2022 Colorado Code
Title 33 - Parks and Wildlife
Article 6 - Law Enforcement and Penalties - Wildlife
Part 2 - Traps, Poisons, and Snares
§ 33-6-203. General Prohibition - Penalties

1. Except as otherwise provided in this part 2, it is unlawful to take wildlife with any leghold trap, any instant kill body-gripping design trap, or by poison or snare in the state of Colorado. Penalties shall be as provided in section 33-6-109 unless a different penalty is specifically provided in this part 2.
2. [ Editor's note: This version of subsection (2) is effective until March 1, 2022.] Except as otherwise provided in this part 2, any person who attempts to take wildlife using any leghold trap, instant kill body-gripping design trap, poison, or snare commits a class 1 petty offense and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of forty dollars and an assessment of four license suspension points.

   (2) [ Editor's note: This version of subsection (2) is effective March 1, 2022. ] Except as otherwise provided in this part 2, any person who attempts to take wildlife using any leghold trap, instant kill body-gripping design trap, poison, or snare commits a petty offense and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of forty dollars and is assessed four license suspension points.

3. [ Editor's note: This version of subsection (3) is effective until March 1, 2022.] An owner or lessee of private property or an employee of such owner or lessee, as such terms are defined and used in sections 33-6-207 and 33-6-208, who takes wildlife using any leghold trap, instant kill body-gripping design trap, poison, or snare on such private property under circumstances that give rise to the exemption set forth in section 33-6-207 (1) but without complying with the notice and certification requirements of section 33-6-208 (1)(c) commits a class 2 petty offense and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of twenty-five dollars; except that, upon conviction of a second or subsequent offense, the fine shall be fifty dollars.

   (3) [ Editor's note: This version of subsection (3) is effective March 1, 2022. ] An owner or lessee of private property or an employee of such owner or lessee, as such terms are defined and used in sections 33-6-207 and 33-6-208, who takes wildlife using any leghold trap, instant kill body-gripping design trap, poison, or snare on such private property under circumstances that give rise to the exemption set forth in section 33-6-207 (1) but without complying with the notice and certification requirements of section 33-6-208 (1)(c) commits a petty offense and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of twenty-five dollars; except that, upon conviction of a second or subsequent offense, the fine shall be fifty dollars.

4. Any person convicted of violating subsection (1) or (2) of this section shall be subject to twice the applicable penalty if the offense occurred pursuant to an unlawful entry onto the privately owned or leased property of another.

Source: L. 97: Entire part added, p. 1066, § 1, effective May 27. L. 2021: (2) and (3) amended, (SB 21-271), ch. 462, p. 3261, § 562, effective March 1, 2022.

Editor's note: Section 803(2) of chapter 462 (SB 21-271), Session Laws of Colorado 2021, provides that the act changing this section applies to offenses committed on or after March 1, 2022.