Colorado ELk Hunting

[romo343]

BKC settle down buddy lol.. you don't even know me and you don't know my hunting stategies. Also, I was just asking for input, I don't need you attacking me as a hunter. I've talked to the DOW in the units i'm referring too and they have agreed and told me that the numbers are down. So i'm not blaming management. And i'm definatly not blaming out of staters. I just don't think tags should be so easy for them to get, specifically OTC. And when did i ever say hunting was supposed to be easy?? I don't recall ever saying that. So if you have something productive to say then add to the conversation, if not stay out of my conversations.

[BKC]

Romo, Your right after reading my response I was probably to harsh. Sorry. I will agree that there are a lot of out of staters that come and create a crowd and leave with some of our animals. I have hunted in other states, so I guess they feel the same about me so maybe it evens out. I did read some of your comments on another thread about Colorado being the worst trophy state. There was some posts from a guy who said that he had been hunting elk for 14 years and finally wrapped his gun around a tree and gave up since he had never killed anything. This was where my comment that elk hunting is not suppose to be easy came from. A lot depends on skill, luck, area your hunting, etc... I think that overhunting is hard to blame on just out of staters being able to get OTC tags.

[wapiti66]

I enjoy the OTC opportunities. Every year while I build points in CO and Wy I buy an OTC archery tag in CO as a Nonresident. It allows me a chance to at least go hunt elk. I know CO enjoys my $560 and if they stopped the OTC tags then I'd add another state to apply in and they'd get my money instead of CO. I believe that's how the state looks at the issue and that's why they take the quantity over quality approach on most units. The state understands a certain number of people are going to pick a state to hunt elk in every year and if they make it a guarantee tag (OTC) then they will get most of those hunters and their revenue instead of say Wy or NM.

[Old Hunter]

I enjoy the OTC opportunities. Every year while I build points in CO and Wy I buy an OTC archery tag in CO as a Nonresident. It allows me a chance to at least go hunt elk. I know CO enjoys my $560 and if they stopped the OTC tags then I'd add another state to apply in and they'd get my money instead of CO. I believe that's how the state looks at the issue and that's why they take the quantity over quality approach on most units. The state understands a certain number of people are going to pick a state to hunt elk in every year and if they make it a guarantee tag (OTC) then they will get most of those hunters and their revenue instead of say Wy or NM.

You don't need OTC tags to hunt every year if you're willing to hunt for cows while you build up points.

[elks]

So really you should be careful what you wish for... Colorado system has only a couple big flaws.... Ranching(Poaching) for Wildlife and transferable landowner tags. Really the OTC system is great and it is rare to have the opportunity to hunt every year. The elk herds have managed to stay relatively unchanged in this system for years. They are managing numbers based on female animals and not male animals. In any system everyone would love to see more trophy bulls, but what would make everyone happy? 1 300" bull for every 10 cows? Are you willing to give up multiple years of hunting to see this happen. Not to mention the rate increases?

Also just because they go to a limited season does not mean there are going to be fewer hunters? They will sell as many tags as they can and still meet the perceived objectives. The only advantage to a limited draw system is the predictability of hunting numbers and pressure. In an OTC unit it seems like the number of hunters come and go. one year there are few, next year more, then a ton, then few etc. At least in the draw only system it is pretty predictable how many are in a set unit.

I love the CO system. I have shot at least 1 elk every year for the 12, and between my wife and I we have taken 18 elk in 10 years. Of those 2 have been over 300" A couple close to 300, a couple dinks and several cows. While the state wide average for elk hovers around 20% we are well up in the 80+%. I have no problem with the system if I keep having the opportunity to put up such numbers.