New Record! Colorado elk…

[Huntin_GI]

Maybe people are hunting multiple states more than they used to, but there are definitely more hunters out there period.

Aha, but they do have a claim when they buy a NR tag from your favorite wildlife management agency. This argument is saying no one has a right to hunt a state they aren’t a resident in.

Question: How many of the CO resident hunters on here (the ones that are b*tching and moaning) have called, written, emailed, or attended a CPW meeting to state their grievances within the past 6 months, or even the past year? And be honest, don’t just say you’ve done it only because I hurt your feelings by asking the question…

These are the emails to the commission. This does not include participating round tables, focus groups, and zoom meetings. I have testified at commission meetings. I have a started dialogue with multiple legislators as I think that is the only place we will get any meaningful change.

Every time I hear someone spouting "what about the money" I laugh. Last year, CPW was $54MILLION in the black... $54MILLION... A government agency. This year Colorado rolled out a new license plate fee that is projected to produce $33-35MILLION that goes directly to CPW.

If you are curious, NR OTC tags come out to somewhere around $40million annually.

 

[Bearwhisky]

Last year first time OTC in Colorado. Had never seem an elk in my life. Had 3 encounters/opportunities, i messed up two of them. Saw 2 other humans in 8 days. The 3rd opportunity was messed up by one of those other humans. Sounds like I got lucky on the spot I picked.


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[DangerRanger]

Where are we supposed to hunt?

 

[Deadfall]

It really is. Thanks for listening to my rant. It’s changed so much in the 10 short years I’ve been hunting it’s really sad. What makes it worse is the level of cluelessness- where people are camped, not paying attention to wind, hiking in “deep” and bumping elk (and not realizing it) in the process. I almost feel like it would be better to help them. To top matters off this spot I’ve been going to for years I come to find out is being openly recommended by CPW “go park at this point and hunt in that direction. 5 years ago there was maybe 2 cars in this lot. Its also a 90 min drive from pavement.

You can try and help, however, noone wants help. Goodluck

 

[Weldor]

It really is. Thanks for listening to my rant. It’s changed so much in the 10 short years I’ve been hunting it’s really sad. What makes it worse is the level of cluelessness- where people are camped, not paying attention to wind, hiking in “deep” and bumping elk (and not realizing it) in the process. I almost feel like it would be better to help them. To top matters off this spot I’ve been going to for years I come to find out is being openly recommended by CPW “go park at this point and hunt in that direction. 5 years ago there was maybe 2 cars in this lot. Its also a 90 min drive from pavement.

Same here in AZ, people everywhere. Opportunity over quality. Hunts back to back their out your in. The animals are buggered for 2 to 3 months solid.

 

[CAElkhunter]

the only thing worse than running into other hunters everywhere is when you run into hikers, campers or non hunters during hunting season disrupting the animals. I had a limited entry tag once where a guy was running his dogs practicing for mountain lion season during Elk season.

His comment, I have a right to be here. Obviously lacked common sense, decency to others.....

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

It’s Newberg’s fault

All these damn fools on their own adventuring.

 

[Andrewlonghi]

I'm not real sure but wasn't some of the OTC units moved to draw units this year?. If so there would be less then last year and I'm sure it will be less next year with OTC going away. This might have already been brought up I haven't read every post. It will continue to get worst until there all draw and even then because I don't see CPW issuing a realistic draw of tags out for each unit.

It's about $ for them just like down here in Florida. More tags more licenses more $ regardless is the land is big enough for X amount of hunter or not,I hope I'm wrong

 

[Jbehredt]

Last year first time OTC in Colorado. Had never seem an elk in my life. Had 3 encounters/opportunities, i messed up two of them. Saw 2 other humans in 8 days. The 3rd opportunity was messed up by one of those other humans. Sounds like I got lucky on the spot I picked.


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No, that sounds about right. Every third or fourth “elk” you hear will be another hunter.

 

[4rcgoat]

I

With the number of $100k new trucks I see at the trailheads I'm not sure raising the price of the tags would reduce the number of OTC tags sold. I went camping/fishing at Taylor Res this summer and was in awe at the number of new trucks/toyhaulers/UTVs covering the valley.

Its absolutely obscene the trucks,trailers, and toys people haul up on the mountain. I thought camping was a way to disconnect from modern day life.....now everyone brings their modern day crap with them everywhere they go.

 

[jcmupar]

I would humbly point out there is not an unlimited supply of new spots. There is only so much dirt in a unit. Finding a new spot is not really a solution to rampant overcrowding. That spot has a couple guys camped out too.

Hyperboles aside, sure I feel your pain. But it's just another variable in the equation now a days and it puts the onus on us to know our units better than ever before. Too many people are focused on where the humans are, when. We should be focused on where the animals are.

 

[def90]

Gotta start hunting at the trail head let the flat landers tire themselves out going deep haha

I came back to the parking lot after an evening hunt last night only to have a small herd of elk run through the parking lot in the dark.

 

[UncleBone]

Found a great wallow a few weeks ago 500 yds from the road. went and sat it most of the day for ML openener because it was a zoo out there on all the trails. About 4pm a guy came and sat 20 yards from it, and about 80 yards from me, said he didnt see me. Even though I was wearing the blaze orange hat and vest. After I confronted him he said hed leave. But he didnt, he went about 400 yards away behind some trees and shot a bull as it was coming in. Really pissed me off a good bit.

 

[tdhanses]

I hunted mule deer all week in elk OTC units and only saw a couple of guys on the mountain. Sure, marked trailheads were packed, traffic was bad, etc. but you can still get away from a lot of people. There's always going to be the guys that have the ability to climb steep, go through miles of deadfall, and/or just know how to find those areas well away from marked trails and easy access, but I still think the vast majority of people don't want to put in that much effort, maybe I'm wrong.

I have to agree, it’s packed where the ground is flat.

 

[tdhanses]

the only thing worse than running into other hunters everywhere is when you run into hikers, campers or non hunters during hunting season disrupting the animals. I had a limited entry tag once where a guy was running his dogs practicing for mountain lion season during Elk season.

His comment, I have a right to be here. Obviously lacked common sense, decency to others.....

Did he, should everyone bow down to hunters on public land? There are more users of public land that aren’t hunting, he was correct he has every right to enjoy public lands anytime he wants, he doesn’t have to consider your feelings and consider your activity you want to do on public land and decide he won’t do his.

 

[___DAN___]

Opening morning- ran into 9 people before 10am, 4 miles from the trailhead. Found a tent setup exactly where I ran into a group of 30+ cows a couple months ago. Half of the 9 were from greater than 1000 miles away. When I went in before season opened there was 3 cars at the trailhead, when i came out opening day afternoon their was 18. I’m done with OTC in colorado.

What did you expect when they closed the majority of other OTC units in the last few years? What did CWD expect?

Hopefully OTC is gone for good soon. These post are becoming a dime a dozen.

 

[CAElkhunter]

Did he, should everyone bow down to hunters on public land? There are more users of public land that aren’t hunting, he was correct he has every right to enjoy public lands anytime he wants, he doesn’t have to consider your feelings and consider your activity you want to do on public land and decide he won’t do his.

Common decency is to respect everyone's right to the outdoors. When you run dogs during a one week limited entry Elk season you are being selfish. You have 50 other weeks you could be doing that. Everyone has decsions every day in life to do what they are legally allowed to do but respect other people when doing so.

 

[UncleBone]

Should he have passed on it, just because you were there?

You like to jump right in on guys when they are fishing a hole? Or how about trying to bang their woman while they are at it? He coulda told me he was heading a lil bit away, not going to sit the same area just out of my line of sight.

 

[CAElkhunter]

Not trying to start a fight on this subject I just find that the key to all of us enjoying the outdoors is consideration. If I roll up to a trailhead and see 4 trucks there, I don't hike in and sit right above or next to the guys that put in the effort to get there first.

If I had dogs to run I pick the week before or after the one week limited entry Elk season.

that is how everyone gets along in the outdoors which I agree we all have a right to use.

 

[tdhanses]

Common decency is to respect everyone's right to the outdoors. When you run dogs during a one week limited entry Elk season you are being selfish. You have 50 other weeks you could be doing that. Everyone has decsions every day in life to do what they are legally allowed to do but respect other people when doing so.

So your entitled to have that time on public to yourself and what you want is what your saying, it’s disrespectful for anyone else to have their own agenda outside of yours?

I mean come on man, it’s public land, you should expect that and not get worked up that others use it at all times of the year when convenient for them, maybe you should of hunted another week or find a week no one else has plans to use it in any matter they want that is legal.