DENVER, Colo. – In preparation for the 2010 Spring Turkey Season, the Division of Wildlife is hosting seminars in Denver, Pueblo, Colorado Springs, and Grand Junction to help hunters learn more about hunting wild turkeys.  These classes are free.
 
"The classes are geared for the novice and first time turkey hunter," said Steve Lucero, an education coordinator with the DOW.  "It’s a great opportunity for an introduction to turkey hunting 101." 
 
The seminars will provide hunters with an overview of turkey hunting.  DOW biologists will discuss turkey habitat, locating birds, safety tips, current laws and regulations, as well as hunting tips and techniques for the novice hunter.
 
Wild turkey hunting is one of the fastest growing hunting sports in North America.  In most of Colorado, the Spring Turkey Season opens April 10.  Quite a few Units can be hunted with an over-the-counter license but some are totally limited so check the Colorado Turkey brochure for specifics in the area you’d like to hunt.
 
Class Schedule and Location:
 
Denver – March 25, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m., Division of Wildlife Hunter Education Building, 6060 Broadway. Limited to 150 people. Call (303)291-7545 for reservations.

Pueblo – March 25, 6-9 p.m. at Pueblo State Park Auditorium. Call (719)227-5200 for reservations.

Colorado Springs – March 27, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., DOW Office, 4255 Sinton Road.  Limited to 50 people. Call (719)227-5200 for reservations.
 
Grand Junction – March 31, 6-9:30 p.m., DOW hunter Education Building, 711 Independent Ave., Event hosted by the National Wild Turkey Federation Western Slope Chapter.  Call (970)255-6181 for reservations.
 
 
TURKEY FACTS:
 
Colorado is home to two subspecies of wild turkey: the native Merriam’s and the Rio Grande, which was introduced to the state in 1980.  Merriam’s are primarily found in open meadows and in ponderosa, oak brush and pinion juniper stands in mountainous zones west of Interstate 25.  The Rio Grande species inhabit cottonwood and creek bottoms adjacent to agricultural lands in the eastern portion of the state. 
 
Consistently, successful wild turkey hunting requires a high degree of skill. Wild turkeys are extremely wary and possess keen color vision and very good hearing ability. Turkeys can see in a radius of 270 degrees.
 
Scouting for sign left by turkeys is a great way of increasing the odds of a successful hunt. Signs to look for include roost trees, droppings, feathers, tracks, and dusting areas and listening for gobbling.
 
The population of wild turkeys in North America reached a low point in the 1930’s, but conservation programs by state wildlife agencies and private partners have restored the birds throughout most of their historical range. 
 
Today, wild turkey populations are booming in Colorado thanks to transplant efforts, protection through game laws, and habitat improvement projects – funded in large part by sportsmen’s dollars.  "There are more turkeys in the state than ever before," said Lucero. 
 
Follow this link for more information about hunting wild turkey in Colorado, http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/Turkey/
 
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For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

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MONTROSE, Colo. — If you’ve ever wanted to hunt wild turkeys, plan on attending a "how to" seminar with experts from the Colorado Division of Wildlife and the National Wild Turkey Federation, March 20, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., at the Montrose Rod and Gun Club indoor range.
       
"Montrose is ground zero for great turkey hunting," said Tony Bonacquista, a district wildlife manager in Nucla."You can go in every direction from Montrose and find birds — if you know what you’re doing."
       
Stalking turkeys is also a great way to get started hunting. The season is six weeks long and hunting the birds, while challenging, is not as difficult as learning all the aspects of hunting big game. The 2010 spring season starts on April 10 and continues through May 23.
       
"There’s plenty of time for hunting and you don’t have to worry about getting out on the first weekend. Sometimes hunting a little later is better," Bonacquista said.
       
At the seminar the leaders will explain all facets of turkey hunting. Four instruction stations will be included: how to call birds; identifying birds; hunting tactics; and rules, regulations and ethics. Instructors will also explain how to field dress a bird and how to cook it.
       
"Wild turkeys are great eating, and, of course, totally organic," Bonacquista said.
       
The seminar is limited to 50 people; the cost is $10 with lunch included. To register, call (970)252-6000 or go to the DOW’s Montrose Service Center at 2300 S. Townsend Ave.

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

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DENVER, Colo. — The Colorado Division of Wildlife is starting its 5-year review of statewide fishing regulations and is asking anglers throughout the state to provide comments and suggestions on regulations and possible changes.
       
Regulation planning will be discussed throughout Colorado at "Angler Roundtable" meetings that will begin in late March. Management and research for various waters will also be discussed at the meetings. Dates and locations of those meetings are still being scheduled and will be announced later.
       
Aquatic biologists continually evaluate fisheries, and every five years the Colorado Wildlife Commission looks at all fishing regulations to ensure that the DOW continues to meet fisheries management objectives and recreational needs of anglers. The regulations set allowable methods of take, season dates, size requirements and bag limits. The regulations include statewide rules that apply to individual waters throughout Colorado.
       
Besides regulations, DOW biologists will examine biological and social data from state waters. These include fish and creel surveys, research and trend information, water quality issues, stocking activity and angler-satisfaction surveys. That information will be considered in the decision-making process for setting new regulations.
       
"We actively seek input from anglers during this process," said Greg Gerlich, aquatic section manager for the DOW. "Colorado’s anglers represent a diverse group who enjoy angling for everything from trout to walleye. We enjoy hearing from anglers and also educating them on how they play a role in management and regulatory decisions."
       
Every year more than 600,000 people buy fishing licenses in Colorado. The state offers a wide variety of angling opportunities. Anglers can fish at warm- and cold-water lakes and reservoirs, in numerous big rivers, and in alpine streams and lakes. Every year, fishing in Colorado generates about $1.2 billion in economic benefits.
       
The DOW requests that angler comments be received by the end of April.
 
The DOW is also asking for comments from fishing organizations, sportsmen’s groups; water resource managers including ditch companies, conservancy districts, and state and federal government agencies; land management agencies, local governments and private landowners; and businesses and communities that have an economic stake in fishing activity.
       
In addition to specific suggestions for individual waters, the DOW also wants to hear suggestions on statewide "big picture" issues.
       
"Colorado has very active associations that are concerned about specific species, such as bass, walleye and trout. We want to hear from those groups. But it’s also important for us to receive comments from individual anglers to get a balance of opinions," Gerlich said.
       
After receiving input from anglers and an internal review, draft regulations will be prepared by July and presented for more public comment. The draft regulations will be sent to the wildlife commission in September for review; more public comment will be allowed at that time. New regulations will be adopted formally in November.
 
The Colorado Division of Wildlife is divided into four regions: northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Aquatic biologists in each region are responsible for maintaining waters.
 
Comments on regulations can be submitted to:
Dave Chadwick, statewide issues, (303)291-7174, dave.chadwick@state.co.us; Southwest Region, John Alves, (719)587-6907, john.alves@state.co.us; Northwest Region, Sherman Hebein, (970)255-6186, sherman.hebein@state.co.us; Southeast Region, Doug Krieger, (719)227-5202, doug.krieger@state.co.us; Northeast Region, Ken Kehmeier, (970)291-4350. ken.kehmeier@state.co.us.
 
 
  

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

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SALIDA, Colo. – An apparently malnourished young mountain lion entered a Chaffee County residence Thursday afternoon, killing one dog and briefly trapping a mother and her two children inside the house until Chaffee County Sheriffs Deputies evacuated them.
 
Colorado Division of Wildlife officers were able to tranquilize the lion, which appeared to be significantly underweight for its age, according to DOW Area Wildlife Manager Jim Aragon.  After evaluating the lion’s condition, Aragon said, a decision was made to euthanize the animal.
 
It is highly unusual for a mountain lion to enter a building.  "We will know more after we get the results of the necropsy, but this animal was not demonstrating normal behavior," Aragon said.
 
The incident began just after 4 p.m. when the lion chased a small dog through a pet door into the home, which is located about nine miles northwest of Salida.  
 
Michelle Bese and two children, ages two and five, were in the house when the lion entered.  The two-year old was asleep in a bedroom, and the five-year old and Mrs. Bese were sitting at the kitchen table when the animal came in the house.  There were also four other small dogs in the home.
 
Bese said that at first, she did not know if it was a coyote or lion until another dog confronted the lion and she could tell what it was.  At this point, she took her five-year old and ran to the back bedroom where the two-year old was sleeping. 
 
She shut the door behind her and called 911.
 
Chaffee County Sheriff’s deputies arriving at the scene and helped the woman and her children escape through a bedroom window. They also opened the home’s front and rear doors to provide the lion with an opportunity to leave.
 
However, when two DOW officers arrived a few minutes later, the lion was still in the house.   
 
"I looked in a bedroom window and could see a dog which I believed to be dead," said Aragon.  "The lion was in the same room, so I pounded on the window and side of the house in an attempt to get the lion to leave through one of the open doors."
 
After several other attempts to get the lion to leave, Aragon and Wildlife Officer Kim Woodruff, along with Chaffee County Sherriff’s Deputy Rod Lane, entered the house through the back bedroom window.  The lion was in a room directly across the hall. 
 
"We cracked the door open wide enough to see the lion and were able to shoot it with a tranquilizer dart," Aragon said.  
 
"We were able to locate four of the five dogs and get them transported to a vet clinic," said Aragon.  The fifth was later discovered hiding in the home.
 
All of the dogs, which included a Jack Russell Terrier and four Shih-Tzu, received wounds during the encounter.  One dog eventually died, and two others were seriously injured.
 
The young male lion, which is believed to be about a year and half old, only weighed about 40 pounds.   "A healthy lion of that age should be closer to 60 pounds," said Aragon.   
 
Its remains will be sent to a DOW lab in Fort Collins for analysis, which is standard procedure.
 
Wildlife officers say it is rare for a mountain lion to enter a building.  "We hope to learn more after we get the results of the necropsy, but this animal was not demonstrating normal behavior," he said.
 
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For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

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