Dozens of CPW officers, park rangers, biologists and technicians from Area 6 (Moffat and Rio Blanco counties) and surrounding areas, as well as and Colorado State Patrol, participated in the day-long operation designed to check hunting tags, proper equipment and harvested animals in the area.
CPW regularly conducts these operations throughout the state each hunting season — ranging from small-scale to large-scale 24-hour operations on major interstates and highways, according to CPW Northwest Region Public Information Officer Mike Porras.
“The goals are to ensure hunters are following regulations, to collect samples for biological research and establish rapport with hunters, including getting first-hand knowledge about how the hunting seasons are progressing,” Porras said via email.
At the day-long Yampa River Check Station, CPW officers compiled the following numbers:
• 204 vehicles checked
• 397 hunters checked
• 110 elk harvested
• 97 deer harvested
• 3 ducks harvested
Additionally, officers are following up on a blood DNA test from a truck bed, an unregistered outfitter, license transfers, and 3 waste of meat cases resulting from the check station, according to Porras.
CPW officers and biologists collected approximately 50 tissue samples for specific Game Management Units needed for compiling data.
