No Tag - Can I still be in the Colorado Elk woods?

[FlyGuy]

Each license holder can take 3 guests on NM state trust lands.

Ahhh…. The sign didn’t say that. Thanks for the clarification.


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[Jethro]

Your welcome. Here is a pic of the regs. Just so you don’t have to take the word of a stranger.

 

[wapitibob]

I also know that in NM only tag holders can access state’s public land. It’s on every fence, but I had no idea it was a rule until I saw their signs.


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Anybody with a $35 access permit can access nm state land.
Hunting is completely different access.

 

[browning2480]

Buy a Bear tag for $100 and go hunting with your family. We killed a bear last year in CO. For a $100 might as well and you can pack your rifle along. If the dates line up.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

Don't you worry. There are going to be more non-hunters than hunters in the Colorado woods this fall.

 

[Erict]

Can I be in the woods with them without a weapon? Can I bugle/cow call for them - be their unofficial guide, or is that considered hunting?

Colorado Revised Statutes § 33-1-102 provides this definition:​

(25.5) "Hunt" means to pursue, attract, stalk, lie in wait for, or attempt to shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, collect, or take wildlife. "Hunt" does not include stalking, attracting, searching, or lying in wait for wildlife by an unarmed person solely for the purpose of watching or taking photographs of wildlife.

I am confident that the warden will tell you that it is NOT legal to bugle/call for others (there may be exceptions for "mentored" hunts) unless you had an appropriate license/tag because you are "hunting", even if unarmed. I would further say that if your actions resulted in directing game towards those with tags you would also be considered "hunting". Whether or not one would be cited would depend on the totality of the circumstances at the time. I would guess there any number of legitimate other seasons open that would permit you to carry a firearm and hunt other species while accompanying others, like small game, or coyotes, wolf, etc. Make the call and ask now. Good luck.

​

 

[cnelk]

^^^ BS
All the YouTube cowboys have callers for the guy who has the tag

 

[Whiskey_Fish]

Colorado Revised Statutes § 33-1-102 provides this definition:​

(25.5) "Hunt" means to pursue, attract, stalk, lie in wait for, or attempt to shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, collect, or take wildlife. "Hunt" does not include stalking, attracting, searching, or lying in wait for wildlife by an unarmed person solely for the purpose of watching or taking photographs of wildlife.

I am confident that the warden will tell you that it is NOT legal to bugle/call for others (there may be exceptions for "mentored" hunts) unless you had an appropriate license/tag because you are "hunting", even if unarmed. I would further say that if your actions resulted in directing game towards those with tags you would also be considered "hunting". Whether or not one would be cited would depend on the totality of the circumstances at the time. I would guess there any number of legitimate other seasons open that would permit you to carry a firearm and hunt other species while accompanying others, like small game, or coyotes, wolf, etc. Make the call and ask now. Good luck.

​

Yeah this is a stretch. I wouldn’t go calling elk by myself without a tag in hunting season, but certainly aren’t going to get tied up with wardens just calling for someone. They’d have a field day.

I would not be caught dead carrying a “backup” weapon for someone else however. That’s pushing it.


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[svivian]

^^^ BS
All the YouTube cowboys have callers for the guy who has the tag

Armchair quarterbacks are coming out. I don’t know how many elk I’ve called in for friends with no tag in my pocket. The warden has always been friendly here in Colorado when we meet him at the truck to check tags…

 

[EVD]

Never heard of anyone having a problem in CO tagging along or actively calling for a hunter with tag. Just don't practice calling in RMNP, apparently that is considered harassing the wildlife...

 

[MallardSX2]

I'm actually more surprised that anyone even gets checked by wardens in Colorado. I've never even seen one in over 100 day of hunting there in my life.... I don't hang around the truck much though.

 

[Augie]

It's extremely common to have friends/family members without a license or tag accompany you on a hunt to call for you and share the experience. Though this post is about Colorado so my next point may be less relevant, but I saw people mention not carrying firearms unless they have a tag so I wanted to chime in. I primarily hunt Montana/Wyoming which is thick with grizz especially in the places go. You'd be hard pressed to find a game warden that's going to question you or someone in your group on why they are carrying a rifle, pistol, shotgun, etc even if its archery season.

 

[Dos Perros]

I'm actually more surprised that anyone even gets checked by wardens in Colorado. I've never even seen one in over 100 day of hunting there in my life.... I don't hang around the truck much though.

One time a dude checked me fishing. The next day, 100 miles away, same dude wants to check me. I'm like "but you checked me yesterday." Still made me pull it out and show him.

 

[KHNC]

Colorado Revised Statutes § 33-1-102 provides this definition:​

(25.5) "Hunt" means to pursue, attract, stalk, lie in wait for, or attempt to shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, collect, or take wildlife. "Hunt" does not include stalking, attracting, searching, or lying in wait for wildlife by an unarmed person solely for the purpose of watching or taking photographs of wildlife.

I am confident that the warden will tell you that it is NOT legal to bugle/call for others (there may be exceptions for "mentored" hunts) unless you had an appropriate license/tag because you are "hunting", even if unarmed. I would further say that if your actions resulted in directing game towards those with tags you would also be considered "hunting". Whether or not one would be cited would depend on the totality of the circumstances at the time. I would guess there any number of legitimate other seasons open that would permit you to carry a firearm and hunt other species while accompanying others, like small game, or coyotes, wolf, etc. Make the call and ask now. Good luck.

​

You probably should stick to New York.

 

[Erict]

Armchair quarterbacks are coming out. I don’t know how many elk I’ve called in for friends with no tag in my pocket. The warden has always been friendly here in Colorado when we meet him at the truck to check tags…

To be clear, I am simply saying that the black and white of the law says that type of calling is hunting. It's possible no one was ever cited for it, but that doesn't make it legal. Do you think any cop would tell you it's legal to drive 56 in a 55 zone?

Food for thought - I have an elk tag. I bring 10 unlicensed, unarmed friends up on the mountain opening day to "pursue" and drive the herd to my location. Are they hunting?

Not sure where "armchair quarterback" came from, as you don't know me. Now, back to the topic....

 

[Elkfitness]

I'm actually more surprised that anyone even gets checked by wardens in Colorado. I've never even seen one in over 100 day of hunting there in my life.... I don't hang around the truck much though.

Yep. Like was mentioned, much more likely to be checked fishing but I’ve been checked three times hunting. One time a warden checked my license and then my broadheads. The other was with a nice bull. He checked my tag and evidence of sex and said congrats. The last one is a better story. I found a great 6x6 deadhead in a blowdown while doing a quick overnighter early in the season to get a feel for an area that I was planning to hunt for a week towards tthe end of the archery season. It wasn’t fresh but was in fantastic shape. I took pictures of the carcass as I had a tag in my pocket and took the deadhead back to the truck the next morning. Sure enough there was a warden checking a few things out at the trailhead. I showed him the deadhead, and the pictures and shared the story of how I found him. He said that’s a nice find and good idea on the pictures.

 

[5MilesBack]

To be clear, I am simply saying that the black and white of the law says that type of calling is hunting.

"Hunt" does not include stalking, attracting, searching, or lying in wait for wildlife by an unarmed person solely for the purpose of watching or taking photographs of wildlife.

When I'm calling for others, or just in the woods playing with the elk without a license, I'm doing that solely for the purpose of watching. There is zero chance that I'm going to kill or attempt to kill any elk while doing that.

I have a buddy that's a warden in CO. We've become friends over the years after meeting in the field the first time while I was elk hunting. When hunting that unit I see him often. He's NEVER checked my license, even the first time we met.

 

[MallardSX2]

I got checked by a warden hare hunting in Maine during covid.

He was wearing an army green facemask. lol

 

[cnelk]

The CPW has a cool feature on the website. It’s called AskCPW

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is a nationally recognized leader in conservation, outdoor recreation and wildlife management. The agency manages 42 state parks, all of Colorado's wildlife, more than 300 state wildlife areas and a host of recreational programs. CPW issues hunting and fishing...

cpw.state.co.us

So I did and here’s the response from the CPW

 

[trophyhill]

Take your shotgun and kill a few grouse while on the way from point A to Point B