More On Big Game Hunting On Military Bases

Fort Carson, Colorado: This 137,400-acre Army base is located in Colorado Game Unit 59 about five miles south of Colorado Springs. The terrain here is grassland with scattered pinyon-juniper woodland and ponderosa pine foothills, and it supports good populations of mule deer along with whitetail deer, elk and antelope. Depending on military training exercises (which on occasion can close a significant portion of the area), up to 100,200 acres are available for hunting. About 6,100 acres are open for shotguns only, with the balance available to rifle hunters. Archery hunting is permitted in all open areas. Deer can be hunted during the August 29 to September 27 archery season. This is an either-sex hunt and licenses can be purchased over the counter. Additionally, there is a draw hunt for muzzleloaders from September 12 to 20 for does only. The first combined rifle deer season is October 10 to 14 and the second combined season is October 17 to 28. Buck only licenses are available over the counter. To participate in the third combined season (October 31 to November 8) you must enter the statewide drawing and hope you draw one of the 81 either-sex permits. Hunter success generally varies from 20 to 25 percent.

The elk situation is not as complicated - there is an either-sex archery elk hunt from August 29 to September 27 and tags can be purchased over the counter. Rifle bull elk tags are available over the counter for all three combined seasons (October 10 to 14; October 17 to 28; and October 31 to November 8). There is a four-point restriction for the first and second seasons only. Cow elk permits are issued in the statewide drawing and are valid for the second and third seasons.

All antelope licenses for Unit 59 are allocated in the state drawing. There is an October 3 to 9 rifle antelope season and the muzzleloader season runs October 21 to 29. The deadline to apply in all the limited-entry hunts is early April. In addition to a state hunting license and permit, hunters must also purchase an........(continued)