PitCo to conduct lottery for elk hunting at Sky Mountain Park

Pitkin County Open Space and Trails will conduct a lottery on March 11 for limited hunting in the fall in a portion of Sky Mountain Park.

The hunt for cow elk will take place Nov. 20-24. Five participating hunters will be chosen in a lottery. Hunters must have a Colorado hunting license and a tag allowing them to hunt for cow elk in the fourth rifle season, in Colorado Game Management Unit 43 to qualify.

“The limited hunt at Sky Mountain Park helps us achieve the dual goals of managing our lands for ecological resilience and providing diverse recreational opportunities for the public,” said Liza Mitchell, natural resource planner and ecologist with Pitkin County Open Space and Trails, in a press release.

In consultation with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), youth hunters and first-time big-game hunters will have two chances at having their names drawn instead of one. A youth who is also a first-time hunter will have three chances. It is the second year with a weighted lottery system as a way to enhance opportunities for young and first-time hunters, according to the release.

Interested participants have until March 10 to register online for the drawing. Pitkin County is conducting the lottery in March, so winners can obtain a fourth-season tag in Unit 43 before the fall. Officials will check with CPW to ensure the lottery winners have the proper tag.

Three alternates will be drawn in case any winners choose to back out before the hunt. Hunters whose names were drawn last year do not qualify to participate this year.

It is the 11th year a limited hunt has taken place at Sky Mountain Park. Last fall, one hunter was successful in harvesting an elk.