers. The DOW developed more than 200 maps to work in conjunction with the statewide fishing report during 2003. Like the game management unit maps, these maps are provided on the DOW Web site along with weekly updated fishing information on individual lakes, streams and reservoirs throughout the state. These maps also will allow anglers to plan their whole trip from their computer by showing cities, highways, forest roads, trails, Gold Medal waters, township range and section lines, city and county boundaries, state wildlife areas and distribution of private and public land. The maps also contain data from creel counts and fish samples over the past two decades. Law Enforcement The DOW has a strong tradition of protecting the state’s wildlife through law enforcement, and that tradition was further strengthened in 2003 due to the dedication and hard work of the DOW officers. Two cases that particularly stand out involved nonresident poachers. George Allen Waters, 53, a farmer from West Branch, Iowa, pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally killing trophy-sized mule deer and elk in Colorado’s backcoun- Northeast Region and Denver Service Center 6060 Broadway Denver, CO 80216 (303) 291-7227 Headquarters: (303) 297-1192 Northwest Region and Grand Junction Service Center 711 Independent Avenue Grand Junction, CO 81505 (970) 255-6100 try and transporting them across state lines for commercial use. The case ranked as one of the largest poaching cases in Colorado history. DOW wildlife officers used tips from helpful hunters, old-fashioned legwork and high-tech science to build a successful case against Eugene D. Christensen who poached a bighorn sheep. Christensen was forced to pay $15,479 in fines, the animal was confiscated and he faces a possible lifetime suspension of his hunting and fishing privileges in Colorado and the other states that belong to the Western Wildlife Compact. Awards Once again in 2003, the quality of DOW employees was recognized on a national scale with several awards presented to DOW employees. Bob Thompson, district wildlife manager in Kremmling, was awarded the Western Wildlife Law Enforcement Association’s Pogue-Elms Award. Thompson, who has been an officer for the DOW for 23 years, was recognized for his advancement in officer training and his work in the legislative arena in providing research on wildlife laws and the peace officer status of wildlife officers in Colorado. Thompson stood out among numerous nominees from the 23 agencies belonging to the organization. DOW law enforcement officer Glenn Smith received one of the most prestigious wildlife law enforcement awards conferred Southeast Region and Colorado Springs Service Center 4255 Sinton Rd. Colorado Springs, CO 80907 (719) 227-5200 Southwest Region and Durango Service Center Colorado Outdoors 151 E. 16th St. Durango, CO 81301 (970) 247-0855 Web site: http://wildlife.state.co.us �� https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/f066eec22aae646fd55a33cc7318bbf8.pdf 64d36b33798477833859ce49daf8c273 PDF Text Text COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE 2004 ANNUAL REPORT his is my third decade at the Colorado Division of Wildlife. That longevity affords me the unique experience of witnessing dramatic improvements in wildlife management. While change itself is inevitable, one thing that has not changed through these years is the Division of Wildlife’s dedication to protecting the wild creatures that share this grand and varied landscape with us. This past year, I was chosen as director of the Division. To be T They have helped us immensely to shoulder the expenses and the time necessary to bring our state’s wildlife management to the next level. It’s not only wildlife management for which we strive to develop best practices, we also work hard to be the best partner in the country with all our conservation resource teams. The year 2005 could bring the Division, and the state’s citizens, many challenges relative to wildlife. With a soft economy, we may have to do more with less. While lean times can make our jobs a bit more difficult, we also can utilize this opportunity to come up with new and innovative ways to accomplish our mission of conserving and protecting wildlife. I sincerely believe that the Division’s greatest assets are its people. I value the opportunity to work with this uniquely qualified team of men and women. Together with our conservation and sportsman partners throughout the state, we will continue to focus on our valuable Colorado wildlife. Few other places on earth have the quantity and quality of wildlife we so enjoy. Our objective will always be to protect this great resource and to manage these valuable assets for Coloradans. Sincerely, Bruce L. McCloskey Director © MICHAEL MAURO COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE 2004 ANNUAL REPORT named to lead this outstanding group of professionals is truly an honor. As a result of the ongoing efforts of the more than 650 Division employees, the Colorado Division of Wildlife has developed the enviable reputation as one of the nation’s best in conservation. Having worked my way up from the position of district wildlife manager, I have had the privilege of getting to know many of the Division’s employees and their families and I can assure you we would be hard-pressed to find a more dedicated team. Our reputation comes from accomplishing goals on the ground for Colorado’s wildlife, and 2004 was no different. In 2005, I am confident we will be able to build on our successes, and tackle new projects and challenges like never before. We have Russell George as director of the state Department of Natural Resources, the Division’s parent agency. Those who know Russ know that he has a great appreciation of the importance of our mission. Our Wildlife Commission is committed to our cause. We have a new state legislature that promises to support us and knows the value of our work to all Colorado citizens. We have a dedicated group of sportsmen’s organizations that stand by us and work diligently to ensure our successes will continue. We have a vast and growing constituency who view wildlife as one of the state’s most valuable resources. You will notice that many of the success stories in this report come as a result of the teamwork and cooperation with sportsmen, environmental organizations, landowners, volunteers and other state wildlife agencies. �COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE 2004 ANNUAL REPORT Hunting Commission approved a new big game season structure for the next five years. The new structure includes three deer and four elk rifle seasons, along with archery and muzzleloading seasons similar or identical to those in effect during 2004. The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) commissioned a study to investigate the impacts of hunting, fishing and wildlife watching on the state’s economy. The report concluded that hunting and fishing generated an estimated $1.5 billion in 2002, including $800 million in direct revenues and $700 in indirect revenues. The study found that the fishing industry generated almost $460 million in direct revenue and hunting generated close to $340 million. Together, the industries supported approximately 20,200 jobs throughout the state. Wildlife watching generated an estimated $560 million in direct revenue and an estimated $940 million total in 2002. The Wildlife Commission approved more than 147,000 antlerless and either-sex elk licenses for the 2004 big game season, the most in state history. The move reflects an elk herd that exceeds population objectives in some areas of the state. The Commission also approved nearly 35,000 antlerless and eithersex deer licenses and nearly 69,000 antlered deer licenses for the 2004 season, a 10 percent increase over 2003. © TIM CHRISTIE T he Colorado Wildlife The Division of Wildlife plans to emphasize obtaining additional CWD samples in 2005 from areas in which the numbers of samples are too low to provide useable data. Fishing T C © DONALDMJONES.COM he DOW estimates 700,000 fishing licenses were sold in 2004, although the final figures aren’t available yet. The DOW worked hard in 2004 to improve the quality of the state’s fisheries after years of drought. The drought loosened Colorado deer hunters were its grip on the West durpleased with the number of mature bucks they saw during 2004, and the DOW’s ing the 2004 season. state fish hatchery system began to approach normal production Chronic wasting disease levels. The hatchery Whirling dissystem distributed hronic wasting disease (CWD) has emerged as an important issue with regard to the ease-free more than 16.2 milhealth of deer and elk herds in Colorado and elsewhere across the nation. The DOW is hatcheries will lion subcatchable viewed as a world leader in research of the disease and in developing programs to safeincrease the trout and salmon and guard affected herds to ensure that they remain some of Colorado’s most valuable quality of more that 3.2 million wildlife resources. This effort continued throughout 2004. Colorado’s catchable trout during Recent findings from ongoing field and laboratory studies provided new insights into the possimost pristine 2004. The hatchery fisheries. ble ways in which CWD is spread. DOW field data revealed that CWD prevalence is much highsystem also turned out er among mature male deer than other sex-age classes, suggesting that mature bucks may contract more than 50 million warm-water fry/finCWD more easily due to their behavior. Other data showed that CWD-infected mule deer tend to gerlings. There are plans for increased be more vulnerable to vehicle collisions. production, including the Pueblo hatchFor the first time in 2004, every deer, elk and moose license included a detachable CWD testery’s goal of 200,000 catchable-size trout ing tag. The tag carries the hunting license number and hunter identification, and it has a bar code for the 2006 season. that can be scanned to speed up head processing. The DOW, in cooperation with In 2004, deer and elk submission by hunters was made voluntary instead of mandatory in Colorado State Parks, has acquired a new northeast Colorado and the number of animals tested declined significantly in those units. hatchery. The Monte Vista Hatchery was �© DOW PHOTO CC OO LL OO RR AA DD OO DD II VV II SS II OO NN OO FF W W II LL DD LL II FF EE 22 00 00 44 AA NN NN UU AA LL RR EE PP OO RR TT The Division of Wildlife partnered with the Navajo Nation, the Ute Mountain Ute wildlife officers and the National Park Service to boost native fish populations on the Mancos River drainage in 2004. reclaimed to reintroduce these pure Colorado River cutthroats in 2005. These fish also were reintroduced into two reservoirs on Battlement Mesa that had previously been reclaimed and one reservoir on the mesa that had been drained. In 2002, pure Trappers Creek Colorado River cutthroats were salvaged to prevent R e i n t ro d u c t i o n s & possible extinction of this population due to Studies drought. A project that reintroduced native fish to eintroductions of wildlife the Mancos River drainage in Southwest and studies aimed at gatherColorado was completed in 2004. ing information about The 2004 kokanee spawn operations at species and habitat have Williams Fork and Shadow Mountain reserbecome critical conservation voirs and Lake Granby were successful. practices in the 21st century. More than 500,000 eggs were taken from Some of the DOW’s most Williams Fork. Another 150,000 were taken tangible accomplishments are reintroductions from Shadow Mountain, and 2.8 million to enhance Colorado’s wildlife resources. were taken from Granby. After more than three years of habitat The DOW made huge strides in its efforts analysis and meetings to address stakeholder to improve urban angling access during 2004. concerns, the DOW Thornton Gravel Division of Wildlife biologists, with made the decision to Pit Lakes Nos. 2 help from Utah wildlife officials, hope transplant moose to the and 3 and Spratto transplant 25 Shiras moose over the Grand Mesa National Platte Lake were next three years to the Grand Mesa. Forest east of Grand opened to the Junction. The effort to public. The probring moose to the area jects represent was spearheaded by a 164 acres of new group of Grand Valley water for the residents who wanted to public to enjoy. see moose roaming the All of these sites Grand Mesa, the largest received federal flat-topped mesa in the “Fishing is Fun” world. DOW biologists grant money to hope to transplant around R © MACK & SHARON JOHNSON purchased by State Parks and turned over to the hatchery system. The facility is expected to produce an additional 160,000 whirling disease-negative catchable trout and 500,000 subcatchable trout for Colorado’s waters. Roaring Judy Hatchery completed its last phase of testing and has been certified whirling disease-negative. Officials are working to enhance the spring water-collection system at the Pitkin Hatchery with the goal of making that facility whirling disease-negative as well. During the 1990s the vast majority of the DOW’s cold-water-fish-rearing facilities tested positive for whirling disease. Thanks to the hard work and creative solutions of the DOW’s engineering and hatchery sections, all but one of the cold-water-fish-rearing facilities originally targeted for clean up have been certified whirling disease-free. The Pitkin Hatchery made great strides in developing a “pure” broodstock of greenback cutthroat trout to be used in the Arkansas River drainage for restoration work. Native cutthroat work on the Western Slope progressed in 2004. The state hatchery system now has four “pure” captive broodstock populations of the Colorado River cutthroat. A total of 834,075 cutthroats were stocked in Colorado’s high country in 2004. The development of these broodstocks on the Western Slope will ensure conservation and restoration work will proceed in the future. The year 2004 also marked the second spawning of wild Colorado River cutthroats along a stream bank in the Roan Creek drainage. Another stream in the drainage was help construct restrooms, parking areas, trails, fishing piers and additional infrastructure. A comprehensive review of the state’s fishing regulations for the years 2006-2010 has begun. The Colorado Wildlife Commission currently reviews fishing regulations once every five years. Twelve projects, including new urban angling access areas, received Fishing is Fun money in 2004. The DOW administers the Fishing is Fun program for the state, and received grant applications for projects totaling $1.28 million. The spring and summer of 2004 marked one of the most productive times in recent history for the DOW’s walleye-stocking program. The success was due largely to the efforts of citizen volunteers who collected, along with the DOW, more than 102 million walleye eggs from area reservoirs in the spring. The harvest exceeded expectations of 85 million and helped the DOW bolster walleye populations in the state’s reservoirs. The Burry Ranch access agreement was signed into effect in 2004. It opens to the public in perpetuity 1.25 miles of Gold Medal fishing water between Glenwood Springs and Carbondale. The agreement locks up 21 acres of critical public access points to one of the most productive fishing waters in the country. �Forty-eight bighorn sheep have been released in the Little Bookcliffs northeast of Grand Junction. The Division hopes to establish a population of 125-140 at the site. tion program. Colorado’s lynx reintroduction Working Group, which was charged with program began in 1999, when 41 lynx were developing a management plan for wolves released into the wild in a remote area in that may venture into Colorado on their own. southwestern Colorado. Since then, a total of Wildlife biologists in Wyoming and 166 lynx have been transplanted from Nebraska trapped 30 sharp-tailed grouse and Canada to Colorado. So far researchers have released them into Weld and Morgan counconfirmed at least 52 lynx kittens have been born to the released cats, 36 of which were born in 2004. The acquisition of the Frisco Creek Wildlife Hospital and Rehabilitation Center by the DOW will help the lynx reintroduction program as well as benefit many other species of Colorado’s wildlife. The wildlife rehabilitation facility played a key role in the lynx recovery effort and is considered among the best for treating large native species. With wolves being reintroduced by the USFWS into Wyoming, Idaho, New Mexico and Arizona, many people wondered if wolves would wander into Colorado. That question was answered when a radio-collared young female wolf from Wyoming was found dead along The DOW has begun work with wildlife officials in Interstate 70 just west Idaho Quebec, British Columbia, Manitoba, Alberta and the Yukon Territory to acquire the estimated 50 lynx that Springs in 2004. are expected to be released in April 2005. While the lone wolf’s presence was not an indication that wolves have become established in Colorado, it was the first wolf to be found ties south of the Pawnee National Grassland. in the state in more 50 years. The transplant, along with several more, that The DOW was already working to stay will take place in the next two years, will ahead of the curve on the wolf issue by estabhelp restore the species to its historic lishing the Gray Wolf Management Plan Colorado range. © DOW PHOTO 25 Shiras moose per year over the next three years in hopes of establishing a self-sustaining moose population in six to seven years. Biologists released 23 black-footed ferrets, still listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act, into northwest Colorado. Colorado’s state mammal, the bighorn sheep, which also is the symbol of the DOW, has a new stronghold. DOW officials released 15 Colorado bighorn sheep in March on federal land northeast of Grand Junction. The release wrapped up a yearlong initiative to reintroduce bighorns back to this particular part of their native range. With the help from the BLM, the DOW began implementing the reintroduction effort in February 2003 after months of negotiations with ranchers, sportsmen, conservation groups, private companies and other stakeholders. The DOW hopes to establish a population of 125-140 bighorn sheep at the site, where state and federal officials have singled out 34,000 acres of habitat. To date, 48 bighorns have been released in the area referred to as the Little Bookcliffs. The Bats Inactive Mines Project entered its 14th year of evaluating bat roosts in inactive mines and protecting them by installing gates. In 2004, 385 mines were evaluated and 414 surveys were conducted. Bat gates were recommended for 54 mines to keep people out while letting the bats in. During the surveys, 55 new bat roosts in abandoned mines were documented, 34 of which were found to be roosts for the Townsend’s big-eared bat, a state species of special concern. DOW biologists began field work aimed at assessing the state’s swift fox population in 2004. The survey occurs every five years as part of the interagency Swift Fox Conservation Strategy adopted by Colorado and nine other states as well as the federal government and Canada. Waterfowl hunters could benefit from a study the DOW is conducting on the South Platte River on the Eastern Plains. The Wildlife Commission asked for the study because of hunter concern over the decline of waterfowl hunting on private and public property along the South Platte from Greeley to the Nebraska state line. More than 200 chukar were released onto public land north of Grand Junction. The project was a cooperative effort between the DOW, the BLM and the Nevada Department of Wildlife. The DOW began a 10-year mountain lion research and development program this fall on the Uncompahgre Plateau on the Western Slope. It will be the most comprehensive mountain lion study ever to be conducted. It was a good year for the lynx reintroduc- © DOW PHOTO COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE 2004 ANNUAL REPORT �COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE 2004 ANNUAL REPORT P The program offers landowners perpetual or term easements in conjunction with management agreements. The program focuses on landowners whose property contains habitat for the Gunnison and greater sage grouse, Preble’s meadow jumping mouse, lesser prairie chicken and other shortgrass prairie species with the goal of helping prevent further decline. More than 20 landowners signed an agreement in 2004 to support the ongoing state and federal efforts to conserve mountain plovers. The agreements will allow DOW biologists and conservationists from the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory to access private property, on which they will conduct research and flag plover nests. An agreement between a Colorado landowner, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the DOW will ensure public access to high-quality fishing waters near Gunnison and establish a state wildlife area for sage grouse, bald eagles, deer, hawks, geese and other species. The DOW locked up 4.3 miles of Tomichi Creek, a tributary of the Gunnison River that starts at the base of Monarch Pass and meanders west into © MACK & SHARON JOHNSON © DOW PHOTO rotecting the species that inhabit Colorado has always been a major part of the DOW’s mission. The DOW asked for the public’s help in identifying nongame species that need to be conserved. By developing a conservation plan to prioritize and meet conservation goals, the DOW will be eligible for an additional $6 million annually from a federal grant program designed to help states with the conservation of nongame species. The federal grant dollars are expected to provide the DOW with an automatic, permanent and alternative funding source for species conservation. Together with matching GOCO lottery money, total funding for the project could reach $10 million per year. In hopes of offsetting the loss of sagebrush habitat and increasing the odds of the long-term survival of the Gunnison sage grouse, DOW biologists are trying to stimulate new plant Cooperation with growth in targeted private landownsage habitat in southers has been critiwest Colorado. cal in stabilizing Sagebrush habitat mountain plover improvement stratepopulations. gies include many sagebrush community restoration and rehabilitation techniques. The DOW has published a sagebrush identification and sagebrush community restoration manual in cooperation with two nationally recognized sagebrush taxonomy and restoration ecologists. DOW biologists also are conducting a multiyear study in Moffat County designed to glean more insight into the survival rate of greater sage grouse chicks and their distribution patterns and nesting habits. The study is being conducted in cooperation with the Northwest Colorado Sage Grouse Working © DOW PHOTO Species C o n s e r va t i o n Group and the University of Idaho. Scientists hope to gather more information about chick fostering, the species’ dispersal mechanisms, nesting and chick fidelity. The DOW has partnered with numerous local groups in significant areas of greater sage grouse habitat in Colorado to help maintain, and in some areas to increase, populations of this native bird. DOW partners include private landowners, federal The new Colorado agencies, state agenHerpetofaunal cies, county and Atlas will help local governments biologists gather and organizations, data about fluctuations in the popu- sportsmen’s groups, lations of species. ranchers, local land trusts, nongovernmental organizations, power, electric, mining, oil The Grassland Species Conservation Plan was developed in 2004 to help species of concern while keeping landowner rights and interests intact. Pictured is a black-tailed prairie dog. and gas companies and others. Such partnerships currently are improving sage grouse habitat in North Park, Middle Park and in northern Eagle and southern Routt counties. The DOW worked during 2004 to recruit more private landowners to participate in the Colorado Species Conservation Partnership. Gunnison, to be used by anglers and wildlife watchers. Under the terms of the agreement, land along the creek will remain open to the public in perpetuity to conserve critical wildlife habitat. The DOW initiated a far-reaching plan to ensure the future of the black-tailed prairie �COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE 2004 ANNUAL REPORT dog and other native grassland species on the Eastern Plains. The Grassland Species Conservation Plan was developed in 2004 to ensure the long-term viability of shortgrass species and their habitat while keeping landowner rights and interests intact. Customer Service F or the first time in Colorado, the DOW provided the opportunity for customers to apply for big game licenses over the Internet. The option quickly became popular, with more than 20 percent of all applications being submitted over the Internet. The DOW’s license-buying system, known as the Total Licensing System, has helped the agency make tremendous leaps in customer service. Customers say they are pleased with the ease of the new process. DOW employees from the Meeker area hosted a women’s “Cast and Blast” clinic this past summer. Thirty-two women attended the event, which is designed to teach women about shotgun safety and shooting techniques along with the basics of fly-fishing. The public now can help the DOW track the progress of the state’s river otters by reporting sightings on a new Web page, launched in 2004. With the new River Otter Observation Form (http://wildlife.state. co.us/species_cons/otter/otterform.htm), citizens who believe they have spotted a river otter in the wild can supply biologists with specific, critical data. Another new feature that became available online in 2004 was hunter education courses. The Internet-based Hunter Education Course is an alternative to the traditional site-based course that is designed to meet unusual schedules and different learning styles. After completing the Internet home study material, students must “attend” a designated Internet course taught by a certified instructor. As an added convenience to hunters, the DOW supplied a list of rifle and archery ranges on its Web site. The list of ranges, their amenities and their locations can be found at http://wildlife.state.co.us/hunt/ huntereducation/shooting_ranges.asp. Sportsmen’s groups throughout the state teamed up with the DOW to show residents and visitors the important role wildlife has played in Colorado’s past by creating an educational DVD, which will air at specially designed kiosks at visitor centers around the state. After nearly three years of planning and research, the DOW’s species conservation section launched an interactive online atlas featuring scientific and historical data, digital WAVE sound files (to listen to different species) and digital photos of the state’s frogs, toads, salamanders, lizards, turtles and snakes. Visitors to the new Colorado Herpetofaunal Atlas will be able to learn more about some of the state’s least-known native species and practice citizen science by submitting information whenever they spot “herps” in their backyard or in the backcountry. The site offers maps indicating where herpetofaunal species have been sighted in Colorado. Once atlas users have registered as herpetofaunal observers, they can record their own sightings and observations. To view the site, go to http://ndis.nrel.colostate.edu/herpatlas/coherpatlas. Archery enthusiasts have a new place to practice their craft due to the DOW’s efforts in 2004. Construction was completed on the Bighorn Archery Range in Pueblo, just east of the DOW office at 600 Reservoir Road. Construction of the range was made possible by generous donations from several local businesses and organizations. Law Enforcement S eventy-eight percent of Colorado residents believe the DOW’s top priority is to enforce existing wildlife laws, and law enforcement is indeed essential to protecting the state’s wildlife. The DOW was able to obtain additional money from Federal Homeland Security grants, which it put into additional technology to help officers become more efficient in the field. Forty-three Toughbooks, laptop computers mounted in officer’s trucks, connect them to the Internet, allowing instant access to the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Information System (CORIS) database, the Colorado Crime Information Center (CCIC) and several other national and state databases used in law enforcement. The DOW launched a new anti-poaching The gold watch R etired police sergeant Dan McDonald from Merced, Calif., was hunting during the third combined season near Maybell, and while out in the sagebrush, he found an expensive gold watch on the ground. On the back of the watch were the engraved initials “WRH 1978-2002.” Upon returning home, McDonald e-mailed the DOW’s customer service department and asked if there was any way to search for the rightful owner of the watch. “I had just retired and understand the importance of the retirement watch,” McDonald said in his e-mail. The DOW’s call center technicians and wildlife technologies section went to work. By using the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Information System (CORIS) database, a list of more than 700 customers with the initials WRH was developed. That list was refined, and information such as the type of license each person bought was included. The list then was narrowed down by game management unit. After a few calls to some very confused previous license buyers (including one man’s wife who, when asked if her husband might have lost a watch, replied, “He’d better not have”), William R. Hewitt received the “magic call” as it became known around the DOW office, from the agency. It turned out the retired corrections officer from Vandalia, Ill., had lost the watch on a previous hunting trip to the area. A teary-eyed Hewitt said he was amazed the DOW would go to so much trouble to find him, and that the return of his watch was the best Christmas gift he ever had received. In 2004, all of the Division’s commissioned law enforcement officers once again received a minimum of 40 hours training mandated by the legislature. Travis Harris works on a Toughbook in his pickup truck. �COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE 2004 ANNUAL REPORT W ildlife law enforcement goes beyond writing tickets and collecting fines, as officer Larry Rogstad demonstrated in a case he completed in 2004. The case centered on an illegal fish kill on the Poudre River two years before. A company was secretly dumping washout effluent from cattle-hauling trucks into the river, killing all the fish along a significant stretch. At the time of the conviction, Rogstad was working with the town of Windsor to acquire and dredge out the old Windsor Reservoir. By working with the town, the district attorney, the attorney general’s office and the defendant, Rogstad was able to have the defendant’s $97,000 fine go to supporting and benefiting fisheries management on the reservoir. Rogstad drafted the memorandum of understanding with the town that specified the use of the funds go toward the construction of fishing docks and piers, youth fishery education, habitat improvement and law enforcement at the reservoir. In addition, Rogstad worked with the town to apply for federal Fishing is Fun grants. The end result was nearly $250,000 worth of fisheries management, access and equipment being provided to the fishing public on this once unused reservoir. The case is an example of a DOW officer taking the loss of a resource and building from it a positive partnership that will benefit outdoor recreationists for generations to come. To learn more about the DOW’s law enforcement efforts or to read case narratives, visit the law enforcement section’s annual report at: http://wildlife.state.co.us/about/ LawEnforcement/. © TIM CHRISTIE Education The Division of Wildlife’s winter range patrols continued in 2004, helping to keep trophy animals for the law-abiding public to enjoy. T he DOW’s education section offers residents opportunities to learn about wildlife and how to enjoy and con- serve it. This past year, many people learned about the wildlife and outdoor recreation the state has to offer because of the DOW’s efforts. Project WILD continues to be the major focus of the DOW’s education section when it comes to wildlife education in schools. During 2004, the DOW trained 1,240 educators in Project WILD workshops. More than 470 different classes in 26 schools are participating in WIN/WIN. This successful partnership with the Denver Zoo provides a continuous education program for kindergartners through sixth-graders. Wildlife educators visit each classroom six times a year. Each class also gets an annual field trip to one of the DOW’s 30 partner outdoor-education sites. The Angler Education/River Stewardship program educated more than 11,000 children on angling techniques and conservation practices, and also gave each child their own fishing rod and reel. This DOW program received national recognition in 2004 when the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame selected it for the prestigious Organizational Award for outstanding accomplishments in education. Each year, more than 1.2 million residents and nonresidents take more than 4 million trips to view wildlife in Colorado. The DOW is working, through its Wildlife Watch program, to provide opportunities for The Hunter Outreach Program was responsible for 675 youth days in the field in 2004 as part of the program’s effort to teach people hunting ethics and conservation. initiative in September 2004 called TIP, or Turn In Poachers. TIP will complement Operation Game Thief (OGT), which offers cash rewards of up to $500 for poaching tips. Callers can remain anonymous. However, unlike OGT, TIP will offer preference points or hunting licenses to persons willing to testify about the illegal killing or willful destruction of big game species or turkeys. TIP applies only to species that fall under limited licenses, including turkeys and big game animals such as bighorn sheep, mountain goats, moose, bears, deer and elk. Depending upon the information provided, rewards offered through the program could be hunting licenses in coveted game management units. COLORADO 10DIVISION OF WILDLIFE OFFICES Northeast Region and Denver Service Center 6060 Broadway Denver, CO 80216 (303) 291-7227 Headquarters: (303) 297-1192 Northwest Region and Grand Junction Service Center 711 Independent Ave. Grand Junction, CO 81505 (970) 255-6100 © DOW PHOTO Fines benefit fish �� https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/dbfcc60b26fa23c0f2ed6e8ed92adf47.pdf 47c82530d16dfba5cdbfe17bdc292c58 PDF Text Text Colorado Division of Wildlife | 2005 Annual Report The Colorado Division of Wildlife’s mission remains to conserve and enhance the state’s natural resources. MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR T 2005 WITNESSED MANY GREAT CHANGES and new challenges for the Division. We responded by keeping biology as our foundation while moving forward with the social issues that have become a critical aspect of wildlife management today. © DOW PHOTO National Geographic magazine features an article on the successful reintroduction of lynx to Colorado. mated 200 lynx alive today and showing signs of self-sustaining population. We are very proud of a feature story on the lynx program in a recent issue of National Geographic magazine confirming that it is one of the most successful species reintroductions in wildlife management history. Without a doubt, our workforce remains our most important asset. Our dedicated employees possess a world-class knowledge of the needs of wildlife and how best to protect it through common sense and expertise based on the best data and facts. Once again in 2005, many of our employees were recognized for their expertise, hard work and dedication to wildlife resources both nationally and internationally by a variety of conservation and law enforcement organizations. Year after year our staff continues to confirm that the best practices in wildlife management come from Colorado. Our mission remains to conserve and enhance this great resource for this generation and the next. On behalf of the Division, I want to thank all Coloradans who value wildlife and who do so much in partnership with us to protect our wildlife. You are the voice of wildlife, and with your continued commitment we look forward to more great accomplishments for Colorado’s wildlife resources in the future. Bruce L. McCloskey, Director Colorado Division of Wildlife © MICHAEL MAURO This year, both the Wildlife Commission and the Colorado State Assembly provided new leadership and direction on the management of wildlife resources. The Wildlife Commission adopted policy changes for the big game license allocation process for 2006. Importantly, Governor Bill Owens signed House Bill 1266 that provides new funding to conserve and enhance Colorado’s wildlife resource. The bill was supported by the Division, sportsman’s organizations, environmentalists and thousands of individual outdoor enthusiasts statewide. The bill raises resident hunting and fishing license fees for the first time since 1992. It also creates a fund that will be used to conserve vital wildlife habitat and establishes a small surcharge to help fund public education efforts regarding wildlife management in the state. Coloradans continue to show their insatiable desire for wildlife information and education. In 2005, we had over 5.5 million visitors to our Web site, an increase of 1 million visitors from 2004. Our education programs are in great demand including more than 9,500 school children who participated in our WIN-WIN program and more than 17,000 who graduated from our hunter education program. It was a banner year for our species reintroduction program. This year 47 moose were transplanted to the Grand Mesa from the state of Utah. Our lynx reintroduction program bore fruit this year with an esti- © MICHAEL MAURO HE YEAR May/June 2006 31 �Colorado Division of Wildlife | 2005 Annual Report AQUATICS AND FISHING Hunters harvested 56,462 elk in 2005, a 23 percent success rate. 2 005 WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR for Colorado’s fisheries and aquatic wildlife resources. The state of the aquatic resources at the end of 2005 is the best it has been in four years. The stream flows and reservoir storage have improved to levels not seen since 2001, the beginning of Colorado’s drought. The Division’s aquatic section has been working hard to make sure they can provide more recreational opportunity to the public and strengthen the hold of some of Colorado’s more fragile aquatic species by taking advantage of these improving conditions. © MICHAEL MAURO WATER MANAGEMENT IS CRITICAL TO FISHING HUNTING T HOSE WHO VENTURE INTO Colorado’s backcountry and plains in search of game had a lot to be excited about in 2005. Big game hunters had a record year in 2004 with an elk harvest that crested the 63,000 mark and a deer harvest that hit new all-time highs in terms of success rates. Forty-six percent of those who held deer licenses in 2004 were successful in filling their license. Word of this unprecedented success made a Colorado deer license one of the most coveted big game licenses in the western United States. As the 2005 big game season began, even with elk population numbers at or close to objectives, the potential for high success in Colorado remained. Big game success relies on a wide variety of variables besides population numbers, especially when it comes to elk. The most important of which is the weather during the hunting seasons. Hot and dry conditions make hunting elk much more difficult while too much snow or adverse weather can also hinder success. The consensus from Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) field personnel is that in several areas of the state, Mother Nature strayed from the fine line that she must walk to create the conditions necessary for record harvests. Although the data was not finalized by the time this publication went to print, early indications are that the 2005 32 AND WILDLIFE HABITAT PROTECTION E ach year the Division staff is responsible for managing 2,775 lakes, reservoirs and ponds, and 5,368 stream segments on more than 10,000 miles of streams. In 2005, approximately 500 lakes elk harvest will fall shy of the record numand stream segments were visited and bers that were hit in 2004. Deer harvest checked by fishery managers. numbers are expected to remain consistent In 2005, the fish production hatcheries with the outstanding 2004 numbers. and rearing units did an outstanding job in Hunting in Colorado goes beyond big rearing and stocking 54,300,000 warmgame. There are many water fish, 3,349,792 hunters who are just as catchable trout, 794,771 WORLD-CLASS MAJESTIC passionate about pursunative cutthroat trout, RAM DIES OF NATURAL ing small game and and 12,297,000 fry and CAUSES waterfowl species. fingerling trout of varihat is believed to Success rates for these ous species and strains. be the largest species tend to be just as Hatchery transport trucks Rocky Mountain susceptible to weather drove some 384,000 miles bighorn sheep ever meaconditions as the big to distribute 1,765,267 sured in Colorado was found game species are. pounds of fish in 2005. dead in November on the Fortunately for those Hatcheries continued Fort Carson Military who hunt pheasants and to make significant Reservation southwest of quail, populations of progress toward native Colorado Springs. The ram, these two popular game cutthroat restoration. with magnificently curved birds were solid in Developing and expandhorns approximately 6 inchColorado during the 2005 ing cutthroat broodstocks es larger than the state seasons. Colorado’s on several facilities and record, supposedly died of Walk-In Access program replacing hybridized natural causes. Division biolcontinued to provide broodstocks with genetiogists estimate the ram was more than 150,000 acres cally pure strains of the between 12 and 13 years old of huntable habitat for various species. The and was driven from the those who participated in Division now has pure herd by younger males. At the program. The majoristrains of greenbacks, Rio that point, it traveled north ty of Colorado’s hunters Grande and Colorado onto property owned by Fort were very pleased with River cutthroat and proCarson where it died of old the numbers of birds they duced more than 590,000 age. A necropsy indicated saw and harvested during fingerlings in 2005. Of heart and lung problems the 2005 season, making those, 316,335 were along with arthritis and a it one of the best small stocked in high mountain chest infection. game seasons in the past lakes and drainages helpfive years. W Colorado Outdoors �Colorado Division of Wildlife | 2005 Annual Report leader in wildlife law enforcement. Law enforcement is a very visual and critical service that the Division provides. Much of the Division’s success in enforcing wildlife laws is due to cooperation from concerned members of the public who report suspicious incidents and poaching violations and cooperation with other law enforcement agencies. The Division continued to strengthen these relationships in 2005. Several highprofile cases were possible due to concerned citizens doing their part to protect the state’s wildlife and the Division’s ability to team up with other organizations in an effort to catch those who would attempt to rob the state of its wildlife. MULTI-STATE EFFORT CATCHES Colorado Division of Wildlife hatcheries stocked 54,300,000 warm-water fish, 3,349,792 catchable trout, 794,771 native cutthroat trout, and 12,297,000 fry and fingerling trout of various species in 2005. ing strengthen the foothold or these native species. Division personnel worked together to collect eggs throughout the state from fish during their spawning runs. In 2005 the Division collected more than 12,400,000 kokanee salmon eggs, 90,500,000 walleye eggs and one million brown trout eggs. These eggs will help enhance many of the state’s popular fisheries for years to come. ENDANGERED SPECIES PROTECTIONS INCREASE ey fishery research projects continue to provide new management information to help with native cutthroat, boreal toad, large cold-water reservoirs and Colorado River Basin native fishes. The J.W. Mumma Native Aquatic Species Restoration Facility continues to develop brood stocks for Endangered, Threatened and Species of Special Concern. From the plains minnow to the Colorado pikeminnow, more than 97,000 fish were reared and released to the wild or held for future broodstock. In 2005 the facility produced and released more than 8,000 boreal toads. K rewriting and getting Wildlife Commission approval for fishing regulations, done once every five years. Staff annually participates in Fish Health Board meetings, angler roundtables, special fishing events and multi-state panels and scientific meetings. The Master Angler program run by the Aquatic Wildlife Section saw almost 300 applications for Master Angler awards, and four record fish by weight applications, touting Colorado’s reign as one of the most productive fisheries in the western United States. LAW ENFORCEMENT S E V E N T Y - E I G H T P E R C E N T OF Colorado’s residents believe that enforcing wildlife laws is the top priority for the Division. During 2005, the Division continued its fine tradition as being a national © DOW PHOTO FISHING OPPORTUNITIES CONTINUE TO EXPAND IN COLORADO F ishing license sales have increased slightly over the 2004 level, continuing the increase after the severe drop in 2002. More than 720,000 licenses were sold in 2005. Statewide, fishery managers completed the usually rigorous task of May/June 2006 © DOW PHOTO CHRONIC POACHER The Division continues its tradition of making law enforcement a priority. Pictured are wildlife managers with seized antlers. O ne of the most notable arrests in 2005 involved a multi-state law enforcement effort to track down and catch a long-time and chronic poacher. Law enforcement officers from the Colorado Division of Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Department and the Kentucky Game and Fish Department worked together to charge Steven Herrmann, 41, formerly of Laporte, Colo., and currently from Kentucky with a long list of wildlife violations and other crimes. Herrmann was charged by the Larimer County District Attorney’s Office with 12 felony counts of willful destruction of wildlife (killing animals and removing only the trophy parts) and could face an additional 42 misdemeanor counts of wildlife-related charges in Colorado. Herrmann is also being charged with auto theft, burglary and several other charges in jurisdictions in and outside of Colorado. Herrmann moved to Colorado from Kentucky in the late 1990s and quickly began breaking laws in Colorado. During the course of the investigation, DOW officers found that Herrmann had a long history of serious wildlife violations in both states. Evidence showed that he repeatedly poached deer in Colorado. DOW officers believe that he also poached numerous elk in Colorado and Wyoming, as well as antelope and an eagle. DOW CONTINUES TO RELY ON CITIZEN TIPS group of Arkansas hunters thought they had found a way to avoid buying the proper hunting licenses during their annual hunting trip to Colorado. What the men found out is that A 33 �Colorado Division of Wildlife | 2005 Annual Report WILDLIFE EDUCATION T HE D I V I S I O N H A S A B E L I E F that a better public knowledge of the state’s wildlife resources will help ensure their conservation. The Division has several education programs that target different groups in order to expand the public’s knowledge. Interest and participation in these programs in 2005 continued to increase demonstrating that Colorado’s wildlife resources are an enjoyable and coveted part of living in the state. The Hunter Outreach program offered additional seminars, clinics and more hunting excursions during 2005 in an effort to recruit more sportsmen. More than 150 huntmasters and volunteers teamed with private landowners, outfitters and conservation organizations to educate novice hunters. The program has become a blueprint for a grassroots program to bolster future generations of sportsmen. The Division also is working with classroom teachers. Nearly 17,000 educators receive Colorado Connections and almost 1,000 teachers across the state participated in 52 workshops as part of Project WILD. Since 1995, nearly 12,000 educators have been trained in the program and more than 34 In 2005, about 20,000 children and their parents participated in angler education programs that are funded through the Colorado Lottery and Great Outdoors Colorado. © DOW PHOTO officers with the Colorado Division of Wildlife will go to great lengths to stop poachers. Without the information the Division received from a concerned citizen, these individuals may have continued this activity. Such a case sends poachers a strong message that somebody is always watching, particularly law-abiding hunters. Officers from the DOW contacted the hunters after determining that the men had illegally hunted in the Big Red Park area north of Steamboat Springs. Officers had been watching the men for nearly a week after receiving a tip from a member of the public that the group was using firearms to hunt during an archery season. All of the suspects chose to admit guilt, waive their right to trial and pay the assessed fines. The men still face administrative action by the Colorado Wildlife Commission that could result in the loss of their hunting and fishing privileges in Colorado and 22 other Wildlife Violator Compact member states. The Wildlife Violator Compact is an agreement between states to restrict the hunting and fishing privileges for violators of wildlife laws in member states regardless of which state the violations took place in. 30,000 have received training since 1985. Last year, the DOW released its first high school curriculum module, an eightlesson, two-week program designed for biology, ecology and environmental science classes. The curriculum used “Return of the Snow Cat: the Reintroduction of Lynx to Colorado” to teach a lesson that relates to the important work being done in Colorado. Colorado also became the 36th state to adopt the National Archery in the Schools program, which trains middle and high school physical education teachers in archery instruction. Ten Colorado Springs schools took part in the pilot program last year, and depending upon the success of the program, more will be included in 2006. The Division also developed a “Quick Key to Amphibians and Reptiles of Colorado.” This simple-to-use-and-carry field tool complements the Colorado Herpetofaunal Atlas Web site. Angler education programs saw increased participation and recognition in 2005. More than 200 clinics reached about 20,000 children and their parents last year. With funds from the Colorado Lottery and Great Outdoors Colorado 13,000 fishing rods were purchased and distributed to youths ages 15 and under. Finally, the Angler Outreach program, recognized as outstanding by the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame, was awarded by the Western Governors’ Association with the George Mickelson Memorial Fellowship. The recognition demonstrates that the Division is a national leader in recruiting future anglers. The Division’s Hunter Education program also continues to graduate nearly 17,000 students per year, and its hunter education manual was completely revised to reflect hunting opportunities unique to Colorado. SPECIES CONSERVATION T HE DIVISION HAS A CENTRAL role in efforts to avert the need for species listings under the federal Endangered Species Act. While habitat protection is often the most important or visible step taken to protect a species, there are many other actions undertaken by the Division of Wildlife to help recover species so they can thrive and survive. BLACK-TAILED PRAIRIE DOG REMOVED FROM CANDIDATE SPECIES LIST n August of 2004, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the black-tailed prairie dog was being removed as a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act, due in large part to information provided by state agencies and tribes, including the Colorado Division of Wildlife. I Colorado Outdoors �Colorado Division of Wildlife | 2005 Annual Report NEW POPULATION OF RIO GRANDE SUCKER and lakes in 2004 and 2005. Continued efforts on establishing populations in the Arkansas and South Platte basins will allow the Division to begin the delisting petition process with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Division performed reclamation work at Zimmerman Lake for its use as a brood lake for the species and determined that upper Clear Creek and several tributaries contain greenback populations. Biologists also identified natural fish barrier in upper Clear Creek that will prevent immigration of non-native fish species and identified several other tributaries that may serve as potential waters for habitat enhancement and reintroduction. FOUND IN THE SAN LUIS VALLEY I n October 2005, a Division crew electrofished a section of Crestone Creek on the Baca National Wildlife Refuge and discovered an existing population of Rio Grande suckers, a Colorado endangered species. Subsequent sampling has revealed a native fish community that also includes Rio Grande chub, longnose dace and fathead minnow in several miles of the creek. This is an important discovery of self-sustaining Rio Grande sucker. There is only one other known population in Colorado. This new population should play a major role in brood stock development and boost the DOW’s ongoing effort to develop selfsustaining populations of the fish in the Rio Grande drainage. The goal of the recovery program is to establish three populations in the Rio Grande drainage, one for each of the three major river drainages — Rio Grande, Conejos and the Closed Basin. BOREAL TOAD he boreal toad is listed as endangered by Colorado. The Division released 12,000 boreal toad tadpoles and 1,000 3-week-old toadlets on the Grand Mesa, near Kannah Creek as part of a three-year study on establishing new populations of the toad in historic habitats. This study is the first to establish recruitment of hatchery-raised tadpoles to subsequent years. Survey work confirmed four additional breeding sites, three of which are new populations. These finds brings the number of known breeding sites to 69 and the number of populations to 37. T GREENBACK CUTTHROAT TROUT he first greenback cutthroat trout fingerlings raised in Division hatcheries were stocked into eight streams T May/June 2006 A plan was released to help the preservation of the Gunnison sage-grouse. COLORADO RIVER © LANCE BEENEY CUTTHROAT TROUT T © DOW PHOTO The Division is conducting a three-year study on the endangered boreal toad. for the reintroduction of the species to the Mancos and La Plata rivers. his year the Division wrote the Trappers Lake management plan detailing process for recovery of Colorado River cutthroat trout in the Flattops Wilderness around Trappers Lake. Over 44,000 pure Colorado River cutthroat trout were stocked into Trappers Lake in an effort to improve the genetic structure of the population. At Vaughn Lake the Division constructed a 100-foot outlet spawning channel to allow for natural reproduction of pure Colorado River cutthroat trout introduced into the lake. The Division initiated development of new genetic techniques to distinguish Greenback, Rio Grande and Colorado River, three native subspecies of cutthroat trout in Colorado, and also developed techniques to discern levels of introgression with other species of trout. NATIVE AQUATIC SPECIES RESTORATION FACILITY he facility took great strides this year on a variety of projects including, propagating more than 105,000 specimens of 11 fish species and boreal toads and continuing a joint program with Trinidad State Junior College to raise federally endangered bonytail chubs in three ponds at the college’s aquaculture farm. Division personnel at the facility also began drilling of a replacement well, which when completed will allow an expansion of the facility, including the construction of up to 20 small ponds to assist with increasing production requests and to provide refugia for more species. The successful reproduction of the plains minnow for the first time at the facility provided roundtail chubs to the Ute Mountain and Southern Ute tribes T GUNNISON SAGE-GROUSE major step was taken in the preservation of the Gunnison sage-grouse with the release of the Gunnison Sage-Grouse Rangewide Conservation Plan, developed by the Division and the Utah Department of Wildlife Resources with assistance from major federal land management agencies and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Division also completed a Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances for the entire range of Gunnison sage-grouse in Colorado. A SPECIES REINTRODUCTIONS R EINTRODUCTION OF WILDLIFE is a complicated and delicate process, often taking years to create self-sustaining populations. Over the years, the Division has become one of the best conservation organizations at successfully reintroducing wildlife species. The Division continued to build upon that proud history in 2005. BLACK-FOOTED FERRET REINTRODUCTION nce thought to be extinct, the blackfooted ferret appears to be establishing a home once again in Colorado. The reintroduction program in Colorado is a joint project of the Division, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the BLM. Black-footed ferrets were released in O 35 �Colorado Division of Wildlife | 2005 Annual Report Mesa, the largest flat-topped mesa in the world, will become home to a population of 250-350 Shiras moose as these transplanted animals adapt to their new home and the population grows. The positive comments continue to pour in from around the area from both sportsmen and wildlife viewers who have seen moose or are anxious to catch a glimpse of a Grand Mesa moose as the population grows. LYNX REINTRODUCTION olorado’s Canadian Lynx Reintroduction program has generated a lot of public interest. The Division of Wildlife is cautiously optimistic that lynx can become re-established in Colorado. Perhaps the Division’s highest profile recovery program, the lynx recovery effort continued to make important strides this past year. The Division’s goal has been to establish a viable population in the Colorado Rockies, an area where the lynx once occurred. The program has met five of the seven criteria used to determine whether a viable population has been established. In 2005, the Division undertook the following activities: Monitored 93 lynx with radio collars; released 38 additional lynx trapped and transported from Canada; found 18 litters spread through the central and southern mountains areas of the state, accounting for 48 kittens; recollared 12 adult lynx, collared 7 Colorado-born kittens. A black-footed ferret is released as part of a successful reintroduction program in northwest Colorado. MOOSE ON THE GRAND MESA oose now live on the Grand Mesa in western Colorado, thanks to a multi-year project undertaken by the Division. In January 2005, following several years of habitat analysis and public meetings, the first three moose were transplanted from the Upper Rio Grande herd near Creede. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has provided 47 moose since then, two additional moose have been moved from within Colorado, bringing the total released on the Grand Mesa to 52, of which 46 are believed to be alive today. Plans are to obtain an additional 25-30 moose from Utah in 2006. The moose have become quite at home on the mesa. It is hoped that the Grand M One of three moose is released on the Grand Mesa where eventually 250-350 moose will populate the area. 36 HABITAT CONSERVATION T HE D I V I S I O N , W I T H I M P O R tant financial assistance from Great Outdoors Colorado, made major investments in habitat protection and management efforts this year. Many of these investments add to existing state wildlife areas and further the Division’s species recovery plans. In 2005, the Division led or participated in over 34,000 acres of habitat protection and management efforts. © DOW PHOTO Colorado beginning in 2001. The first real evidence of successful reproduction was obtained in 2005. A female kit was captured in November. Also, a 3-year-old female was caught that had been released in 2002, a good sign of long-term survival. Biologists believe black-footed ferrets are breeding in the wild and establishing a self-sustaining population in northwest Colorado. Ferrets were spotted in the 20,000-acre Wolf Creek Management Area located northeast of Rangely, including a captured female that had been lactating, giving evidence that she gave birth earlier in the summer. © DOW PHOTO C COLORADO SPECIES CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP (CSCP) s part of a management agreement, a conservation easement was acquired on 11,240 acres in Lincoln and Crowley counties on native shortgrass prairie and prairie riparian habitat. These areas support several species identified in the Grasslands Conservation Plan, includ- A Colorado Outdoors �Colorado Division of Wildlife | 2005 Annual Report ing black-tailed prairie dogs, swift fox, mountain plover, burrowing owls, ferruginous hawks, and the massasauga rattlesnake. Mule deer and pronghorn also occupy the site. Similar arrangements at Horse Creek Farms protected 6,000 acres of shortgrass prairie in Baca County. Preservation of 335 acres at Stonewall Creek Ranch in Larimer County protects designated habitat for the Preble’s meadow jumping mouse, and includes diverse plant communities such as mixed-grass prairie, mountain mahogany shrublands, and riparian and wetland areas. Located in the Laramie Foothills, this project complements a larger area of conserved land in the region anchored by The Nature Conservancy’s Phantom Canyon Preserve. Deer, elk, and mountain lions will benefit as well. PRESERVING COLORADO LANDSCAPES (PCL) perpetual conservation easement was acquired on 1,812 acres of land near Hayden using PCL funds. The easement protects habitat for Columbian sharp-tailed grouse and greater sage-grouse. PCL was also involved in the purchase of a perpetual easement on the Lowe Ranch southeast of Holly. This transaction preserved approximately 1,280 acres of native grasslands important for lesser prairie-chickens as well as prairie dogs, burrowing owls, mountain plover, and ferruginous hawks. The parcel contains shortgrass, mid-grass, and sand-sage grasslands. A WETLANDS PROGRAM hase 2 on the Getz conservation easement was completed, permanently protecting 640 acres south of Monte Vista, including water rights. This protects the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge with additional buffer acreage that includes valuable waterfowl feeding and resting areas. A total of 5,000 acres of wetland were created or restored on public and private lands through cooperative activities with Ducks Unlimited and Partners for Fish and Wildlife. P OTHER HABITAT ACTIVITIES 10-year community effort finally paid off with the acquisition of the LaFarge West property three miles south of Steamboat Springs. In this project, the Division acquired a perpetual conservation easement on 102.8 acres of property that includes a 35-acre lake, 17 acres A May/June 2006 of wetlands, three small ponds, and onehalf mile of Yampa River access. The property provides fishing, hunting, and wildlife viewing opportunities, and has been made part of the Chuck Lewis State Wildlife Area. Partners in the acquisition include the town of Steamboat Springs, Routt County and LaFarge Corporation through the donation of a portion of the sale price. COMBATING DISEASE AND INVASIVE SPECIES CWD testing for moose was made mandatory in Colorado in 2003. Since 2002, 387 moose have been tested with only one infection detected. Although it is now known that CWD can infect moose, given their social habits the Division believes that cases in moose are likely to be a rare occurrence. WHIRLING DISEASE (WD) NEARLY ELIMINATED FROM STATE FISH HATCHERIES T he Division’s fish production capabilities has benefited greatly from the D I V I S I O N C O N T I N U E S TO efforts to rid the hatchery system of be a national leader in WD. More than a decade of work to elimiresearching and protecting nate WD from state hatcheries is finally wildlife from disease and winding down. Only two of the units tarinvasive species. The agency geted for “clean up” remain, while eight has extensive wildlife and others have successfully eliminated the parfish health programs responasite. Pitkin hatchery is scheduled for final sible for monitoring, investigating and testing in 2006 and the Crystal River faciliresearching the science of keeping ty in 2007. Colorado’s wildlife healthy. This work is Exciting work is being supported by laboratories done with the Hofer in Fort Collins and Brush. DOW VOLUNTEERS MAKE A strain of rainbows, raising The Division is applying DIFFERENCE FOR WILDLIFE hopes of having WD new strategies to address ear in and year out, resistant rainbow trout these challenges. In 2005, the Division’s 2,668 available to the hatcheries the Division collected and registered volunteers and fishery managers. analyzed thousands of have provided invaluable samples for disease monicontributions to Colorado THE DIVISION BEGINS AN toring and investigations. wildlife. In 2005, 1,229 volAGGRESSIVE ANGLER EDUThree areas of focus are unteers participated in 288 CATION CAMPAIGN TO HELP described below: projects for the Division, PREVENT THE SPREAD OF contributing 70,962 hours MUDSNAILS MONITORING CHRONIC — roughly the equivalent of he New Zealand WASTING DISEASE (CWD) 34 full-time personnel at a Mudsnail that has urveillance for value of $1,270,000. invaded rivers CWD continued Volunteers participated in and streams across the throughout such diverse programs as West has been conColorado in 2005. By the moose relocation, prongfirmed in Colorado for a end of last year, 6,343 horn traps, the biodiversity second time, raising elk, 6,946 deer and 159 festival, cleanup of 167 state concerns that the fastmoose had been tested wildlife areas, goose banding spreading invertebrate statewide. The known around the state and native could push out native geographic range of fish surveys. species and compromise CWD was extended the long-term health of slightly with detection of the region’s aquatic new cases on the Eastern ecosystems. In the fall Plains and in the southof 2005, the miniscule snail was first disern foothills. Mandatory testing for covered in Boulder Creek, just northeast hunter-harvested deer in the Gunnison of Boulder. The snail was found more Basin was added during the 2005 hunting recently in the South Platte River below seasons to increase sample sizes. So far, Elevenmile Reservoir Dam, one of CWD has not detected in any of the 1,339 Colorado’s most popular trout fisheries. deer samples submitted from the The Division is working hard on angler Gunnison areas. and citizen education about the snails In 2005, Division confirmed that a bull and how to practice angler hygiene to moose killed by an archer has tested posireduce the likelihood of spread to other tive for CWD. Until then, CWD had only streams. been found in the wild in deer and elk. T HE Y S T 37 �Colorado Division of Wildlife | 2005 Annual Report FINANCIAL STATEMENTS The Division of Wildlife uses the state fiscal year for accounting and reporting financial data. The fiscal year is the period July 1 through June 30 of the following year. STATEMENT OF REVENUE, FY 2004-2005 Revenues are all sources of income the Division has — primarily license fees, Colorado’s share of federal taxes on hunting and fishing equipment (Federal Aid), Great Outdoors Colorado (lottery) grants and interest on fund balances. Source License Revenue (in millions) Federal Funds Interest GOCO Grants & Donations Goods & Services Other FY 02-03 $60.7 12.9 3.0 8.9 0.9 0.8 FY 03-04 $67.4 16.0 1.8 13.0 0.8 1.3 FY 04-05 $65.0 13.4 1.9 17.0 0.7 0.6 $87.2 $100.3 $98.6 Total Federal & GOCO Grants & Donations 17% COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE OFFICES Northeast Region and Denver Service Center 6060 Broadway Denver, CO 80216 (303) 291-7227 Headquarters: (303) 297-1192 Northwest Region and Grand Junction Service Center 711 Independent Ave. Grand Junction, CO 81505 (970) 255-6100 Southeast Region and Colorado Springs Service Center 4255 Sinton Road Colorado Springs, CO 80907 (719) 227-5200 Goods & Services 1% Other 1% Southwest Region and Durango Service Center 151 E. 16th St. Durango, CO 81301 (970) 247-0855 Interest 2% Federal Aid 14% Web site: http://wildlife.state.co.us EXPENDITURES, FY 2004-2005 Expenditures are all those payments made within a fiscal year for salaries and benefits, materials and supplies, services, acquisitions, leases and construction and are shown below according to the strategic areas that incurred them. Strategic Area Wildlife Habitat & Species Management (in millions) Wildlife Recreation Wildlife Education & Information Responsive Management* FY 04-05 Expenditures $30.2 39.9 10.1 26.5 Total $106.7 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 38 In Millions * Includes expenditures for services to support core Division programs, such as vehicles, facilities, O&M, public involvement, telephone, computer, office support, purchasing and accounting, legal services and engineering. License Revenue 65% Wildlife Habitat & Species Management Wildlife Recreation Responsive Wildlife Education & Management * Information STATE OF COLORADO Bill Owens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Governor DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Russell George . . . . . Executive Director DIVISION OF WILDLIFE Bruce L. McCloskey . . . . . . . . . . Director WILDLIFE COMMISSION Jeffrey A. Crawford, Chair . . Englewood Tom Burke, Vice Chair . . . Grand Junction Claire O’Neal, Secretary . . . . . . Holyoke Robert Bray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Redvale Rick Enstrom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lakewood Philip J. James, Chair . . . . . . Fort Collins Richard H. Ray. . . . . . . . . Pagosa Springs Robert Shoemaker . . . . . . . . Canon City Ken Torres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Weston EX OFFICIO MEMBERS Russell George Don Ament Colorado Outdoors � https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/files/original/27c38fef5ba50dc5c0c73df9732cd4c3.pdf f83aeb20dbde27c9073feedd80cc1a6b PDF Text Text 2006 Annual Report COLORADO DIvISIOn OF WILDLIFE Director’s Message Aer 33 years with the Division, I continue to marvel at the commitment shown by landowners, conservationists, sportspersons, wildlife enthusiasts, volunteers and our employees in conserving our abundant wildlife resources. Our partnerships with Coloradans are key to our success. Under the leadership of our Wildlife Commission, 2006 once again was filled with tremendous advances in our biological knowledge of wildlife resources and expanding programs for pursuing the wildlife experience. We put in place new opportunities for our hunting public, including an expanded walk-in access program to various regions of the state. Our efforts to introduce youths and women to the hunting experience continue to pay off and were recently featured on a special segment on ABC’s World News Tonight. Our fishing programs continue to expand angling opportunities throughout the state and with a diverse variety of species. In 2006, the number of fishing licenses sold remained steady despite the fee increase. In part, this is the result of the record-breaking fish production and stocking activities of our hatcheries throughout the state and an initial marketing program by the Division’s first marketing director. is was also the first year we offered a free seniors’ fishing license. is year we unveiled our newly redesigned Division of Wildlife (DOW) Web site. e response has been outstanding with more than 6 million visitors to our Web site. In addition, we saw a dramatic increase in the number of license buyers using our online system, growing from 23 percent in 2005 to over 50 percent in 2006. Our wildlife viewing programs continue to increase the number of outdoor enthusiasts who attend the growing number of wildlife viewing festivals now occurring on an annual basis throughout the state. Our education program remains in high demand with our training program for teachers and angling education for our youth. As an Enterprise Agency, our revenues continued to grow from license sales from hunters and anglers. e revenues we receive through the Great Outdoors Colorado Program (GOCO) remain critical to doing habitat improvement and wildlife education. is year, we all witnessed the launching of a legislatively created Wildlife Management Public Education Advisory Council campaign through television and radio spots highlighting wildlife and the role of sportmen and wildlife management funding in the state under the slogan “Keeping Colorado Wild.” But, 2006 has been a year of facing the challenges of maintaining a healthy wildlife population and the habitat in which they thrive. As we continue to witness the loss of important habitat due to the pressures of continued population growth, in June we announced a $20 million Request for Proposals (RFP), calling for habitat conservation proposals from landowners and conservation groups to secure critical habitat in perpetuity for migration corridors for big game, riparian corridors and other atrisk species. is RFP was sparked by the successful first-year implementation of 2005 legislation creating the Colorado Wildlife Habitat Stamp Program. Raising in excess of $3.7 million through the habitat stamp monies, in combination with GOCO funds and other sources, allowed us to announce this ambitious proposal. As a result, we have received many excellent proposed habitat conservation projects, many of which include matching donations by the landowners, and soon we will have secured significant wildlife habiat in perpetuity. We continue to witness the accelerating development of oil and gas resources throughout Colorado. Our wildlife managers and biologists have been hard at work identifying the impacts to wildlife and are working with the energy industry to minimize such impacts through best management practices. is year, the Colorado Inventoried Roadless Area Review Task Force reviewed management options for over 4 million acres of U.S. Forest Service lands in Colorado. Since these lands in many instances represent biological strongholds that provide essential habitat for a diversity of wildlife, our input on articulating the impacts to wildlife were instrumental in shaping the final recommendations. Our ongoing efforts to protect at-risk species and re-introduce species to the state continue to thrive, including our sage grouse program and our lynx and moose re-introduction programs. We continue to watch the avian influenza virus in birds worldwide and have a significant “early warning” system in place. Our surveillance and prevention programs to prevent the spread of invasive species, whirling disease and chronic wasting disease remain solid. Once again, Division’s employees continue to show steadfast devotion to wildlife, with our world-class biological expertise, and our wildlife managers working hand-in-hand with local landowners and other agencies. And, of course, the level of volunteerism at the Division continues to grow. is year alone two of our employees received national and state awards for excellence in hunter ethics, and wildlife education and our law enforcement section received a national reward. As we remain vigilant in the protection of a diverse and thriving wildlife population, I want to thank DOW employees and our residents for their continued commitment as we Keep Colorado Wild. Bruce L. McCloskey Director, Colorado Division of Wildlife COLORADO DIvISIOn OF WILDLIFE • 6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216 • (303) 297-1192 • www.wildlife.state.co.us �Aquatics And Fishing e state of the aquatic resources at the end of 2006 is the best it has been in five years, with increasing angling opportunities throughout the state. e Division’s Aquatics Section continues to ensure that more recreational opportunities are available to the public. e Division continues to use improving conditions to help protect some of Colorado’s more fragile aquatic species. Fishing license sales have continued to increase since 2002 with more than 730,000 licenses issued in 2006. e Master Angler Program run by the Aquatic Wildlife Section saw numerous applications for Master Angler awards in a wide range of species, highlighting Colorado’s variety of opportunities. Aquatic staff continues to reach out to the angling public through angler roundtables and the Division produces the highly popular weekly fishing report during the busy fishing season. In order to increase angling opportunities, the Division continues its active management of approximately 2,800 lakes, reservoirs and ponds, and 5,400 stream segments on more than 10,000 miles of streams. Colorado continues to offer a wide variety of outstanding hunting opportunities, including big game, small game, waterfowl and upland bird hunting. Pictured are two pronghorn bucks. Hunting Colorado continues to rank as one of the top western states for providing hunting opportunity. Perennially known for its over-the-counter bull elk tags and the vast array of public land opportunity, the real Colorado story in recent years has been the phenomenal deer hunting and 2006 was no exception. Deer hunters bagged an estimated 44,784 deer in 2006, up from about 42,000 the last two years. Success rates were estimated at 46 percent, the highest in recent history and slightly above the average of 45 percent since 2000. Pronghorn hunters enjoyed a 64 percent success rate comparable to recent years, and harvested 7,300 animals. At the beginning of the 2006 seasons, the potential for high success rates for both deer and elk hunters existed throughout most of the state. Herds remained at, or close to, objectives for both species. e weather during the big game seasons was not quite as consistent. Archery season began with cool and wet weather in many areas. ese unfavorable conditions kept many hunters in their camps or out of the mountains completely. Late in the archery season and on into the early rifle seasons the weather turned more favorable and higher success rates were observed by DOW field staff. Mother nature turned again in portions of the state for the later rifles seasons. Snow, in the right amount, benefits elk and deer hunters, but too much snow can keep hunters from accessing the backcountry. Hunters in some areas of the state seemed to benefit from the winter weather that marked the later rifle seasons while in other areas became inaccessible. Even with less than desirable conditions in some areas of the state, elk hunters harvested a very respectable 56,933 animals for a 24 percent success rate. Fishing Stocking Efforts Continue To Grow In 2006, the state’s hatchery system did an outstanding job of rearing and stocking 73 million warm-water fish (an increase of more than 30 percent over 2005), 3.5 million catchable size trout and 15.5 million cold-water sub-catchable size fish of various species and strains. All numbers show an increase from the 2005 stocking season because of innovative techniques used at Division facilities to provide both quality and quantity of fish for the fishery biologists in order to maintain the highly sought aer and diverse fishing recreation opportunities in the state. e Division transported more than 1.8 million pounds of fish, traveling over 425,000 miles. Hatcheries continue to work on native cutthroat restoration. e Division produced more than 79,000 fingerling greenbacks, and Rio Grande and Colorado River cutthroats in 2006. In order to increase the success rates of these native species, over 360,000 were stocked in high mountain lakes and drainages. In order to increase the populations of popular fish species, the Division worked hard to collect eggs throughout the state from fish during their spawning runs. In 2006, the Division had a tremendous increase in kokanee and walleye eggs at its wild spawning operations. Division personnel Colorado Division of Wildlife hatchery staff increased their spawning operations in 2006. Pictured is a rainbow trout. e 2006 small game season marked the expansion of the Walk-In Access Program to include specific waterfowl hunting properties on the Western Slope and 60,000 acres of scaled quail habitat in the southeast portion of the state. e tremendously successful Walk-In Access Program opened more than 200,000 acres of private land to small game hunters last year. e waterfowl season structure in the Central Flyway portion of Colorado was changed in an effort to provide additional opportunity to those who enjoy pursuing ducks and geese east of the Continental Divide. Waterfowl hunters seemed to take advantage of the regulation change that allowed them to hunt further into winter in the most eastern portion of the state. Early indications are that the new season structure allowed waterfowl hunters to take advantage of some late season weather events. 2 Colorado Division of Wildlife �collected over 14 million kokanee eggs, over 100 million walleye eggs and 1 million brown trout eggs. At-Risk Species Protections Increase e John W. Mumma native Aquatic Species Restoration Facility (nASRF) continues to develop refugia and develop brood stocks for threatened and endangered species, both state and federal, along with species of concern. e species presently at the facility are Colorado pikeminnow, bonytail chub, roundtail chub, Rio Grande sucker, Rio Grande chub, suckermouth minnow, northern and southern redbelly dace, common shiner, Arkansas darter and plains minnow. Over 100,000 fish of these species were reared and released to the wild or held for future brood stock. Aer the discovery of a new population of Rio Grande sucker in Crestone Creek at the Baca national Wildlife Refuge in 2005, the Division in 2006 captured some of these fish and brought them to nASRF to establish a captive brood stock. e new population will be evaluated as the Division continues its brood stock development to develop self-sustaining populations in the Rio Grande drainage. Reducing Disease And Invasive Species Remain A High Priority Work continued in 2006 to rid the Pitkin and the Crystal River hatcheries of whirling disease. Recently, the Pitkin Hatchery tested negative and is ready to begin stocking in the high-mountain reservoirs in 2007. new construction and securing water supplies are some of the many avenues the Division are pursuing to control whirling disease. Work with the Hofer rainbow strain is progressing. is strain is resistant to whirling disease and the Division is integrating the Hofer into its system. Additionally, the threat of other aquatic nuisance species looms large for fishery managers. Educating anglers and boaters about the dangers of moving “hitchhikers” into Colorado is a high priority to the Division. e discovery of the new Zealand Mudsnail in Colorado makes the ongoing threat of invasive species a reality for fisheries. Proactive work on a statewide Aquatic nuisance Species Plan is scheduled for this year. Law Enforcement e DOW’s success at enforcing wildlife laws earned the agency international acclaim in 2006. e DOW was honored by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) for its efforts to protect Colorado’s wildlife resource from poachers with focused winter range patrols. e 2006 AFWA Conservation Law Enforcement Award was presented to DOW officials at the AFWA annual convention in Snowmass village. Winter range patrols were undertaken in late 2003 to reduce the poaching of trophy mule deer bucks during the critical winter months. As Colorado’s mule deer population has steadily rebounded, wildlife officers discovered more poaching activity during winter months when animals are concentrated in lower elevation areas closer to communities and roadways. e initial winter range patrol took place along the Colorado/Utah border. e effort involved saturation patrols by marked wildlife units, decoy operations, day and night airplane flights by the DOW Terrestrial Section, unmarked patrols and media alerts to inform the public about the poaching problems and Operation Game ief-sponsored billboards to help bring in public tips. e program was expanded in recent years. Other Notable Cases Made By DOW Law Enforcement Officers In 2006: • Officers Darryl Crawford and Mark Reeves found a dead trophy-class bull elk on an open hillside and there had been no attempt to field dress the carcass. Good detective work determined that two members of a nearby hunting party had shot at an elk herd from a very long distance. A 2006 Annual Report Law enforcement remains a high priority for the Division of Wildlife. District Wildlife Manager Zach Holder checks a hunter’s license. cow and a bull elk were killed. All four members of the hunting party were aware of the dead bull elk and decided not to do anything about it. Aer evaluating evidence, it was determined that an unlicensed member of the hunting party who had admitted to shooting at the elk had killed the bull. e subject was charged with illegal possession of the bull elk, the Samson surcharge, hunting without a proper and valid license and waste of game. e fines totaled $13,137 and the subject was issued 45 points against his hunting and fishing privileges in Colorado and 23 other states. e other three members of the hunting party were charged with waste of game and fined $411 apiece and assessed 15 points against their hunting and fishing privileges. • A natural gas worker from Provo, Utah, was arrested for illegally killing a trophy buck mule deer north of Parachute on anksgiving Day. e arrest came as part of the DOW’s ongoing effort to reduce poaching incidents in the expanding gas fields of western Colorado. e man was charged with willful destruction of wildlife, a class 5 felony, hunting out of season, illegal possession of wildlife and transportation and exportation of wildlife. • A Durango man paid over $4,000 in fines and is prohibited from hunting and fishing for two years in Colorado and 23 other states aer he got greedy with an additional archery cow license. e man illegally killed a small 5x5 bull during archery season, bragged about it and then purchased an additional archery cow license. e defendant was convicted based on the testimony of several concerned sportsmen. Wildlife Education Colorado residents have an ever-increasing interest in wildlife, its habitat and how best to experience it – whether as a hunter or wildlife viewer. Critical to maintaining a thriving wildlife population for future generations is an educated public with an understanding of wildlife management principles, hunting codes of conduct and ethics and an appreciation of the delicate balance of wildlife needs and human behavior. Hunter Outreach Attract Youths And Women e Hunter Outreach Program continued to expand opportunities for youths and women hunters to participate in educational hunting activities across the state. e program added new landowners and ranches in their partnership effort to expand the hunting heritage of Colorado’s future generations. new laws and regulations approved by the Legislature and Wildlife Commission extended the youth hunting age to include 16- 3 �The Women Afield Program provides shooting clinics, waterfowl and upland bird hunts – as well as big game hunts – to meet the growing interests from women. Let’s Go Fishing Program. Overall 200 clinics and activities were held statewide and over 20,000 participants attended these events. Project WILD:Teaching Our Teachers To Teach Our Children It was another great year for Project WILD, reaching 1,100 new Colorado educators in more than 50 Project WILD workshops. Since its inception, over 40,000 Colorado educators have been trained. e Division trained 19 new volunteer facilitators to become a vital part of the 145-member volunteer Facilitator Team. e WILD Colorado Schoolyard Habitat Grant Program funded an additional 12 Habitat Grant Projects across the state. ese grants provide funds for teachers and students to get outside and improve their schoolyard for wildlife and for kids. At the end of its 19th year, this program has awarded a total of more than $116,000 to 222 Colorado schools. Wildlife Viewing Opportunities Continue To Grow In 2006, wildlife viewing continued to grow in popularity throughout the state. While hunting and fishing opportunities are unmatched in the nation, nature enthusiasts continue to be drawn to the Colorado outdoors to see our wonderful diversity of wildlife. In addition to enhancing designated viewing areas statewide for the outdoor enthusiast with interpretive signing, kiosks, blinds and boardwalks, the Division has promoted wildlife viewing festivals, many of which have become a nationally recognized drawing card for viewing Colorado species. With support from Great Outdoors Colorado and typically organized by local sponsors, the Division was an active participant in many watchable wildlife programs and festivals. and 17-year-olds, established a dream hunt program for terminally ill youths and provided a special licensing program to support educational youth hunting activities. e Women Afield Program continues to expand to meet the growing interest from women in hunting and shooting sports. Women participated in shooting clinics, waterfowl and upland bird hunts as well as big game hunts. e Division has taught more than 1,000 people wildlife viewing skills. e Division’s Watchable Wildlife Pavilion at the Annual Denver Rv and Travel show continues to draw in excess of 10,000 people. Soon the Division, in cooperation with a host of local sponsors, will be announcing the Southeast Colorado Birding Trail Initiative, one of only a few such efforts nationwide. The Division’s Angler Education Program encourages families to fish together. Archery In Schools Is A Big Hit e Colorado Archery in the Schools Program completed its first full year with over 50 schools participating in the archery education program. Over 75 physical education teachers from Colorado middle and high schools have been certified to teach archery in schools. Hunter Education Remains In High Demand e hunter education program has continued to grow, with over 17,000 students registered for courses. Hunter education instructors, who are volunteers, put on more than 700 classes including classroom, homebased and internet-based classes. e number of qualified hunter education instructors increased by 4 percent. e number of students increased by 4 percent. e Division continues to conduct outreach to youths and women hunters, with more than 4,000 woman taking hunter education classes. With Encouragement,Kids Love To“Go Fishing” e Division’s Angler Education Program has continued to reach large number of youths and adults. A key facet of the program is to always encourage parents or guardians to accompany their kids to clinics and actively participate. Clinics conducted by Division staff were held for the Ute Mountain Ute Indian and the Southern Ute Indian tribes that provided youths from both of the tribes hands-on instructions. A variety of women’s clinics were held either through the Women Afield Program or with the Ladies 4 Colorado Division of Wildlife �Species Conservation e DOW’s continued leadership in protecting at-risk species in Colorado has paid great dividends. numerous species are being assessed or reviewed for federal listing protection as threatened or endangered to determine whether or not listing is even necessary. With the cooperation of landowners and the extensive biological work of our researchers and officers, 2006 was a good year for species conservation. Boreal Toads Released To Enhance Population e Division released 6,374 toads at various locations around the state in an effort to enhance toad populations. e boreal toad is listed as endangered by Colorado. e Division continues to evaluate introductions on the Grand Mesa near Kannah Creek as part of a three-year study to establish new populations in historic habitats. Survey work continues to evaluate populations with the number of breeding sites at 69 and the number of stable populations at 37. © ROGER BONEWELL Cutthroat Trout e Division continued implementation of the Trappers Lake Management Plan for recovery of the cutthroat in e Flattops Wilderness. Over 46,000 pure Colorado River cutthroat were stocked in Trappers Lake. In 2006, e Weminuche strain of the Colorado River cutthroat trout was introduced into 12 previously fishless streams in the San Juan Mountains, adding 26 miles of occupied habitat for the species. e Division, in cooperation with other members of the Rio Grande Cutthroat Conservation Team, started work on its first range-wide assessment of the historical range and current status of Rio Grande cutthroat trout in Colorado and new Mexico. Mining Bat Conservation e DOW and the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service are working together to preserve bat habitat through the Bats/Inactive Mines Project. Because of public safety concerns, the Reclamation Division is working to safeguard the openings of abandoned mines. However, some mines also provide important bat habitat, so DOW staff is evaluating mines that are scheduled for closure. Since the DOW’s involvement with the program in 1990, nearly 800 gates have been recommended for installation. In 2006, DOW staff surveyed 232 mines and recommended gates at 43 sites. It’s estimated that there are more than 23,000 abandoned mines in Colorado. The Division of Wildlife is preserving bats and improving public safety through the Bats/Inactive Mines Project by installing grates at abandoned mines. The Mountain Plover In 2006, e Division worked aggressively to ensure the long-term conservation of the species. Special attention was given to the Mountain Plover nest Conservation in Cultivated Field Project, where in 2006, 96 Gunnison Sage-Grouse Cooperation landowners enrolled over 100,000 acres. e program helps identify For more than a decade, the DOW has been working with private propnests on farmland prior to cultivation. In partnerships with the Rocky erty owners in western Colorado to restore and enhance habitat for the Mountain Bird Observatory, agricultural and Gunnison sage-grouse. at work continued in ranching groups and other nonprofit organiza2006 with the DOW helping property owners enDOW Volunteers Continue To Help tions, we are gaining a better understanding of roll in the CCAA Program that is administered Wildlife the in excess of 10,000 mountain plovers on the by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. CCAA Managing more than 300 projects this Eastern Plains of Colorado and South Park. stands for “Conservation Candidate Agreement year, in excess of 2,600 registered volunrough the Shortgrass Prairie Initiative and with Assurances.” e agreement stipulates that if teers provided over 66,000 volunteer other partnerships, we are encouraged by the landowners agree to a management plan for their hours – the equivalent of 32 full-time perhealth of this species and others that thrive in its properties, they are not subject to further restricsonnel at a value in excess of $1.2 million. community. tion if the bird is listed as a threatened species by volunteers participated in such activities the federal government. During 2006, 19 as hunter education, birding and wildlife landowners who own nearly 59,000 acres have viewing festivals, wildlife transport, consigned up to be part of the program. servation of bats in inactive mines, fish Private property owners are working closely with the DOW in the Gunnison region to maintain habitat for the Gunnison sage-grouse. e landowners have established conservation easements on large tracts that will maintain grouse habitat in perpetuity. 2006 Annual Report spawning, tree planting and fence removals, counts of birds and mammals, bird banding and working with schools and children on important conservation projects. Habitat Conservation e loss of habitat continues to be the greatest threat to wildlife. e Division, in partnership with Great Outdoors Colorado, Colorado landowners and ranchers and nonprofit conservation groups, has made tremendous strides in protecting critical habitat. 5 �The Division of Wildlife is making great strides in protecting critical habitat for wildlife by working with it partners that include Great Outdoors Colorado, landowners, conservation groups and others. The Division Issues A $20 Million Request For Proposals To Conserve Habitat As we continue to witness the loss of important habitat due to the pressures of continued population growth, in June the Division announced its largest Request for Proposals (RFP) in its history, calling for habitat conservation proposals from landowners, conservation groups and others to secure critical habitat in perpetuity for big game migration corridors, riparian habitat and other at-risk species. is $20 million RFP was sparked by the successful firstyear implementation of the 2005 legislation creating the Colorado Wildlife Habitat Stamp Program. Raising in excess of $3.7 million through sale of the Colorado Habitat Stamp, these monies – in combination with GOCO funds (lottery) and other sources – allowed the Division to initiate this precedent setting project and protect habitat. Creating Incentives To Preserve Habitat Through Leveraged Federal Dollars e Division assisted the natural Resource Conservation Service (nRCS) in improving over 12,000 acres of habitat for at-risk species. irty-nine Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) contracts were approved with private landowners at a cost in excess of $700,000. e Division continues to assist nRCS in developing new incentives for at-risk species. Incentive payments are now available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for landowners who implement certain conservation practices or management activities that provide benefits for declining species. 6 Balancing Energy Development And Wildlife Impacts It doesn't take more than a drive along I-70 west of Rifle for anyone to realize that energy development is booming in Colorado. According to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, there were nearly 6,000 new permits to drill approved statewide in 2006. at’s a new record and an increase of 35 percent over the previous year. Garfield County leads the state in drilling activity with 1,844 applications to drill in 2006, up from 796 in 2004. e Division is working with industry, land managers and the public to address the potential impacts on wildlife from energy development. e hiring of an energy liaison in the northwest Region has proven so effective that the Division is hiring additional staff members to address rapidly growing energy development in the region and statewide. As this publication went to press, comprehensive energy development and wildlife impact legislation was still under debate in the Colorado State Legislature. Coiled-tubing drilling rig $91 Million Federal-State-Local Partnership Preserves Land And Water On The Eastern Plains In partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Pheasants Forever, the Republican River Water Conservation District, farmers and the state of Colorado, more than $91 million was allocated to address water and wildlife issues in the agricultural Eastern Plains. By increasing instream flows, planting of native grasses, and improvement of riparian buffers and seasonal wetlands throughout a five-county area, the Division hopes to improve habitat for over 200 species of birds, 37 mammal species and several native fish species. Lands enrolled in the High Plains Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) will also provide additional acres of public hunting access through the Walk-In Access Program. Two CREP agreements could result in over 100,000 acres of improved habitat and significant improvements to water quality and quantity, benefiting wildlife and farmers in the Republican River basin. Wetlands And Watershed Conservation Is Critical To At-Risk Species e Division increased its commitment to private lands conservation efforts. e program initiated in 2003 between the DOW, the nRCS, and the Colorado Watershed network provides wildliferelated technical assistance for Farm Bill program implementation in Colorado. Stationed throughout the state, these biologists have collectively assisted the nRCS and the Division in preserving and/or restoring more than 30,000 acres for wildlife and have written wildlife management plans for more than 105,000 acres of private land. Colorado Division of Wildlife �e Division assisted the nRCS conserve over 2,400 acres of wetland habitat through the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP). Biologists provided wildlife technical assistance for WRP and WREP projects totaling over $3.8 million in 2006. One biologist secured a Wetland Reserve Enhancement grant for $1.7 million that will be used to conserve 1,300 acres of southwest willow flycatcher habitat in the San Luis valley. Cooperative Habitat Improvement Program Leverages Public-Private Partnerships e DOW assists private landowners with habitat enhancements through the Cooperative Habitat Improvement Program (CHIP). In 2006 the DOW partnered with private landowners, federal agencies and conservation organizations to enhance 7,366 acres of habitat on private lands. e majority of the 22 projects completed or initiated in 2006, provided benefits for declining species inhabiting either riparian-stream or short-grass prairie ecosystems. Division dollars were leveraged at a 5:1 ratio with the total value of all projects exceeding $400,000. National Boone And Crockett Award Given To Colorado DOW Hunter Outreach Program Coordinator Jim Bulger, Hunter Outreach Program Coordinator with the Division, was honored with the 2006 Boone and Crockett Award. now in its 18th year, the award is sponsored by the Boone and Crockett Club in cooperation with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies for outstanding achievement in promoting and encouraging programs in outdoor ethics. Bulger has worked hard in the last five years to make the program a success, even being featured on national television. e Hunter Outreach Program teaches novice and inexperienced hunters – of all ages – the knowledge, skills, ethics and traditions of hunting. is past year Colorado youths participated in over 1,100 hunt days including hunts for elk, deer, turkeys, pheasants, ducks and geese. In addition, hundreds of women participated in sport shooting and pheasant hunts throughout the state. Colorado Roadless Task Force Includes Recommendations On Impacts To Wildlife A 13-member Colorado Inventoried Roadless Area Review Task Force created under Senate Bill 05-233 reviewed management options for over 4 million acres of U.S. Forest Service lands in Colorado. Since these lands in many instances represent biological strongholds that provide essential habitat for a diversity of wildlife, the Division’s field managers and biologists carefully considered each of the areas throughout the state and made extensive comments about impacts to wildlife on each Inventoried Roadless Area in the state. Moose Re-Introduction Continues On Pace Efforts to re-introduce moose to the Grand Mesa in western Colorado continued in 2006. Including a January 2007 capture operation in northern Utah, the Grand Mesa is now home to an estimated 100 moose. In addition to the moose that have been transplanted by wildlife officials and volunteers, biologists were able to confirm seven calves born on the Grand Mesa in 2006. Lynx Growing At Home In Colorado In 2006, for the first time since the re-introduction program began in 1999, a lynx born in Colorado gave birth to kittens. e mother lynx, born in 2004, gave birth to two male kittens in mid-June. e birth is a significant milestone for the re-introduction program. It shows that the lynx transplanted from Canada are adapting to the Colorado high country, are finding mates and reproducing successfully. Since the program began a total of 218 lynx have been transplanted from Canada and Alaska, and it’s estimated that more than 200 lynx are alive, primarily in Colorado’s southern and central mountains. Providing a further boost to the lynx program, e Colorado Wildlife Heritage Foundation made a $250,000 donation to the Colorado Wildlife Commission to help support the program. The Colorado Species Conservation Partnership Program Thrives e Division continues to work with the many conservation partners in the state to ensure the long-term conservation of species of concern within the state. rough the Colorado Species Conservation Partnership Program, the Division and its partners completed the following projects, all of which ensured long-term land protection through perpetual easements: Five Pine Mesa Ranch, Routt County - 2,050 acres; Lypps/Ballantyne Conservation Easement, Gunnison County - 1,580 acres; Ballantyne Ranch, Gunnison County - 560 acres; van Loan Ranch, Mesa County 1,840 acres and the Levalley Ranch, Montrose - 310 acres. Species Re-Introductions Black-Footed Ferret Show Positive Signs e effort to recover black-footed ferrets celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2006. Biologists report another positive monitoring season for existing ferret populations in northwest Colorado. While tracking these nocturnal tunnel-dwellers is extremely difficult, the ’06 spotlighting efforts located nine individual ferrets including two ferrets that were born in the wild earlier in the year. e first wild-born black-footed ferret in Colorado was found by searchers in 2005, so the discovery of two additional wild-born ferrets is significant. Since recovery efforts began in Colorado in 2001, more than 220 black-footed ferrets have been released in the state. In 2006, for the first time since the re-introduction began in 1999, a wild born lynx gave birth to lynx kittens in Colorado. One of the wild-born kits was reared by the 2005 wild born female, documenting two generations of reproduction. is second generation wildborn ferret is a promising sign for the re-introduction effort of north America’s most endangered mammal back into Colorado. 2006 Annual Report 7 �Financial Statements The Division of Wildlife uses the state fiscal year for accounting and reporting financial data. The fiscal year is the period July 1 through June 30 of the following year. Statement of Revenue, FY 2005-2006 Revenues are all sources of income the Division has – primarily license fees, Colorado’s share of federal taxes on hunting and fishing equipment (Federal Aid), Great Outdoors Colorado (lottery) grants and interest on fund balances. Source FY 03-04 License Revenue (in millions) $67.4 Federal Funds 16.0 Interest 1.8 GOCO Grants & Donations 13.0 Goods & Services 0.8 Other 1.3 Total $100.3 Federal & GOCO Grants & Donations 10% FY 04-05 $65.0 13.4 1.9 17.0 0.7 0.6 FY 05-06 $74.5 14.3 2.6 10.5 1.1 1.2 $98.6 $104.2 Goods & Services 1% Other 1% Interest 3% Department of Natural Resources Harris D. Sherman ...........................................................Executive Director Wildlife Commission Thomas M. Burke, Chair........................................................Grand Junction Claire O’neal, vice Chair ....................................................................Holyoke Robert W. Bray, Secretary .....................................................................Redvale Dennis G. Buechler..........................................................................Centennial Brad Coors................................................................................................Denver Jeffrey A. Crawford..........................................................................Englewood Timothy R. Glenn......................................................................................Salida Roy McAnally..............................................................................................Craig Richard H. Ray...........................................................................Pagosa Springs Ex Officio Members Harris D. Sherman and John Stulp Division of Wildlife Directors’Staff Bruce L. McCloskey ...........................................................................Director Mark Konishi ........................................................................Deputy Director John Bredehoft...................................Assistant Director, Field Operations Steve Cassin ...............................................................Chief Financial Officer Marilyn Salazar ..................................Assistant Director, Support Services Jeff ver Steeg....................................Assistant Director, Wildlife Programs Federal Aid 14% License Revenue 71% Expenditures, FY 2005-2006 Expenditures are all those payments made within a fiscal year for salaries and benefits, materials and supplies, services, acquisitions, leases and construction and are shown below according to the strategic areas that incurred them. Strategic Area FY 05-06 Expenditures Wildlife Habitat & Species Management (in millions) $24.1 Wildlife Recreation 37.0 Wildlife Education & Information 10.0 Responsive Management* 27.8 Total $98.9 Regional Offices and Service Centers Headquarters: 6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216, (303) 297-1192 Northeast Region and Denver Service Center: 6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216, (303) 291-7227 Northwest Region Service Center: 711 Independent Ave., Grand Junction, CO 81505, (970) 255-6100 Southwest Region Service Center: 151 E. 16th St., Durango, CO 81301, (970) 247-0855 Southeast Region Service Center: 4255 Sinton Rd., Colorado Springs, CO 80907, (719) 227-5200 e Colorado Division of Wildlife is the state agency responsible for managing wildlife and its habitat, as well as providing wildlife-related recreation. e Division is funded through hunting and fishing license fees, federal grants and Colorado Lottery proceeds through Great Outdoors Colorado. 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 8 In Millions * Includes expenditures for services to support core Division programs, such as vehicles, facilities, O&M, public involvement, telephone, computer, office support, purchasing and accounting, legal services and engineering. State of Colorado Bill Ritter, Jr. ......................................................................................Governor Wildlife Habitat & Species Management Wildlife Recreation Responsive Wildlife Education & Management * Information Colorado Wildlife Habitat Stamp Purchase your Colorado Wildlife Habitat Stamp wherever hunting and fishing licenses are sold, online at www.wildlifelicense.com or call (800) 244-5613. Colorado Division of Wildlife � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Colorado Parks and Wildlife: Annual/Biennial Reports Description An account of the resource Agency annual and biennial reports beginning with the 1877 Fish Comissioner's report. Reports are grouped by title, which changed over the years. There are time periods when no report was issued; for example no reports were issued from 1965-1985 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-NC/1.0/">IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Annual Report, Colorado Division of Wildlife, 1992-2006 Description An account of the resource <p>Fifteen reports covering 1992-2006. Reports are short, 2-8 pages with the exception of 1997 (24 pages).</p> <p>Varying titles:</p> <ul> <li>1992-1997 (6 reports): For Wildlife, For People: <em>YEAR</em> Annual Report</li> <li>1998-2006 (9 reports): Colorado Division of Wildlife, <em>YEAR</em> Annual Report</li> </ul> <p>For more reports in this digital collection see:</p> <p>Preceding set: <a href="https://cpw.cvlcollections.org/items/show/449">Annual Report to the People of Colorado, 1986-1991</a></p> <p>Print copies in CPW Library: SH 11 .C58</p> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-NC/1.0/">IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf