There is some direct correlation between less open otc units and more crowding to think otherwise is ignorant. How much more can you squeeze that many hunters into that few units and expect different.I don't think the maps alone provide any indication of hunting pressure. Are you saying the increase in post about otc vs the maps indicates pressure?
A lot of you guys talk like there is no one left hunting in the units that were otc and are now limited. Most of those units can be drawn with zero points or even second choice. Meaning anyone who plans could still be hunting the units they were hunting before. You can't just take those tag numbers and assume all those people went to the other otc units, most of them are still where they were before. Now, for those who don't plan or keep otc as a backup option only, I can see those guys could cause an increase. But how to measure the number of those guys vs guys who always hunted "x unit"? With the tag return option now, you can get your "backup" zero pt/second choice hunt and return it if another state draw comes through.
I think the only real data that would confirm increased pressure on the remaining units is (qty of otc tags sold/per land area of otc units) compared to then and now.
I had an otc tag last year and saw some pressure, but saw and heard elk too, but I mostly hunted with my wife and friends in a limited leftover unit. I failed to acquire a tag on leftover day cause I hit the wrong button, lol.