CPW seeks input, allocation of licenses

[HOT ROD]

Speaking of which, Wyoming residents should not be permitted to hunt wilderness areas in CO without a guide or a resident liaison. It’s for your own safety as we don’t want you snagging your Wranglers on any scrub oak.

All U have to do is get Colorado to pass a nonresident wilderness no hunting law Its not really that bad of a regulation I kind of enjoy it...

 

[el_jefe_pescado]

- OTC Caps, starting January. If you want to hunt, step up and get your tag then.

^100%. Amen.

The free and easy system of unlimited OTC has turned Colorado into the un-official “Hail Mary” plan for many trying to organize a public land elk hunt. Heck, one third of the posts on this forum start something like: ”…Well, my life is in shambles and every other state dumped me so I guess I’ll pack up the rig and head to CO…”

Of course I recognize and appreciate the important role that OTC tags have played in introducing many to elk hunting (myself included)…but we can do better. There is no denying that most of these areas are simply getting “loved to death”.

I don’t think it is too much to ask all interested hunters to purchase tags up front during the application process and participate in the draw as a prerequisite for access to leftover/OTC options (as others have stated). Like most states if you fail to draw you get a refund and would then be able to participate in secondary draws/leftover/reissue/OTC…

Colorado is blessed with the nation’s largest elk herd and some of God’s prettiest country! I want others to experience this place and the creatures that inhabit it.

…Just don’t treat us like that 3rd string prom date you asked out the night before the dance…



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CoStick]

I would pay more than nonresident pay currently to lessen the amount of people hunting.

All U have to do is get Colorado to pass a nonresident wilderness no hunting law Its not really that bad of a regulation I kind of enjoy it...

I would prefer if non resident could only hunt wilderness.

 

[Mosby]

Non residents pay millions in license and tag fees, buy gas and diesel. stay in campgrounds, hotels and rent local homes, shop in grocery stores, eat in restaurants, pay tolls, help keep local meat processors and taxidermists in business and no one wants them.

When the amount of money that hunting generates becomes irrelevant to state and local communities watch out. The baby sometimes gets thrown out with the bath water.

 

[CoStick]

Non residents pay millions in license and tag fees, buy gas and diesel. stay in campgrounds, hotels and rent local homes, shop in grocery stores, eat in restaurants, pay tolls, help keep local meat processors and taxidermists in business and no one wants them.

When the amount of money that hunting generates becomes irrelevant to state and local communities watch out. The baby sometimes gets thrown out with the bath water.

Colorado is setting records in outdoor revenue not connected to hunting. Hunters have never been less relevant in Colorado, especially non resident. Our tourist who don’t hunt spend more. Summers are setting records and the ski industry is booming. With increased population and insane tourism, revenue is solid.

 

[Poser]

Colorado is setting records in outdoor revenue not connected to hunting. Hunters have never been less relevant in Colorado, especially non resident. Our tourist who don’t hunt spend more. Summers are setting records and the ski industry is booming. With increased population and insane tourism, revenue is solid.

I agree with this. Hunters are less relevant than they think in terms of peripheral revenue. The ORV crowd seems to think the same way. Silverton recently voted to eliminate ORV traffic on city streets altogether after a 7 year experiment with allowing it. If you read the comments from the ORV crowd, they think that this city will go bankrupt within a year. Never mind the fact that there is an infinite amount of jeep enthusiasts to immediately replace the SxS, the town is developing a serious amount new Mtn bike trails and the D&S dumps up to 1500 people a day upon the town throughout the summer. (Also, the SxS user group just sucks).

Anyway, look at the overall tourism revenue: fall leaf peepers, hot springs resorts, a ski season that goes from Oct thru May, Mtn bike tourism, RD cycling, ORVs, backpackers, river sports, motorcycles (non helmet state), dirt bikes, climbers, RVers, van lifers, paddleboarders…. The list goes on and on. There’s no hunting season open in Durango at this moment and every hits room in town is booked solid as I type this.

 

[Next Ridge]

I agree with this. Hunters are less relevant than they think in terms of peripheral revenue. The ORV crowd seems to think the same way. Silverton recently voted to eliminate ORV traffic on city streets altogether after a 7 year experiment with allowing it. If you read the comments from the ORV crowd, they think that this city will go bankrupt within a year. Never mind the fact that there is an infinite amount of jeep enthusiasts to immediately replace the SxS, the town is developing a serious amount new Mtn bike trails and the D&S dumps up to 1500 people a day upon the town throughout the summer. (Also, the SxS user group just sucks).

Anyway, look at the overall tourism revenue: fall leaf peepers, hot springs resorts, a ski season that goes from Oct thru May, Mtn bike tourism, RD cycling, ORVs, backpackers, river sports, motorcycles (non helmet state), dirt bikes, climbers, RVers, van lifers, paddleboarders…. The list goes on and on. There’s no hunting season open in Durango at this moment and every hits room in town is booked solid as I type this.

There were more people we ran into just hiking, fishing, driving, hanging out this year than hunting, last 3 or so years were like this for us.
Agree on the SxS crowd…
I know I’m in the minority but I really think western hunting is peaking. It will start to decline in the next 2-4 years.

 

[mattferg84]

Non residents pay millions in license and tag fees, buy gas and diesel. stay in campgrounds, hotels and rent local homes, shop in grocery stores, eat in restaurants, pay tolls, help keep local meat processors and taxidermists in business and no one wants them.

When the amount of money that hunting generates becomes irrelevant to state and local communities watch out. The baby sometimes gets thrown out with the bath water.

This is where I disagree. I'm willing to bet every September I spend more money than most Non residents. I'll make 2 trips scouting, then I'll spend 20+ days hunting and probably eat out 10-12 times, rent a cabin with the wife for 5-7 days and buy food each time before I come up. Most non residents I bet spend maybe 7-10 days here and buy food before they head to Colorado. Then I'll do it again during rifle season for either cow or deer. If I cant get a tag then none of that is happening.

 

[MuleyFever]

(Also, MOST OF THE the SxS user group just sucks).

FIFY

But I mostly agree. My wife and I went to another small mountain town this year after spending the last 3 or 4 in Silverton. It was just getting to be too much.

 

[cnelk]

This is where I disagree. I'm willing to bet every September I spend more money than most Non residents. I'll make 2 trips scouting, then I'll spend 20+ days hunting and probably eat out 10-12 times, rent a cabin with the wife for 5-7 days and buy food each time before I come up. Most non residents I bet spend maybe 7-10 days here and buy food before they head to Colorado. Then I'll do it again during rifle season for either cow or deer. If I cant get a tag then none of that is happening.

Not to mention the Colorado cost of living and taxes!

 

[Coveyleader]

Charge non consumptive people just because they’re “in the forest” is crazy.

We know what the problem is, why deny that. It ain’t the hiker, yoga chick in the middle of the basin etc.


Last thing we need is a “general forest permit” to go leaf looking, or god forbid excercise.

 

[ShakeDown]

Draw system needs a manor overhaul IMO.

Point creep of a true PP system is horrendous. In states like AZ with a hybrid draw there is at least some possibility of drawing a tag.

Agree with the priority of protecting the resource #1.

 

[ShakeDown]

Also, we need some way to gain revenue from all these damn consumptive recreationalsit non-hunters.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Also, we need some way to gain revenue from all these damn consumptive recreationalsit non-hunters.

The argument is that their taxes should cover it. It would be very hard to put in place. I think it would need to be a trail license. Something to differentiate between public lands and an actual fee that has a cost associated with it. The use of maintained trails for example. There’s a way to do it, but it wouldn’t be easy and let’s be honest, it would have zero impact on us or the wildlife resource.

 

[orionthehunter1]

Colorado tried that with the habitat stamp, except there was no enforcement and only hunters and fisherman are forced to buy one.

 

[CoStick]

Colorado is setting the default of car registration to include a state park pass, you would have to opt out, default is to purchase. I believe this is the case, but have not followed up.

 

[CJohnson]

I thought the survey was interesting because there’s no way to validate if a person is a resident or non-resident for the first question. And, you can fill it out as many times as you want. So, I wonder how valid the results will actually be.

 

[PassCreek]

Colorado tried that with the habitat stamp, except there was no enforcement and only hunters and fisherman are forced to buy one.

They tried to enforce it on non-consumptive users but gave up once they had a few complaints.

The worst part of the habitat stamp, hunters pay it and the state uses the money for Fishers Peak State Wildlife Area and then they manage it for non-hunting recreation.

Hunters also get screwed on the Search and Rescue fees. Non-hunters don't have to pay it and get all the benefits anyway.

 

[Poser]

They tried to enforce it on non-consumptive users but gave up once they had a few complaints.

The worst part of the habitat stamp, hunters pay it and the state uses the money for Fishers Peak State Wildlife Area and then they manage it for non-hunting recreation.

Hunters also get screwed on the Search and Rescue fees. Non-hunters don't have to pay it and get all the benefits anyway.

CO does require a SWA pass or a hunting /fishing license for non hunters using SWAs, but the state can’t require a pass for federal lands as that would require action on the federal level.

I was parked at a SWS trailhead somewhat recently doing a training hike and came back to find a CPW pamphlet explaining the fees left on my vehicle, but that’s as close to enforcement as I’ve seen. I’d venture almost no one is buying the SWA pass in lieu of a hunting license, but I’d be curious to know sales #s on that. Seems like easy revenue to go out to any popular SWA TH around dusk.

 

[Blackcats06]

If I were king for a day, I'd agree with OTC for residents/draw only for non-residents, with one caveat - and I think it'd be easy to do, everything is pretty strictly controlled - your first tag purchase as a NR can be OTC if an OTC option exists.

I think OTC is the gateway drug for NR $ to support western game management agencies. I think taking away OTC 100% would have the intended effect of the forum, which is to reduce the strain on the animal population and reduce hunter numbers, but I also think you'd see such a drastic change in numbers in 10-15 years that the pendulum would have swung the other way.

You'd still be looking at a massive reduction in hunter numbers, but you'd make that barrier to entry softer for NR who are just getting into it.

This may be ignorant drivel, just thinking out loud.

I understand what you’re saying but if hunting/ kill success is better then more hunters may be interested