Hunters who purchase big game licenses in Colorado may appreciate knowing that 5% of their license fee supports Colorado's successful Habitat Partnership Program (HPP). The program began in 1990 after 75 years of increasing human and big game populations had made the need for conflict mitigation apparent.

A severe winter in 1930-31, coupled with concerns of western slope landowners, brought on the first legislation for payment of wildlife damage claims in Colorado. The Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) damage liability later evolved to include rangeland forage and fences.

Generally, landowners recognize they have an ethical obligation to support reasonable numbers of big game; however, in the late 1980s agricultural groups believed the elk population went far beyond that obligation in terms of fence and forage costs to support these animals. Perry Olson, the CDOW Director at that time, responded by committing the Division to garner landowner input in the development of herd management objectives; and to work with various individuals and groups to develop imaginative and pro-active solutions to wildlife conflicts involving both private and public lands. Hence, Colorado's Habitat Partnership Program began.

At the top of the list of HPP objectives is creating an atmosphere of partnership and cooperation between wildlife and habitat managers, landowners and sportsmen; and ensure local public involvement in identifying range management problems and solutions. The committee looks to make certain that private land habitat issues are considered in the management plans for big game populations and emphasizes a shift in the antlerless harvest toward animals that are causing problems and away from those animals that are not.

Today there are seventeen HPP committees statewide. The Durango-based San Juan Basin HPP Committee established itself with a plan in March, 1994. This committee is made up of selected volunteers representing landowners, sportsmen, ranchers, the Southern Ute Tribe, BLM, USFS and CDOW. They meet regularly to review projects that offer solutions to fence damage and forage conflicts, and make decisions to commit funds to implement those solutions deemed appropriate.

Funded projects have included big game habitat improvements using brush manipulation, prescribed burning, seeding, fertilization, weed control, water development and fencing improvements. Other projects promote hunter access, big game and vegetation monitoring, easements, landowner hunter referral and education.

The committee meetings are open to the public. Landowners and land managers are encouraged to complete a proposal form and bring a project to the table in the spirit of partnership and cooperation. For more information contact Drayton Harrison, CDOW District Wildlife Manager at 970-382-6654.

(Sandy Young has participated in the HPP as an interested landowner, rancher, guide and horse outfitter since the committee's first planning meetings in 1994. She was later named to the committee in 2003.)