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Ranching for wildlife program
Colorado
Contributors to this thread:
Offgrid 07-Nov-17
Grasshopper 07-Nov-17
Offgrid 07-Nov-17
Shotgunwilly 07-Nov-17
Grasshopper 07-Nov-17
JohnMC 08-Nov-17
Treeline 08-Nov-17
Longcruise 08-Nov-17
Offgrid 09-Nov-17
JohnMC 09-Nov-17
Longcruise 09-Nov-17
Longcruise 09-Nov-17
sisabdulax 02-Jan-18
From: Offgrid
07-Nov-17
Ok, i have question? I watched a hunting show that had 2 very well known hunters. They hunting in Colorado on a ranch that's in the ranching for wildlife program. They're from out of state and both killed a bull a muzzleloader that had a scope.

First isn't the ranching for wildlife program for residents of the state of Colorado and only?

Second a muzzleloader with a scope in the state of Colorado is illegal?

Can someone help clarify this for me?

I asked them in their facebook page and they said it was legal because the ranch was part of the ranching for wildlife program?

Michael

From: Grasshopper
07-Nov-17
If they used a tag purchased as a ranch tag, they are considered rifle tags, any weapon is ok. Ranches set their own seasons. Ranch tags can be sold to non-residents or residents.

Public draw tags are resident only.

Ranches get up to 90% of the quota for bulls and bucks as sellable licenses. All the female tags go to the draw for residents.

From: Offgrid
07-Nov-17
Thanks, but what about the muzzleloader? Scopes are illegal in Colorado.

From: Shotgunwilly
07-Nov-17
Sabots and scopes would only be illegal during the muzzleloader season while using a "muzzleloader tag", if they were hunting with a "rifle tag" during rifle season it would be totally legal.

From: Grasshopper
07-Nov-17
You can look it up on the cpw web site under chapter w2 regs in the "about" section. I'm not an attorney but I doubt it is a violation. I believe rfw may also be defined under revised statute, not positive.

From: JohnMC
08-Nov-17
It would be like using a x-bow during rifle season. X-bows are totally legal to use during rifle but illegal for most during the archery season.

From: Treeline
08-Nov-17
RFW private tags are good for any weapon and 90 days - not tied to the Colorado public land seasons at all.

The ranch (outfitter) can sell those tags for whatever they can get for them.

The public RFW tags are mostly doe-cow tags. The public buck- bull tags are usually only around 10% of the total. The public hunts are typically limited to one week and the ranch can limit access to portions of the property for the public hunts. When you draw a buck or bull tag, typically there are lots of doe-cow hunters out there at the same time. The public seasons are typically set later, after the outfitters have hunted the ranch for several months for trophies for the high-dollar hunters. There are no public archery hunts and the timeframes for the public hunts are typically off the prime rut period for any of the species. Some RFWs may be different and better opportunities for public hunting than others.

I tried a public deer RFW hunt once. Horrible experience. Waste of points

From: Longcruise
08-Nov-17
I did a public doe rfw once too. I and my son in law. He killed the only deer that was taken on that ranch during that hunt. We both agreed it was a bad experience for many reasons even though he got the doe.

Four of us did cow hunts rfw in January two years in a row. First year was 2 for 4 on a two day hunt. Next year was deep snow and the elk were all. Down low below the ranch property . We didn't get any elk but it turned into a fabulous rabbit hunt.

The deer hunt was quite a few years ago and that property is no longer in the program. It never should have been in! It was about 1500 acres but all but about 400 acres was short grass prairie. The program allowed 16 public rifle hunters on that 400 acres!

I think the program is improved a lot over the years but it is a good idea to do some research.

Whether those guys were voucher tags or public draw, there equipment was legal as long as it was not a specified ML season.

From: Offgrid
09-Nov-17
Hey thanks everyone

From: JohnMC
09-Nov-17
Longcruise I think the ranches have to be at least 10,000 and contiguous.

From: Longcruise
09-Nov-17
I hunted 4 mile two years just a couple years ago and I don't think they had 10,000acres total. I'll look it up.

From: Longcruise
09-Nov-17
Looks like they do have over 10000 contiguo on the east ranch.

The 1500 acre property was one we hunted many years ago out near Limon. Think it was called Bijou Springs or something like that.

From: sisabdulax
02-Jan-18
My son drew a Youth RFW cow tag couple years back. Was an awesome experience for him and the ranch was super helpful in the hunt. I believe its a good program. We have local areas that big names come to every year. They either buy or are given the tag.

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