(1) (a) Except as is otherwise provided in articles 1 to 6 of this title or by rule of the commission, it is unlawful for a person:
To hunt or take, or to solicit another person to hunt or take, wildlife and detach orremove, with the intent to abandon the carcass or body, only the head, hide, claws, teeth, antlers, horns, internal organs, or feathers or any or all of such parts;
To intentionally abandon the carcass or body of taken wildlife; or(III) To take and intentionally abandon wildlife.
(b) A person who violates this subsection (1), with respect to:
Big game, eagles, and endangered species, commits a class 5 felony and shall bepunished as provided in section 18-1.3-401, C.R.S., and, in addition, shall be punished by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars nor more than twenty thousand dollars. For offenses committed on or after July 1, 1985, the fine shall be in an amount within the presumptive range set out in section 18-1.3-401 (1)(a)(III), C.R.S. Upon such conviction, the commission shall assess twenty license suspension points and suspend the wildlife license privileges for one year to life of the person convicted.
All other wildlife species, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof,shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment, and an assessment of twenty license suspension points.
The purpose and intent of this section is to protect the wildlife of this state fromwanton, ruthless, or wasteful destruction or mutilation for their heads, hides, claws, teeth, antlers, horns, internal organs, or feathers, from being taken and abandoned, or any or all of the foregoing, and the provisions of this section shall be so construed.
Source: L. 84: Entire article R&RE, p. 874, § 1, effective January 1, 1985. L. 85: (1)(a) amended, p. 659, § 12, effective July 1. L. 94: IP(1) amended, p. 1586, § 15, effective May 31. L. 2002: (1)(a) amended, p. 1544, § 295, effective October 1. L. 2003: IP(1), (1)(a), and (2) amended, p. 1029, § 3, effective July 1. L. 2008: (1) amended, p. 537, § 2, effective August 5.
Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 33-6-106 as it existed prior to 1984.
Cross references: For the legislative declaration contained in the 2002 act amending subsection (1)(a), see section 1 of chapter 318, Session Laws of Colorado 2002.
Killing of big game animals in contest prohibited. It is unlawful for any person to advertise, conduct or offer to conduct, or otherwise promote or participate in any contest or competition involving two or more persons and the monetary payment or awarding of any other prize when the object of the contest or competition involves the killing of any big game or the display for comparison of any big game or any part thereof. Certificates issued by organizations solely for registration and recognition of animals legally taken are not prohibited. Any person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of five hundred dollars and an assessment of twenty license suspension points.
Source: L. 84: Entire article R&RE, p. 874, § 1, effective January 1, 1985.
Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 33-6-141 as it existed prior to 1984.
Pursuit of wounded game - waste of edible game wildlife - use of wildlifeas bait. (1) (a) Except as provided in section 33-6-116 (1), it is unlawful for a person who shoots at, wounds, or may have wounded game wildlife to fail to make a reasonable attempt to locate the game wildlife suspected of injury and take it into the person's possession. A person who violates this subsection (1)(a) is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall, with respect to big game, be punished by a fine of two hundred dollars and an assessment of fifteen license suspension points or shall, with respect to small game, be punished by a fine of fifty dollars and an assessment of fifteen license suspension points.
If wounded game goes onto private property, the person who wounded the gameshall make a reasonable attempt to contact the landowner or person in charge of such land before pursuing the wounded game.
If the hunter is unaware of the location of wildlife after shooting at it, failing to goimmediately to the location of such wildlife when the shot was fired is not a reasonable attempt to locate game.
Except as otherwise provided in articles 1 to 6 of this title or by rule of the commission, it is unlawful for a person to fail to reasonably attempt to dress or care for and provide for human consumption the edible portions of game wildlife. A person who violates this subsection (2) is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall, with respect to big game, be punished by a fine of three hundred dollars and an assessment of fifteen license suspension points or shall, with respect to all other game wildlife, be punished by a fine of one hundred dollars and an assessment of ten license suspension points.
It is unlawful for any person to use wildlife as bait unless otherwise provided by ruleof the commission. Any person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of two hundred dollars and an assessment of ten license suspension points.
Source: L. 84: Entire article R&RE, p. 875, § 1, effective January 1, 1985. L. 2003: (1)(a) and (2) amended and (1)(c) added, p. 1032, § 10, effective July 1. L. 2019: (1)(a) and (3) amended, (HB 19-1026), ch. 423, p. 3695, § 10, effective July 1.
Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 33-6-107 as it existed prior to 1984.
Cross references: For the short title ("Respect the Great Outdoors Act") and the legislative declaration in HB 19-1026, see sections 1 and 2 of chapter 423, Session Laws of Colorado 2019.