Colorado § 33-6-117 Willful destruction of wildlife - legislative intent - penalties

Colorado Statutes

§ 33-6-117 — Willful destruction of wildlife - legislative intent - penalties

Colorado § 33-6-117

Title 33Parks and

Art.Law Enforcement and Penalties - Wildlife

This text of Colorado § 33-6-117 (Willful destruction of wildlife - legislative intent - penalties) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 33-6-117 (2026).

Text

(1)

(a)Except as is otherwise provided in articles 1 to 6 of this title or by rule of the commission, it is unlawful for a person:

(I)To hunt or take, or to solicit another person to hunt or take, wildlife and detach or remove, with the intent to abandon the carcass or body, only the head, hide, claws, teeth, antlers, horns, internal organs, or feathers or any or all of such parts;

(II)To intentionally abandon the carcass or body of taken wildlife; or

(III)To take and intentionally abandon wildlife.

(b)A person who violates this subsection (1), with respect to:

(I)[ Editor's note: This version of subsection (1)(b)(I) is effective until July 1, 2026. ] Big game, eagles, and endangered species, commits a class 5 felony and shall be punished as provided in section 18-1.3-401

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

(1)
(a) Except as is otherwise provided in articles 1 to 6 of this title or by rule of the
commission, it is unlawful for a person:

(I) To hunt or take, or to solicit another person to hunt or take, wildlife and
detach or remove, with the intent to abandon the carcass or body, only the head,
hide, claws, teeth, antlers, horns, internal organs, or feathers or any or all of such
parts;

(II) To intentionally abandon the carcass or body of taken wildlife; or

(III) To take and intentionally abandon wildlife.

(b) A person who violates this subsection (1), with respect to:

(I) [ Editor's note: This version of subsection (1)(b)(I) is effective until July 1,
2026. ] Big game, eagles, and endangered species, commits a class 5 felony and
shall be punished as provided in section 18-1.3-401, C.R.S., and, in addition, shall be
punished by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars nor more than twenty
thousand dollars. For offenses committed on or after July 1, 1985, the fine shall be
in an amount within the presumptive range set out in section 18-1.3-401 (1)(a)(III),
C.R.S. Upon such conviction, the commission shall assess twenty license suspension
points and suspend the wildlife license privileges for one year to life of the person
convicted.

(I) [ Editor's note: This version of subsection (1)(b)(I) is effective July 1, 2026. ] Big game, eagles, and endangered species or threatened species pursuant to
section 33-2-105 or the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973, 16 U.S.C. sec.
1531 et seq., commits a class 5 felony and shall be punished as provided in section
18-1.3-401 and, in addition, shall be punished by a fine of not less than one thousand
dollars nor more than twenty thousand dollars. The court shall set the fine in an
amount within the presumptive range set out in section 18-1.3-401 (1)(a)(III). Upon
conviction, the commission shall assess twenty license suspension points and
suspend the wildlife license privileges for one year to life of the person convicted.

(II) All other wildlife species, commits a class 2 misdemeanor and is
assessed twenty license suspension points.

(2) The purpose and intent of this section is to protect the wildlife of this
state from wanton, ruthless, or wasteful destruction or mutilation for their heads,
hides, claws, teeth, antlers, horns, internal organs, or feathers, from being taken
and abandoned, or any or all of the foregoing, and the provisions of this section
shall be so construed.

Legislative History

Source: L. 84: Entire article R&RE, p. 874, � 1, effective January 1, 1985. L. 85: (1)(a) amended, p. 659, � 12, effective July 1. L. 94: IP(1) amended, p. 1586, � 15, effective May 31. L. 2002: (1)(a) amended, p. 1544, � 295, effective October 1. L. 2003: IP(1), (1)(a), and (2) amended, p. 1029, � 3, effective July 1. L. 2008: (1) amended, p. 537, � 2, effective August 5. L. 2021: (1)(b)(II) amended, (SB 21-271), ch. 462, p. 3260, � 557, effective March 1, 2022. L. 2025: (1)(b)(I) amended, (SB 25-168), ch. 355, p. 1917, � 6, effective July 1, 2026.