Want To Know More?
Ranching for Wildlife Program Links |
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Ranching for Wildlife (RFW) is a wildlife management partnership between Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and owners of large tracts of private land. A minimum of 12,000 acres of contiguous private deeded land is the minimum amount of land required for enrollment. Landowners improve habitat on their ranch for both game and non-game animals. They provide public hunting recreation access to their land free of charge to those who draw licenses. These efforts help preserve and enhance open spaces for wildlife to live and thrive and encourage keeping our hunting heritage alive for you and future generations.
Hunters are an important part of this management partnership. Aside from recreation, hunting helps Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Landowners manage wildlife. Public hunter satisfaction with their RFW hunts is polled in a phone survey to help improve service to future hunters, improve management, and improve the RFW program. Hunters, please remember to respond to this survey!
With 29 ranches currently enrolled:
- Over 1.2 million acres of public access are provided.
- More than 50,000 acres per year have active wildlife habitat improvements applied.
- Improved livestock grazing systems on about 80% of the lands enrolled.
- Seasons and license allocations to improve game movement and enhance hunter harvest both on and off ranches.
- About one third of the ranches actively participate in exceptional youth hunting opportunities.
- About one third donate hunts to conservation organizations for auction or raffle to help raise funds to improve habitat on private and public lands elsewhere.
A more detailed description of information relevant to hunters interested in the RFW program can be found off the RFW Hunter Information page.
More information on the program and specific ranches is available within the Ranching for Wildlife Program Links within the top, right table.