2024 Hunting Rules/Permits

                         2024 Forbes Wagon Creek Ranch (FWCR) Hunting Rules and Hunting Permit
                                                                  Revised 1/11/2024

1.     All Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Hunting Rules and Regulations MUST be followed. The following rules are in addition to those declared by CPW. 

2.     Owners MUST become familiar with and abide by all FWCROA hunting rules. It is the responsibility of all Owners to ensure that their immediate family members, and their guests, become familiar with and abide by all the rules. Any violations of any of rules denoted here by Owners, their family members or their guests can result in a $1,000 fine against the Owner for each rule violated, and their Guests, if in violation, will be restricted from hunting on the ranch for two years. Rules can be found on the FWCROA website (https://www.fwcroa.com) under the ‘Hunting Information’ Section labeled “2024 Hunting Rules”.

3.     PERMITS: Hunting Permits are now obtained using a new online form. Only the Owners (NOT their guests) whose lots are open or not for hunting may request hunting permits for any game they legally hold a hunting license for. Information, maps, and permit forms can be found on the ranch website (https://www.fwcroa.com) under Hunting Information. For Permits please fill out all required information and submit to the Hunting Committee for approval as directed at the bottom of the form. NOTE: The form requires a picture ID from the owner, and copies of the hunting licenses of all hunters. Identification is required only from the owner requesting the permit. Personal information from any acceptable ID can be redacted (e.g. DOB, License No.) but the photo and name of the OWNER must be clearly visible. Once the hunting permit request is received, the Hunting Committee will email the owner a hunting permit number assigned to individual hunters for the seasons/dates/game shown on the hunting license submitted. Owners are solely responsible for forwarding an electronic copy of the permit email to family/guest or providing each family/guest with a physical copy of the email. All Hunters are required to possess the hunting permit while hunting, which may be carried as a physical copy (paper) or an electronic copy saved on cellphone.

4.     Lot Owners do not have to hunt the same season as their guests but MUST be present on the ranch at the time of the hunt. Owners are responsible for any hunting violations committed by their listed guests. If Owners or their guest trespass on lots closed for hunting, those Owners have the right to file charges for trespassing with law enforcement. In addition to legal ramifications, FWCROA can place fines on Owners, and possible hunting restrictions on hunters, whether charges are filed or not. It should be noted that according to Colorado state law: attempting to track, locate and recover a wounded animal on lots that are closed for hunting is not allowed unless reasonable attempts to contact the Owner for permission is done.

5.     Each Landowner and their immediate family members are allowed unlimited FWCR permits for any legal tags (big & small game) that can be purchased from Colorado Parks & Wildlife. The number of seasons allowed to hunt for the Landowner and their immediate family is only limited by CPW. Immediate family members are defined as the Landowner’s spouse, their children and grandchildren. EXCLUDED from this definition are parents, in-laws, siblings, uncles/aunts, nephews/nieces, cousins and all others not explicitly granted hunting privileges. All the aforementioned exclusions fall under a two-guests allowed rule to prevent over-hunting.

6.     Each Landowner, regardless of the number of lots owned, is ONLY allowed two hunting permits yearly for guests with legal tags to hunt any one season only or two permits for one guest with legal tags to hunt two seasons as it applies to big game (known to roam FWCR) as define by CPW: Black Bear, Mountain Lion, Mule Deer, Pronghorn and Elk. There are no limits for permits to legally hunt small game such as turkey, coyote, bobcat, grouse, etc. and small game permits WILL NOT count against the limit of the two permits for guests for big game. Children 16 or under still require getting a FWCROA hunting permit, but DO NOT count as one of the two guest permits.

Examples:

A) An Owner requests permits for a guest for archery/elk and for another guest for rifle/bear. The limit of two guests permits has been reached for the year. Or, an Owner requests permits for only one guest to hunt archery/elk and one for rifle/bear. The limit of two permits has also been reached for the year. No other permits can be issued for other guests that year for big game in these examples.

B) The Owner can still request permits to hunt small game (legally licensed) for himself, his spouse, their children plus the two guests he invited to hunt elk and bear, but do not count against the limit of two-guest permits for big game.

7.     If an Owner has their lot designated as “Hunting Allowed,” in the shared hunting pool, they, their family, and their guests can hunt any lots designated the same on the FWCROA Hunting Map. Those lots designated as “No Hunting” are only open for hunting by the Owner, their immediate family members and their guests. These private hunters CANNOT hunt on any other lot open for hunting, nor lots closed for hunting unless invited, but this invitation would count against the two-guests permit rule for the Landowner who made the invitation. It shall be a violation of the hunting rules for any owner to permit hunting access of their property by any method except the established methods listed in the hunting rules. Verbal permission or informal sharing of properties by owners is prohibited.

8.     It is the responsibility of Owners to provide their family and guests the most current ranch map to show which lots are open or closed for hunting. All hunters MUST have a copy of the map in their possession (physically or electronically). It is the responsibility of Landowners to update their family and guests of any changes to the hunting map. Designating the status of a lot to “Hunting Allowed” or NOT must be made in writing by current Landowners by August 15th or after January 1st. The only exception to the deadlines is if a property is purchased between August 15th and January 1st. New Owners will have to submit a “Hunting Authorization” form to the hunting committee before a change can be made on the map. Efforts to make changes to the map upon receiving a request to change status will be made as soon as possible, but until the change is made on the map, the status of “Hunting Allowed or Not” will remain as is. Thus, the reason for Owners, their immediate family and guests to check hunting status of lots the day before any season starts. The Hunting Authorization Form and Hunting Map can be found on the FWCROA web site under the “Hunting Information” Section labeled “2023 Hunting map”. It shall be a violation of these hunting rules for any owner to permit ranch ingress or egress across any outer perimeter fence or ranch boundary. Ingress or egress across ranch boundaries shall be made only through established ranch gates.

9.     According to CPW regulations, Landowners are NOT responsible to mark/post their property. Therefore, it is the OWNERS responsibility to ensure that their family members and THEIR GUESTS know where they are and if the area is designated as Hunting Allowed or NOT.

10.  Strictly prohibited within FWCR is road hunting (or hunting from any type of vehicle), the use of paid guide hunts, or hunting within 100 yards of any building or dwelling. Hunting closer to a building or dwelling is ONLY allowed by the Owner of a lot designated as “No Hunting,” upon their own lot. ATV’s, motorcycles, go-carts, and similar sport vehicles must be kept on the roads at all times. Driving off roads is only allowed on your own property. Vehicle use on parcels or driveways is prohibited unless by prior owner permission.

11.  Nothing prevents any Landowner from cordially requesting from any hunter found on their property (whether open for hunting or not) to produce a copy of the currently active hunting permit. Failure for any hunter/person to produce, or refusing to produce proof, such permit can result in a $1,000 fine levied upon the Owner that invited them and said hunter/person that refused will be restricted from hunting in the ranch for two years. It is the duty and responsibility of all Owners to inform their family members and guests of the possibility of being asked by another Owner to show their permit, and to cordially comply. It shall be a violation of ranch hunting rules for any owner to allow guest hunting for payment or compensation. Commercial hunting or ‘outfitting’ is not permitted on parcels. Guarding against any illegal hunting is EVERYONE’S responsibility. It is not PERSONAL and should not be taken as such. These rules are to help protect against poaching.

12.  For those without access to computers/email, please mail inquiries (needed hunting permits, changing hunting lot status, questions, etc.) to:

Forbes Wagon Creek Ranch Owners Association (FWCROA)
c/o Ashley Luce-Property Manager
P.O. Box 699
Fort Garland, CO 81133
Cell (719)379-2977
[email protected]

Upon receipt, the property manager will forward the information along to the hunting committee in a timely fashion.

*Anyone seeing any illegal activity within FWCR should immediately call Colorado Operation Game Thief at 877-265-6648 AND contact a Hunting committee member, if possible.