Poser
WKR
About 100+ people in attendance including 2 flatbills, however the majority of the crowd was rancher types: lots of wool vests and cowboy boots. Saw one outfitter (or at least a guy wearing an outfitter jacket). Median age was likely 63.
The district manager, who sports a 1911 and the regional biologist, who was a little too soft spoken to manage such a outspoken crowd did all of the talking, but there were 7 or 8 wardens in attendance. It seems that the primary purpose of the change to limited draw is not to manage the number of hunters but to significantly reduce the number of cows killed by issuing sex specific tags. It was emphasized that there was no desire to create trophy units or to even require 2 or 3 points to draw. Sounds like there will be enough tags for everyone to draw 1st choice
-there will be no mandatory harvest reporting anytime soon and if you want that, you’ll have to take it to the commission.
Beyond that, the Q and A quickly devolved into complaints about Non residents, wolves, Mtn bikes, dirt bikes, wolves again, non residents some more, the delusional suggestion of bringing back spring near season, wolves yet again, “why can’t we do it like New Mexico and Arizona?”, revisited data reporting complaints, more complaints about non residents, more questions about why the biologists can’t reinstate spring Bear season with the stroke of pen , and some more about wolves. There were multiple know-it-all’s present. Some of them made rambling comments without questions. Complaints about locals saving for high point units not being able to draw local tags meanwhile the non residents get “all of the tags.” It was suggested that NR elk tags are too cheap and raising the price would run some folks off to other states and that would be good. There was also a bit more cussing than one might expect.
All in all, people seem to want a singular definitive explanation for elk decline and can’t seem to wrap their heads around complex issues. Furthermore, most seem entirely incapable of perceiving complex issues from a perspective other than their own (“I’ve been hunting the same spot for 20 years with a bow I made myself and someone from PA killed all the elk with a fancy bow.”)
Also, people like to badger a soft spoken, somewhat hard of hearing biologist about legislation issues of which he has no control and then The guy with the 1911 and the Wyatt Earp mustache has to reinstate order. Did I mention wolves which the CPW can’t comment on? Also, wolves, wolves and more wolves, spring bear season and mandatory reporting. People don’t seem to understand legislative processes or that game wardens, biologists or even district managers don’t make rules and can’t make changes at the suggestion of old dudes in wool vest, know it alls.
The lack of perceptiveness in the crowd was an overwhelmingly depressing view on the state of intellectualism and philosophical thought as it relates to the hunting community. Also, people are too emotional and complain too much.
Favorite comment of the night:
“I’m trying to fill my freezer. If you got ten thousand dollars to spend on a elk hunt in Colorado, then you can afford to go to the grocery store”
The district manager, who sports a 1911 and the regional biologist, who was a little too soft spoken to manage such a outspoken crowd did all of the talking, but there were 7 or 8 wardens in attendance. It seems that the primary purpose of the change to limited draw is not to manage the number of hunters but to significantly reduce the number of cows killed by issuing sex specific tags. It was emphasized that there was no desire to create trophy units or to even require 2 or 3 points to draw. Sounds like there will be enough tags for everyone to draw 1st choice
-there will be no mandatory harvest reporting anytime soon and if you want that, you’ll have to take it to the commission.
Beyond that, the Q and A quickly devolved into complaints about Non residents, wolves, Mtn bikes, dirt bikes, wolves again, non residents some more, the delusional suggestion of bringing back spring near season, wolves yet again, “why can’t we do it like New Mexico and Arizona?”, revisited data reporting complaints, more complaints about non residents, more questions about why the biologists can’t reinstate spring Bear season with the stroke of pen , and some more about wolves. There were multiple know-it-all’s present. Some of them made rambling comments without questions. Complaints about locals saving for high point units not being able to draw local tags meanwhile the non residents get “all of the tags.” It was suggested that NR elk tags are too cheap and raising the price would run some folks off to other states and that would be good. There was also a bit more cussing than one might expect.
All in all, people seem to want a singular definitive explanation for elk decline and can’t seem to wrap their heads around complex issues. Furthermore, most seem entirely incapable of perceiving complex issues from a perspective other than their own (“I’ve been hunting the same spot for 20 years with a bow I made myself and someone from PA killed all the elk with a fancy bow.”)
Also, people like to badger a soft spoken, somewhat hard of hearing biologist about legislation issues of which he has no control and then The guy with the 1911 and the Wyatt Earp mustache has to reinstate order. Did I mention wolves which the CPW can’t comment on? Also, wolves, wolves and more wolves, spring bear season and mandatory reporting. People don’t seem to understand legislative processes or that game wardens, biologists or even district managers don’t make rules and can’t make changes at the suggestion of old dudes in wool vest, know it alls.
The lack of perceptiveness in the crowd was an overwhelmingly depressing view on the state of intellectualism and philosophical thought as it relates to the hunting community. Also, people are too emotional and complain too much.
Favorite comment of the night:
“I’m trying to fill my freezer. If you got ten thousand dollars to spend on a elk hunt in Colorado, then you can afford to go to the grocery store”
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