CPW 2025 Big game recommendations-Summary

[Plainsman79]

DRAFT-2025-Big-Game-License-Recommendation-Summary---PWC-Mailing.pdf

cpw.widen.net

 

[COHunter33]

It looks like they are increasing tags in the middle park units by 90-100%. The deer population is under objective after a few hard winters. As someone that grew up hunting that area, that makes 0 sense to me. Budget > Biology I guess.

 

[MallardSX2]

Animals are rebounding and need another year or two to get back to decent levels and they pull this bull$hit.

CPW all about the $$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[cnelk]

 

[robby denning]

View attachment 868427

My little brain trying to process this one. So some small improvement in population & sex ratio?

 

[MallardSX2]

My little brain trying to process this one. So some small improvement in population & sex ratio?

They really chose a weird way to show this for sure.

 

[COHunter33]

My little brain trying to process this one. So some small improvement in population & sex ratio?

I’m reading it as 14% DAU’s are now above population objective (3% increase). 38% of DAU’s are within population objective (4% decrease) and 48% are below population objectives (1% increase). Population objectives can be a moving goal post and so I think this diagram should be taken with a grain of salt. I think a diagram displaying total deer population changes by DAU would be more telling.

The middle park herd, which has been one of the most productive and heavily studied herds in the US, is under objective by a considerable amount and they are almost doubling tags for most hunts. I would love to hear from the biologist and understand the why.

 

[robby denning]

I’m reading it as 14% DAU’s are now above population objective (3% increase). 38% of DAU’s are within population objective (4% decrease) and 48% are below population objectives (1% increase). Population objectives can be a moving goal post and so I think this diagram should be taken with a grain of salt. I think a diagram displaying total deer population changes by DAU would be more telling.

The middle park herd, which has been one of the most productive and heavily studied herds in the US, is under objective by a considerable amount and they are almost doubling tags for most hunts. I would love to hear from the biologist and understand the why.

Thanks man for the explain!

(I was too intimidated to ask cnelk to explain after I read his sigline lol)

My guess on tag numbers (and only a guess) is CWD concerns.

 

[street]

They upped the middle park tags for cwd on the last 5yr struct. I think they would tell you they manage it for opportunity now and that would be the end of discussion. Last couple years they cut tags but the population s haven't recovered

 

[Pacific_Fork]

CWD and changes in carrying capacity? I tend to trust the biologist decisions in CO over grumps getting mad online. Now if we were talking MT I might feel different

 

[street]

CWD and changes in carrying capacity? I tend to trust the biologist decisions in CO over grumps getting mad online. Now if we were talking MT I might feel different

Fair enough, but why is the biologist recommendation to double the tag quota on a DAU that is 30% below target population objective? It's a 5-10% CWD prevalence DAU.

 

[Pacific_Fork]

Fair enough, but why is the biologist recommendation to double the tag quota on a DAU that is 30% below target population objective? It's a 5-10% CWD prevalence DAU.

I’d call the biologist and ask. My guess is slowing the CWD or something to do with changes in the carrying capacity. Low success rates? They should do a better job with press releases explaining if they have contradicting quotas vs population objectives.

 

[alexnelon]

I think a possible answer to all the questions here is wolves.

If wolves are going to cut the population by 60% in 5 years anyway (like they have in every other state they exist), why wait for them to do it when they could just sell more tags and cut out the middle man.