DOW opens turkey hunt to youngsters

by Herald Staff Report

Article Last Updated; Friday, November 21, 2008

Young hunters who may have been disappointed with their fall turkey hunt have been offered a second chance at bagging a holiday bird.

And that chance also is open to youngsters who haven't tried turkey hunting at all.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) has opened a special late fall season hunt for turkeys in Southwest Colorado, and the offer is only for hunters under the age of 18. The season opens Saturday and will run through Nov. 30.

The offer does come with a couple of important rules: Each hunter must be accompanied by a mentor who is 18 or older, and the mentor, who can not hunt, must have a Colorado Hunter Safety Card.

"Unlike other areas of the state, in the southwest we don't have upland game birds," said Tom Spezze, southwest regional manager for the DOW. "Turkey hunting gives our young hunters a great opportunity to learn about hunting, and this special season will encourage families to get out together to hunt."

Turkey hunting is somewhat easier in the fall than the spring, Spezze said. Hunters can take birds of either sex in the fall, and turkeys travel in flocks and can be tracked on the ground.

Turkeys are abundant in southwest Colorado and large expanses of public land are available to provide a high-quality experience. The special season also follows the last big game season, which gives younger hunters the opportunity to hunt in solitude.

"This is a great time of year to hunt. People will have the woods to themselves," Spezze said. "And you never know, your son or daughter could provide your family with a turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas."

Young hunters who previously purchased a regular fall turkey license anywhere in the state for 2008 are eligible for this special season. Licenses also are available for young hunters who did not previously purchase a turkey license in 2008.

The special season will be open in game management units 52, 54, 55, 60, 61, 62, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 82, 83, 411, 521, 551, 681, 682, 711, 741, 751 and 771.

For more information, visit the DOW Web site at http://wildlife.state.co.us.

License structure changes
In other news from the DOW, the license structure for fishing and small game hunting has been changed.

Beginning April 1, all annual licenses - including fishing, senior fishing, small game, furbearer, combination fishing and hunting, Colorado waterfowl stamps, habitat stamps and walk-in access permits - will be valid from April 1 through March 31 of the following year.

"Annual licenses will no longer expire on January 1," said Henrietta Turner, DOW licensing manager. "We've changed the calendar-based system to a season-year format, so licenses coincide better with our small game seasons."

This change also affects licenses purchased this year, as all licenses purchased in 2008 will remain valid through March 31, 2009.

The change makes sense for the DOW's small game seasons, which straddle the new year.

The new structure means a small-game hunter will not be required to purchase a new license in January when the current license expires at the end of December.

Anglers should continue using the 2008 Colorado Fishing Regulations brochure through March 2009.

The 2009 Colorado Fishing Regulation brochure will be available in mid-to-late March at all DOW offices and license agents statewide.

The new brochure will be valid until March 31, 2010, coinciding with the new license structure.

Even though 2008 annual fishing, small game, furbearer and combination licenses will be valid until the end of March 2009, the 2009 annual licenses will be available for purchase beginning Dec. 15. The 2009 licenses will remain valid through March 31, 2010.

heraldsports@durangoherald.com