As a consequence of the ongoing federal government shutdown, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has called off the muzzleloader hunting season for mule deer scheduled in Piñon Canyon. The anticipated mule deer muzzleloader season, which was to run from Saturday through October 19, has been suspended as activities on Fort Carson (GMU 591) and the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site (GMU 142) grind to a halt amidst the shutdown troubles, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Affected hunters are being offered a full refund and a preference point restoration for their licenses. CPW has laid out the procedure for hunters to reclaim their funds with a stipulation. The licenses have to be returned to a CPW office in person, or an Application for License Refund must be completed and mailed back, along with the license, before the season starts. The cutoff for the postmark to qualify for a refund is, quite sharply, set for October 11.
The specific hunt codes that fall under the suspended season are Buck Mule Deer, D-M-142-02-M, and Doe Mule Deer, D-F-142-02-M. Hunters seeking more details or who are in need of assistance can reach out to the CPW offices. CPW's Colorado Springs office can be contacted at (719) 227-5200, and the Pueblo office is available at (719) 561-5300.
