Letter from Dennis Ditmanson, National Park Service, to Tim Mantle

United States Department of the Interior
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Dinosaur National Monument
4545 East Highway 40
Dinosaur, CO 81610-9724

September 26, 2000

Tim Mantle
27002 County Road 5
Rifle, Colorado 81650

Dear Tim:

I hope the following will answer your question regarding hunting on the private lands within the boundaries of Dinosaur National Monument.

Generally speaking, the United States has the responsibility and the authority to protect its property - in this case the resources of Dinosaur National Monument. We do that through regulations - the applicable one here being Part 36 of the code of Federal Regulations, paragraph 2.2 (36CFR2.2) which prohibits the taking of wildlife unless such activity is specifically mandated by Federal statutory Law. Dinosaur has no such legislation.

The prohibition on hunting within the Monument is extended to private inholdings based on the demonstrated threat of risk or harm to the Federal lands or resources, i. e. the wildlife, as well as to visitors and staff caused by discharge of firearms.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife cooperates with the United States in this prohibition. See the closures and land use restrictions published in the annual hunting proclamation.

Dennis Ditmanson

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