Looking to hunt chukar, rail, snipe or blue grouse in Colorado? The Colorado Parks and Wildlife just made the process simpler, if so. 

Colorado small game hunters are required to get a Harvest Information Program registration number (HIP) for hunting those birds, as well as waterfoul like ducks and geese. They can now get it on-line at Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s online shop where hunting licenses are sold.

CPW says to add a HIP to your cart when you purchase your small game license if you intend to hunt small game, including migratory birds and coyotes.

Before, hunters had to either call a special number, or visit a different HIP website, fill out a survey and physically write the HIP number on their small game license.

If buying a license through an external sales agent, you will have to go to CPW’s shop to add HIP to your cart to gain access to the HIP questionnaire before you hunt. While the HIP won’t be printed on your license, (and you don’t have to write it on your license anymore) it will be recorded in your file and will print on future licenses.

Not having a HIP registration in the system can result in a warning and a ticket with a $70.52 fine and five points off your hunting privileges.

HIP registration is not needed if you hunt only furbearers, excluding coyotes.

No HIP is required if you buy a small game license only to be qualified for big game permit applications and won’t be hunting small game, or if you are hunting turkey in the spring.

Furbearer hunters don’t need a HIP because CPW may contact hunters for a furbearer harvest study.

“For hunters who are, or plan to, hunt light geese in March of 2024, you can still get your 2023 HIP at 1-866-265-6447; however, the website at www.colohip.com will be disabled on March 1, 2024,” said the release.

CPW reminds light geese hunters, like snow geese, that on or after April 1, they will need a 2024 license and 2024 HIP registration before hunting.

“CPW apologizes for any inconvenience this change will cause for some hunters; however, the change should streamline HIP registrations for most. Hunters can now register for HIP when they buy their licenses in the same system. Also, hunters are no longer required to write down a HIP number on their license to prove registration, as it will be documented on their customer record,” said CPW in a press release.

The HIP registration program is designed “to help CPW better estimate harvest for species that are difficult to assess through a general small game survey.”

HIP is a joint U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and CPW program designed to improve small game and migratory bird harvest estimates.