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 in fall of 2014.
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.
There is no cost associated with the application. Interested hunters must complete and mail a written application by 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 6, 2014 to:
Colorado Parks and Wildlife – Meeker Office
Attn: Bailey Franklin/Miller Creek Ranch Hunts
PO Box 1181, Meeker CO 81641
The hunts are open to all eligible hunters; however, preference will be given to youth and military veterans that apply.
The ten hunters will be notified by mail 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.
Nine hunts will be available to hunters who have already drawn limited deer and elk licenses for Game Management Unit 23 during the 2014 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 2014.
Hunters should be specific about which of these hunting seasons/opportunities they are eligible and are advised to read the criteria carefully:
ONE UNGUIDED ANTLERED/BUCK DEER HUNT ON MILLER CREEK RANCH
Third regular rifle season – Nov. 1 through Nov. 9, 2014
OR
Fourth limited rifle season – Nov. 12 through Nov. 16, 2014
To be eligible, applicants must have drawn a limited deer license in either:
– DM012O3R
– DE011P3R
– DM012O4R
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 2014.
ONE UNGUIDED ANTLERLESS/DOE DEER HUNT ON MILLER CREEK RANCH
Third regular rifle season – Nov. 1 through Nov. 9, 2014
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 2014.
ONE UNGUIDED ANTLERED/BULL ELK HUNT ON MILLER CREEK RANCH
Third regular rifle season – Nov. 1 through Nov. 9, 2014
OR
Fourth limited rifle season – Nov. 12 through Nov. 16, 2014
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 2014.
7 UNGUIDED COW ELK HUNTS ON MILLER CREEK RANCH
– Third regular rifle season – Nov. 1 through Nov. 9, 2014
– Fourth limited rifle season – Nov. 12 through Nov. 16, 2014
– Latter portion of the late, private-land-only rifle season: Nov. 1 through Nov. 30, 2014
– Late rifle December PLO cow elk season – Hunt 1: Dec. 1 through Dec. 6, 2014
– Late rifle December PLO cow elk season – Hunt 2: Dec. 7 through Dec. 12, 2014
– Late rifle December PLO cow elk season – Hunt 3: Dec. 13 through Dec. 18, 2014.
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 2014. Hunters will be distributed among various hunt dates listed above to minimize crowding and maximize hunter success rates.
The unique private-land hunting 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.
For more information or questions, call Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Meeker office at 970-878-6090.
For more information about Colorado Parks and Wildlife, visit cpw.state.co.us.
Contact Name: Mike Porras
Contact Phone: 970-255-6162
