Over crowded Colorado units getting worse

[Sykes]

The only thing CPW cares about is the dollars. They could give a shit less about a hunters experience

 

[cnelk]

They already got rid of the "quiet time" in a few of the "trophy" units.

Exactly. So the road has already been paved.

 

[J5ady]

So the hills are over run with hunters, how are the success rates impacted…?

 

[CoStick]

The only thing CPW cares about is the dollars. They could give a shit less about a hunters experience

of course.

 

[ChrisAU]

I find it hard to fault someone for wanting to do what I love to do. I also worry about the future of hunting, and I'd rather hunt with a few other people in the basin with me than not hunt at all.

 

[justinspicher]

It seems the options are to either not come to Colorado to hunt, or learn to deal with it. Let’s face it, this is a first world problem.

I do believe Colorado should go to a draw only for all game species here on a limited number of tags.

I would also like to see them not allow the use of ATV/UTVs. Theres a number of folks abusing that privilege and driving wherever they want.

I would also like to see the co-users of the national forests pony up to help pay for the areas they use, hikers, bikers, horseback riders.

Just my thoughts….

 

[Pacific_Fork]

We just need a real pandemic to thin out the competition

 

[Jstumbaugh]

This was probably already mentioned, but how many hunters were able to hunt the entire month instead of a standard vacation week because of the unemployment benefits and stimulus money?

 

[gelton]

IME - archery is usually more crowded than rifle. In fact I have seen units that are OTC for 2nd rifle get less crowded over time.

That being said, I think the success rates during archery are way overinflated in the Colorado DOW reports, very few hunters are having success, which, long term, will likely get them out of the game completely or at least scatter them across different units that aren't getting hammered yet.

Tons of camps up at 10K feet or more and we got a cow this year @ 8600ft and 600 yards from the highway...packout was all downhill.

 

[cnelk]

This was probably already mentioned, but how many hunters were able to hunt the entire month instead of a standard vacation week because of the unemployment benefits and stimulus money?

I posted a poll question a couple years ago asking how many days guys hunted

How many days a year do you hunt elk?

Curious to see how many days you dedicate to hunting elk - during your specific, licensed season - Archery - ML - Rifle.

www.rokslide.com

I’m sure the stats haven’t changed much.

 

[Coveyleader]

It was pretty bad. I swear onX has found more, and at the same time wrecked more places vs the old get a BLM map days.

Some huge strategies in place for next year, and less discussions on “how to” online. Adapt is the name of the game and even that can be tough when there are waves and waves of people.

We did well this year, but CO elk hunting has really gotten to the point of “beat the next guy”

 

[Gerbdog]

We did well this year, but CO elk hunting has really gotten to the point of “beat the next guy”

Yea.... and "hope no one else heard that bugle.... "

 

[CamoPirate]

Haven't hunted CO but OR was a zoo east and west. Lots of people doesn't really bother me much; what bothers me is lack of common decency and basic hunting knowledge.

You not only come busting into my setup while I'm working a bull, but you do it with the wind at your back like a bunch of clowns? That shit gets old. Lot of guys talking about "this drainage had the most activity we've heard; we're gonna camp in the middle of it and hit it hard for the next 4 days."

Though I agree with Justin, it is what it is. There's still pockets. Almost all the elk I got into were less than 1/4 mile from roads that everybody was just driving past.

 

[BrokenArrow]

Too bad they don't read them. They don't even listen to comments at their public meetings. I watched a CPW argue with a guy about how their computer models were more accurate then if we had mandatory harvest reporting. I guess that's why the units I hunt have had a 21% success rate for the last fifteen years. It is either the most consistent unit ever or CPW has no clue how many guys are hunting and they have no clue how many elk or getting killed. CPW needs to look in the mirror and realize what they are doing is not working. Look how long it took for them to finally admit their bear numbers were off and that we have too many, they were about five years behind the curve on that one. This also has nothing to do with killing elk like you stated earlier I kill elk every year, but their management or lack there of is pitiful. Again you cannot have unlimited pressure on a limited resource and expect it to be sustainable. Even our "trophy" units aren't that great. I've hunted 61 three times (one draw tag and two reissues) and killed three bulls, but I would take a Wyoming general tag every year over those tags. The solution is simple in my mind they need to get rid of OTC entirely. The whole state needs to go to a draw with an 80/20 resident, non resident split and adjust the prices accordingly on both sides.

Were you at the Durango meeting when I asked/made a public statement about harvest reporting? The meeting concerning SW units being limited during archery. I am a trained scientist and all I could think of was that we'll never have a true management answer as long as the CPW officers have to defend a system that even they probably don't even "believe" in. Kind if a rough night. Hasn't gotten much better.

I was in NM for archery season this year. I have a 3rd season cow tag for CO. Maybe I'll get an OTC bull for 3rd as well. But, I expect crickets out there. 4th will be a ghost town. I have traditionally hunted out of state the last 7 years during archery as I've been burning my points everywhere else. Snow and later season dates really scare the S*&T out of other hunters. I can't blame them, it gets real around Nov 11th for most of CO. In fact, it's snowing at my house right now! 9300'.

 

[Kwa_bena]

Having an unlimited number of people chasing a limited resource is not sustainable. CPW needs to wake up to that fact. The whole state should be a draw with an 80/20 split and adjust tag prices accordingly on both sides.

I agree with this and I'm a non-resident myself. At least make some of the units a draw for non-residents and OTC for residents unless they need the population in that area to go down.

 

[Poser]

Were you at the Durango meeting when I asked/made a public statement about harvest reporting? The meeting concerning SW units being limited during archery. I am a trained scientist and all I could think of was that we'll never have a true management answer as long as the CPW officers have to defend a system that even they probably don't even "believe" in. Kind if a rough night. Hasn't gotten much better.

I was in NM for archery season this year. I have a 3rd season cow tag for CO. Maybe I'll get an OTC bull for 3rd as well. But, I expect crickets out there. 4th will be a ghost town. I have traditionally hunted out of state the last 7 years during archery as I've been burning my points everywhere else. Snow and later season dates really scare the S*&T out of other hunters. I can't blame them, it gets real around Nov 11th for most of CO. In fact, it's snowing at my house right now! 9300'.

I believe I was at that meeting. At the fairgrounds, right?

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

I would also like to see the co-users of the national forests pony up to help pay for the areas they use, hikers, bikers, horseback riders.

Just my thoughts….

I always think about this, but the best argument I heard against it is that if they contribute they get more of a say in it all.
And they'd shit on hunting.

 

[CoStick]

I always think about this, but the best argument I heard against it is that if they contribute they get more of a say in it all.
And they'd shit on hunting.

It is heading that way. Default passes to state parks with car registration. Pay to use state lands or have a fishin/hunting licenses. With the growth in population I am sure CPW is looking to develop alternate revenue sources.

 

[ColoradoV]

While some seem to find places without to call a spade a spade extreme overcrowding issues - most do not and in reality it is getting pretty bad out there..

Seems we had another death of a archer by a muzzy hunter and the crowding through muzzy was the worst I have ever seen and pry contributed to the death. Time to separate muzzy and archery for both safety and crowding issues.

I would say it is very simple fix to start archery 9 days earlier with a 2 week season then a break for muzzy (and all the other rifle seasons during this time) during muzzy/rifle archery takes a break then another 2 week archery season to end out Sept. RESIDENTS only during the first 2 weeks and non resident/resident can hunt the last 2 weeks. Would help a lot with crowding by spreading out all the hunters and non residents could still hunt every year during the better rut time. Quite time stays the same...

Add in elk need to go to all draw with a 80-20 res non res split and use your points anytime you hunt and both crowding and point creep would go away and the CPW still has the budget to buy new 75k trucks every year.

Most non residents only hunt a week or so anyway so no problem there.

 

[Southforkguy]

If your going to piss and whine about hunting pressure on Rokslide here's a thought.

Find a different area with less people, I know it's mindblowing