Colorado Unit 14 going Archery Limited Draw

[Don K]

Look at the units they changed to draw this year to "help" with the overcrowding. Theres thousands of leftover archery tags for those units so did they really limit anything?

 

[Jbehredt]

Look at the units they changed to draw this year to "help" with the overcrowding. Theres thousands of leftover archery tags for those units so did they really limit anything?

Maybe. Perhaps the allocation was fewer than the number of tags issued last year. Those people could have moved on to other OTC units.

 

[MuleyFever]

Look at the units they changed to draw this year to "help" with the overcrowding. Theres thousands of leftover archery tags for those units so did they really limit anything?

I thought it had way more to do with limiting cow harvest than any overcrowding issue.

 

[Backyard]

I'm for it but also for them taking the marathon out of the picture

In my experience in chatting with a certain USFS recreation specialist, who also handles outfitter permits for the area, this will never happen. As a matter of fact, I believe that just the opposite is happening right now. Open your eyes guys.

 

[TraderMike]

I had some really memorable archery hunts in 14. Eight to ten years ago. I could go days without seeing another hunter when in the timber. Into elk consistently. Then archery became "cool'' and the bro crews flocked. I don't hunt that unit any longer but am glad CPW recognizes the problem; though I believe their stats are intentionally understated... The degraded quality of the experience in such a short period of time is remarkable. And disheartening.

 

[LongWayAround]

Rather than cherry picking units the cpw should, in my opinion, cap all non-resident tags and put an OTC quota on each DAU.

They could increase the license cost to make up for some of the lost revenue and go back to fronting tag fees.

 

[cnelk]

Everyone does realize that there are more Limited Entry units west of I25 than OTC right?

 

[Coveyleader]

I don't know how anyone can back the "Raise Prices" mantra when you're talking about a government machine. The CDOW as great as they've been to me, needs a serious cash spending overhaul.

Raising resident tag prices will get you nothing but tags that cost more. That's it, final.

 

[IanCOLO]

Good, maybe I will start archery hunting again. It’s crazy how many people hit 14 during all the seasons, but archery season might be the worst. I would like to see all OTC tags gone and have it only be people out there who planned to be there 2-4 months in advance.


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[orionthehunter1]

Maybe. Perhaps the allocation was fewer than the number of tags issued last year. Those people could have moved on to other OTC units.

Hey would they know that? CPW has no idea how many guys hunt a specific OTC unit.

 

[Jbehredt]

Hey would they know that? CPW has no idea how many guys hunt a specific OTC unit.

Hey would they know that? CPW has no idea how many guys hunt a specific OTC unit.

Hey would they know that? CPW has no idea how many guys hunt a specific OTC unit.

I dunno. Did you read the OP? CPW claims to know that in 2019 1582 bowhunters were in GMU 14. Up from 307 in 1990. Pretty specific. They seem to think they have a way.


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[Farmingdale's Finest]

I dunno. Did you read the OP? CPW claims to know that in 2019 1582 bowhunters were in GMU 14. Up from 307 in 1990. Pretty specific. They seem to think they have a way.


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They have no idea how many people hunt any unit. You don’t buy an OTC license specific to a unit.

Apparently they randomly call people because my son who hunted in 14 with me last year got a call. When asked what unit he had no idea. He just said near Steamboat. He gave them my number to call. I never heard from anyone.

We had a great experience getting into elk, having them bugle and respond to my calls. We met 4 people. 1 in the woods who was successful opening morning who was shocked to have met us in the drainage we did because he had been hunting it for 10 years and never saw anyone there other than his two buddies who came to help him pack out his cow. The other 3 we met at a trailhead and saw no one else in the woods.

Unfortunately my son woke up with altitude sickness the 4th day of the season and we had to cut our hunt 5 days short.

How we came to hunt that area was a local guide suggested it after I posted questions about unit 47. He told me being from sea level 47 would have been a bitch with the altitude and steepness. The area he suggested had nearly as many elk but was less tough physically. That being said we hunted where people weren’t willing to. We dropped 1000 feet into the drainage on a game trail and up the other side. It was so steep and thick with ferns that it took an hour and 1/2 to get to the bottom in only 1/3 mile hike. We were never more than 3/4 of a mile from a major highway and had the place to ourselves. With elk bugling in 90 degree weather.


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[Jbehredt]

Thanks for the education on CO OTC licenses. I’ll be buying my 25th this year. All along I thought I was stuck hunting one GMU....

ETA The same big game surveys are used to determine the number of elk killed. People
love pouring over the CPW website comparing success percentages for different units. Probably done it yourself. Since there’s no mandatory harvest reporting all of those stats, including hunters per unit are voodoo. Fortunately the CPW has full time witch doctors on staff to handle it.

 

[orionthehunter1]

I surely hope you don't believe those numbers. Last year there were 223,000 elk licenses sold and they surveyed 63,000 hunters. That is straight off their website. How in the heck do you get accurate harvest stats when you don't even survey half the license holders? They are literally guessing with their formula on a majority of license holders. Again take those unit 14 hunter numbers with a grain of salt because they have no way of knowing how many people actually hunt OTC units. Yeah they threw out a specific number, but how did they come up with it? They probably took the number they got from the survey and threw it in their formula to reach a number kind of like their herd counts that is another super accurate number they publish

 

[Billy Goat]

Be curious if someone had the time to add up the total number of hunters per unit to see how close it matches the overall OTC tag sales.


In 14 years I think I have been contacted once by cpw for an after hunt report. That's with holding multiple tags most years, so you would think that would increase the likely hood of being contacted.


I'm curious how many are going to show up to hunt the new LE units this year with no idea they aren't OTC anymore. I know it seems like you would need to be living under a rock not to know that, but I think it's more cave men out there than you think.

 

[brsnow]

Be curious if someone had the time to add up the total number of hunters per unit to see how close it matches the overall OTC tag sales.


In 14 years I think I have been contacted once by cpw for an after hunt report. That's with holding multiple tags most years, so you would think that would increase the likely hood of being contacted.


I'm curious how many are going to show up to hunt the new LE units this year with no idea they aren't OTC anymore. I know it seems like you would need to be living under a rock not to know that, but I think it's more cave men out there than you think.

It will generate new revenue, as I am sure they will be checking. If you want your fishing license checked, go on April 1st.

 

[Overdrive]

IMO if CPW wants an accurate count of who hunts where and when, do like they do in states in the Mid West and require hunters to check in their kill. And everyone has to send in a yearly survey to be allowed to put in or buy a license for the next year. True numbers in Colorado are way off and bet it's really an eye opener for all of us to see the actual numbers in units across the state. I know this is my second year I'm no hunting archery OTC because its such a circus anymore. I went back to rifle hunting in a draw area that takes 0/1 PP and last year 3rd season I saw 6 hunters and those were on the roads, I saw no one out hiking where I was at.

 

[Jbehredt]

IMO if CPW wants an accurate count of who hunts where and when, do like they do in states in the Mid West and require hunters to check in their kill. And everyone has to send in a yearly survey to be allowed to put in or buy a license for the next year. True numbers in Colorado are way off and bet it's really an eye opener for all of us to see the actual numbers in units across the state. I know this is my second year I'm no hunting archery OTC because its such a circus anymore. I went back to rifle hunting in a draw area that takes 0/1 PP and last year 3rd season I saw 6 hunters and those were on the roads, I saw no one out hiking where I was at.

I bet you’re absolutely right. If they had accurate information people would want to see it. Seeing the real numbers wouldn’t be good for license sales.

 

[Billy Goat]

It will generate new revenue, as I am sure they will be checking. If you want your fishing license checked, go on April 1st.

Yeah, never fished in Colorado. Really pissed me off when they did that. I just don't get into fishing.

 

[Raberd14]

Time to do draw only or capped tags for the whole of colorado. They switched the san jaun units to limited this year but they allotted a bunch of tags for the area still. Only like 10% less than the amount of tags sold last year. I'm sure they want their money, but the hunting could get so much better if they let less people in.