Colorado Draw Report - Elk 2025

[35WhelenAI]

Roger17, good point that has been brought up a couple times now.

The discussion here is about choosing and wanting to hunt specific units (draw) versus choosing to hunt in any unit that has tags available (OTC). When it comes down to it, one can rifle hunt Colorado with an OTC bull tag except for the winter kill units that are still requiring a draw in Northwestern Colorado.

 

[PathFinder]

The anger is understandable, but is somewhat misplaced when directed at the state of Colorado. Demand is skyrocketing and no draw system will ever handle it. None of us hate Youtubers and the rest of the internet crowd nearly enough. They're dissolving our opportunities to hunt away at an unprecedented rate, and for what? Narcissistic attention seeking, sponsorships, personal validation, and money. All while contributing absolutely nothing to the resource. Want to be mad? Find a way to regulate and ostracize them out of existence.

 

[Wapiti66]

You don't have enough points to guarantee yourself a tag? Pretty sure there are plenty of units that draw with 0pp. The issue is that you do not want to hunt those units.

I’m well aware, I’ve been elk hunting for most of the last 24 years. I drew one of those tags, 3rd choice, success rates under 10%. Again, my point Is that the state new structure for 28 has screwed over the people that have bought into the system for the sake of allowing newcomers an equal chance to cut in line for the more appealing units that require 10 plus years of commitment to draw. If you don’t understand the difference in previous OTC units vs units that took 10 or more points to draw then I can’t help you

 

[PredatoronthePrairie]

I’m well aware, I’ve been elk hunting for most of the last 24 years. I drew one of those tags, 3rd choice, success rates under 10%. Again, my point Is that the state new structure for 28 has screwed over the people that have bought into the system for the sake of allowing newcomers an equal chance to cut in line for the more appealing units that require 10 plus years of commitment to draw. If you don’t understand the difference in previous OTC units vs units that took 10 or more points to draw then I can’t help you

You've been elk hunting the past 24 years, and greed still blinds you, on the off chance someone draws a tag before you. Sad

 

[Wapiti66]

I’m greedy for waiting in line until I have enough points to draw a unit? Sorry but the greedy ones are the people that want top tier units without having any skin in the game (points). Along with the residents that want to kill multiple elk every year and blame NRs when they aren’t successful.
Are you happy when you are standing in line for 15 minutes to order your happy meal and someone walks in the door and cuts to the front of the line?? If so by your definition you are greedy

 

[Wapiti66]

We cant control demand, and I don’t blame anyone new to the game for wanting to try. My whole beef is that the state changed the rules at the expense of those who have been invested in the system the longest. The new rules are going to make point “creep” even worse.
For example: I’m trying for unit x and have ten points, which historically was enough to draw unit x, but I don’t draw because now someone with 0 points gets 50% of those tags. Next year I have 11 points and the guy that drew over me with 0 got the tag and he still has 0 points. They’ve compounded the problem.

 

[well_known_rokslider]

So how would my friend draw a tag with two points in a unit where the report shows nobody drew with two points?

Bringing this back to the top cause i'd also like to know and the convo seems to have turned to petty bickering. did he apply and draw with 1st choice?

 

[Wapiti66]

Bringing this back to the top cause i'd also like to know and the convo seems to have turned to petty bickering. did he apply and draw with 1st choice?

?? Error in the report?

 

[Mighty Mouse]

So how would my friend draw a tag with two points in a unit where the report shows nobody drew with two points?

Did he draw his 1st choice tag? If so, he should show up in the report as one of the successful applicants in the 2-point pool.

If he drew his tag as choice 2/3/4, he should show up as a successful applicant in the choice 2/3/4 stats, which are not separated by point pool (because points don’t matter in the choice 2/3/4 portion of the draw). In this scenario, he would also show up as an unsuccessful applicant in the 2-point pool for his 1st choice tag.

 

[GunsAreFun]

Bringing this back to the top cause i'd also like to know and the convo seems to have turned to petty bickering. did he apply and draw with 1st choice?

He applied for the wrong unit .

 

[well_known_rokslider]

He applied for the wrong unit .

lol

 

[GunsAreFun]

Ya. It sucks. I think he is going to pony up and pay the tag fee to keep his points, otherwise he’s hunting alone.

 

[well_known_rokslider]

Ya. It sucks. I think he is going to pony up and pay the tag fee to keep his points, otherwise he’s hunting alone.

man that's a bummer. someone somewhere is probably complaining about the point creep up to 2 points on a normally 0 point unit

 

[Coveyleader]

And to think all this for elk that barely bugle these days. More guys in the woods than every before, you know those giant climbs, or descents only to find out someone is already there. You get up at 330am, drop into that special spot only to see headlamps coming down to you at 6am and nothing is going to turn those guys around. with that little 5x5 bugling at day break.

Elk hunting is CO has really changed. I wonder if the majority of these guys drawing and applying know what the reality of CO elk hunting is like.

 

[MallardSX2]

And to think all this for elk that barely bugle these days. More guys in the woods than every before, you know those giant climbs, or descents only to find out someone is already there. You get up at 330am, drop into that special spot only to see headlamps coming down to you at 6am and nothing is going to turn those guys around. with that little 5x5 bugling at day break.

Elk hunting is CO has really changed. I wonder if the majority of these guys drawing and applying know what the reality of CO elk hunting is like.

Most have no idea. But they are about to find out. lmfao.

 

[cnelk]

Lemmings... just 'cause Uncle Randy said to apply

 

[Machingeaneer]

I have no idea and I'm looking forward to finding out, it'll be a good change of pace from still-hunting lowly whitetails

 

[well_known_rokslider]

Lemmings... just 'cause Uncle Randy said to apply

Fun fact: the whole idea of the lemming analogy is based entirely on fiction. Lemmings don't commit mass suicide by jumping off of cliffs. They were chased/thrown by film makers... so by using and perpetuating that expression we are, in fact, the lemmings... Thank you for coming to my TED talk!

 

[bz_711]

Roger17, good point that has been brought up a couple times now.

The discussion here is about choosing and wanting to hunt specific units (draw) versus choosing to hunt in any unit that has tags available (OTC). When it comes down to it, one can rifle hunt Colorado with an OTC bull tag except for the winter kill units that are still requiring a draw in Northwestern Colorado.

Yeah - I think many are confused or missed that rifle is still OTC and anybody that wants to hunt elk this year can. Realistically anyone that wants to hunt archery this fall can as well in several states...just might not be the primo tag (but most of those guys complaining could use a few OTC/cow/spike hunts to get better at elk hunting before they draw a primo tag anyway).

Anyone upset should really boycott CO for the next 20yrs.

 

[well_known_rokslider]