Over crowded Colorado units getting worse

[Nickofthewoods]

CPW has no clue how many guys are hunting and they have no clue how many elk or getting killed.

Nailed it.

The mountains of southern Colorado are just the front range for Texans.

Also nailed it.

 

[5MilesBack]

Any theory on why that is? If the tag allocations havent changed.... did the other hunters all just end up on top of you guys in the unit or are people actually showing up and hunting their tags as opposed to sitting at home on the couch and wasting their tag? Honest question, curious what your thoughts are

I have no idea. I don't always hunt the most popular areas so am more isolated than most usually. I've never had anymore than one other camp even close to me (truck camp), but this year was packed, and I was lucky to even get my normal spot. Someone was in it the whole week before I finally set up, as well as every other spot off the 2-track. I figured everyone with a tag just settled in that area this year, but when we explored the rest of the unit every part of it was just as packed as well. It was just a few years ago that I only saw one other bowhunter over a two week period in that entire area, and he's a good buddy of mine. Man, I thought the trend was packing in 5 miles these days......not camping on the road. I might have to change it up and do the pack in thing next year instead. But I wonder how many I'll run into back in there?

 

[satchamo]

I just got back Saturday from days in CO. I hit 4 different units and only managed to see a cow in my first 3. On the 4th unit - I went to one that is much more popular - found a spot with only one other guy - walked in that morning and was on elk for the next 2 days.

I keep hearing this complaint and I know it sucks - the pressure is silly and CPW probably needs to move everything to a more wyoming like system BUT I’d say for now enjoy it, make the best of it and adapt and overcome. There are still tons of elk in Colorado snd you get ALOT of options on OTC.

 

[jdmaxwell]

I hunted 15 days in SW Colorado
2 OTC units. Deer and elk.
Saw lots people and trucks near roads and trailheads.
In 15 days encountered 0 people in woods. We encountered lots deer, bucks, elk, bulls and cow and bear.
We Harvested deer and elk
Go where people don't.

 

[ganngus]

How about only making OTC tags available for residents and make non residents be draw only. I say this as a non resident......

 

[bsnedeker]

Man, I thought the trend was packing in 5 miles these days......not camping on the road. I might have to change it up and do the pack in thing next year instead. But I wonder how many I'll run into back in there?

Lol....yeah dude, time to live up to that screen name bro!!!

 

[Gerbdog]

I think the hunting pressure is just educating the elk really well... this year i was into a ton of bulls opening 4 days... and then i couldnt find fresh sign for 2 weeks.... took a break for work travel / wedding .... got back into the original spot i had hunted those first 4 days and connected with that 6x6 a mile from a trailhead.... because that trailhead that had 20 trucks at it most of the season had finally cleared out..... to me that just says the elk know when the hunters are around and they get the hell out of dodge to their hiding spots and wait it out. That bull must have seen a 100 hunters go past it this year, all bugling their heads off haha. I noticed for sure this year that when i would bugle after the first couple days i could count on the sound of a bulls bugling getting further and further away.... seems like education to me, but i aint gonna sit here and try to claim to be the best elk caller thats walked in the woods either.

How does this pertain to the topic at hand? Well... lots of hunting pressure means lots of elk encountering lots of hunters and surviving the experience.... making them harder and harder to locate and kill in these OTC units... which probably is what gives us all the feeling of there being more hunters then elk in the woods.... believe me i had the same feeling those 2 weeks without finding any fresh sign, even jumping to different mountains and drainages and calling in hunters in all locations.

I was also shocked, amazed, jealous by the amount of out of staters i ran into that had 3 weeks off to hunt.... i need a new job with better benefits.... and a better GF .... and less home responsibilities..... you know what i just didnt choose the right path in life at all haha

 

[5MilesBack]

Lol....yeah dude, time to live up to that screen name bro!!!

I already do that even camping at the truck. I've never had a problem getting on elk even with the crowds, I just much prefer isolation and no people. Man, we were on elk every day we were up there this season, and we only saw one fresh pile of droppings. That seems to be about par for me........I rarely see many fresh piles at all but am into elk every day. Have no idea where they're crapping.

 

[KyleR1985]

Hunted same spot for three years. First year had elk on a mountain coming to us no people around. Last year, people everywhere and elk wouldn’t come off the mountain - had to hike just below them. This year one of those people decided to camp IN the bedding area on the top of the mountain the elk had been coming from. I shot my first bull 500 yards from my camp - in the same spot I had camped three years in a row. It’s hard to be mad about the pressure when it worked out in my favor.

count me in the annoying flat lander group who understands how complicated, and random, the consequences of each input we toggle can be.

I like the idea of maintaining seasons and draws and regulations as they are, with one major change. You have 2 years to elect even or odd years to hunt. And for the next 10 years, everything applies exactly the same, except you can only draw and or hunt every other year. Gives people two years to sort out their hunting groups and plans and decide what works best. Then you just get to draw and or hunt every other year. Halving the number of people in the woods, regardless of how long they hunt, will cut down on the complaint issue - too many people.

it will also cut down on revenue. I imagine upping non resident tags will also cut down on revenue. I would think upping resident costs to just before the pain point might offset this.

either way, I’d be cool only hunting in CO every other year. Finite resource with variable amounts of consumers of said resource, requires management of either the resource or the consumers.

 

[Jethro]

Maybe get off the internet and go hunting?

Just a thought

That is a good thought. Text from a friend of a friend just this morning from a CO OTC unit, "the last 2 days have been epic".

So OTC not doom and gloom for everyone.

 

[Gerbdog]

That is a good thought. Text from a friend of a friend just this morning from a CO OTC unit, "the last 2 days have been epic".

So OTC not doom and gloom for everyone.

I believe it, theres a front coming through most of CO currently, bulls are probably all fired up

 

[orionthehunter1]

That is a good thought. Text from a friend of a friend just this morning from a CO OTC unit, "the last 2 days have been epic".

So OTC not doom and gloom for everyone.

That's not what this thread is about it's about the ridiculous amount of crowding. I kill elk every year so do my kids, but the amount of people anymore is asinine. It's also not sustainable that is why the calf recruitment is in the crapper down here in the southwest and why many units went from OTC for archery to draw.

 

[3forks]

I already do that even camping at the truck. I've never had a problem getting on elk even with the crowds, I just much prefer isolation and no people. Man, we were on elk every day we were up there this season, and we only saw one fresh pile of droppings. That seems to be about par for me........I rarely see many fresh piles at all but am into elk every day. Have no idea where they're crapping.

Funny you mention that about elk droppings.

I was into elk all last week, and often close enough to be able to smell them, but only came across one fresh pile.

Apparently, elk are now so educated that they no longer bugle and no longer crap during hunting season.

 

[dlee56]

Got a bull out of a unit that just went from OTC to draw this year. Got the tag on 2nd choice and had the nicest experience I've ever had archery hunting Colorado, elk were talking and I didn't see another human. The fact that you might have to plan and take steps to get your tag months beforehand I think really cut down the amount of folks rolling in. (not that a bunch of folks didn't hunt this unit on an OTC tag anyway like they've been doing for the last decade)

 

[5MilesBack]

That is a good thought. Text from a friend of a friend just this morning from a CO OTC unit, "the last 2 days have been epic".

Epic hunting and zero crowds is even better than epic hunting with crowds. In fact I'd take zero crowds and horrible hunting over epic hunting with crowds.

 

[Beendare]

Everyone

>

 

[Maverick1]

@Pigskin Try Idaho. Read more here.

@IDspud You two should hunt together next year!

 

[Wheels]

Best way to get rid of the hunting pressure is to eliminate credit cards. If everyone had to pay cash for their hunting trips instead of financing it, you would see the numbers drop drastically.

 

[CoStick]

Best way to get rid of the hunting pressure is to eliminate credit cards. If everyone had to pay cash for their hunting trips instead of financing it, you would see the numbers drop drastically.

Obviously never going to happen, but using CC wisely provides 2 or so free vacations a year for my family. The points/cash back is great when you don’t carry a balance.

 

[Wheels]

Obviously never going to happen, but using CC wisely provides 2 or so free vacations a year for my family. The points/cash back is great when you don’t carry a balance.

I realize it will never happen.
The good old days of buying a tag or applying with a check or cash are long gone. Hence the situation we are in now.