Public Hunting Areas in Colorado

A lot of folks hunt in the San Isabel, Rio Grande, Gunnison, Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, Arapaho-Roosevelt, White River, Pike, and San Juan National Forests. Others hunt in the State Trust Lands and Wildlife Areas. Still others do what they have to do to secure permission to hunt on private land.

In 2001 the price for an out-of-state elk license went to $450. The Colorado Division of Wildlife said this would help deal with the problem of a hunter behind every tree in the woods. They were right, but the harvests since then have been significantly less than what was needed. That causes problems, too. In 2005, they put on an extra cow elk season in December with over-the-counter tags to try to help but it still didn't reduce the herds enough.