Steamboat Pilot & Today

Danger of rabies constant in wildlife

The Colorado Division of Wildlife is reminding people to be aware of rabies being spread by wildlife.

Rabies can be present in a variety of wildlife species. Bats are the most common carriers of rabies in Colorado, but skunks, raccoons, squirrels, foxes and other animals can be infectious.

During spring and early summer, people encounter newborn animals in urban areas, in the mountains and on the plains and want to pick them up. This involves a risk of being bitten by the animal or the animal's mother. In all locations, the rule of thumb is to leave them along.

Number of licenses for elk increases

Antlerless elk licenses will increase from 106,899 in 2000 to 109,104 in 2001, a 2 percent increase.

The increase in hunting licenses, approved by the Wildlife Commission earlier this month, is designed to help reduce an elk population that is still well above the population objectives, according to the Colorado Division of Wildlife.

While Colorado's elk population is strong, the state's deer population is well below population objectives on the Western Slope. As a result, the Wildlife Commission decreased the number of Western Slope antlerless deer licenses from 10,667 in 2000 to 6,559 in 2001 a 39 percent reduction.

Many game-management units will have few, if any, doe licenses in 2001. Areas including Middle Park, the northern Front Range and the area around Meeker, Craig and Rifle will have fewer antlerless deer licenses than last year because herds have been brought closer to the population objectives but some fawn/doe ratios have fallen.

Campaign started to educate public

The Trappers Lake Group of the Sierra Club, in conjunction with other Sierra Club groups around the state, is launching a Great Outdoors Colorado public education campaign.

The local chapter of the Sierra Club will be gathering postcards to send to Gov. Bill Owens to launch its campaign to protect more open space through the Great Outdoors Colorado program. The governor has allowed money for land purchases to be diverted away from open-space protection.

"We have GOCo to thank for helping to preserve our Yampa River Valley but our need for open space preservation hasn't ceased. Pristine places in our backyard such as Emerald Mountain are still at risk," said Jane Toothaker, chair of the Trappers Lake Sierra Club Group in Steamboat Springs.