FINAL REGULATIONS - CHAPTER 2 - BIG GAME
	  FILING - 09/28/2007

ARTICLE VI ‑ MOUNTAIN LION
#242 ‑	RIFLE AND ASSOCIATED METHODS MOUNTAIN LION SEASONS
A.	General and Extended Seasons
1.	Dogs may be used to hunt mountain lion.  However, the pack size shall be limited to no more than eight (8) dogs.
2.	After a mountain lion has been pursued, treed, cornered or held at bay, a properly licensed person shall take or release the mountain lion.  No person shall in any manner restrict or hinder the mountain lion’s ability to escape for the purpose of allowing a person who was not a member of the hunting party to arrive and take the mountain lion.
3.	Without regard to harvest limit quotas, unit boundaries or season dates, the director or his designee may authorize the taking of problem lion by any lawful means designated, including but not limited to methods permitted under Article XVIII, Section 12, of the Colorado Constitution, when such lion are causing damage to livestock or property or are frequenting areas of incompatibility with other users as may be necessary to protect public health, safety and welfare.  The taking of lion under this section shall be by licensed hunters, houndsmen, or trappers who shall be bound by all other statutes and regulations regarding the taking and possession of mountain lion.
4.	The director shall establish a statewide list of hunters, houndsmen, and trappers to take problem lions taking into consideration the ability to respond, skill, experience, location, and the ability of the hunters, houndsmen, or trappers who have applied to participate in removal operations; and, in selecting participants from that list for any particular removal operation shall further take into consideration the urgency dictated by the situation and the environment in which the removal will occur.
5.	Research Closure and Restrictions on Take of Designated Lions:
a.	Mountain lion hunting and take shall be prohibited from November 11, 2004 through March 31, 2009 in the southern half of GMUs 61 and 62 and the northern portion of GMU 70, unless a lion is a threat to human safety, is in the act of depredating livestock, or prior written approval has been provided by the Division.  The closed area is defined as the area bounded on the east by S.H. 348 at Delta, on the north by 25 Mesa Road and F.S. Road 503 to Nucla, on the south and west by S.H. 97 to S.H. 141 and S.H. 145 to Placerville and on the south by S.H. 62 to Ridgeway and on the east by U.S. 550 to Montrose and by U.S. 50 to Delta.
b.	The take of collared lions or lions with orange or yellow ear tags shall be prohibited in all of GMUs 61 and 62 and that portion of GMU 70 described in subsection 1 above, from November 11, 2004 through March 31, 2009 unless the lion is a threat to human safety, is in the act of depredating livestock, or prior written approval has been provided by the Division.

6.	Hunt Type, Dates, Units (as described in Chapter 0 of these regulations), and Harvest limit Quotas.
a.	Mountain Lion, Either-sex Season and Harvest Limit Quota – In Game Management Units, as follows, the day after the close of the final combined rifle season through March 31 annually (through April 30 annually for GMU 40 only):
Units	Lion Harvest Limit Quota	Units	Lion Harvest Limit Quota	
1, 2
3, 301
4 (north of Co Rd 27 and USFS 110), 5
4 (south of Co Rd 27 and USFS 110), 441
6, 16, 17, 161, 171
7
8
9
10
11
12
13 (west of Hayden Divide Road)
13 (east of Hayden Divide Road), and 131
15
18, 27, 28, 37, 181, 371
19
20
21
22
23
24
25, 26, 34
29
30
31
32
33
35
36
38
39, 391
40
41
42
43
44
46
47
48, 49, 50, 481, 500
51, 104
52, 411
	5
5

8

5
3
1
4
3
10
12
14

12

5
6
8
5
9
8
13
10
3
10
2
11
8
5
13
3
5
7
5
7
3
10
2
3
2
1
6
7
10	53, 63
54, 55, 551
56, 561
57, 58, 581
59, 591
60
61 (subject to the limitations set forth in #242(A)(5) 62 (subject to the limitations set forth in #242(A)(5) 
64
65
66, 67
68, 681, 682
69, 84, 86, 691, 861
70 east of Colo 141(subject to the limitations set forth in #242(A)(5) 70 west of Colo 141
71, 711
72
73
74, 741
75
77
76, 79, 791
78
80
81
82
83
85, 140, 851
123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147
191
201
211
421
444
461
501
511
521
751, 771

Total:	8
7
5
19
8
5

7

7
6
5
8
5
24

10
6
11
3
7
5
2
4
5
4
3
2
6
7
24

14
8
5
17
8
4
4
4
4
6
3

559	
B.	Licenses and GMU Harvest Limit Quota Status
1.	A valid mountain lion license is required to hunt any mountain lion.
2.	Except as provided in 33-3-106 C.R.S., it is unlawful for any person to purchase or obtain a mountain lion hunting license or hunt mountain lions unless the person obtains a mountain lion education certificate issued by the Division attesting to the person’s successful completion of the Division’s certified mountain lion education and identification course.  Any person required to obtain such a certificate shall have the certificate on his or her person while hunting or taking mountain lion.
3.	Prior to each hunting trip in any game management unit, but not earlier than 5:00 p.m. of the day before hunting, lion hunters must contact 1-888-940-LION (1-888-940-5466), or any Division office and determine which game management units have not reached the unit harvest quota and are open to hunting.  It shall be unlawful to hunt in a unit after it is closed.
C.	Special Restrictions
1.	Reporting and Sealing
a.	The taking of mountain lions by licensed hunters shall be reported to the Division within 48 hours after the taking thereof, and except as provided in these regulations, the lion shall be personally presented by the hunter for inspection and sealing within five (5) days after the taking thereof.  A mandatory check report shall be accurately completed by the hunter at the time of inspection, which shall include certification that all information provided is accurate 
2.	The legal possession seal when attached to the mountain lion skull or hide shall authorize possession, transportation, tanning or mounting thereof.  No fee shall be required for the inspection and issuance of a legal possession seal which shall remain attached to the skull or hide until processed.  Mountain lions shall not be transported, shipped or otherwise taken out of Colorado until the hide and skull are inspected and sealed.
3.	All mountain lion taken or destroyed under Commission regulation #1702 or §33‑3‑106(3) and (4) C.R.S., as amended, shall remain the property of the state and shall be delivered to an officer of the Division of Wildlife within five (5) days.  A report shall be given to an officer of the Division at the time of delivery which contains the following:
1)	Name(s) of person(s) who killed the animal(s).
2)	The county and the specific location of the kill.
3)	The species and number of animals killed.
4)	The reason for such action.
4.	Lions With Kittens – No person shall kill a mountain lion accompanied by one or more kittens or kill a kitten.
5.	“Kitten” shall mean a lion with spots.