Colorado Outdoors - the Podcast for Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Colorado Parks & Wildlife
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CPW is a nationally recognized leader in conservation, outdoor recreation and wildlife management. The agency manages 43 state parks, all of Colorado's 960-plus wildlife species, more than 350 state wildlife areas and a host of recreational programs from hunting and fishing to the state’s trails program, boat registrations, snowmobiles, off-highway vehicles and more. All of its management is in perpetuity for the enjoyment of Coloradans and its visitors and this podcast is dedicated to telling the stories and happenings in Colorado's great outdoors!

  1. 3.2 – Corners for Conservation

    17 APR

    3.2 – Corners for Conservation

    Deep into Colorado’s pheasant season, Corners for Conservation properties provide healthy winter habitat and welcome the next generation of hunters. Wading through a tangle of chest-high grasses on a cold morning. Pheasants flushing underfoot, cackling on the wing as they break for the horizon. Gold and pink light waxing across the sky at sunrise. Scanning the little green county road signs, looking for just the right number. Big smiles, and plenty of miles.  In this episode of the Colorado Outdoors podcast, we take the show on the road. We visit some of our Corners for Conservation properties on the Eastern Plains in hopes of finding winter time roosters, and learning a thing or two along the way.  From pollinator habitat and songbird stopovers to prime cold season country for Colorado’s wild pheasants, Corners for Conservation fields are full of benefits (all year long). In the winter, they also serve as a place of exploration and learning for novice hunters, thanks to Pepper Canterbury and her hunter outreach program.  Listen along as we chase birds, explore the prairie and soak up the rewards of a successful hunt.

    37 min
  2. 3.1 – Range Riding with CPW’s Max Morton

    19 MAR

    3.1 – Range Riding with CPW’s Max Morton

    To kick off the first episode of Season 3, host John Livingston sits down with CPW Wildlife Damage Specialist Max Morton, who assisted the agency in standing up the range rider program in 2025. Range riders are eyes and ears on the landscape, collecting important information for livestock producers, wildlife managers, and biologists alike. In addition to providing human presence that can deter wolf conflict, riders collect data that allows CPW and CDA to determine best approaches for addressing conflict through adaptive, coordinated plans. CPW hired 11 range riders to assist in efforts to minimize wolf depredation of livestock on range in 2025. CPW opened the application process to as many as 24 range riders for the 2026 season. Morton, who discusses his past experience as a range rider in Arizona and New Mexico, details what range riding is, how it is most effective and why it was important for CPW to implement the program.

    52 min
  3. 2.16 – Big-game hunting chat with Andy Holland

    06/11/2025

    2.16 – Big-game hunting chat with Andy Holland

    Colorado Parks and Wildlife is currently in the middle of big-game rifle hunting seasons, and the Colorado Outdoors Podcast returns this month for a wide-ranging chat with CPW Big Game Manager Andy Holland. A passionate big-game hunter, Holland shares some of his hunting success stories and some of his strategy for applying for big-game hunting licenses not only in Colorado but also out of state. In this episode, we also talk about CPW’s new bison management planning effort, upcoming changes to the 2028 big-game draw and what factors into big-game license setting in Colorado. We also dive a bit into current trends in hunting and try to get into the mind of an elk. If you’re on your way to a third or fourth rifle season camp or if you’ve already wrapped up your 2025 hunting season, join us for a quick conversation on Colorado big-game hunting.

    31 min
  4. 2.15 – Extreme Botany: Colorado's Rare Plants

    01/08/2025

    2.15 – Extreme Botany: Colorado's Rare Plants

    Colorado Parks and Wildlife now has the authority to study and conserve the state’s native invertebrates and rare plants in a comprehensive manner, which has strengthened Colorado’s ability to protect biodiversity. In 2024, Colorado passed House Bill 24-1117 which placed the management of invertebrates and rare plants under CPW’s wildlife umbrella. The bill defined rare plants to mean a plant species that is indigenous to the State of Colorado and that is at risk of extinction or elimination across the entirety of their distribution due to restricted range, few populations or occurrences, steep declines or severe threats. In the second part of our two-part series on this topic, we transition to talking about these rare plants. There are more than 2,800 native plants in Colorado, and 125 of those are endemic to our state, which means they only are found here. Of those, 90 are classified as rare. As Colorado updates its State Wildlife Action Plan, 195 rare plants are included in that plan. In this episode, we are going to chat with CPW Natural Areas Program Manager Raquel Wertsbaugh about her program’s longstanding work with rare and native plants, while we also talk with Savanna Smith, CPW’s new Rare Plants Program Manager, to learn more about CPW’s work in this field.  You’ll hear the great lengths they go to for monitoring these plants, learn what makes some species such as the Rocky Mountain monkeyflower and Pagosa skyrocket so special, and get some information on what you can do to promote the health of rare plants in our state.

    44 min
  5. 2.14 – Pollinate Your Mind: Colorado's Native Bees

    27/06/2025

    2.14 – Pollinate Your Mind: Colorado's Native Bees

    In 2024, Colorado passed House Bill 24-1117 which placed the management of invertebrates and rare plants under CPW’s wildlife umbrella. In the next two episodes, we are going to dive more into CPW’s management of invertebrates and rare plants by talking with the experts now on CPW’s team to make sure the state has a cohesive plan to manage our ecosystems. While Colorado may have been behind some other states when it comes to legislative authority over invertebrates and rare plants, CPW is running fast and looking to be a leader in that space. But it’s a really big job. Previously, CPW managed 960 wildlife species. In Colorado, there are roughly 1,000 different native bee species alone, and that’s just one aspect of the invertebrate and pollinator community. Of those bees, we have 25 different bumblebee species, with 20% of those currently under federal consideration for listing under the Endangered Species Act. In this episode, we are going to start by talking about our invertebrates. But that is such a broad topic, we’ve decided to home in on bee species as we chat with Invertebrate and Rare Plant Program Manager Hayley Schroeder and Pollinator Program Conservation Manager Adrian Carper. It’s time to pollinate your mind and learn why you should care about the state’s bee populations and what makes some of these so unique. Soon, you’ll know they are every bit as charismatic as many of the state’s famed wildlife species.

    59 min
  6. 2.13 – The Good Dam Podcast

    24/04/2025

    2.13 – The Good Dam Podcast

    Colorado Parks and Wildlife owns and operates the largest inventory of dams in the state of Colorado. The water impounded is used for purposes such as downstream irrigation, fisheries management and aquatic operations, and a multitude of recreational activities including fishing, boating and swimming. CPW manages more than 120 dams across the state and has spent more than $126 million in the last decade for dam safety related work. All of this work helps keep downstream communities safe while providing recreational opportunities in Colorado’s reservoirs and on tailwater fisheries. Without these dams creating reservoirs, the state would have significantly less water-based recreation opportunities, as there are only 11 natural lakes in Colorado greater than 50 surface acres. In this episode of the Colorado Outdoors Podcast, we chat with Dam Safety Program Manager and Chief Dam Safety Engineer Eric Eisinger as well as Capital Program Manager Margaret Taylor about what it takes to monitor and manage Colorado’s inventory of dams. Come for the great information, stay for the beaver jokes.

    39 min
  7. 2.12 – CPW's Expanding K-9 Program

    12/03/2025

    2.12 – CPW's Expanding K-9 Program

    In April 2024, Colorado’s 2024-25 Long Appropriations Bill opened the door for a new Colorado Parks and Wildlife statewide K-9 program. The new statewide K-9 program will have a lead K-9 Supervisor and five K-9 handlers assigned to the new statewide unit. This comes on the heels of the success of CPW's previous pilot program in which CPW utilized three dogs. K-9 officers aid CPW wildlife managers in detecting the presence of wildlife, whether that’s checking hunters or even identifying endangered species in the field. Along with assisting in wildlife law enforcement cases, dogs can also be used in black bear management. CPW recently promoted former District Wildlife Manager Ian Petkash, who handles K-9 Samson, to the K-9 Unit Supervisor position. Petkash joins the podcast to let us know plans for expanding the K-9 program and provide a better understanding of how CPW’s wildlife officers utilize dogs in the field and what it takes to build the program.

    38 min
  8. 2.11 - 10 years of lynx monitoring in southwest Colorado

    07/02/2025

    2.11 - 10 years of lynx monitoring in southwest Colorado

    Colorado Parks and Wildlife recently concluded a 10-year monitoring of lynx in the Southwest Region of CPW. In this episode, learn more about how CPW monitors the elusive population of wildcats. Wildlife Research Scientist Jake Ivan joins the show to talk about key findings from the 10 years of monitoring including issues related to habitat and coexistence with other wildlife species. Jake also dives into the origins of the lynx reintroduction in Colorado and what future monitoring of the species will look like.

    1hr 1min
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About

CPW is a nationally recognized leader in conservation, outdoor recreation and wildlife management. The agency manages 43 state parks, all of Colorado's 960-plus wildlife species, more than 350 state wildlife areas and a host of recreational programs from hunting and fishing to the state’s trails program, boat registrations, snowmobiles, off-highway vehicles and more. All of its management is in perpetuity for the enjoyment of Coloradans and its visitors and this podcast is dedicated to telling the stories and happenings in Colorado's great outdoors!

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