Colorado - State Lands, Access Fees for All

[RiverBluffRunner]

CPW Commission requires a valid hunting or fishing license to access all State Wildlife Areas and CPW-leased State Trust Lands

CPW Commission requires a valid hunting or fishing license to access all State Wildlife Areas and CPW-leased State Trust Lands

Glad that the state is taking advantage of the income potential that will be generated with this. Anyone using these lands whether intending to hike or hunt should pay it forward. Hunters alike have been doing this forever while a large contingency of freeloaders access at no costs.

 

[PassCreek]

Interesting. I'm not sure it'll last. They had a similar rule when Habitat Stamps were created and I believe it lasted a year.

 

[cnelk]

Back when the CPW allowed non hunters/fisherman to use SWA was not that people complained that they had to purchase a Habitat Stamp. It was was when the Feds did the yearly audit of federal funds spent by the states, in this case the CPW, they determined that is was illegal to have the public purchase a Habitat Stamp to use a SWA as the Pittman/Roberts fund was being use in part to maintain/purchase/lease SWA land. In essence, the State was "double dipping" when charging for the Habitat Stamp plus using the PT fund. The CPW had to pay back a few $100,000 dollars.


The real issue will be enforcement of the new regulation

 

[Mountainlaurel3]

The real issue will be enforcement of the new regulation

Truth. Amazing how rarely I've even had my fishing license checked - once in hundreds of days out over the last five years.

 

[nettereo16]

Back when the CPW allowed non hunters/fisherman to use SWA was not that people complained that they had to purchase a Habitat Stamp. It was was when the Feds did the yearly audit of federal funds spent by the states, in this case the CPW, they determined that is was illegal to have the public purchase a Habitat Stamp to use a SWA as the Pittman/Roberts fund was being use in part to maintain/purchase/lease SWA land. In essence, the State was "double dipping" when charging for the Habitat Stamp plus using the PT fund. The CPW had to pay back a few $100,000 dollars.


The real issue will be enforcement of the new regulation

I still think this is another workaround by CO - if the public purchases hunting/fishing licenses, the state will receive a match in Federal funds from Pittman/Johnson. More power to em!

 

[Blackcow]

It’s always been that way in Arizona. Since our State Trust Department doesn’t have an enforcement arm, it relies on local L.E. , sheriff or NF LEO. So...... It all stays overrun with trailer hobos. I’m all for people camping but that shit pisses me off.....

 

[Nickofthewoods]

The real issue will be enforcement of the new regulation

A small SWA near me could have three full time Rangers dedicated to this one small property and still not be able to fully enforce this. It would basically have to become a State Park with a gated entrance and visitor center etc. So yeah, impossible to enforce.

Truth. Amazing how rarely I've even had my fishing license checked - once in hundreds of days out over the last five years.

I've been checked once in the last 25 years and I probably fish 50 or more days every year.

 

[30338]

I get checked every year in CO. Duck hunting, elk hunting, deer hunting. Typically by teams of 2 looking to write tickets. So I go out of my way to sign licenses, have plugs in shotguns, orange on, etc. Just lucky I guess.

 

[PathFinder]

They won't enforce it. Non-hunters aren't supposed to be in Cherokee Park SWA September-April, but it's full of hippies running their mutt dogs all over every weekend. So much for saving the deer from stress by postponing shed hunting.

Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk

 

[tulsaburnside]

This will cause a major uproar by non-hunters and fishermen. I hope this happens and they enforce it; could be a huge financial boom for CPW.

 

[cnelk]

On July 1, 2019 the fines for non fish/hunt 'user groups' almost doubled for this type of activity.
I was at a SWA fishing and the wardens were out in kayaks handing out tickets like candy to swimmers, paddleboaders, dog hikers.

Loved every minute of it

 

[Poser]

Interested to see how this plays out. So far, I haven’t seen the press release picked up by non hunting publications. Locally in Durango, there is Perrins Peak SWA, but a good chunk is closed because of falcon nesting with the exception of July-Nov. gets some traffic, but not a lot. Other portions done they much use with the exception of a parking area to access to the CO trail. Will CPW enforce licenses to use the parking area? If so, will be interesting.

Bodo SWA gets very little public use. With the exception of a power line ROW, there aren’t any trails.

Haviland Lake is popular, but the trails, parking area are on FS land. Most of the lake is SWA, but not all. Looks like the boat launch is SWA and it is popular for paddleboards.

I don’t see it as very enforceable, I think they’ll issue some warnings this summer vs. showing up July 2 and writing tickets and that’ll be it. Who knows how long it will take to get the TH signs updated.

 

[ArrowForester]

Double edged sword here?

Nice to have the revenues and the understanding of what the lands are managed for among the general public and potential users. But will the managing agencies have the spine to stay the course if it all takes a left turn? Equal pay means equal say and when the social media activist non-consumptive user group campaigns for every anti hunter to buy a license for land access it could really turn into a tug-o-war. The dog walkers, hippies and trailer hobos may end up directing management as well as using the space. Probably not but it could cause some waves.....

 

[RiverBluffRunner]

Double edged sword here?

Nice to have the revenues and the understanding of what the lands are managed for among the general public and potential users. But will the managing agencies have the spine to stay the course if it all takes a left turn? Equal pay means equal say and when the social media activist non-consumptive user group campaigns for every anti hunter to buy a license for land access it could really turn into a tug-o-war. The dog walkers, hippies and trailer hobos may end up directing management as well as using the space. Probably not but it could cause some waves.....

Agreed, the non hunters will surely grasp for more power and say in how this money is spent. But this approach it is better because they have access to use the land for next to nothing.

Access roads and trails don't get constructed and maintained for free. Surely hunters are not the only ones using trails through the other 75% of the year.

Only a matter of time before some unemployed covidiot starts to light fires.