CPW 2026 Big Game License Allocations

[cnelk]

Here is the DRAFT summary of the 2026 tag allocations

https://cpw.state.co.us/sites/default/files/dam/aqvee0xw7w/2026-big-game-license-recommendation-summary-pwc-mailing-040926.pdf

 

[MeatInTheFreezer]

Thank you. I was just wondering when this would be out.

 

[cnelk]

Thank you. I was just wondering when this would be out.

Well, take a look at the document date.
It’s dated April 3rd. BEFORE the application deadline
It could have been made public.

You can thank the CPW for being transparent once again.

 

[COHunter33]

Geez what is happening to the middle park elk herds. 90% cow license reductions after an easy winter like this? I support the reduction just curious why they are collapsing.

 

[cnelk]

Geez what is happening to the middle park elk herds. 90% cow license reductions after an easy winter like this? I support the reduction just curious why they are collapsing.

 

[Steve O]

When I saw this in CO deer hunting I wanted to find the rancher and give him a great big hug

 

[txtransplant]

@Steve O i think we hunted the same unit last year. Were you there 2nd rifle? Did you tag out?

I shot a little buck on that BLM where those signs were posted. The sheep dogs were howling at me as I was leaving.

 

[Steve O]

That was a couple years ago 4th season. Won’t ever be able to do that again.

 

[ReaptheHeat]

Geez what is happening to the middle park elk herds. 90% cow license reductions after an easy winter like this? I support the reduction just curious why they are collapsing.

Middle Park has been downtrending for 2+ decades and now wolves on top. It gets slammed OTC. CPW has done a piss poor job of management of ungulates here. Everything they do has been extremely reactionary instead of proactive.

Just check the tag allocations for deer and elk over the last 5 years. Check the population estimates. Seemingly they only cared to make changes when wolves were thrown into the picture.

 

[COHunter33]

Middle Park has been downtrending for 2+ decades and now wolves on top. It gets slammed OTC. CPW has done a piss poor job of management of ungulates here. Everything they do has been extremely reactionary instead of proactive.

Just check the tag allocations for deer and elk over the last 5 years. Check the population estimates. Seemingly they only cared to make changes when wolves were thrown into the picture.

I have been hunting middle park since 2007 and I agree that the quality of hunting has decreased and that CPW puts too much strain on the herd. However, I disagree that that this collapse is all because of wolves. I think predation may contribute, but this herd was within objective as recently as 2020. There is currently no documented wolf pack in the county. Furthermore, if wolf predation was the largest factor don’t you think we’d be seeing a similar collapse in north park? I set out a number of trail cameras on winter range every year and still have only captured a single picture of a wolf and that was 2 years ago.

I have to imagine it’s a combination of factors including increased development and the large swath of downed beetle kill that now covers those units.

 

[COHunter33]

I have been hunting middle park since 2007 and I agree that the quality of hunting has decreased and that CPW puts too much strain on the herd. However, I disagree that that this collapse is all because of wolves. I think predation may contribute, but this herd was within objective as recently as 2020. There is currently no documented wolf pack in the county. Furthermore, if wolf predation was the largest factor don’t you think we’d be seeing a similar collapse in north park? I set out a number of trail cameras on winter range every year and still have only captured a single picture of a wolf and that was 2 years ago. I think there are probably a hand full of wolves in those units but it’s hard for me to imagine that they’d have this big of an impact so fast. Open to being wrong though.

I have to imagine it’s a combination of factors including increased development and the large swath of downed beetle kill that now covers those units.

 

[ReaptheHeat]

I have been hunting middle park since 2007 and I agree that the quality of hunting has decreased and that CPW puts too much strain on the herd. However, I disagree that that this collapse is all because of wolves. I think predation may contribute, but this herd was within objective as recently as 2020. There is currently no documented wolf pack in the county. Furthermore, if wolf predation was the largest factor don’t you think we’d be seeing a similar collapse in north park? I set out a number of trail cameras on winter range every year and still have only captured a single picture of a wolf and that was 2 years ago.

I have to imagine it’s a combination of factors including increased development and the large swath of downed beetle kill that now covers those units.

I never said it was because of wolves. Population estimates have been downtrending for elk for decades. The population draft report CNelk posted a population estimate of 2660 elk. CPW moved the goalposts years ago from the previous population targets. I'm not sure why. Wolves were the cherry on top and should not have been introduced into a system where elk were barely at targets. That completely contradicts the premise of wolves entirely.



Most likely tied to beetle kill and development like you stated. Seemingly spot on with beetle kill which funnily enough started in 28 in the 90's. I'd love to see population targets up to the 8-9k range like it previously looks like it was. I'm not a wildlife biologist and maybe the landscape can no longer support that population.

I've been eyeing a group of bulls from my window all winter that have refused to come down below 10k ft. should be a good year for growth.

 

[rbloom761]

Back a few years ago when western Wyoming got hit with the bad winter, maybe 2022, was this area affected?

 

[txtransplant]

That completely contradicts the premise of wolves entirely.

Ah, see, that’s where you’re wrong. The premise of wolf reintroduction had nothing to do with elk population. It was all about ~*vibes*~, man.

“I mean, like, haven’t you seen that, like, video about Yellowstone? Reintroducing wolves, like, totally fixed nature, man. It was broken before, and the wolves, like, fixed it.”

Oh, the trophic cascade? What exactly is going to happen when we reintroduce wolves in Colorado?

“Nature will, like, ~*HEAL*~, man…”

They never had a goal in mind - it was literally just “wolves used to live here, so we should add wolves back - it couldn’t possibly be bad.”