The Colorado DOW is responsible for the management of 960 of the wildlife species of the state. It is also responsible for managing as many as 230 wildlife areas for recreation purposes of the general public and carries out research for the betterment of activities related to wildlife management. It also renders technical help to both types of landowners; private as well as public. The technical help here refers to help related to wildlife and proper management of the habitat.
Along with all these things, Colorado DOW is also responsible for developing plans and programs that help protecting and in the recovery of species that are in some sort of danger or are jeopardized. Most of the profits generated by the division are spent on the effective management of game species. The division gets its funds by fees that it earns on licenses that it grants on hunting and fishing. Spending the revenue on game species means that there are limited amount of resources for it to spend on species that classify in the non-game species.
Colorado DOW
Non-game species have declined in numbers in the last three decades because of the alteration in landscape of the state. Dollars from GOCO assist the Colorado DOW to generate funding for projects that helps in the management of nongame species, as well as for the protection of habitat. Because of the funds, people in Colorado are also given the chance to experience, learn and watch the huge wildlife of the state.
Funds from GOCO have played a crucial role to Colorado DOW in all the efforts it has made to introduce anew Canada lynx. For the lost species, the division started the program to help reintroduce them. The Canada lynx, during the era of late 1800s, were sighted in forested and highly elevated areas but they declined in numbers by 1930s as they were not to be found anywhere. In Colorado, in very few numbers, Lynx were found by the 1970 but it got the title of endangered species by 1976. Hence, the division has made all these efforts for the lost specie. By 2006, the division was able to reintroduce a total of 218 lynx. There have been numerous (116) kittens born in the state as well.
Colorado Dow also has an Angler Education Program that gives assistance and knowledge to kids about how to catch a fish, how to angle, how to cast a line or whatever you may think is fun for the children. For adults, the program guides through proper fishing to help them catch a fish whenever they are out on fishing. The Program Clinics of Angler Education are running in their 12th year now. Nearly two hundred fishing clinics were present in Colorado in 2005-2006. In the same year, events were held throughout the state and the total participants equaled to 14,500. The participants of the clinic are also given the facilities of learning more about the ecosystems of the state, aquatic species that are non-native, outdoor ethics and proper handling and care taking of fishes.