Over the last several years State Wildlife Area (SWA) use has dramatically increased, causing a corresponding rise in negative impacts on fish and wildlife and related recreation.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) staff including Area Wildlife Managers began analyzing what negative impacts were occurring and coming up with ideas and solutions to these problems. SWAs are areas purchased with money from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses and equipment. The primary focus for SWAs is to conserve fish and wildlife and their habitat. A secondary benefit is providing areas for wildlife-related recreation (hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching). When not in conflict with the prior purposes, SWAs can also provide opportunities for other forms of recreation.

As use has intensified, CPW is looking at how it may need to adjust management of specific properties and of SWAs in general to ensure that their primary and secondary purposes are not harmed by other types of recreation.  New proposed rules are currently out for public comment through May 24th.  You can review the proposals and offer your comments on general SWA regulation by clicking here.  You can review and comment on proposals specific to individual SWAs – which may be either more restrictive or more permissive than statewide default regulations – by clicking here.

If you are a regular user of SWAs, please take a moment to share your thoughts and speak up for sound and balanced fish and wildlife conservation on these important properties.  Thank you!