Colorado Parks and Wildlife offers refunds to fourth rifle season hunters in flood-impacted units

Colorado Parks and Wildlife will extend refund opportunities to hunters in numerous Game Management Units (GMUs) directly impacted by historic flooding in southwest Colorado.

Major highway closures along with closed county and forest service roads have severely reduced access to public lands. After quickly establishing refund opportunities for third rifle season hunters ahead of the start of the season Nov. 7, CPW began to coordinate with national forest partners and impacted counties to determine timelines for repairs to closed roads. 

As field staff have been able to assess conditions, it is clear considerable time is needed before the public can safely access many areas. For that reason, CPW will offer refunds to hunters in impacted units for the fourth-rifle season that runs Nov. 18-22.

Travel into GMUs 74, 75, 77, 78, 80, 81, 741, 751 and 771 is still strongly discouraged at this time.

CPW has approved fourth season refund opportunities for the following deer hunt codes: DM075O4R, DF075O4R, DM075P4R, DF075P4R, DM077O4R, DF077O4R, DM077P4R, DM074O4R, DM741O4R, DM741P4R, DF741P4R and DM080O4R.

CPW has also approved fourth season refund opportunities for the following elk hunt codes: EM074O4R, EF074O4R, EF741O4R, EM074P4R, EF074P4R, EM075O4R, EF075O4R, EM075P4R, EF075P4R, EM077O4R, EF077O4R, EM077P4R, EF077P4R, EF080O4R, EF081O4R and EM080O4R.

All refund fees will be waived for customers holding these licenses, and any preference points used to draw the license will be restored to the pre-draw level. 

Refunds for third rifle season hunters needed to be submitted before the season began Nov. 7.

Licenses must be returned prior to the season opening (postmarked or dropped off at a CPW or State Park Office before close of business). If hunters wish to receive a refund for their license and have preference points restored to pre-draw level, they must fill out the form found here and return it with their license. Those seeking a refund should be sure to mark both the refund box and the preference point restoration box along with writing “SW FLOODING” in the reason for the refund field. 

Licenses returned for these units will not be reissued. If customers with other hunt codes are directly impacted by the floods and would like to apply for an exception, they may submit their license with proof of the impact and the request will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

More information regarding hunting license refunds, reversals and exchanges can be found online on the CPW website.

Impacted hunters with a license for these hunt codes will receive an email. For license return questions, please call (303) 297-1192.

Several major road closures still exist across southwest Colorado. For the latest highway closures, go to cotrip.org. Be advised that conditions continue to change rapidly.

The latest road and trail conditions for the Rio Grande National Forest and San Juan National Forest can be found online.