How crazy will CO Archery OTC be 2021?

[Dave_]

Why do guys complain about OTC hunting in CO, if you don’t like it there are plenty of easy to draw units that take less then 3 points, sit out and skip the OTC hunting. Taking away OTC will not boost your odds as non trophy units will always be easy to draw, plenty of units you can draw 2nd choice and still build points as well.

Only thing OTC does is allow for changing units if you want, if CO was 100% draw it would still be packed with plenty of easy to draw units.

As far as the 2nd choice/leftover draws go in CO. I pretty much include them in my otc conversation. With some of the crowds they might as well be especially in the SW

But I agree, if it's otc or easy to draw. It will be crowded and dont complain. It's better than the alternative = not hunting. If you want a magazine style elk hunting experience hire an outfitter or wait to draw. Otherwise have fun and learn to play the game.

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[CoStick]

It will be busy, craziest season of all the elk seasons here.

 

[TexasCub]

Agreed. Just wonder what that price would have to be.

It’s not about raising the price to fix the problem, the only solution is to limit the number of tags. 4 years ago I moved here pumped to hunt Colorado, after 3 hunting seasons I don’t even have any plans to hunt this year, and I live to hunt! The hunting really just sucks and I spend enough time in the woods doing other things that the camping isn’t all that exhilarating. Some thing has to change.

 

[Phaseolus]

“The hunting really sucks”. Hmm, I’ve managed to do really well the last few years, really the last 30 years.

 

[Dave_]

It’s not about raising the price to fix the problem, the only solution is to limit the number of tags. 4 years ago I moved here pumped to hunt Colorado, after 3 hunting seasons I don’t even have any plans to hunt this year, and I live to hunt! The hunting really just sucks and I spend enough time in the woods doing other things that the camping isn’t all that exhilarating. Some thing has to change.

I'd rather them limit tags than raise the price to a point where only people that make a sizable income can responsibly buy the tag. Hunting should at least be available to anyone despite income. Even if they have to wait. Also I have noticed hunters will spend alot of money they don't have on gun/gear/hunts etc. Its easy to put that tag on a CC.

I kinda wish all western states would get rid of NR preference/bonus points and go to random draw. I still like OTC but I feel like I lucked in to an area that's to completely crazy yet. It's still a better quality hunt than any public around me in TX.

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[strugglesticks]

I failed to draw my WY GEN tag that I thought was a formality. So naturally my fallback is CO OTC. I am happy to have the opportunity to go somewhere as a last resort. The people pressure is part of the deal. Maybe this year will be the worst pressure ever. Perhaps it will be the final true unlimited OTC season in CO. At least I will have been there to see it.

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[cnelk]

I think OTC Wilderness Areas and Burned Areas are going to get hit the hardest.

If you avoid those, a guy could have a decent OTC hunt

 

[tdhanses]

It’s not about raising the price to fix the problem, the only solution is to limit the number of tags. 4 years ago I moved here pumped to hunt Colorado, after 3 hunting seasons I don’t even have any plans to hunt this year, and I live to hunt! The hunting really just sucks and I spend enough time in the woods doing other things that the camping isn’t all that exhilarating. Some thing has to change.

Sorry but this cracks me up.

 

[tdhanses]

“The hunting really sucks”. Hmm, I’ve managed to do really well the last few years, really the last 30 years.

I think people just expect too much, I’ve had years I’m in elk daily and others where I’ll go 3 days between.

 

[BrokenArrow]

Hunting opportunities? If we keep hassling declining elk herds with overcrowded hunts, there will be be no elk hunting left, eventually. Hypothetically.
my vote is for limited hunts and better quality. I’ll wait because I believe it’s better for the future. That is coming from someone who guides SW CO, seen the shitshow, and stopped hunting my back yard years ago

 

[Next Ridge]

I think people just expect too much, I’ve had years I’m in elk daily and others where I’ll go 3 days between.

Going 3 days isn’t that unusual or non-typical. Most years it is less than 3 but it isn’t un expected. I have had multiple opportunities every year just not every day. I agree, I really think a lot of hunters still have realistic expectations for western elk

 

[tdhanses]

Hunting opportunities? If we keep hassling declining elk herds with overcrowded hunts, there will be be no elk hunting left, eventually. Hypothetically.
my vote is for limited hunts and better quality. I’ll wait because I believe it’s better for the future. That is coming from someone who guides SW CO, seen the shitshow, and stopped hunting my back yard years ago

The SW is all LE now, I do agree the herds have declined, time to stop giving out cow tags.

 

[BrokenArrow]

The SW is all LE now, I do agree the herds have declined, time to stop giving out cow tags.

Agreed, Basically otc with the amount of tags allocated last year. there were hundreds left over.
They realocated this year to the number of tags sold in 2020? So, is it really limited? Maybe in the future, the total will come down.
I like what other folks have said about limiting per DAU, which would allow folks to move around within a DAU.
The most important thing is mandatory harvest reporting, Got to happen. I have spoken with many CPW officers and biologists about this and they run of a statistical model, which they believe in. Myself, being a chemist, does not believe an inch of data until I have all data points avaliable. Just sayin' this would help wiht tag allocation and population modeling.

 

[tdhanses]

Agreed, Basically otc with the amount of tags allocated last year. there were hundreds left over.
They realocated this year to the number of tags sold in 2020? So, is it really limited? Maybe in the future, the total will come down.
I like what other folks have said about limiting per DAU, which would allow folks to move around within a DAU.
The most important thing is mandatory harvest reporting, Got to happen. I have spoken with many CPW officers and biologists about this and they run of a statistical model, which they believe in. Myself, being a chemist, does not believe an inch of data until I have all data points avaliable. Just sayin' this would help wiht tag allocation and population modeling.

They did change the tag to a bull only but they need to do the same for the 2nd and 3rd season rifle tags as well. Also doesn’t help the herd that they winter on the reservation where it’s open season.

I‘d say yes it’s much more limited then when it was otc and either sex and it’s hard to pick a starting point being who knows how many even hunted the units when it was otc. Can’t knock them for allowing a large number of tags the first year, good thing is they dropped the number as you said and makes sense to drop it to where it’s a 0pt unit, with time pt creep will happen.

Yeah not sure why CO doesn’t have check in stations other then cost but no reason to not have an online checkin process.

 

[kentuckybowman]

They did change the tag to a bull only but they need to do the same for the 2nd and 3rd season rifle tags as well. Also doesn’t help the herd that they winter on the reservation where it’s open season.

I‘d say yes it’s much more limited then when it was otc and either sex and it’s hard to pick a starting point being who knows how many even hunted the units when it was otc. Can’t knock them for allowing a large number of tags the first year, good thing is they dropped the number as you said and makes sense to drop it to where it’s a 0pt unit, with time pt creep will happen.

Yeah not sure why CO doesn’t have check in stations other then cost but no reason to not have an online checkin process.

They do not have check in stations because they would have to use real data to make decisions and that gets in the way of their agenda.

 

[Next Ridge]

Agreed, Basically otc with the amount of tags allocated last year. there were hundreds left over.
They realocated this year to the number of tags sold in 2020? So, is it really limited? Maybe in the future, the total will come down.
I like what other folks have said about limiting per DAU, which would allow folks to move around within a DAU.
The most important thing is mandatory harvest reporting, Got to happen. I have spoken with many CPW officers and biologists about this and they run of a statistical model, which they believe in. Myself, being a chemist, does not believe an inch of data until I have all data points avaliable. Just sayin' this would help wiht tag allocation and population modeling.

Yes, I get that statistical models can be good representations but why not add data from actual harvest. Cpw needs to at minimum use online checkin success.

 

[WapitiSteaks]

Of course, i wear mine as a hip necklace, but i shoot a 700 grain arrow at 320 fps .... is that enough to kill an elk btw?

Only if you use an outsert and add another 125gr FOC with no less than 5 vanes...

 

[mahons24]

2020 was pretty busy during rifle, I imagine that archery will be pretty crazy especially since they expanded the draw period.

 

[Marshbanks12]

I hunted an OTC unit last year in Colorado (my first elk hunt) and I only ran into one other hunter who was camped about .75 miles away. I also back packed in about 6 miles from the parking area and hunted even further away than that too so keep that in mind but I was actually surprised with how many people hunt within a mile of the parking area. When I hiked out after hunting for 5 days I was shocked with the number of vehicles at the parking area. There was probably 10+ trucks and I hadn't bumped into any of them. Just goes to show that you can still get away from people. There are a lot of guys that would rather sleep in a hotel or sleep next to their truck with a nice grill and a cooler full of frozen meats to eat for breakfast and dinner. I know I don't have as much experience as most of you guys but I'd say backpacking in and spike camping it is the easiest way to get away from 85% of people.

 

[Scooter90254]

I hunted an OTC unit last year in Colorado (my first elk hunt) and I only ran into one other hunter who was camped about .75 miles away. I also back packed in about 6 miles from the parking area and hunted even further away than that too so keep that in mind but I was actually surprised with how many people hunt within a mile of the parking area. When I hiked out after hunting for 5 days I was shocked with the number of vehicles at the parking area. There was probably 10+ trucks and I hadn't bumped into any of them. Just goes to show that you can still get away from people. There are a lot of guys that would rather sleep in a hotel or sleep next to their truck with a nice grill and a cooler full of frozen meats to eat for breakfast and dinner. I know I don't have as much experience as most of you guys but I'd say backpacking in and spike camping it is the easiest way to get away from 85% of people.

You ever pack an elk 8 miles one way. There’s a reason no one is there.
Yes, I realize they do it on TV all the time. And Remi would pack it out in one trip solo.

But in real life most people only shoot one elk 8 miles back for a reason.