Help Understanding Harvest Report CO

[PhlyanPan]

I hope this hasn't been answered already but I can't find it if it has.

I'm looking at a specific unit for elk and checking out the harvest statistics. In 3 years, 2 of those years have decent harvest numbers for a specific season (25-40% success rates). One year has 0 harvest listed. What would account for that? I'm confused.

 

[simpsonhntr]

What year has a zero harvest listed?

 

[PhlyanPan]

2019

 

[justinspicher]

I wouldn't put much stock in the harvest numbers, they only reflect the number of folks who VOLUNTARILY gave information, not the actual amount of who got a tag and was successful.

 

[simpsonhntr]

I am not sure then what the problem is. I do not really agree with a post about not paying attention to the harvest statistics. He is correct that it is volunteered information, but statistically speaking, it is probably within a standard deviation of being accurate. I use them in most states that I hunt and have had great success.

 

[LostArra]

No one volunteered in 2019 or it was just a tough year?

 

[jray5740]

My bet is that unit with 0% in 2019 was combined with another units tag which was reported in that other unit, and separated after the fact. I have noticed this from time to time and have come to this conclusion, although I most certainly could be off base.

 

[txhunter581]

How many hunters normally hunt that unit? Was there a drastic dip in those numbers in the year of 0%

Is it a small unit that could be affected by weather due to elevation? Hot dry weather that would keep them in a unit higher than this one, or lots of snow that would keep the animals lower

 

[sndmn11]

My bet is that unit with 0% in 2019 was combined with another units tag which was reported in that other unit, and separated after the fact. I have noticed this from time to time and have come to this conclusion, although I most certainly could be off base.

Smart guy here. That is the best conclusion I have come to for a majority of the reason, with small parts potentially being weather, poor sampling.

 

[PhlyanPan]

How many hunters normally hunt that unit? Was there a drastic dip in those numbers in the year of 0%

Is it a small unit that could be affected by weather due to elevation? Hot dry weather that would keep them in a unit higher than this one, or lots of snow that would keep the animals lower

It was like 30% lower, but not ridiculously so. I don't know enough about the units to know if it is a small unit or would be affected by a dry year.