Chapter 2 - Big Game s2

FILING - 05/28/2014 Basis and Purpose Chapter W-2 - Big Game

Basis and Purpose:

LANDOWNER PREFERENCE PROGRAM These regulations implement Senate Bill 13-188 and the recommendations of the citizen-led Landowner Voucher Program Review Committee concerning the Landowner Preference Program.

The Parks and Wildlife Commission hereby reiterates the purpose of the Landowner Preference Program as stated in § 33-4-103(1)(a) C.R.S., whereby,

“The general assembly finds, determines and declares that the wildlife resources of the state are in danger of decline from increasing population pressures and the loss of wildlife habitat. In order to encourage private landowners to provide habitat that increases wildlife populations for the benefit of all hunters, discourage the harboring of game animals on private lands during public hunting seasons, and relieve hunting pressure on public lands by increasing game hunting on private lands, the general assembly finds that it is necessary to provide an incentive-based system to landowners to provide habitat for wildlife through a hunting license allocation program that allows hunters access to the state’s wildlife under the cooperative control of the private landowner.”

Furthermore, the Parks and Wildlife Commission recognizes the importance of private land wildlife habitat and its benefit to the public owners of wildlife. Even in a state like Colorado with significant public land, private land habitat remains a crucial element in maintaining the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. Providing private landowners with hunting licenses based on their land’s contribution to wildlife populations bolsters landowner support for wildlife, allowing wildlife managers to manage for robust populations and provide world-class hunting opportunities for residents and non-residents.

The Landowner Preference Program exists in order to support the critical role that agricultural lands play in maintaining wildlife populations and providing hunting opportunities in Colorado. The intent of these regulations is to support that program in order to support hunting and Colorado’s hunting heritage, to protect private property rights and encourage keeping land in productive agricultural use, to protect public ownership of wildlife by maintaining and improving habitat and wildlife populations, and to build and maintain strong relationships between landowners and hunters. As such, this program is intended to be available only to lands in active agricultural production.

LIMITED LICENSE NUMBERS These regulations amend Chapter W-2 - Big Game - of the Wildlife Commission regulations and are necessary to properly manage big game populations in Colorado. They establish limited license numbers for deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, and black bear during seasons which were adopted in January 2014; and include licenses for archery, muzzle-loading, early, regular, plains, late rifle and private land only seasons with respect to each species. Limited license numbers are set for specific game management units or groups of units. Limited license numbers are established to maintain big game herds at or near long-term population objectives, and, in the case of antlered deer, antlered elk, buck pronghorn and moose they are also set to achieve sex ratio objectives. The herd objectives are intended to maintain healthy populations, provide a diversity of hunting opportunities for residents and nonresidents, allow and maintain public recreational opportunity, minimize or control local game damage situations on private land and provide opportunity for landowners to cooperatively manage wildlife with the Division through the Ranching for Wildlife program. These resulting limited license numbers take into account harvest estimates and hunter success rates, wildlife counts and surveys, as well as impacts of winter weather and predation on big game populations. As is the case each year, this effort represents the culmination of numerous hours of work by various Division employees involved in the accumulation and analysis of data

1 and a great deal of time spent with interested publics explaining both the recommendations and the rationale behind them.

Almost all deer hunting in Colorado is by limited license, the only exception is the new over-the-counter white-tail only license valid in several GMUs in the SE Region. In 2013, 166,000 hunters applied for Colorado deer licenses. Demand for deer licenses has remained steady at that level for nearly a decade. In 2014, CPW is recommending 82,800 deer licenses, approximately the same number of licenses as 2013 (+126 licenses, +.2%). The predicted 2014 deer harvest from these license recommendations is 32,500. The 2012 and 2013 harvest estimates were both approximately 33,000 deer.

In herds west of I-25, our 2014 license recommendation is 68,300, an increase of 1% from the 67,700 issued in 2013. Of these, 9,500 are antlerless rifle licenses (no change), 2,800 are either-sex rifle licenses (-1%), 39,500 are antlered rifle licenses (+2%), 9,900 are archery licenses (+1%), and 6,700 are muzzleloader licenses (+1%). Antlerless and either-sex license increases are proposed only in those units that are performing well and are at or above population objective.

In herds east of I-25, our 2014 license recommendation is 14,500, a decrease of 3% from the 15,000 issued in 2013. Of these, 5,200 are antlerless rifle licenses (-5%), 1,300 are either-sex rifle licenses (no change), 3,700 are antlered rifle licenses (no change), 2,900 are archery licenses (-2%), and 1,400 are muzzleloader licenses (no change).

Most of the reductions in license numbers on the plains were in the SE Region and many were white-tail only licenses. We are recommending a total of 633 (-9%) fewer licenses in D-46 Big Sandy, D-47 South Republican, and D-28 Arkansas River. CPW staff, landowners, and hunters observed fewer white-tailed deer last year. Drought is thought to be the primary cause of the declines. It is possible there was some mortality caused by Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease as well. Where white-tails are doing well, we will continue to offer a limited number of licenses for white-tailed deer only. This allows us to provide more hunting opportunity for this species without impacting mule deer populations.

The statewide post-hunt 2013 deer population estimate is 391,000, compared to 408,000 in 2012. The predicted post-hunt population estimate resulting from the 2014 license recommendations is 384,000. The populations estimates are far below the statewide population objective range of 500,000 - 556,000 spanning 55 deer herds. We prioritize and systematically revise herd management plans. Some management plans have yet to be updated. Therefore the statewide range still includes herd management plans that were based on outdated population models that often overestimated deer numbers and on plans that were written at a time when population sizes were, in fact, larger. The sum of our population objectives also reflects CPW’s desire to stabilize, sustain, and increase deer herds which have experienced recent declines.

Deer population estimates declined by 10% or more since last year in 7 of 55 deer herds (13%). Deer in the far western portions of the state experienced the greatest declines, with 5 of the 7 declining herds located west of I-25 and 4 of 7 on the Western Slope. Despite drastically reduced doe license numbers, some herds continue to decline indicating harvest is not the primary factor reducing population size. While there’s reason for concern in many western herds, others are performing well. Population estimates went up by 10% or more since last year in 11 of 55 deer herds (20%), 9 of these herds were on the Western Slope. The diversity of deer habitat types and environmental conditions around the state create considerable geographic variability in population performance. Most deer herds in the central and northern mountains are performing well, and population sizes and license numbers are increasing. Many plains deer populations in the Northeast and Southeast Regions remained relatively stable and are providing good hunting opportunity.

We are encouraged by increasing buck/doe ratios post-hunt 2013 and 2014 in many herds. In 2013, we started to restore quotas that we reduced in response to declines from the winter of 2007/2008. For 2014,

2 this buck license recommendation restoration continues with very modest increases in buck license quotas in many DAUs, particularly in the SW Region.

CPW intensively monitors annual adult doe survival and winter fawn survival in five mule deer herds. These herds were selected to ecologically and geographically represent mule deer west of I-25. We also monitor buck survival in two of these herds. Three of the five intensive deer monitoring areas have experienced declines, and two are increasing. Survival rates from these herds are used in deer population models for the rest of the herds west of I-25. CPW annually monitors approximately 900 radio-collared mule deer in the five intensive monitoring areas. Survival rates in all five monitoring areas were high during the winter of 2012-2013 and this past winter. CPW conducts post-hunt herd inventories with helicopters to estimate the sex ratios of males/100 females and the age ratios of young/100 females. In addition to survival rates, these ratios are needed to estimate population size using population models. The average of sex ratio objectives for deer herds statewide is 30 bucks/100 does. Most deer herds remain at or near sex ratio objectives. During the post-hunt herd inventories in 2013, biologists classified 64,700 deer and observed an average sex ratio of 33.4 bucks/100 does compared to 30.7 bucks/100 does in 2012.

Based on these observed post-hunt sex ratios and high hunter success, which was 49% for all rifle seasons in 2013, overall buck hunting continues to be good. This good hunting even applies to some of the declining herds where we lowered license numbers to achieve the sex ratio objectives and maintain the opportunity to harvest mature males. Buck/doe ratios have shown a response to our management actions and Colorado remains a premier destination for deer hunters.

Elk licenses in most units in 2014 will include over-the-counter archery licenses [145 of 186 GMUs (78%)] and over-the-counter second and third season rifle bull licenses [92 of 186 GMUs (49%)]. All rifle antlerless licenses, muzzleloader, first, fourth, and late season licenses are limited. In 2013, 195,000 hunters applied for Colorado limited elk licenses.

CPW is recommending 3,300 fewer limited elk licenses in 2014 (-2%). We are recommending 138,200 licenses compared to 141,500 in 2013. Most notable are reductions in the SW Region of 2,800 (-7%). The other three regions are recommending only slight net reductions.

Statewide antlerless licenses recommendations decreased from 77,400 to 75,000 (-3%) and limited bull license recommendations decreased from 23,700 to 23,200 (-2%). Antlerless license numbers increased as a result of an increase in female harvest objective in E-2 Bears Ears as this herd is increasing and slightly above its population objective range.

This year’s license recommendations are still similar to 2013, as they reflect previously reduced quotas in most of the largest herds. These reductions account for success in bringing elk populations towards objective and thus a decreasing need for antlerless harvest. Continuing with this trend, we are recommending antlerless license reductions in several more DAUs including; E-15 Avalanche, E-16 Frying Pan, E-17 Collegiate Peaks, E-39 Mount Evans, E-41 West Elk, E-43 Fossil Ridge, and E-52 Coal Creek. The recommendation for E-25 Lake Fork of the Gunnison herd is for a reduction of 445 antlerless licenses (-25%) and 160 antlered licenses (-10%). Like many of the antlerless elk license reductions in the past few years, this recommendation is based on input from members of the public who desire more elk in that herd. There is little potential for game damage conflicts in this DAU as the land ownership is largely public. The potential for private land conflicts has been minimized over the years by exclusionary fencing on haystacks. The herd management plan will be revised this year and we anticipate the population objective range will be raised. The predicted 2014 elk harvest is 43,000, which is similar to last year’s harvest of 43,600. The harvest is achieved through the recommended limited licenses and over-the- counter licensed hunting. Bull harvest in 2013 was nearly identical to 2012 at 23,000, much of which comes from over the counter licenses. Antlerless harvest was 20,800, which is also similar to the 21,500 harvested in 2012. Note that the statewide antlerless elk harvest from limited licenses is almost equal to

3 the bull elk harvest, even with over-the-counter bull licenses in many areas. This illustrates the significant amount of hunting opportunity these license recommendations present. Overall, the predicted harvest would yield a predicted 2014 post-hunt population of 255,000 elk.

The statewide elk population estimate is 264,000 in post-hunt 2013, compared to 266,000 in 2012. The current post-hunt population objective range for elk DAUs statewide is 222,000 - 270,000. We continue to prioritize the revision and implementation of herd management plans, as this statewide objective range is partially based on historic herd management plans that were written with outdated population models that underestimated elk numbers. Since season and license setting is designed to utilize antlerless harvest to bring elk populations to herd objectives, further reductions in antlerless licenses are anticipated in the future as more elk populations reach objectives.

As we’ve intentionally reduced elk populations to achieve population objectives, hunters and outfitters increasingly have expressed concern that elk populations are becoming too low in some herds, despite the fact that 36% of the elk herds are still above their current population objectives. Based on feedback from the public, CPW gives serious consideration to raising population objectives in herds as herd management plans are revised. These requests are balanced with landowners’ concerns about game damage and with information from public land management agencies about habitat condition and preferences identified by local communities and sportsmen. Past experiences are informing the upper and lower social thresholds for elk population size in many herds, which will benefit us greatly in future herd management planning efforts.

The current average sex ratio objective range for elk herds statewide is 22-26 bulls/100 cows. Most elk herds are near bull/cow ratio objectives. In 2013, during the post-hunt herd inventories, biologists used helicopter surveys to classify 85,000 elk and observed a statewide average sex ratio of 22.1 bulls/100 cows, down slightly from the 23.4 bulls/100 cows observed in 2012.

During these surveys over the past few years we’ve observed lower than normal calf/cow ratios in the southern tier of the state in both the Southwest and Southeast Regions. Some herds have three-year average calf ratios as low as 20 calves/100 cows. The three-year average is 35 calves/100 cows in the Southwest Region and 32 calves/100 cows in the Southeast Region. This is compared to 49 calves/100 cows in the Northwest Region and 41 calves/100 cows in the Northeast Region. Northern Colorado typically has higher calf ratios. CPW will continue to monitor calf/cow ratios annually and we expect improvement when the drought subsides. Further research and management changes may be necessary if calf production remains low. In general the 2014 statewide license recommendations for elk are very similar to the total quota issued in 2013 because many herds are near the desired population size. Having a combination of units that are limited in all seasons and units that have both limited and over-the-counter hunting seasons allows us to offer a very wide range of hunting opportunities on one of the nation’s premier elk populations.

Pronghorn

The majority of pronghorn licenses are limited; the exception is over-the-counter archery licenses available in many herds [131 of 186 GMUs (70%)]. The number of limited licenses recommended for 2014 is 17,200, down from 19,000 in 2012 (-9%). These reductions occur primarily in the Southeast Region and account for recent and successful decreases in pronghorn numbers, issues of over-crowding and low hunter success, and adjustments of license levels to meet hunter demand and reduce unsold licenses. Therefore, we are recommending 1,700 (-13%) fewer licenses in the Southeast Region. In 2010, pronghorn harvest set a record of 12,300. The 2013 harvest was significantly lower at 8,300. Harvest is lower because pronghorn populations are smaller and licenses were greatly reduced in 2012. Last year was the lowest success rate (46%) ever observed. Thresholds for licenses and hunter numbers have been reached or exceeded in several pronghorn herds. CPW staff, hunters, and landowners in the Southeast Region have expressed concern over hunter density in many areas. This year’s license recommendations are designed to move populations towards objectives while continuing to address these types of challenges.

4 The estimated statewide post-hunt pronghorn population is 66,000 in 2013, down from the peak of 79,000 in 2010. The statewide population objective range for hunted pronghorn herds is 67,000 - 76,000. The predicted 2014 pronghorn harvest is 8,200 with a predicted 2014 post-hunt population of 64,000.

The population reduction is attributable to increased doe harvest, List B licenses, and late seasons designed to achieve population objectives in the Southeast Region. Additionally, drought conditions have negatively impacted populations by reducing fawn production and recruitment. The pronghorn population estimate in the Southeast Region is 29,000, which is in the population objective range of 25,000 to 30,000. Northwest and Southwest Region pronghorn population estimates went up slightly and many of those herds, also impacted by drought, are suffering from poor fawn survival and recruitment. Most populations are stable in the Northeast Region.

During pre-hunt herd surveys in 2013, conducted with helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft, biologists classified 11,000 pronghorn. The average observed pre-hunt ratio of bucks/100 does was 39 bucks/100 does compared to 45 buck/100 does in 2012. The 2014 reduction in pronghorn license recommendations reflect that we have reduced many herds in the Southeast Region. Regardless, Colorado still offers some excellent hunting for one of North America’s iconic animals.

All moose licenses will remain limited. For 2014, we are recommending 250 moose licenses. License demand far exceeds allocation, with 18,300 applicants for 228 moose licenses in 2013. Statewide moose harvest was 184 in 2013, compared to 185 in 2012.

Moose populations continue to do well throughout the state. We are fortunate because most other states are experiencing declines in their moose populations. We now have moose hunting in 39 GMUs. The estimated statewide post-hunt moose population in herds open to moose hunting is 2,300 in 2013, compared to 2,100 in 2012. The current population objective range for all moose herds is 1,700 – 2,200.

Eight bear management areas (B-2, B-3, B-4, B-5, B-6, B-7, B-17, and B-18) are governed by the strategic goals and objectives contained in their revised plans which were approved in 2011 and 2013. We expect that B-11 will be forwarded for your approval later this year. License recommendations are aimed at achieving the strategic goals and harvest objectives of these management plans. In most plan areas the goals are to continue bear population reductions, while in B-3 and B-13 the goal is to stabilize bear populations at about current levels.

The seven remaining management areas have plans that were completed in 2000. Their objectives were determined by average harvest and mortality amounts documented during the years 1994-1999. These antiquated objectives are not applicable to current bear and human population levels, constrain harvest management, and thus don’t provide the flexibility to deal with current conditions. Therefore, in 2010 CPW staff requested that the Commission supersede all DAU plans with an overall strategy to stabilize and slightly reduce bear populations, pending approval of new plans. Our recommendations are in accordance with that strategy or the specific strategic objectives within the newer plans. In 2014 the statewide harvest objective is 1,400 and the statewide total mortality objective is 1,850. The sum of license allocations for all bear management areas is 22,713 licenses, a 7% (1,546) increase from the 2013 allocation. Female bears are expected to comprise about 42% to 45% of the harvest and we expect greater than 55% of the female bears will be adult bears. These license levels and estimated harvest amounts appear to be accomplishing our management goals of stabilizing or reducing black bear populations.

The information and data gained from ongoing efforts to improve bear management have been applied to the 2014 bear license recommendations. Specifically, the age and gender composition of harvest derived from tooth cementum aging methods and the harvest composition data that is examined in 3-year running average intervals have been incorporated. The cumulative data from 2010-2012 show that adult males

5 comprised 22% of harvest, females comprised 38% of all harvest, and 54% of all females harvested were adult females. These composition data suggest that the black bear population in Colorado is stable or slightly decreasing. Preliminary examination of the 2013 harvest composition data shows the continued signs of retarding bear population growth in that females comprised 37% of all harvest and more than 55% of those females were adult animals.

CPW has estimated bear population densities using genetic mark-recapture survey methods conducted in 6 different sites, which are then used to extrapolate likely population size in the 17 managed bear DAUs. Data analysis has indicated that the black bear population in Colorado remains within the conservative projection of 16,000-18,000 bears, but that population is either stable or somewhat declining. Qualitatively, hunter success rates in 2013 dropped for the first time in 5 years during a period of normal bear vulnerability. This also suggests a decline in bear abundance.

Forage conditions in 2013 were average to somewhat above average in most areas of Colorado, leading to good quality forage conditions throughout most summer and fall months. Consequently, human-bear conflicts were down and 358 bears died due to non-hunt mortality. Notably, only about 200 of those deaths were due to control kills as opposed to 300-350 in high conflict years. Nevertheless, even in a good bear forage-relatively low human conflict year, control kills on bear remains much higher than even recent historic (10-year) averages. It remains our desire to continue applying harvest mortality sufficient to continue population reductions on a statewide scale.

Current black bear research in the Durango area is comparing the demographic attributes of bears that utilize urban environments with those that are primarily wild-land inhabitants to quantify the effects of human foods on bear population performance.

The preponderance of information and data available indicate Colorado’s black bear populations remain robust and appear to be stable to slightly decreasing, as intended. CPW will continue the bear density hair surveys for 2 more years to inform and refine our black bear population projections. Monitoring and evaluating mortality with age and gender composition data derived from tooth cementum allows management flexibility to implement bear plan objectives while assuring population persistence. Finally, research objectives are aligned with management needs in determining the long term effects of human food availability on bear reproduction and survival rates.

Overall, the 2014 big game license recommendations provide for an economically significant and diverse amount of big game hunting throughout all of Colorado. These recommendations and the associated over-the-counter licenses provide the opportunity for over three hundred thousand hunters to enjoy the incredible big game resources of the State. They also represent the accumulation of thousands of hours of employees’ efforts conducting herd inventories, obtaining harvest estimates, and incorporating all of this information into predictive models and license number recommendations. I am pleased to present these recommendations as a testament to the incredible wildlife resources CPW manages for the people of Colorado and its visitors to enjoy.

The primary statutory authority for these regulations can be found in § 24-4-103, C.R.S., and the state Wildlife Act, §§ 33-1-101 to 33-6-209, C.R.S., specifically including, but not limited to: §§ 33-1- 106, C.R.S.

EFFECTIVE DATE - THESE REGULATIONS SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2014 AND SHALL REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT UNTIL REPEALED, AMENDED OR SUPERSEDED.

APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE PARKS AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO THIS 8th DAY OF MAY, 2014.

APPROVED: William Kane Chairman

ATTEST:

6 Christopher J. Castilian Secretary