Colorado to much hunting pressure for my comfort .

[njdoxie]

Back in the early 2000s the Colorado elk herd hovered around 320,000.
That when the DOW implemented the extra cow tags to help manage herd objectives.

Now the elk herd is approx 280,000, and nearing herd objectives.

Yes, there may be regional areas where the elk population is down below objectives, due to calf recruitment, but the CPW is researching ways to help that - i.e. bull only tags for those areas.

Also, 20+ years ago, I remember when drawing a cow tag was really special.
Now the CPW cant get rid of them all in some areas.


If you think its crowded now:
Rifle elk hunters, from 2005 to 2016.
In 2005 there were 197, 089 rifle elk hunters.
That number decreased to 159,000 in 2011 but has remained somewhat steady around 161,000 to 163,598-- in the year 2016.
A decrease of 33,000 rifle elk hunters over the 10 year period.

Bow hunters:
In 2005 there were 35, 628 bow elk hunters.
That number has steady increased to 41, 967 (year 2013) and then to 47, 721 in the year of 2016.
An increase of 12,000 bow hunters since 2005.

Over all, less elk hunters, less rifle hunters, and more bow hunters.

Rifle hunter numbers have seemed to leveled off to around 163,000 hunters.
Bow hunters have increase most every year.

Jimss has been pounding his 'ALL DRAW FOR ELK' drum for many years, but the facts is its not going to happen anytime soon.
There is too much $$$ at risk.

There is probably going to be some 'tweaks'to some units here and there, but nothing major in the next 5 Year BGSS

Wow, facts! I can't speak for all of CO, but I have noticed a continual uptick in hunter numbers in the small part of the unit I hunt now. Fifteen years ago, I saw no one and very little sign of folks. It's increased every year, now I see folks, foot prints, horse manure....this year was the worst, I noticed no elk tracks on this goat trail that always had tracks, and then I saw why....horse manure on the goat trail! Nnnnnoooo!

Where I hunt there has been a mass influx of amish and they all seem to hunt, has greatly affected my neck of the woods, sort of ruined it for me. I love solitude and seeing a bunch of elk.....I have neither anymore.

I admit to not being that flexible when it comes to where I hunt, I'm set in my ways. I'm familiar with the area, I'm not mobile as I'm way back in camped out and I'm too old to learn a new area. It's getting harder every year to take an elk. Between my age and lack of solitude, I can see the end of the road in the next few years.

I'm not advocating for limiting OCT non-res tags, I'm not privy to all info required to make an informed decision on that. But I definitely favor opportunity over quality, I just want a legal bull.

 

[5MilesBack]

this year was the worst, I noticed no elk tracks on this goat trail that always had tracks, and then I saw why....horse manure on the goat trail! Nnnnnoooo!

I've hunted three different units the last four years, and have had elk coming right through my truck camp at night in each of those units.......right past the horse manure. They've even folded my mirrors back on the trucks. Two years ago I had a big bull moose mosey on through as well.

 

[CorbLand]

I dont live in nor have I ever hunted Colorado but I will say this...for those that are advocating an all draw system, please take the time to look at Utah and see what you will get yourself into. Making everything draw is not always the answer.

 

[njdoxie]

I've hunted three different units the last four years, and have had elk coming right through my truck camp at night in each of those units.......right past the horse manure. They've even folded my mirrors back on the trucks. Two years ago I had a big bull moose mosey on through as well.

Wow, I need to hunt where you do....in all seriousness though, horses mean hunters, and those horses and hunters were going right thru a honey hole I bank on. I don't think it's any coincidence that the more hunter sign I see over the years, the less elk I see. I'm not saying that hunter numbers are up across CO, I don't know, but in the spot I hunt, it definitely is.

 

[cnelk]

I don't think it's any coincidence that the more hunter sign I see over the years, the less elk I see. I'm not saying that hunter numbers are up across CO, I don't know, but in the spot I hunt, it definitely is.

Elk arent behind every tree or spread evenly across the NF - Its been stated that elk only live in 20% of elk country.

With all the 'tools' & gear available to find those 20% areas makes it crowded.

 

[chindits]

“so how come other users don't affect the elk/deer especially during crucial survival time?”

Have you considered other user groups are predictable. They follow paths of least resistance like roads and trails. They travel at a continuous pace in a predictable direction that typically follow drainage bottoms rather than south facing slopes and wind swept ridge lines. They don’t follow the migration for horns. I’m not convinced shed hunters really have an impact either that’s a CPW thing that all human impacts are bad for elk but all other animals impacts are okay for elk be it bear cat or dog. If elk aren’t making it because of shed hunters or other recreationists they’re in a world of hurt as real year round predators increase or migrate down from the northern Rockies.

 

[Oldffemt]

I had a great otc trip in CO this year. Shot my biggest bull to date. I saw a few other hunters but they were out there earning it just like me. As was stated earlier, you need to pick an area and learn what it has to offer, figure out where the people won’t put the effort into going, that’s where you’ll find animals. It doesn’t matter how many or how few tags are sold, or how they’re sold, those who will work for it, harder than the masses will be successful more often than not.