The Sept. 1 dove season is creeping closer in more ways than one.
Front Range dove hunters will get a new shot at the fast-flying migrators this season after the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission approved dove hunting at Barr Lake State Park at its monthly meeting in Frisco on Thursday. Previously, waterfowl hunting was the only hunting allowed at Barr Lake.
Basing the decision on a successful pilot dove hunt through CPW’s Hunter Outreach Program, the agency decided to expand the dove hunting opportunity at Barr Lake to the general public in 2015. Dove hunting will be allowed on the Sept. 1 opening day as well as Sundays and Mondays during the month of September. Hunting will be restricted to several specific hunting areas that can be reserved through CPW’s reservations system.
Since both dove and waterfowl hunting will take place in the same general area of the park, dove hunts will be completed by October. Waterfowl hunting is restricted to Saturdays and Wednesdays. The maximum number of hunters at each dove and waterfowl station is three.
Waterfowl seasons set. The commission also set the dates for the forthcoming waterfowl seasons in Colorado’s Central and Pacific flyways. The structures essentially remained the same with changes only made to accommodate the 2015 calendar.
The important dates to remember for the ducks:
• Central Flyway, Northeast Zone (all areas east of Interstate 25 and north of Interstate 70) — First season, Oct. 10-Nov. 30; second season, Dec. 12-Jan. 24, 2016. Youth waterfowl hunting days, Oct. 3-4.
• Central Flyway, Southeast Zone (east of I-25 and south of I-70, all of El Paso, Pueblo, Huerfano and Las Animas counties) — Oct. 21-Jan. 24, 2016. Youth waterfowl hunting days, Oct. 17-18.
• Central Flyway Mountain/Foothills Zone (west of I-25 and east of the Continental Divide, except El Paso, Pueblo, Huerfano and Las Animas counties) — First season, Oct. 3-Nov. 30; second season, Dec. 19-Jan. 24, 2016. Youth waterfowl hunting days, Sept. 26-27.
• Pacific Flyway (all areas west of the Continental Divide) — First season, Sept. 26-Oct. 14; second season, Oct. 31-Jan. 24, 2016. Youth waterfowl hunting days, Oct. 17-18.
• September teal (Lake and Chaffee counties and all areas east of I-25) — Sept. 12-20.
And for the geese:
• North Park — Dark goose first season, Oct. 3-21; second season, Nov. 21-Feb. 14, 2016. Light goose, Oct. 31-Feb 14, 2016.
• South Park and San Luis Valley — Dark goose first season, Oct. 3-21; second season, Nov. 21-Feb. 14, 2016. Light goose, Oct. 31-Feb. 14, 2016.
• Northern Front Range — Dark goose first season, Oct. 3-21; second season, Nov. 21-Feb. 14, 2016. Light goose, Oct. 31-Feb. 14, 2016.
• Balance of Central Flyway — Dark goose, Nov. 2-Feb. 14, 2016. Light goose, Oct. 31-Feb. 14, 2016.
• Pacific Flyway — Early Canada goose, Sept. 1-9 annually. First season, Sept. 26-Oct. 5; second season, Oct. 31-Jan. 2, 2016.
• Light goose conservation order season (all areas east of I-25) — Feb. 15-April 30, 2016.
“Labor of love.” The Shakir Safari Club International selected wildlife manager Brent Woodward of District 17 near Creede as its outstanding wildlife officer in Colorado. Woodward, a third-generation game warden, accepted the award Thursday.
Scott Willoughby: swilloughby@denverpost.com or
