U.S. Census Bureau data shows Colorado’s population grew by leaps and bounds in the 2010s but the annual growth rate slowed to just 0.5 percent in 2021. However, when it comes to hunting, Colorado is an epicenter of interest.
According to KDVR-TV, Colorado’s big game hunting applications grew from 558,323 in 2015 to 705,216 in 2021, including increases of 50,000 to 70,000 applicants over each of the past three years, or an overall increase of 27 percent.
Nonresident hunting applications are also up. Data indicates nonresidents made up about a quarter of the overall application pool in 2015 but are now a third of the pool in 2021.
Colorado’s big game primary draw applications are due April 5, 2022.
(Photo credit: Colorado Parks and Wildlife)