Killing of big game animals in contest prohibited

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 33-6-118, under Parks and Wildlife.

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 33-6-118

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.

33-6-119. Pursuit of wounded game - waste of edible game wildlife - use of wildlife as 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.

(b) If wounded game goes onto private property, the person who wounded the game shall make a reasonable attempt to contact the landowner or person in charge of such land before pursuing the wounded game.

(c) If the hunter is unaware of the location of wildlife after shooting at it, failing to go immediately to the location of such wildlife when the shot was fired is not a reasonable attempt to locate game.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in articles 1 to 6 of this title 33 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) commits a class 2 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.

(3) It is unlawful for any person to use wildlife as bait unless otherwise provided by rule of 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. L. 2021: (2) amended, (SB 21-271), ch. 462, p. 3260, � 558, effective March 1, 2022.

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.