2011 Division of Wildlife Big Game Brochure - Rainbow Lake Lodge ...

REFERENCE
6
2011 Colorado Big Game Hunting REFERENCE
LEGAL HUNTING METHODS
1. CENTERFIRE RIFLES
a. Must be minimum of .24 caliber (6 mm).
b. Must have a minimum 16-inch barrel and be at least 26
inches long.
c. If semiautomatic, they can hold a maximum of six rounds in
the magazine and chamber combined.
d. Must use expanding bullets that weigh minimum 70 grains
for deer, pronghorn and bear, 85 grains for elk and moose,
and have an impact energy (at 100 yards) of 1,000-ft. pounds
as rated by manufacturer.
e. It is illegal to hunt game birds, small-game mammals or
furbearers with a centerfire rifle larger than .23 caliber during
regular rifle deer and elk seasons west of I-25, without an
unfilled deer or elk license for the season. A small-game,
furbearer or unfilled big-game license is required.
2. FULLY AUTOMATIC RIFLES prohibited.
3. MUZZLELOADING RIFLES
& SMOOTHBORE MUSKETS
a. Only legal muzzleloaders allowed in muzzleloading seasons.
b. In-line muzzleloaders are legal.
c. Must be single-barrel that fires a single round-ball or conical
projectile.
d. To hunt deer, pronghorn or bear, they must be minimum of
.40 caliber.
e. To hunt elk or moose, they must
be minimum of .50 caliber.
f. From .40 caliber to .50 caliber,
bullets must weigh minimum
170 grains.
g. If greater than .50 caliber, bullets
must weigh minimum 210
grains.
h. Shotshell primers are legal.
i. Pelletized powder systems prohibited
in muzzleloading seasons.
WATCH
MORE
ONLINE
What’s legal
when you’re
hunting by
archery and
muzzleloaders?
Find out in our
online video.
j. Cannot be loaded from the breech in muzzleloading seasons.
k. Only open or iron sights allowed in muzzleloading seasons.
Fiber optics and fluorescent paint incorporated into or on
open or iron sights are legal. Scopes or any sighting device
using artificial light, batteries and electronic gear are prohibited
during muzzleloading seasons.
l. Sabots are prohibited in muzzleloading seasons. Cloth
patches are not sabots.
m. Smokeless powder prohibited in muzzleloading seasons.
Black powder and black-powder substitutes are legal.
n. Electronic or battery-powered devices cannot be incorporated
into or attached to muzzleloader during muzzleloading
seasons.
4. HAND-HELD BOWS A long bow, recurve bow or compound
bow on which the string is not drawn mechanically or
held mechanically under tension. String or mechanical releases
are legal if they are hand-drawn or hand-held with no other attachments
or connections to bow (except bowstring).
a. Hand-held bows, including compound bows, must use arrows
with a broadhead having a minimum 7/8-inch outside
diameter or width and minimum two steel cutting edges.
Each cutting edge must be in same plane for entire length of
cutting surface.
b. Only legal, hand-held bows allowed during archery seasons.
c. Minimum draw weight of 35 pounds required. Let-off maximum
of 80 percent.
d. No part of bow’s riser (handle) or track, trough, channel,
arrow rest or other device (excluding cables and bowstring)
that attaches to riser can contact, support and/or guide the
arrow from a point rearward of the bow’s brace height behind
the undrawn string.
e. Bows can propel only a single arrow at a time. No mechanisms
for automatically loading arrows allowed.
f. Scopes, electronic or battery-powered devices cannot be incorporated
into or attached to bow or arrow.
g. Hydraulic or pneumatic technology cannot be used to derive
or store energy to propel arrows. Explosive arrows prohibited.
LEGAL FIREARMS AND BOWS
Different firearms can be used for big-game hunts during different seasons.
Check the chart below to see what firearms may be used during each type of hunt.
DEER
Centerfire Rifle, Shotgun,
Handgun
caliber
Muzzleloading .40 to .49
Muzzleloading .50 caliber
or larger
Hand-held bows
Archery NO NO NO YES NO
Muzzleloading
NO YES YES NO NO
Rifle
ELK
YES YES YES YES YES
Archery NO NO NO YES NO
Muzzleloading
NO NO YES NO NO
Rifle
PRONGHORN
YES NO YES YES YES
Archery NO NO NO YES NO
Muzzleloading
NO YES YES NO NO
Rifle
MOOSE
YES YES YES YES YES
Archery NO NO NO YES NO
Muzzleloading
NO NO YES NO NO
Rifle
BEAR
YES NO YES YES YES
Archery NO NO NO YES NO
Muzzleloading
NO YES YES NO NO
Rifle YES YES YES YES YES
5. SHOTGUNS
a. Must be minimum 20 gauge, and fire a single slug.
b. Barrel must be minimum 18 inches long. Minimum overall length, 26 inches.
6. CROSSBOWS
a. Draw weight must be minimum 125 pounds.
b. Draw length must be minimum 14 inches from front of bow to nocking point of
drawstring.
c. Positive mechanical safety device required.
d. Bolt must be minimum 16 inches long, have a broadhead minimum of 7/8-inch wide
and with a minimum of two steel cutting edges. Each cutting edge must be in same
plane for entire length of cutting surface.
e. Illegal in archery seasons.
7. HANDGUNS
a. Barrel must be minimum 4 inches long.
b. Must use a minimum .24-caliber (6 mm) diameter expanding bullet.
c. Shoulder stocks or attachments prohibited.
d. Must use a cartridge or load that produces minimum energy of 550-ft. pounds at 50 yards
as rated by manufacturer.
8. CALLS
a. Mechanical calls are legal, including mouth calls.
b. Electronic calls, such as amplified cassette players, are prohibited for big-game hunting.
Crossbow