Due to an extensive land and road closure caused by the Silver Creek Fire, Colorado Parks and Wildlife will offer hunters who hold licenses for Game Management Unit 27 the opportunity to request a license refund or preference points restoration up to the day before the season begins, effective immediately.

Affected hunt codes in GMU 27

• EE027O1R
• EE027P1R
• EF027O1R
• EF027O2R
• EF027P1R
• EF027P2R
• DM027O2R
• DF027O2R

To receive a refund or restoration of points, hunters must turn in their request postmarked up to 5:00 p.m. the day before the start of their season. To learn more about refunds, additional GMUs affected by fire and to print the refund request form, visit the CPW website.

"If this applies to you, I urge you to get on that right away," said Area Wildlife Manager Lyle Sidener of Hot Sulphur Springs. "Once the season starts it will be too late, no exceptions."

The Silver Creek Fire, estimated at nearly 20,000 acres, is actively burning on national forest land, including a significant portion of GMU 27. The unit is located northwest of Kremmling, primarily in Grand County with a portion extending into Routt County.

"There are areas that are still huntable in the unit but access will be impossible for some time due to the closures," said Sidener. "It's unfortunate, but that is the nature of hunting. Fires, floods, heavy rains, blizzards, washed out roads and so on can affect your hunt, sometimes from one day to the next."

Before heading out, CPW officials remind hunters to check with land management agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management or the US Forest Service, for the latest information about public land access and closures.

Hunters can contact CPW's Hot Sulphur Springs CPW Office at 970-725-6200 for additional information about the refund process.