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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Fort Carson's public hunting land, affectionately known around the region as "Down Range," offers up a sweet spot of topography encompassing 137,000 acres of the 340,000 total acres of the military complex, much of which offers better than average hunting land for coyotes.

The federal military installation also offers a healthy bobcat population for bobcat hunters (and there are plenty of foxes on base too).

A big attraction for the 'yotes (and bobcats) here are the plentiful prairie dogs, which are a tasty way of surviving the winter.

The key to hunting on Fort Carson is to find the prairie dog towns — find the little dogs, and you'll find the bigger dogs.

Hunting requirements

An appropriate Colorado state hunting license is required on Fort Carson, as is an on-post hunting license. The areas that the public is allowed to hunt changes regularly, depending on base operational requirements.

Hunters are urged to contact the Fort Carson Outdoor Recreation Complex (719-526-5366) for the most current information. Maps and directions are issued when hunters come on base.

Hunters can also call (719) 526-4136 to get information on when hunting is open and what areas are open to hunt.

Good neighbor

Fort Carson has a solid reputation among sportsmen for its wildlife management and access programs.

Last year it received a Conservation Partnership Award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for participation in such conservation programs as protecting Mexican spotted owls, mountain plover, swift fox, peregrine falcon and greenback cutthroats.

In addition to hunting on base, Colorado residents can also fish and participate in watchable wildlife programs.

Get there

Drive south on I-25 from Colorado Springs to the Fort Carson (and Fountain) turnoff. Proceed west to Gate 20.

To enter the facility, you must have your driver's license, proof of auto insurance and your vehicle registration.

These aren't suggestions — these are absolute, hard requirements for getting on base to hunt. From there, the guards will direct you towards Buildings 024 and 026 on Specker Avenue (which is part of the Recreation Complex).

The staff there provides maps of hunting areas open to the public at the time.

Contact info

The Outdoor Recreation Complex on base can be reached at (719) 526-5366.

Wildlife officer Chris Zimmerman can be reached at (719) 579-9094.

Material from Fishing & Hunting News
published 24 times a year.
Visit them at www.fishingandhuntingnews.com.