More Colorado OTC archery units set to move to draw in 2020...

[5MilesBack]

If you want to give feedback to the Commission, here are their email addresses.

[email protected];[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

 

[brsnow]

Wait until the dope smokers in CO vote the wolves in. Just a matter of time until all the OTC tags are gone.


Or wait until hunters sit back and watch wolves get reintroduced. Pot smokers are a-political, actually seems to be an area people unite.

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[Nickofthewoods]

What I don't understand, why limit archery but still allow unlimited OTC rifle? Gun seasons are what manage the herd numbers, not archery. If herds are down, unlimited OTC rifle makes no sense (except financially)

Probably because cow tags are already all limited during the rifle seasons, unlike either sex archery tags. Could you imagine if OTC rifle tags were either sex? There would be no elk left. Maybe they will also be reducing the numbers of rifle cow tags in these units as well. Calf survival rates are decreasing in the San Juan herds so it seems like CPW is reacting to that. The apples to apples comparison doesn't really work with the archery and rifle seasons, they are much different and managed as such.

 

[sndmn11]

Harvest more animals in the rifle season, limit archers but leave rifle unlimited AND still not document harvests....I don't see logic to it.

 

[gbflyer]

Why has CO never adopted mandatory hunt reports? Even in my sometimes backwards thinking state of AK we are required to fill one out even if unsuccessful. You might get a pass the first time for late or failure to report but not the second and you’ll lose your opportunity to get a license the next year.

It’s almost like the political side of CPW doesn’t want to know???? I bet the biologists would sure appreciate the info.

 

[87TT]

Yep, when the wolves show up it will take your mind off rifle vs archery.

 

[Daniel0307]

I agree with all above, why limit just archery and leave 2nd and 3rd wide open... doesn’t make sense to me... ? Is this a financial decision..? Would they loose to much money if 2nd and 3rd rifle was limited? I hunt in 81 and wish mine was include to help with the crowds..

 

[Phaseolus]

So.....16 more Units you CAN’T go hunting on without the states permission if it passes.

another sad day for the people who have grown up outdoors hunting and fishing and truly love being out there

Its gonna pile people on top of people in the rest of the otc units until this “ lets go hunting because it’s cool” fad finally comes to an end.

RAISE THE PRICE OF LICENSE AND TAG TO $1000 FOR ALL RESIDENTS AND NON RESIDENTS

THAT WILL THIN EM OUT....

I’m in favor of limiting archery licenses, it’s about time. I’ll hunt archery when I draw and hunt grouse, turkey, coyotes, and big coyotes in season. I’ll still hunt elk twice in Colorado every year as Long as the law allows me to.

 

[Pacific_Fork]

Yay less wounded and unrecovered elk in September for me to shoot 3rd season! Them darn dope smokers I tell you!

 

[HondoArcher]

They are sending mixed signals with this. They want to reduce the herd size for deer because of the threat for CWD yet they want to change all of these units to limit the archery hunters. I too am I'm still concerned that they will not limit the OTC 2nd and 3rd rifle for these units. We can only wait and see.

Those San Juan units are steep and deep. My option is if you want to tackle them with a bow you should be able to. The rifle season is where they need to make the cuts if they want to increase the herd size.

 

[well_known_rokslider]

Interesting

 

[orionthehunter1]

I agree with the overall route at reducing/limiting tags in these units and I also agree with you that if they are going to change archery status, then It should also apply to 3rd and 4th rifle seasons.

Fourth rifle is a draw here. First and fourth are draw and second and third are OTC. This change will still not do much to help the herd. Most of the masses come for rifle seasons. I'm also curious how they can manage the herds without mandatory harvest stats. They also have no clue how many guys actually hunt an OTC unit.

 

[Poser]

Fourth rifle is a draw here. First and fourth are draw and second and third are OTC. This change will still not do much to help the herd. Most of the masses come for rifle seasons. I'm also curious how they can manage the herds without mandatory harvest stats. They also have no clue how many guys actually hunt an OTC unit.

“Most of the masses come for rifle season”

I’m just not convinced this is true. I scout every weekend of archery season and hunt 1st rifle. Maybe because I’m laid up recovering during 2nd rifle, my perspective is skewed, but many areas in the high country are usually no longer accessible by 2nd rifle which would further concentrate pressure. My observation is that archery season is the zoo. I can drive FS roads in September where there is a camp at every single available pullout. Hike trails mid morning and see 15 hunting parties hiking out. Around town, there are literal traffic jams of trucks with campers and horse trailers. Grocery store parking lots full of guys buying ice. I don’t see that kind of traffic during October. Maybe it’s localized and it’s certainly only the observations of one person and only in 4-5 of these units, so maybe it’s different.

 

[cnelk]

September doesnt just have bowhunters in the woods and towns...

Hikers/bikers/campers/leaf peepers/Atvers/scouters and of course the dreaded... Subaru drivers

 

[TheViking]

So.....16 more Units you CAN’T go hunting on without the states permission if it passes.

another sad day for the people who have grown up outdoors hunting and fishing and truly love being out there

Its gonna pile people on top of people in the rest of the otc units until this “ lets go hunting because it’s cool” fad finally comes to an end.

RAISE THE PRICE OF LICENSE AND TAG TO $1000 FOR ALL RESIDENTS AND NON RESIDENTS

THAT WILL THIN EM OUT....

No it won’t.

 

[sndmn11]

Fourth rifle is a draw here. First and fourth are draw and second and third are OTC. This change will still not do much to help the herd. Most of the masses come for rifle seasons. I'm also curious how they can manage the herds without mandatory harvest stats. They also have no clue how many guys actually hunt an OTC unit.

I think every first and fourth is limited. I 100% agree with everything you have said. Without mandatory reporting any numbers anyone comes up with are very loose guesses. I think all licenses should have mandatory reporting with negative consequences for those who do not, and I think unlimited licenses should only be unlimited in number and not in access. Unlimited licenses should be DAU specific because then you can have a gauge for pressure to combine with your accurate numbers for harvest.

 

[wannakillabigbull]

Unlimited licenses should be DAU specific because then you can have a gauge for pressure to combine with your accurate numbers for harvest.

I've seen this idea for Colorado a number of times, and I wouldn't mind seeing it myself. It would make getting an OTC tag a little more complicated but it would definitely control pressure a bit more I would assume.

 

[HondoArcher]

The management plan for E-31 which includes units 75, 751, 77, 771, and 78 were completed in 2006 which is a bit old. The target population for this DAU is 17,000 to 21,000 with a bull to cow ratio of 17-23. The most recent population estimate is 18,690 (within the range) with a bull to cow ratio of 15 (below the range). These numbers are down from the 2016 estimate of 19,030 and 20. In 2018 there were an estimated 10,562 hunters with 2,055 elk harvested (summary page). The details show 10,558 hunters with 2,053 elk harvested. Total bulls harvested was 1,616. Rifle accounted for 84.28%, Archery 13.86%, ML 1.86% on bulls. Hunters: rifle = 7,336, archery = 2,896, ML = 326. Bulls harvested to hunter ratio: rifle = 18.57%, archery = 7.73%, ML 9.20%. (see attachment for all of the details).

With these harvest numbers, I don't see the need to make this DAU a draw only area for archery. The bulk of the harvest on bulls is during the rifle seasons (84% rifle versus 13% archery) . On cows, it is 75% rifle versus 23% archery. If their goal is to increase or better manage the herd size then they should make the rifle seasons draw only. It is well known that archery seasons provide more hunting opportunity and less harvest. Archery does, however, put additional pressure on elk causing them to move to more protected areas which makes rifle seasons more difficult.

Does anyone know what the intent is for making the proposed changes? Perhaps they want to decrease the number of hunters (overcrowding). If they reduce the numbers then the herd size will grow beyond the targeted objective. I don't see the justification for this.

I have always been concerned with the unlimited nonresident hunts regardless of the method. These areas get so much pressure the elk end up on private land and the harvest numbers fluctuate so much. Moving more units to limited-entry pushes the demand to the remaining OTC units. If we continue down the limited entry path soon we become like Utah where you have to wait 8 years to draw a bull tag. Then 5 more years before you can start applying again. Utah's any bull units often don't have enough bulls to get the breeding done. I have seen hurds of 25 cows with no calves in an any bull unit. I prefer the Wyoming method where general areas are unlimited (limited by the population) for residents and a cap for non-residents. With the added 4 point restriction that Colorado has you have good recruitment numbers (birth rate) with a fresh set of 4 point bulls to hunt with an occasional hidden trophy.

 

[Coveyleader]

Its clear to me the CWC has their own agenda, and they have no real direction. If you look at say the last 3 years look at what they've implemented at the drop of the hat that makes no sense. The five year structure public comment input was a joke, the talking points were gagged, it's just chaos up there.

There is no doubt, if those units go draw, that other OTC areas will fill up. Sorry guys, as a 100% archer, we are getting the "shaft" this is just another example.

The reality is, just take the pain, the CWC/CDOW is looking out for our best interests.

 

[LostArra]

In 2018 there were an estimated 10,562 hunters with 2,055 elk harvested (summary page). The details show 10,558 hunters with 2,053 elk harvested. Total bulls harvested was 1,616. Rifle accounted for 84.28%, Archery 13.86%, ML 1.86% on bulls. Hunters: rifle = 7,336, archery = 2,896, ML = 326. Bulls harvested to hunter ratio: rifle = 18.57%, archery = 7.73%, ML 9.20%. (see attachment for all of the details).

With these harvest numbers, I don't see the need to make this DAU a draw only area for archery. The bulk of the harvest on bulls is during the rifle seasons (84% rifle versus 13% archery) . On cows, it is 75% rifle versus 23% archery.

That is a lot of harvest detail for a state not having any mandatory harvest check-in data. They know how many tags are sold but their harvest data is a guess.