Public Access to Private Ranch in Colorado's Unit 23

[noharleyyet]

In keeping with recent public access to private property discussion....this looks like a good deal for those who've drawn these tags.

September 5, 2012

From Colorado Parks and Wildlife:

Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Miller Creek Ranch in Meeker are offering big-game hunters an opportunity to apply for a limited number of private property, high-quality elk and mule deer hunts beginning November 3.

Interested hunters must submit a written application by 5 p.m. Wednesday, October 10, 2012 to:

Colorado Parks and Wildlife - Meeker Office
Attn: Bailey Franklin/Special Miller Creek Ranch Hunts
PO Box 1181, Meeker CO 81641

The application can be found online.

Nine hunts will be available to hunters who have already drawn limited deer and elk licenses for Game Management Unit 23 during the 2012 big-game hunting seasons. In addition, one public bull elk hunt will be available to any big-game hunter that plans to purchase an unlimited, over-the-counter bull elk license for the third rifle season in 2012.

"This is a rare, high-quality private land hunting experience," said District Wildlife Manager Bailey Franklin. "We encourage sportsmen to take advantage of this chance to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime hunt."

The unique opportunity developed through a working relationship between Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Miller Creek Ranch landowner Richard Bachmann.

As part of their efforts in a large-scale big-game habitat protection and improvement project, local wildlife managers reached a mutual agreement with Bachmann to set aside a perpetual conservation easement on his 3,100-acre ranch property, located in GMU 23.

A portion of the agreement stipulates that a limited amount of public access for mule deer and elk hunting will be made available annually and will be cooperatively implemented by the agency, Bachman and property manager Joe Collins.

The Miller Creek Ranch is within the White River mule deer and elk herd units, two of the largest big-game populations in the state of Colorado. The ranch features a variety of habitat, including high elevation aspen and conifer forest, mountain shrub lands and lower elevation pinyon-juniper woodland and sagebrush.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is now accepting applications until the Oct. 10 deadline. The hunts are open to all eligible hunters; however, preference will be given to youth and military veterans that apply. There is no cost associated with the application. The following hunts will be available and hunters should be specific about which of these hunting seasons/opportunities they are interested and eligible to apply for:


ONE UNGUIDED ANTLERED/BUCK DEER HUNT ON MILLER CREEK RANCH

Third regular rifle season - Nov. 3 through Nov. 11 2012
OR
Fourth limited rifle season - Nov. 4 through Nov. 18 2012

To be eligible, applicants must have drawn a limited deer license in either:

- DM01203R
- DMO1204R
- DE011P3R

Applicant must confirm eligibility and indicate interest in buck mule deer hunt in the application.

One hunter will be selected from a pool of eligible applicants to hunt a buck deer during only one of the two potential buck deer hunt dates specifically listed above for 2012.


ONE UNGUIDED ANTLERLESS/DOE DEER HUNT ON MILLER CREEK RANCH
Third regular rifle season - Nov. 3 through Nov. 11 2012

Applicant must have drawn a limited antlerless deer license in either:

- DF01203R
- DE011P3R

Applicants must confirm eligibility and indicate interest in doe mule deer hunt in the application.

One hunter will be selected from a pool of eligible applicants to hunt a doe deer during the hunt dates specifically listed above for 2012.


ONE UNGUIDED ANTLERED/BULL ELK HUNT ON MILLER CREEK RANCH

Third regular OTC rifle season - Nov. 3 through Nov. 11 2012
OR
Fourth limited rifle season - Nov. 4 through Nov. 18 2012


All hunters are eligible to apply for this public bull elk hunt during the third rifle season.

Applicants that have drawn a limited, either sex license for EE01204R are also eligible to apply for this bull elk hunt but would be restricted to the fourth, limited rifle season.

Applicant must confirm that they are planning to purchase an over-the-counter bull elk license for the third rifle elk season, or have already drawn a fourth rifle limited elk license.

Applicants must indicate interest in the bull elk hunt in application.

One hunter from the pool of eligible applicants will be selected to hunt a bull elk during only one of the two potential bull elk hunt dates specifically listed above for 2012.


7 UNGUIDED COW ELK HUNTS ON MILLER CREEK RANCH

- Third regular OTC rifle season - Nov. 3 through Nov. 11 2012
- Fourth limited rifle season - Nov. 4 through Nov. 18 2012
- Latter portion of the late, private-land-only rifle season: Oct. 24 through Nov. 11 2012
- Late rifle December PLO cow elk season - Hunt 1: Dec. 1 through Dec. 6 2012
- Late rifle December PLO cow elk season - Hunt 2: Dec. 7 through Dec. 12 2012
- Late rifle December PLO cow elk season - Hunt 3: Dec. 13 through Dec. 18 2012

In order to be eligible to apply for one of the seven public cow elk hunts, applicant must have drawn a limited antlerless or either-sex elk license in either:

- EF01203R
- EE01204R
- EF011P5R
- EF023P5R

Applicant must confirm eligibility and must specifically indicate which of the cow elk hunts listed above that they are applying for in the application.


CPW will select seven hunters from pool of eligible applicants to hunt cow elk during any of the six potential cow elk hunt dates specifically listed above for 2012.

The ten hunters will be notified by mail soon after the deadline. In addition, those selected will receive specific dates and details from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, including a special hunt packet, detailing special travel restrictions and hunting access rules.

For more information or questions, call Colorado Parks and Wildlife's Meeker office at 970-878-6090

 

[Ben Lamb]

I think it's fantastic to see CO's DOW working to open private lands to public hunters. I also think it's unfortunate that the people who pay the freight for wildlife management are left with the scraps of their own resource.

Personally, I'd rather have a negotiated access fee paid through the department under strict guidelines like we do in MT under the Conservation Easement program or Block Management. CO's privatized their wildlife just like UT. I'm not saying those programs are perfect, but they have been emulated a lot more than Ranching for Wildlife have been. We've got 8 million acres enrolled in Block Management. Lord knows how much public land has been opened up by Conservation Easements and trespass easements.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Don't be silly Ben, it is the landowners wildlife, until it eats a haystack or pure bred cow.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Don't be silly Ben, it is the landowners wildlife, until it eats a haystack or pure bred cow.

I want to clear on this: Landowners are an integral part of wildlife management. A lion's share of the critical winter range in the west is based on private lands. They must be a part of any discussion related to wildlife management. They have as much skin in the game as anyone else. They should not, however, decide what seasons look like, what herd objectives are, and who gets what tag.

They deserve equal footing, not preferential treatment. A lot of us like to quote Aldo Leopold, except when it comes to the private landowner side of the equation. Leopold was a strong advocate for the landowner just as he was for the public hunter, and wildlife. It's only when everyone works together do we get real conservation successes.

Ranching for Wildlife removes the public hunter from the equation. It also reverses the NAM by making wildlife a commodity rather than a public good.

 

[mtlion]

I want to clear on this: Landowners are an integral part of wildlife management. A lion's share of the critical winter range in the west is based on private lands. They must be a part of any discussion related to wildlife management. They have as much skin in the game as anyone else. They should not, however, decide what seasons look like, what herd objectives are, and who gets what tag.

They deserve equal footing, not preferential treatment. A lot of us like to quote Aldo Leopold, except when it comes to the private landowner side of the equation. Leopold was a strong advocate for the landowner just as he was for the public hunter, and wildlife. It's only when everyone works together do we get real conservation successes.

Ranching for Wildlife removes the public hunter from the equation. It also reverses the NAM by making wildlife a commodity rather than a public good.

Ben Lamb for president.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Why must you always squash my attempts at hysteria with facts, reason and logic?

 

[Ben Lamb]

It's because of my uneasy alliance with the bears.

 

[tjones]

. They should not, however, decide what seasons look like, what herd objectives are, and who gets what tag.

They deserve equal footing, not preferential treatment. .

Senator Debbie Barrett, the Montana Legislature and HB42 say you are wrong.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Senator Debbie Barrett, the Montana Legislature and HB42 say you are wrong.

Judge a man by his enemies...

 

[bjtc_brian]

It's only when everyone works together do we get real conservation successes.

Ranching for Wildlife removes the public hunter from the equation. It also reverses the NAM by making wildlife a commodity rather than a public good.

Very well said Ben, I couldn't agree with this statement any more, nor could it be said any better!

 

[jlmatthew]

Personally, I'd rather have a negotiated access fee paid through the department under strict guidelines like we do in MT under the Conservation Easement program or Block Management. CO's privatized their wildlife just like UT.

A Block Management type program will never happen here, way too much money involved in Colorado right now and it looks like its about to get worse in the very near future