Low-Altitude Wildlife Survey Flights to Begin Next Week in Southern Colorado

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) will launch a series of low-altitude helicopter flights next week to assess the health and size of big game herds across southern Colorado.

The aerial surveys will span a wide region, from Trinidad north to Leadville, as biologists work to evaluate how many deer, fawns, and elk calves have survived to the six-month mark, a key indicator of overall herd health and population trends.

Residents can expect to see helicopters flying low over South Park, the Upper Arkansas River Valley, the Pikes Peak region, and the Sangre de Cristo and Wet Mountains. CPW notes that these flights are a routine part of wildlife management and help guide future conservation and hunting decisions.