Otero County opposes petition to ban recreational prairie-dog killing on public lands

Otero County commissioners adopted a resolution Oct. 12 opposing a citizen petition to end recreational prairie-dog killing on public lands. The county urged Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) to preserve management options and consult affected local groups, the resolution says.

The county resolution cites potential effects on agriculture, grazing and infrastructure. It says prairie dogs could spread onto farmland, grazing areas and public or private property, and could contribute to forage loss, higher management costs and damage to roads, irrigation systems and other infrastructure. These are concerns raised by the county, not independently established impacts.

The citizen petition and CPW director’s recommendation describe a proposed change to rules for recreational take of black-tailed, Gunnison’s and white-tailed prairie dogs on public lands. The petition would remove the public-land season; CPW’s director said its wording would prohibit all recreational take there, regardless of method. The petition would leave private-land rules unchanged and would not affect rodent control under state agriculture law.

The county also asks CPW and its commission to work with local governments, public-land managers, grazing districts, agricultural producers and property owners, and to assess potential impacts before acting. The resolution does not change state rules. The CPW commission’s September meeting materials do not establish the commission’s disposition of the petition.