CO Old OTC units that went to Draw - Noticeable Difference?

[rokclmb]

I'm curious who continued to hunt their old OTC elk units via the Draw, and how that looked to years past. Noticeable difference in pressure, or did everyone just go through draw and get their tag w/ 0 PP? I noticed a pile of units that only drew half their quotas. Many seemed way lower then I would have expected based off my personal observations in those units.

Sorry in advance if this has been covered. I didn't turn up much in the search.

 

[BigAntlerGetter]

If you’re talking about the non resident archery law that started last year. CPW allotted a high number of tags so they could have a base over 3 years to average then start cutting the draw allotment down. My 3 unit combination had 500 available non resident archery tags available and sold a little over 250. I bet if that stays consistent the next 2 years CPW will come back and offer 245 total non resident tags for archery. Making their promise to make non resident archery limited and cut some tags while still having a decent amount of Non Resident.


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[rokclmb]

If you’re talking about the non resident archery law that started last year. CPW allotted a high number of tags so they could have a base over 3 years to average then start cutting the draw allotment down. My 3 unit combination had 500 available non resident archery tags available and sold a little over 250. I bet if that stays consistent the next 2 years CPW will come back and offer 245 total non resident tags for archery. Making their promise to make non resident archery limited and cut some tags while still having a decent amount of Non Resident.


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Yes, NR archery. Thank you, I should have specified that. I guess I'm just wondering if anyone noticed a lower number of hunters after the change? Did it make a difference just simply by forcing guys to go through the draw, etc?

 

[BigAntlerGetter]

I didn’t see a difference in my unit, but I also never really had much issue with non residents in my area anyways.


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[camelcluch]

I hunted a very busy unit. No change but the tag allotment was crazy high.

 

[Serrano]

Yes, there were less bow hunters where I hunt. I saw nobody hunting the best places the first week where there are usually 2 or 3 hunters. I saw fewer camps as well. The last week had some but less than usual.

 

[westslopelaker]

My experience was the opposite, I saw a lot more hunters than when it was OTC. Not sure why but it was about 2-3x more hunters than I've ever seen hunting in the past decade. Maybe guys saw the available leftover tags and thought it would be better since it was draw.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

It changes. First 2 years were 100% even at 4th choice, year 3 dropped to 25% at second choice. The biggest change was that many of the guys who'd hunted the same areas for years were displaced and replaced by people who have no idea where the elk live or how they behave.

 

[bucksnbirds]

Way more pressure this last season compared to the season before. Two seasons ago it felt like I nearly had the entire place to myself with tons of elk to be found close to camp. This past season, just about every campsite was full and constant ATV's. Not near as many elk, but still a good hunt all around once I got off in the hell holes.