CPW officially recommends fully limiting NR Archery- OTC Resident

[Pro953]

I believe the most common argument is that a person can continue to build points in CO and hunt OTC units in the meantime without using their points.

The 2nd most common argument, if you can even call it a argument, is that people don't want to be burdened with a complicated application and draw process -they just want to show up in Sept, swing by a CPW office, Walmart while they are stocking up on ice or the local hunting shop, but a tag and be on their way. Some of these same folks will undoubtedly show up in 2025 with their horse trailers and SxSs in tow only to discover they cannot buy a tag. When the Southwest units went from OTC to draw a few years ago, I saw a group from Arkansas who had parked their 40 foot horse trailer in the center turning lane of Main St Durango while they went into the outdoor store to buy OTC tags for unit 74. I just happened to be walking by, saw some angry and animated hand gestures at the checkout and dripped in to see what was going on. These guys had been buying OTC tags for unit 74 for years and were arguing with the cashier about the fact that 74 was now in fact a draw unit. They insisted that the cashier sell them their tag. Some folks don't really pay attention to the ins and outs of hunting and regulation changes, they just pack up their trailers and head out to CO like they've been doing for years.

Well the point concern can certainly be covered with a lot of other systems if they wanted to maintain that. No draw and first choice gets a point etc. they are all different forms of the same mess when it comes to points however. No system is ever going to really be perfect.

As for the second concern. Well not a lot you can do to fix stupid. Though we all have made up a lot of silly rules and laws to try over the years…


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[Live_weighT34]

I'll probably get hate for this, but I think having "unlimted" tags was always a bad idea. Should put a limit on rifle tags too. Sure it puts a tag in a newbs pocket if they want it, but as a non resident, I'd rather have to draw and know I'm only in contention with 300 other dingos instead 1000 other dingos. In theory, it "should" improve odds and quality of animals

I’ve said it about utahs OTC multi season tags for years, and I feel like it applies for Colorado, random draw with no points of any kind and a 1 year wait period with either a harvest quota set or a cap on the amount of tags is the FAIR way to do it.

 

[Shō[t]gun]

I’ve said it about utahs OTC multi season tags for years, and I feel like it applies for Colorado, random draw with no points of any kind and a 1 year wait period with either a harvest quota set or a cap on the amount of tags is the FAIR way to do it.

What’s the 1 year wait period for?

I agree, random draw and then leftovers go to second choices or OTC. This clusterF just shows how difficult it is to clean up a preference point system when so many people have tons of years/$$ invested.

I look forward to seeing NR OTC go away entirely to see how it affects the point creep. Then the hardcore residents might be asking for it too.

 

[Live_weighT34]

What’s the 1 year wait period for?

I agree, random draw and then leftovers go to second choices or OTC. This clusterF just shows how difficult it is to clean up a preference point system when so many people have tons of years/$$ invested.

I look forward to seeing NR OTC go away entirely to see how it affects the point creep. Then the hardcore residents might be asking for it too.

This is my opinion not the facts but the waits do help with tag distribution because it gives someone else a fair chance at a tag. No matter how you do it though there’s always gonna be some lucky SOB that can’t not draw and there’s going to be the unlucky person that couldn’t draw if their life depended on it.

 

[Jakeb]

If CO has no mandatory reporting, how do they figure out what is 25% of the tags? How did they actually know units had more NR than R? Isn’t it common knowledge guys lie on the voluntary survey all the time?

Will most of these units have tags available during the second draw and also have leftovers? At minimum I’d imagine most will be able to be drawn as a second choice. Surely there will be leftovers, the unit I’ve applied for the last 4 years and didn’t draw in the 1st draw or 2nd draw somehow still has leftover tags every year.

CO and their R’s can do as they see fit. I’m just not sure this will really accomplish their goal. This looks like a feel good move to me. And will have just about zero affect on point creep.

Outside a handful of guys that may screw up the first year, nobody that’s driving across the country to spend a week hunting nowadays isn’t going to figure out how to get a tag.

 

[Jaquomo]

It depends. I find Wyoming plenty friendly. If I strike out in archery season I can return for rifle season with the same tag. Not happening in Colorado.

I agree on WY, IF we can draw a tag. With the new Region structure it's a bit of a crap shoot. That said, I've managed to draw NR WY elk three out of the past four years, which is the same ratio as my 0-1 point CO archery unit as a resident.

 

[GatorGar247]

As a NR I can see the need to reduce the number of people. I hunted an otc unit for a few years. It went to draw last year.. I didn't want to burn my points so I waited and drew it in the second draw.. I believe there was more people in the unit than when it was otc.. Hopefully they do limit the total number of people per unit.. My strategy is hunt Elk mule deer and antelope every 3 years . I burned my 5 elk points this year and will burn my deer points in the next 2 years etc.. I should be able to hunt yearly this way.. if not there is always the leftover draw.