As Approved Version – 9/07/2006
Basis and Purpose
Chapter 2 – Big Game

Basis and Purpose

These regulations establish season dates, manner of take restrictions and harvest limit quotas for mountain lions for the 2006 season.  Harvest limit quotas are established to provide hunting opportunity within harvest and total mortality objectives established in mountain lion data analysis unit (DAU) plans.  The objectives are intended to maintain healthy populations, provide a diversity of hunting opportunities for residents and nonresidents, allow and maintain public recreational opportunity and to minimize or control local game damage situations on private land.  These resulting harvest limit quotas take into account harvest estimates and hunter success rates, wildlife counts and surveys, as well as impacts of winter weather.  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 and time spent with interested publics explaining both the recommendations and the rationale behind them.  As a result of the mountain lion season date change enacted by the Commission in November of 2005, harvest limit quotas will begin in late fall rather than January 1, annually.  The Division does not believe that the one-time renewal of harvest limit quotas two months earlier than usual will result in significant overharvest of lion populations, as harvest is calculated on a five-year average.  If overharvest due to this change is documented, then the Division intends to adjust future harvest limit quotas to prevent negative long-term population impacts.

In 2006 mountain lion seasons changed from a calendar year season to a biological year season.  Harvest limit quotas were reduced in one game management unit group to assure that anticipated harvest and non-hunter harvest (total mortality), when combined and averaged with 2002 through 2006 total mortality, do not substantially exceed the DAU total mortality objectives and desired proportion of females in harvest.

Deletion of #242.A.6.b represents a change in season dates adopted by the Wildlife Commision in November, 2005.  A special 2006 two-part season was adopted in order to transition from a calendar year season, beginning January 1, to a season beginning the first day after the closing day of the final regular big game season annually.

The 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: §§ 33-1-101, 102, 104, 105, 106-108, 115, and 121; §§ 33-2-104, 105, 106, and 107; § 33-3-104; §§ 33-4-101, 102, 102.5, 103, 116, 116.5, 117, and 119; § 33-5.5-102; and §§ 33-6-107, 109, 112, 113, 113.5, 114, 114.5, 117, 119, 120, 121, 124, 127, 128, 129, 131, 205, 206, 207, and 208. 

EFFECTIVE DATE - THESE REGULATIONS SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 1, 2006 AND SHALL REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT UNTIL REPEALED, AMENDED OR SUPERSEDED.

APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE WILDLIFE COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO THIS 7th DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2006.
Approved:
Jeffrey A. Crawford
	Chairman
Attest:
Claire O’Neal
Secretary