Denver Wildlife Violations Attorney

“Jeff did an excellent job handling a very delicate matter for my business. His legal advice was quick and right on point. He was able to maintain a level of respect and courtesy to all parties involved while firmly ensuring that my best interests were upheld.”
— Joe, Colorado outfitter

Colorado Wildlife Laws

Found under Title 33 of the Colorado Revised Statutes, Colorado’s wildlife laws regulate how hunters and fishermen use public and private land and water, with strict rules governing licensing, seasons, methods of take, and property access. These regulations apply not only to individuals but also to business activities tied to hunting and fishing. Violations can trigger serious legal issues, including fines, license suspensions, and criminal charges, making compliance essential to protect wildlife resources and individual rights.

Nuisance Wildlife Laws in Colorado

Colorado nuisance wildlife laws allow property owners to address animals that cause property damage or threaten safety, but only within strict state regulations. Actions taken outside these rules can lead to citations, fines, and criminal charges. A wildlife violation attorney at WeedenLaw can help landowners, hunters, and property managers understand their rights and respond to enforcement actions involving nuisance wildlife claims.

Interstate Wildlife Violators Compact

The Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact requires participating states to honor hunting, fishing, and trapping license suspensions issued by other member states. A violation in one member state can suspend your wildlife privileges across all participating states.

At present, 45 states participate, including Colorado. The only non-member jurisdictions are Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Nebraska, and New Jersey. While Nebraska is not a formal member, state law bars anyone suspended in another state from purchasing a permit there.

Colorado has updated its approach to reciprocal suspensions under the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact. Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the State Hearing Examiner now review out-of-state suspensions as all privileges, hunting only, or fishing only. Previously, any suspension from a compact state triggered a full hunting and fishing suspension in Colorado.

WeedenLaw has successfully petitioned for partial relief, including restoring fishing rights when only hunting privileges were suspended in another state. To discuss your Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact matter, contact WeedenLaw at 720-307-4330.

Agencies That Enforce Colorado Wildlife Laws

Colorado Parks and Wildlife oversees wildlife management, enforces hunting and fishing regulations, issues licenses, and investigates suspected violations statewide. Wildlife officers have full law enforcement authority. They can stop individuals, inspect licenses and equipment, seize evidence, issue citations, and make arrests for wildlife related offenses.

Investigations may start through officer observations, public complaints, reports from landowners, or compliance checks in the field. Citations can result from on-site encounters, follow-up investigations, or evidence gathered after an alleged violation.

What are Wildlife Violations in Colorado?

Colorado wildlife and game laws exist to protect wildlife populations and manage public and private resources across the state. Unlike traffic tickets or local ordinance violations, wildlife offenses involve state statutes and enforcement by Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers. These cases can include searches, seizures of equipment or game, and point assessments that affect hunting and fishing privileges statewide and beyond Colorado.

Wildlife violations can result in criminal charges, court appearances, fines, jail exposure, and license suspensions. Because many offenses are treated as strict liability, intent may not matter, making the consequences serious even for unintentional violations.

Common Hunting Violations in Colorado

Some of the most common hunting violations in Colorado include:

• Hunting without a valid license or using the wrong license or tag
• Trespassing while hunting, including entering private property without permission from landowners
• Violations tied to hunting leases, such as exceeding permitted boundaries or hunting outside authorized areas
• Taking game outside designated seasons or during closed hours
• Using illegal methods of take, including prohibited weapons or baiting practices
• Exceeding bag or possession limits
• Shooting from or across public roads or rights of way
• Transporting loaded firearms in motor vehicles
• Failing to properly tag or report harvested game

Why You Need a Skilled Denver Hunting Violation Lawyer

Hunting violations in Colorado carry criminal penalties, license point assessments, and the risk of losing hunting privileges across multiple states. As a seasoned Denver wildlife lawyer, Jeff Weeden understands Colorado Parks and Wildlife enforcement practices, point systems, and reciprocal suspension rules that do not apply in typical criminal cases. This can help protect your rights, challenge evidence, and pursue outcomes that preserve your ability to hunt in the future.

Common Fishing Violations in Colorado

Some of the most common fishing violations in Colorado include:

• Fishing without a valid license or using the wrong license type
• Exceeding daily bag limits or possession limits
• Fishing outside designated seasons or during closed hours
• Using illegal bait, lures, or tackle
• Keeping undersized or protected fish species
• Failing to immediately release catch-and-release species
• Fishing in closed waters or restricted areas
• Borrowing, lending, or altering fishing licenses
• Violations involving commercial or guide-related fishing activity

Fight Your Fishing Violation With Experienced Legal Counsel

Fishing violations in Colorado can lead to fines, license points, and long-term consequences that affect your ability to fish statewide. These types of cases, such as fishing with an invalid license, exceeding seasonal limits, or disobeying fly fishing regulations, are all handled through the criminal court system, not as routine tickets. A qualified criminal defense attorney can challenge the charge, protect your record, and work to preserve your Denver fishing license.

Serious Wildlife Crimes and Felony Charges

Serious wildlife crimes in Colorado can lead to felony charges, substantial fines, jail or prison time, and long term loss of hunting and fishing privileges. Common examples include:

• Poaching, including taking big game out of season or without a valid license
• Commercial trafficking of wildlife, such as selling or transporting protected species or animal parts
• Repeat wildlife offenses, especially when prior violations trigger enhanced penalties
• Illegal taking of endangered or threatened species under state or federal law
• Interstate transport of unlawfully taken wildlife, which may involve federal charges
• Use of prohibited methods, including spotlighting, baiting big game, or use of illegal weapons
• Falsifying licenses, tags, or harvest reports
• Waste of edible wildlife, particularly involving big game animals
• Guiding or outfitting violations, including operating without proper permits or exceeding legal authority

How a Wildlife Lawyer at WeedenLaw Can Help

With decades of experience under his belt, criminal defense attorney Jeff Weeden at WeedenLaw understands how wildlife charges are investigated, prosecuted, and enforced in Colorado. From early case review through court proceedings, the firm challenges evidence, works with enforcement agencies, and pursues outcomes that protect your record and hunting or fishing privileges.

What are the Penalties for Wildlife Violations in Denver, CO?

Below are the typical penalties imposed for a few of the more common types of hunting, fishing, and wildlife violations in Colorado. Remember, however, that penalties may increase based on prior offenses, aggravating facts, or point accumulation.

• CRS 33-6-109 (Hunting Without a Valid License): Fine, court summons, license points, possible suspension
• CRS 33-6-109 (Fishing Without a Valid License): Fine, license points, possible suspension
• CRS 33 6 107-109 (Poaching or Illegal Taking of Wildlife): Hefty fines, county jail exposure, license suspension, possible felony
• CRS 33 6 107 (Exceeding Bag or Possession Limits): Fine, license points, potential suspension
• CRS 33 6 107 (Taking Game Out of Season): Fine, license points, potential suspension
• CRS 18 4 504 (Third Degree Trespass): Petty offense to felony based on property and circumstances. Fines range from $50 to $750 and may include jail time
• CRS 33 6 116 (Trespass While Hunting): $137 fine, possible jail time, and 20 hunting license points
• CRS 33 6 125 (Loaded Firearm in a Vehicle): $68 fine and 15 points
• CRS 33 6 123 (Hunting Under the Influence): Court summons and 20 points
• CRS 33 6 119(2) (Waste of Edible Wildlife): $411 fine and 15 points for big game
• CRS 33 6 126 (Shooting Across a Public Road): $68 fine and 5 points
• CRS 33 6 107 (Use of Illegal Methods or Equipment): Fine, points, equipment seizure
• CRS 33 6 109 + Federal Law (Commercial Trafficking of Wildlife): Felony charges, prison exposure, permanent loss of privileges

It’s important to understand that Colorado uses a license point system for these types of violations. Accumulating 20 or more points within a five-year period can result in suspension of hunting and fishing privileges.

How Jeff Weeden Handles Wildlife Violation Cases

Jeff Weeden helps individuals accused of wildlife violations by providing focused defense backed by years of experience in the practice areas of criminal and wildlife law. As the founder of WeedenLaw, he works directly with clients to assist in challenging citations, negotiating resolutions, and preparing cases for court when needed. Our law firm proudly represents hunters and anglers across Colorado and the entire country, with a clear focus on achieving the best possible outcome while protecting licenses, records, and long term rights.

Why Experience in Colorado Wildlife Law Matters

Experience in Colorado wildlife law matters because these cases result in more than just a citation. Judges and prosecutors treat wildlife offenses differently from routine criminal cases, and the outcome can impact a person’s hunting and fishing privileges for years. Wildlife suspension hearings in Colorado follow their own procedures, and mistakes at this stage can change a person’s outdoor life forever.

An attorney like Jeff Weeden, with direct experience handling wildlife cases in Denver and the nearby areas, understands how prosecutors approach these cases, how judges evaluate them, and how to protect clients during both court proceedings and wildlife suspension hearings.

We have defended these charges (and more):

• Hunting Without a License
• Illegal/Unlawful Taking
• Illegal/Unlawful Possession
• Failure to Dress (Waste of Wildlife)
• Wildlife Suspension Hearing Preparation and Representation (Before the State Hearing Examiner)
• Mid-Suspension Review under C.R.S. 33-6-106(9) (H.B. 1330)
• Hearing Preparation and Representation (Before the Parks and Wildlife Commission)
• Trespassing (Hunting and Agricultural)
• Firearm Violations (including Menacing)
• Outfitting Violations
• Federal Wildlife Violations
• Lacey Act Violations
• Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact Issues
• Illegal Transfer of a License
• Firearm Violations
• Illegal Outfitting

Recent wildlife violation trial results (does not guarantee future results):

Colorado Parks and Wildlife License Privilege Suspension Hearing (Denver Headquarters, violations in Adams County):

• Suspension hearing triggered by the disposition of a criminal case alleging Felony Forgery of Government-issued documents and Failure to Attend Education course.

Result: No suspension of hunting or fishing privileges.

Trial in Delta County for charges of:

• 33-6-107(3) Did unlawfully have in possession/take wildlife (to wit: one 4×4 bull elk)
• 33-6-109(3) Did unlawfully take one bull elk without a proper and valid license
• 33-6-107(7) Did unlawfully use another person’s lawfully acquired license
• 33-6-125 Did unlawfully possess a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle (to wit: 7mm Rem Mag)

Result: Client retained full hunting and fishing rights.

Trial in Rio Blanco County for charges of:

• 33-6-116 Trespassing on private property to hunt without permission
• 33-6-109(3) Did unlawfully take one bull elk without a proper and valid license
• 33-6-109(3.4)(A) Did unlawfully have in possession one bull elk without a proper and valid license (To wit: one six-point bull elk)
• 33-6-119(1) Pursuit of Wounded Game – Waste of edible game wildlife – Use of wildlife as bait (M).

Result: All charges either dismissed, or found not guilty by jury, at trial.

Speak With a Denver Wildlife Violations Attorney at WeedenLaw Right Away!

If you’re facing a hunting, fishing, or wildlife violation in Colorado or at the federal level, don’t talk to police or wildlife officers without first getting in contact with a knowledgeable attorney.

A Denver wildlife lawyer like Jeff Weeden can protect your rights, manage communications with enforcement, and help you understand your options from the start.

Call WeedenLaw today at 720-307-4330 or send a message online to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.