I have been reading the articles concerning Proposition 127 and how this undermines the Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s ability to properly manage wildlife. I agree 100 percent. However, there is another insidious movement underway that will undermine both the CPW and hunting in a big way. The National Forest Service is quietly, but steadily closing off dispersed camping — camping in areas other than designated campgrounds.
I experienced this in September on my muzzleloading deer/elk hunt in South Park. This will probably be the last tented hunting camp I will be able to do with my hunting partner. I am 70 years old and he is a very feeble 74. We set up camp on Thursday before the season started. It took us two days to get camp set up, planning to stay for 12 days. The camping trip is as important as the hunting.
I hunted opening morning and came back to camp about noon. We were sitting in camp eating lunch when the Division of Wildlife (CPW) drove into our camp. After showing them my licenses and getting the “all clear,” they told us we were going to have to move our “illegal” camp. We camped in this location 28 years ago, and again 14 years ago. Apparently dispersed camping is becoming illegal. Because of our age and the logistics of packing up our camp, they gave us a two day “grace” period to get packed up and out. Our camp is fairly extensive and to get it loaded into my three-quarter-ton pickup takes some serious organized packing. Once packed up, we were not going to move, especially not knowing where we could camp without being illegal. We just came home — a whole hunt and the cost, down the tube. Not even a relaxing camping trip.
The stated reason behind our camp being “illegal” was “resource damage” especially by vehicles. Like I said, we camped in this location 28 years and 14 years ago. The location looked the same as it did 28 years ago. There were no trees cut down (except by the beaver), there were no rutted tracks through the trees, there was nothing to show that anyone had camped there but a rock fire ring. So, I don’t understand the reasoning. And, if the issue was resource damage by vehicles, why did the CPW drive into camp rather than parking on the main road 75 yards away and walking in?

Since then, I have learned that they are doing the same thing in North Park — closing off dispersal camp sites. A friend of ours, who at one time worked for the Department of Natural Resources in Minnesota, says they are doing the same thing in Minnesota.
“Rewilding” is hitting us on a national level via the National Forest Service. The actions of NFS will serve to further curtail hunting, since there will be no place to camp, and hamper the CPW’s ability to use hunting as a management tool. It will not be long before the only ones allowed in the forest will be the wolves.