TripleDeuce660
Active member
Here is what I wrote to DOW
The following question has been submitted through the Division of Wildlife
FAQ Ask A Question page.
I am new to colordo and very confused about hunting rabbit with my beagle
during rifle season for big game. First off why can you hunt birds and not
rabbit with a dog during this season? I think maybe someone should review
this law. If a guy has a shotgun with birdshot and no big game tag then
what is the problem?If the dog is after birds and not rabbit what is the
difference? I can see if you have a gun capable of killing big game with a
tag for big game and not being able to have a dog. Someone like me has no
interest in trackiing big game with a hound.It would make sense if during
big game season you can only use a hound for rabbit with birdshot and
rimfire guns. That would be logical to stop big game from being tracked
with dogs.
Maybe you can clear up some of my confusion. Can you use a beagle during
the entire rabbit season in SWA's that are open to small game but not
big game? Same thing for the small game walk in areas can you use a beagle
the entire rabbit season? I just moved to the denver area is there going
to be someplace within an hour or two drive that i can run my beagle on
rabbits every day of rabbit season? Also it says 1st , 2nd, 3rd, 4th ,
late seasons etc. Does no dogs for rabbit apply to all of those or just
the 1st one? The regulations brochure should go into more detail about
dates and units closed to using dogs for rabbit so your average guy can
quickly and clearly understand the laws.Your laws and dates etc are
extremely confusing. I'm from CA and even there the regulations make more
sense and are easy to understand.I hope you can explain all this to me so
i dont' break any laws.
Here is what DOW responded with.
Thank you for your email and comments about hunting rabbits with your dog during the small game season dates Oct 1 - end of February 20010.
The regulation for use of dogs is:
Quote: CHAPTER 0 - GENERAL PROVISIONS
ARTICLE IV - MANNER OF TAKING WILDLIFE
#004 -
2. Dogs
a. Use of dogs in the taking of wildlife is prohibited except as authorized in Commission Regulations. (See also: §33-4-101.3, C.R.S.) 1. Dogs may be used to hunt or take mountain lion, small game, waterfowl, and furbearers, only as an aid to pursue, bring to bay, retrieve, flush or point, but not otherwise. Further, dogs shall not be used to hunt or take cottontail rabbits, snowshoe hares, and tree squirrels where a regular deer, elk, pronghorn or moose season is in progress. Unquote
The following information is provided by our Law Enforcement Office.
"This regulation, I believe, stems from back in the 1960's and 70's when it was a common practice to run deer with dogs. Although it is illegal in Colorado, there were a lot of states, especially in the southeast that would allow, and some still do, to have dogs run deer. The most common dog that they would use would be the beagle which is also common for hunting rabbits and squirrels. I had several instances when I was on district in the early 1980's of people using beagles to run deer.
Therefore, the regulation was implemented so that dogs could not be used to hunt rabbits and squirrels when a regular big game seasons is in progress. (like you stated the "01", "02", "03", and "04" rifle seasons). It does not include the rifle late seasons or private land seasons.
The regulation is somewhat archaic since the season structures have changed drastically from where there was only 3-4 rifles seasons period for these big game species. If Mr. Sims wanted to bring up the issue, he can submit a citizen's petition to the Wildlife Commission. It has not really been an issue in the past since hunting cottontails with dogs is not real popular in Colorado like it is in other states."
Public rulemaking policy petition information is on the Division's Website at
http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdonlyres...gPetitions.pdf. If you use your dog to hunt cottontail rabbits in the 2009-2010 small game season, suggest you use the 2009 Colorado Big Game Information brochure to check for an open regular big game season in the game management unit where you want to hunt.
Please let me know if you need additional information.
Respectfully,
Jerry
Colorado Division of Wildlife
303-291-7419
The following question has been submitted through the Division of Wildlife
FAQ Ask A Question page.
I am new to colordo and very confused about hunting rabbit with my beagle
during rifle season for big game. First off why can you hunt birds and not
rabbit with a dog during this season? I think maybe someone should review
this law. If a guy has a shotgun with birdshot and no big game tag then
what is the problem?If the dog is after birds and not rabbit what is the
difference? I can see if you have a gun capable of killing big game with a
tag for big game and not being able to have a dog. Someone like me has no
interest in trackiing big game with a hound.It would make sense if during
big game season you can only use a hound for rabbit with birdshot and
rimfire guns. That would be logical to stop big game from being tracked
with dogs.
Maybe you can clear up some of my confusion. Can you use a beagle during
the entire rabbit season in SWA's that are open to small game but not
big game? Same thing for the small game walk in areas can you use a beagle
the entire rabbit season? I just moved to the denver area is there going
to be someplace within an hour or two drive that i can run my beagle on
rabbits every day of rabbit season? Also it says 1st , 2nd, 3rd, 4th ,
late seasons etc. Does no dogs for rabbit apply to all of those or just
the 1st one? The regulations brochure should go into more detail about
dates and units closed to using dogs for rabbit so your average guy can
quickly and clearly understand the laws.Your laws and dates etc are
extremely confusing. I'm from CA and even there the regulations make more
sense and are easy to understand.I hope you can explain all this to me so
i dont' break any laws.
Here is what DOW responded with.
Thank you for your email and comments about hunting rabbits with your dog during the small game season dates Oct 1 - end of February 20010.
The regulation for use of dogs is:
Quote: CHAPTER 0 - GENERAL PROVISIONS
ARTICLE IV - MANNER OF TAKING WILDLIFE
#004 -
2. Dogs
a. Use of dogs in the taking of wildlife is prohibited except as authorized in Commission Regulations. (See also: §33-4-101.3, C.R.S.) 1. Dogs may be used to hunt or take mountain lion, small game, waterfowl, and furbearers, only as an aid to pursue, bring to bay, retrieve, flush or point, but not otherwise. Further, dogs shall not be used to hunt or take cottontail rabbits, snowshoe hares, and tree squirrels where a regular deer, elk, pronghorn or moose season is in progress. Unquote
The following information is provided by our Law Enforcement Office.
"This regulation, I believe, stems from back in the 1960's and 70's when it was a common practice to run deer with dogs. Although it is illegal in Colorado, there were a lot of states, especially in the southeast that would allow, and some still do, to have dogs run deer. The most common dog that they would use would be the beagle which is also common for hunting rabbits and squirrels. I had several instances when I was on district in the early 1980's of people using beagles to run deer.
Therefore, the regulation was implemented so that dogs could not be used to hunt rabbits and squirrels when a regular big game seasons is in progress. (like you stated the "01", "02", "03", and "04" rifle seasons). It does not include the rifle late seasons or private land seasons.
The regulation is somewhat archaic since the season structures have changed drastically from where there was only 3-4 rifles seasons period for these big game species. If Mr. Sims wanted to bring up the issue, he can submit a citizen's petition to the Wildlife Commission. It has not really been an issue in the past since hunting cottontails with dogs is not real popular in Colorado like it is in other states."
Public rulemaking policy petition information is on the Division's Website at
http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdonlyres...gPetitions.pdf. If you use your dog to hunt cottontail rabbits in the 2009-2010 small game season, suggest you use the 2009 Colorado Big Game Information brochure to check for an open regular big game season in the game management unit where you want to hunt.
Please let me know if you need additional information.
Respectfully,
Jerry
Colorado Division of Wildlife
303-291-7419