Park closed for elk management through limited hunting

Boulder County, Colo. - Ron Stewart Preserve at Rabbit Mountain will be closed to the public weekly from Monday through Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2019, through Jan. 29, 2020, for year three of a Boulder County Commissioner-approved three-year elk management program, which includes limited hunting.

If hunters are successful early in the week, the park will be reopened the following day.

Also, the park will be remain open to the public:

• Monday, Nov. 25, through Wednesday, Nov. 27 (Thanksgiving week)
• Monday, Dec. 23, through Wednesday, Dec. 25 (Christmas week)
• Monday, Jan. 20 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)

Three hunters per week have be granted an access permit by Boulder County to hunt this specific area only during this management period. Each hunter was selected through a random drawing of CPW-licensed hunters who obtained the subunit antlerless license (hunt code E-F-020-L3-R) and who then declared interest in this program. Hunters were required to attend an orientation class and pass a shooting proficiency test.

This hunting program is solely and specifically permitted as a resource management tool. There is no cost to the hunter beyond the existing CPW license system and Boulder County does not receive any revenue. Recreational hunting at Ron Stewart Preserve at Rabbit Mountain or any other open space property is strictly prohibited.

Boulder County Parks & Open Space and Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff will assess the progress at the end of this season and may request a program extension in the spring.

For more information about this program and the management goals at Ron Stewart Preserve, please visit www.boco.org/elk or contact Jenny Dalton, Boulder County Parks & Open Space Elk Management Hunt Coordinator at jdalton@bouldercounty.org.