Colorado Parks and Wildlife has announced locations of newly available acreage for hunters and anglers as a result of its Public Access Program.
The new locations expand over 206,520 acres and provide more seasonal hunting and fishing opportunities on trust land statewide. This year’s addition brings the total acreage to 774,000 acres, up by 66 percent over the last two years with the goal of reaching one million acres by next year’s hunting season.
“Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Public Access Program for sportsmen and women is growing, and this expansion will provide more opportunities for Coloradans to hunt and fish,” said Governor Polis. “We will continue looking at more opportunities to increase access to our amazing outdoor areas for Coloradans,” Governor Polis said.
By expanding the program in eastern Colorado where bird hunting and small game hunting are prevalent, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is providing a broader array of hunting opportunities on trust lands. Over 163,000 acres of the additions this year are east of the I-25.
Funding for the new acreage opened to public access will come from CPW through hunting and fishing license fee increases approved by the General Assembly in 2018 in the “Future Generations Act”. Leases for trust lands have earned $2 billion for public schools within the state and have primarily funded the Department of Education’s Building Excellent School Today program.
“I’m glad that hunters and anglers will have even more access to state trust lands in Colorado this season, and I’m grateful for the cooperation we’ve gotten from the ranchers and farmers who already lease these properties for agriculture,” said Greg Ochis, State Land Board Assistant Director. “These leasing activities stimulate the local economies and also help generate money for Colorado school kids,” Greg said.
For more information regarding CPW’s Public Access Program, visit: https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/Pages/StateTrustLands.aspx