Now is a great time to show your Broncos pride while hiking.  Even if you’re not a Broncos fan, you should be wearing orange or another bright color when you are hiking, biking, walking your dog or doing other things in the national forest.  It’s hunting season, and you want to be seen.

Archery season and muzzle-loader season has already passed, but most rifle-hunting seasons begin Oct. 15 and go through Nov. 23, while mountain-lion and bird seasons continue into next year. So, whenever you step onto national forest lands you should be careful to take precautions to be safe from being mistaken for an animal.

A lot of us have been surprised about where hunting is allowed in Summit County.  Last year, a moose and her yearling were harvested near the parking lot at the bottom of Salt Lick Trail in Wildernest. And earlier this year, a couple kids on the Frisco Peninsula near Dillon Reservoir were surprised to hear shooting near the Peak One Campground. The hunter was goose hunting, shooting out over the water. All perfectly legal. 

Hunting rules are set by Colorado’s Department of Parks and Wildlife, which manages hunting to properly preserve our native species and to fund conservation efforts. Hunting is intended to keep populations of deer, elk, and other animals at levels that allow the herd to thrive through the year.  The rules are designed to keep hunting safe for hunters and non-hunters alike.

Hunting is allowed on most of the U.S. Forest Service national forests. Generally, hunting is prohibited within 150 yards of any building, residence, campsite, developed recreation site or occupied area.  If you are in the forest, and especially when more than 150 yards from a trailhead, you should expect hunters. Hunters are not allowed to shoot across trails or roads. All the hunters I have talked to are cautious and very attentive to the rules — they carry a heavy responsibility for being safe. But the rules are always subject to interpretation and snap judgements, so it is best for everyone to be cautious.

As to where hunting is allowed, each landowner has the right decide whether to allow or limit hunting on their property. Private property owners can choose to allow hunting or not.  Summit County and the U.S. Forest Service own much of the land in our county. Hunting is not allowed in Summit County Open Space, but it is allowed in most parts of the national forest (campgrounds and ski areas are not open for hunting). As a national resource, all users, including hunters, anglers, hikers and (in some areas) cyclists, have the right to enjoy the forest.  

Many hunters and anglers are avid advocates for wilderness and backcountry preservation. Through their license fees and local spending, they are a primary source of funding for natural resource management. If you see a hunter, they should be wearing bright-colored camo — orange or pink. Make yourself known, and feel free to engage with hunters. As wildlife enthusiasts, they know a lot about the habits of deer, elk and other fauna. You might learn something.

For more details on hunting, the CPW and Backcountry Hunters and Anglers websites are both great resources.

So, during hunting season, if you live or are visiting an area that is in or on the edge of the national forest — in that interface between nature and civilization that we all love — be especially aware of your environment, wear bright colors, and watch out while you’re enjoying nature. Hunters will be doing the same.

And go Broncos!

Jim Alexander is a Silverthorne resident whose work with the Eagle Summit Wilderness Alliance includes leading both the WeedSpotter program and grant program, which funds several wilderness projects. Jim is also Eagle Summit Wilderness Alliance’s representative on the State Noxious Weed Advisory Committee.