BigGameHoundsmen.com

I lived west of Colorado Springs for 18 years and work has brought me out to the eastern plains of Colorado.One thing that has always bothered me is the different answers you get when you ask a DOW Officer a question,you will get a different answer from each one.Rarely the same answer.Case in point.I hunt big game and enjoy taking my dog on the hunt,not left at the camper or tent but on the hunt.So I asked an Officer if it was allowed for me to have the dog on the hunt.The Officer replied sure I don't see any problem with it.Fast forward a year in a different area,same situation except I was hunting and had the dog along an Officer sees me in the woods,stops me and questions me about the dog.He gets pissed threatens to right me a ticket and I explain about the previous year with another Officer and what he said.We had words that were a little heated and I told him what I thought about the DOW's inconsistent answers.At that point I shut up because it wasn't going to end well for me.Anyway,you other Colorado hunters out there have any input on this?I even called an Office and they said they were not sure what the rules state.-Shawn

Welcome to Colorado Not an overly hound friendly state

Gravedigger, just curious... what big game were you hunting when this happened?

I understand on the inconsistancies, and have personally battled the dislike/mistrust of houndsmen. No doubt some have given them reason, but that should not cast a bad light over all of us.

If you were not doing anything wrong (which I have no reason to doubt), then get their name and follow up with a formal written complaint.

Remember, you're still innocent in this country until proven guilty, and the burden of proof is upon them.

Travis

madcatter,
I was hunting 3rd season Elk.the dog wasn't more than 20 or so feet from me.Consequently this same dog alerted during a first season deer hunt for my wife on a sow with cubs that we were coming up on and didn't know she was even there,saving from a possible bad situation.He was a black mouth cur that was a great dog for us.I will start taking names and filing,that was a good idea.-Shawn

I think that the regulations state that you cannot use a dog for any part of a big game hunt. I don't believe that you are even supposed to have a dog in the woods while a big game season is in. If you have a dog with you while hunting big game I believe that you can be fined/ticketed for it.

I was wondering though why would you want the dog on the hunt with you anyway? Just as a companion?

Reed,
I hunt by myself,and he was a great companion.More than once he alerted on things that went bump in the night.-Shawn