Hunters Can Apply For High Quality Mule Deer Hunts On Private Property, Near Meeker

MEEKER, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Miller Creek Ranch in Meeker are offering big-game hunters an opportunity to apply for a limited number of private property, elk and mule deer hunts during certain hunting seasons during fall of 2015.

Interested hunters must submit a written application by 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, 2015 to:

Colorado Parks and Wildlife – Meeker Office
Attn: Bailey Franklin/Miller Creek Ranch Hunts
PO Box 1181, Meeker, CO 81641

The application can be found at: www.cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Hunting/MillerCreekRanchHuntApplication.pdf

Nine hunts will be available to hunters who have already drawn limited deer and elk licenses for Game Management Unit 23 during the 2015 big game hunting seasons. In addition, one public bull elk hunt will be available to any big game hunter that plans to purchase an unlimited, over-the-counter bull elk license for the third rifle season in 2015.

“This is a very rare, private land hunting experience,” said District Wildlife Manager Bailey Franklin. “We encourage sportsmen to take advantage of this chance to enjoy a free hunt on a private ranch in the White River Valley.”

The unique opportunity developed through a perpetual wildlife conservation easement agreement between Colorado Parks and Wildlife and landowners of the Miller Creek Ranch. As part of their efforts in a large-scale big game habitat protection, local wildlife managers reached an agreement with private landowners to allow limited public hunting access in perpetuity on the 3,100-acre ranch property, located in GMU 23.

The Miller Creek Ranch is within the White River mule deer and elk herd units, two of the largest big game populations in the state of Colorado. The ranch features a variety of habitat, including high elevation aspen and conifer forest, mountain shrub lands and lower elevation pinyon-juniper woodland and sagebrush.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is accepting applications until the Oct. 5 deadline. The hunts are open to all eligible hunters; however, preference will be given to youth and military veterans that apply. There is no cost associated with the application.

The following hunts will be available and hunters should be specific about which of these hunting seasons/opportunities they are interested and eligible to apply for:

ONE UNGUIDED ANTLERED/BUCK DEER HUNT ON MILLER CREEK RANCH

Third regular rifle season – Oct. 31 through Nov. 8, 2015
OR
Fourth limited rifle season – Nov. 11 through Nov. 15, 2015

To be eligible, applicants must have drawn a limited deer license in either:
– DM012O3R
– DM012O4R
– DE011P3R

Applicant must confirm eligibility and indicate interest in buck mule deer hunt in the application.

One hunter will be selected from a pool of eligible applicants to hunt a buck deer during only one of the two potential buck deer hunt dates specifically listed above for 2015.

ONE UNGUIDED ANTLERLESS/DOE DEER HUNT ON MILLER CREEK RANCH

Third regular rifle season – Oct. 31 through Nov. 8, 2015

To be eligible, applicants must have drawn a limited antlerless deer license in either:
– DF012O3R
– DE011P3R

Applicants must confirm eligibility and indicate interest in doe mule deer hunt in the application.
One hunter will be selected from a pool of eligible applicants to hunt a doe deer during the hunt dates specifically listed above for 2015.

ONE UNGUIDED ANTLERED/BULL ELK HUNT ON MILLER CREEK RANCH

Third regular rifle season – Oct. 31 through Nov. 8, 2015
OR
Fourth limited rifle season – Nov. 11 through Nov. 15, 2015

All hunters are eligible to apply for this public bull elk hunt during the third rifle season.

Applicants that have drawn a limited, either sex license for EM012O4R are also eligible to apply for this bull elk hunt but would be restricted to the fourth, limited rifle season.

Applicant must confirm that they are planning to purchase an over-the-counter bull elk license for the third rifle elk season, or have already drawn a fourth rifle limited elk license for hunt code EM01204R.

Applicants must indicate interest in the bull elk hunt in application.

One hunter from the pool of eligible applicants will be selected to hunt a bull elk during only one of the two potential bull elk hunt dates specifically listed above for 2015.

SEVEN UNGUIDED COW ELK HUNTS ON MILLER CREEK RANCH

– Third regular rifle season – Oct. 31 through Nov. 8, 2015
– Fourth limited rifle season – Nov. 11 through Nov. 15, 2015
– Latter portion of the late, private-land-only rifle season: Nov. 1-30, 2015
– Late rifle December PLO cow elk season – Hunt 1: Dec. 1 through Dec. 6, 2015
– Late rifle December PLO cow elk season – Hunt 2: Dec. 7 through Dec. 12, 2015
– Late rifle December PLO cow elk season – Hunt 3: Dec. 13 through Dec. 18, 2015

In order to be eligible to apply for one of the seven public cow elk hunts, applicant must have drawn a limited antlerless or either-sex elk license in either:
– EF012O3R
– EF011O4R
– EF011P5R
– EF023P5R

Applicant must confirm eligibility and must specifically indicate which of the antlerless/cow elk hunts listed above that they are applying for in the application.

CPW will select seven hunters from pool of eligible applicants to hunt cow elk during any of the potential cow elk hunt dates specifically listed above for 2015. Hunters will be distributed among various hunt dates listed above to minimize crowding and maximize hunter success rates.

The ten hunters will be notified by email soon after the deadline. In addition, those selected will receive specific dates and details from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, including a hunt packet detailing special travel restrictions and hunting access rules.

For more information or questions, call Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Meeker office at 970-878-6090.

For more information about hunting in Colorado, visit www.cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/hunt.aspx