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Colorado Parks and Wildlife Begins Developing Book Cliffs Bison Management Plan Following New State Legislation
Description: Colorado Parks and Wildlife is developing a Book Cliffs Bison Management Plan after Senate Bill 25-053 established protections for wild bison in Colorado... Photo by Ruth Copeland...
Colorado Parks and Wildlife begins process of drafting a Book Cliffs Bison Management Plan
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has begun the process to draft a management plan for the Book Cliffs bison herd, following the signing of Senate Bill 25-053 by Governor Jared Polis. This new legislation establishes a dual classification for bison in Colorado, as both wildlife and domestic animals. As a result, CPW will develop a management plan aimed at protecting and managing the wild bison that migrate into Colorado from the Book Cliffs bison herd in Utah.
CPW will start the process by conducting a habitat assessment to evaluate the amount of suitable habitat available. This analysis will look at factors such as the availability of food sources like grasses and leafy plants, as well as water. Additionally, it will consider potential competition with other wildlife, livestock and free-roaming horses. The information gathered from this assessment will help guide CPW staff in developing a management plan.
The management plan will look at establishing a wild bison population objective within a designated management zone; developing strategies and techniques to meet population objectives while preventing game damage; and determining how CPW will manage bison that migrate outside of the management zone.
CPW will engage with stakeholder groups, Tribal and Indigenous peoples, local producers and private land owners, as well as the general public during the management planning process.
Once a draft plan has been developed, CPW will open the draft to the public for comment before presenting it to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission.
To stay informed on the herd management plan process and public engagement opportunities, sign up for CPW’s E-Newsletter or visit Engage CPW.
Set to take effect Jan. 1, 2026, Senate Bill 25-053 is intended to protect wild bison, including those coming into Colorado from the Book Cliffs bison herd in Utah. The Book Cliffs bison are northwest of Grand Junction and southwest of Rangely, Colo. Prior to Senate Bill 25-053, once Book Cliffs bison entered Colorado, they would have been unprotected due to CPW’s classification of bison as domestic animals.
At the November Parks and Wildlife Commission Meeting, the commission will vote to finalize proposed regulation changes to implement Senate Bill 25-053, including rules differentiating between wild bison as big game and domestic bison, the future regulated hunting of wild bison, and compensation for damage caused by wild bison. These proposed regulations were first presented at the Oct. 9 Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting.
