As Colorado hunting season gets underway, it’s important to know that if you don’t respect the law, you could lose your license. And not just in Colorado. Laws on the books mean that if you commit a hunting crime in another state, you’ll lose your Colorado license, too.
One such law is the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact,which is a national agreement between states to treat visitors as residents. That means that if you are visiting another state and commit a violation of a hunting law, your license could be revoked in that state and your home state. In other words, both states have the ability to recognize the offense.
With that in mind, it’s an especially good idea to review the Colorado Big Game brochure and review this video on ethical hunting. Here are some of the more common violations the CPW sees each year.
- Failure to wear 500 inches of “daylight fluorescent orange” that also covers your head.
- Carrying loaded firearms in vehicles.
- Shooting from or across a road. You must be 50 feet away from a road to shoot.
- Wasting game meat. There are online videos linked from the CPW website that show how to properly field dress big game animals. The proper dressing will prevent meat spoilage.
- Illegally tagging animals. Remember that you are only allowed to tag an animal that you shot.
Keep in mind that these are only the most common violations. There are many more, and they can all be found in the Colorado Big Game brochure.
We see many hunters each year whose licenses are threatened or revoked under the Wildlife Violator’s Compact, which is why it is important to us to educate our clients on best-hunting practices.
If you have questions or concerns about your rights under the law, we would be glad to talk with you. This hunting season, we want all Colorado sportsmen and women to stay safe and enjoy everything our beautiful state has to offer.