Colorado moves to protect Book Cliffs bison, CPW to draft management plan

Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced on November 7, 2025 that it has begun drafting a management plan for bison that migrate into the state from the Book Cliffs herd in Utah, following the signing of Senate Bill 25 053 by Governor Jared Polis. The bill, which takes effect January 1, 2026, establishes a dual classification for bison in Colorado as both wildlife and domestic animals. That shift ends a regulatory gap under which Book Cliffs bison that crossed into Colorado were previously unprotected due to CPW classifying bison as domestic animals.

CPW said it will start the planning process with a habitat assessment to evaluate how much suitable habitat is available to support a wild bison population. The assessment will consider availability of food sources such as grasses and leafy plants, water resources, and potential competition with other wildlife, livestock and free roaming horses. Those findings will inform CPW staff as they set a wild bison population objective within a designated management zone and develop strategies to meet population goals while preventing game damage.

The management plan will also address how CPW will handle bison that migrate outside a designated management zone. CPW plans to engage stakeholder groups, Tribal and Indigenous peoples, local producers and private land owners, and the general public during the drafting process. Once CPW produces a draft plan it will open the document for public comment before presenting it to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission.

For Logan County residents, the development carries both practical and policy implications. While the Book Cliffs herd is located northwest of Grand Junction and southwest of Rangely, the new legal framework established by Senate Bill 25 053 sets a statewide precedent for how migrating bison and similar transboundary wildlife will be treated. Local producers and private land owners should monitor the management zone definitions and population objectives because the plan will consider competition with livestock as a factor in habitat and population assessments. The public engagement period will be the primary venue for Logan County citizens to register concerns or offer input on how bison management might intersect with local land use, livestock operations and recreation.

Institutionally, the process highlights how legislative changes can shift responsibilities for wildlife management and create new interfaces between state agencies, Tribal governments and private stakeholders. The CPW timeline links scientific assessment with a formal public comment phase and a subsequent presentation to the Parks and Wildlife Commission, signaling an administrative pathway from law to on the ground management.

Residents who wish to follow the process or receive alerts can sign up for CPW’s E Newsletter or visit the Engage CPW portal for updates and public engagement opportunities as the draft plan is developed.