I know there has been threads about what changes could be in store for Colorado concerning tag allocation, NR tags and pricing. As a resident who went from an OTC archery unit to a draw unit, and after 37 years of guaranteed hunting every September, that is a hard pill to swallow. We battled the CPW over the rifle seasons that stayed OTC that they weren't gaining anything, but theres too much revenue involved. The CPW / Wildlife commission does take input, but sometimes it's from the loudest squeaking wheel. After doing my elk and deer applications I emailed them with my ideas, and ya, I know it's probably a waste of time, but here's the gist of what i said:
They need more quality elk hunting units, at least 2-4, with the idea to eventually address point creep caused by too many hunters putting in for the amount of licenses they release for the quality units.
Why not create levels within all the elk units where you had a main base level that required 1 to 3 points that had 70 percent of the states units in it. Then have a mid level units that requires 4 to 8 points and 20 percent of the states units are in it. The last level would be the premier level and would require 9 points plus to draw and would have 10 percent of the units in it. The pricing for both in and out of state hunters would start with the base pricing for the first unit and increase with each unit. The first unit would cap at 30 percent out of state, the second at 20, the third at 10.
The numbers are just a starting point. It gives hunters who just want to hunt the chance to do so, It would give hunters who don't want to wait a decade to hunt better bulls also a chance every 4 years at some good hunting. The hunters who want to have a chance at a big bull wouldh't have to wait 20 plus years to do so. Hopefully it would spread out hunter numbers some and would increase the quality of the animals overall because eventually bordering units would benefit from bigger elk saturation into all the units.
Colorado has always had a big X on it when it comes to elk hunting. The increase of hunters and the decrease of elk in some units is just a forboding of things to come. The Cpw is getting pressure from all sides about what the future of hunting in Colorado will look like. They have had a propensity in the past to make small changes that never fix the issue but just prolong it. The OTC units that went to draw is a example. We'd been in conversation with them for 3 years before they implemented the draw that they were losing their herds. I live to archery hunt elk and i would like for that to continue, and for there to be some good hunting and healthy elk herds for all archery elk hunters to be assured of, for many years to come.
They need more quality elk hunting units, at least 2-4, with the idea to eventually address point creep caused by too many hunters putting in for the amount of licenses they release for the quality units.
Why not create levels within all the elk units where you had a main base level that required 1 to 3 points that had 70 percent of the states units in it. Then have a mid level units that requires 4 to 8 points and 20 percent of the states units are in it. The last level would be the premier level and would require 9 points plus to draw and would have 10 percent of the units in it. The pricing for both in and out of state hunters would start with the base pricing for the first unit and increase with each unit. The first unit would cap at 30 percent out of state, the second at 20, the third at 10.
The numbers are just a starting point. It gives hunters who just want to hunt the chance to do so, It would give hunters who don't want to wait a decade to hunt better bulls also a chance every 4 years at some good hunting. The hunters who want to have a chance at a big bull wouldh't have to wait 20 plus years to do so. Hopefully it would spread out hunter numbers some and would increase the quality of the animals overall because eventually bordering units would benefit from bigger elk saturation into all the units.
Colorado has always had a big X on it when it comes to elk hunting. The increase of hunters and the decrease of elk in some units is just a forboding of things to come. The Cpw is getting pressure from all sides about what the future of hunting in Colorado will look like. They have had a propensity in the past to make small changes that never fix the issue but just prolong it. The OTC units that went to draw is a example. We'd been in conversation with them for 3 years before they implemented the draw that they were losing their herds. I live to archery hunt elk and i would like for that to continue, and for there to be some good hunting and healthy elk herds for all archery elk hunters to be assured of, for many years to come.
