Over crowded Colorado units getting worse

[Poser]

I wouldn’t write off the boomers for at least another 30 years........

If the very youngest boomers were born in the early to mid 60s (1964 or so), that makes the youngest 55/56 and honestly, most of those folks on the technical tailend are culturally much more Gen X than boomer. Anyway, if they hunt for another 30 years, they’ll be hunting until they are 85ish. That seems unlikely in any significant numbers. If you consider that peak baby boomers (born right in the middle of the generation) were born in 1955, that makes them around 65 years old right now, With the oldest boomers (born 1945ish) being 75ish.

There’s no way this generation will have influence for another 30 years. 5-10 years tops.

 

[Kwa_bena]

back in the late 60's, early 1970's, I hunted a public land area of Snoqualmie, near town of Fall City, in WA State.
Couple nice lakes, several beaver ponds, creeks with the main Snoqualmie river below in the valley. Hiked onto a vista, could view Snoqualmie Falls from 1+ mile away.
At that time, Weyerhauser was main logging/tree company, their land areas open to the public with few restrictions. Now the new timber/land companies charge an access fee of $150 or more for one season!

Today that area is all subdivision houses, paved roads, small 7-11 type strip malls, Snoqualmie TPC golf course....
exactly where I used to hunt blacktail deer, grouse in the forests. Lakes, beaver ponds gone private, used to have good brook trout, rainbow fishing. No public access now.
Now all those house residents complain about deer, cougars, bears INVADING their HOMES, LANDS!

And they don't think to hunt the animals "invading their homes"? Just asking

 

[mavinwa2]

And they don't think to hunt the animals "invading their homes"? Just asking

most of those residents are non-hunter, hippie/granola nerds....tech-wealthy too!
they don't hunt, vote on laws against hunting such as no bear baiting, no hounds for bear, cougar.

In Seattle/western WA area, these people are the biggest threat next to loss of habitat, sportsman access to public lands.

 

[elkyinco]

millennial I’m sure…..

Almost certainly is...He makes responses like that to get likes from the same insecure people like him. I'm sure he spent the next 1/2 day or more just waiting for his little treats to be tossed to him.

 

[elkyinco]

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.

How about leave the OTC for residents and limited draw by unit for non residents???

 

[Traveler]

millennial I’m sure…..

Almost certainly is...He makes responses like that to get likes from the same insecure people like him. I'm sure he spent the next 1/2 day or more just waiting for his little treats to be tossed to him.

I can get behind a good millennial jab as much as the next guy, but you have to appreciate the irony of you making a response like this 11 days later, either living in the past or stewing…

 

[CoStick]

I can get behind a good millennial jab as much as the next guy, but you have to appreciate the irony of you making a response like this 11 days later, either living in the past or stewing…

Truth, lol.

 

[trophyhill]

How about leave the OTC for residents and limited draw by unit for non residents???

Not gonna happen. No money in it……

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

Not gonna happen. No money in it……

If only though. I was watching a video last night of OTC colorado elk hunters and they were driving by camps that looked like rv parks lol, complaining about the camps (as non residents themselves)

Eventually residents will complain about pressure enough it'll change, but who knows how long that would take. Personally, in my state I'd rather pay 8-10x more for my license and tags and not allow non residents to hunt at all.

Colorado looks over run insanely bad from the videos I have observed.

 

[elkyinco]

I can get behind a good millennial jab as much as the next guy, but you have to appreciate the irony of you making a response like this 11 days later, either living in the past or stewing…

Or, I just saw the post and responded ??? I will go with that one. I was not aware of the time limit to respond !!!

 

[trophyhill]

If the very youngest boomers were born in the early to mid 60s (1964 or so), that makes the youngest 55/56 and honestly, most of those folks on the technical tailend are culturally much more Gen X than boomer. Anyway, if they hunt for another 30 years, they’ll be hunting until they are 85ish. That seems unlikely in any significant numbers. If you consider that peak baby boomers (born right in the middle of the generation) were born in 1955, that makes them around 65 years old right now, With the oldest boomers (born 1945ish) being 75ish.

There’s no way this generation will have influence for another 30 years. 5-10 years tops.

That’s a pretty funny video no doubt. I definitely got a laugh out of that lol

 

[AaronMColeman]

Humans suck and we need less of them on the planet. As populations grow, millennials may not hunt in percentages that boomers did, but there are probably more of them (I don't know it just seems like if the US population is growing, each generation should be bigger). So total number of hunters should stay very high. I don't think elk are reproducing in numbers like humans do. At the end of the day there will likely be more hunters and at best same number of elk.

That means poor opportunity and/or poor draw odds. Not be be pessimistic, this is just where I see elk hunting going for most of our lifetimes. Either way, I think there will always be inaccessible areas that only a few can get to, good tactics will beat anything, and I'm sure there will always be elk to hunt (as long as CWD or Elk-Covid or human stupidity doesn't decimate them).

 

[Ucsdryder]

I’ve said it 50 times on here. Go to Wyoming model. OTC for residents. Draw for no residents. If the money is the issue, raise fees. $1000 for no residents, other states are already doing it, and raise resident rates to make up the difference in lost revenue from lost NR OTC license sales. And I don’t care if it’s expensive, just go check out the sales in the classifieds and tell me guys can’t afford 1000 dollar tag…or 100-200 dollar resident tag!

 

[Cbaumhoer]

I wouldn't really call @CoStick response a smart ass answer. Everyone else hunting OTC has every right to be there just like you. If you dont like other people utilizing public land like you do, dont hunt OTC units. What reasonable response are you looking for? You didnt ask a question. Your original post was you venting.

Well said

 

[AaronMColeman]

I’ve said it 50 times on here. Go to Wyoming model. OTC for residents. Draw for no residents. If the money is the issue, raise fees. $1000 for no residents, other states are already doing it, and raise resident rates to make up the difference in lost revenue from lost NR OTC license sales. And I don’t care if it’s expensive, just go check out the sales in the classifieds and tell me guys can’t afford 1000 dollar tag…or 100-200 dollar resident tag!

I’m torn. As a WY resident I love my OTC general tag and couldn’t ask for more. As a Wyoming resident who may have to move to a non-elk state it does suck to think NR status could mean no elk someday. I chose to live here and reap the benefits, not everyone can do that though. So I’m really torn on how to manage. I definitely don’t want elk to become a rich man’s game. This is a tough issue to tackle.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I’m torn. As a WY resident I love my OTC general tag and couldn’t ask for more. As a Wyoming resident who may have to move to a non-elk state it does suck to think NR status could mean no elk someday. I chose to live here and reap the benefits, not everyone can do that though. So I’m really torn on how to manage. I definitely don’t want elk to become a rich man’s game. This is a tough issue to tackle.

Rarely do we “have to” do something. If you make the decision to move to a different state you’re reaping a benefit but like most things in life, there’s usually a negative to every positive. If the 350 dollars between current tags and an increase in tags is too much then maybe an every other year option works. Or you can move to Colorado and pay the stupid housing prices, taxes, cost of living, etc and save a few hundred dollars a year on a tag.

 

[HarryHunter]

I’ve said it 50 times on here. Go to Wyoming model. OTC for residents. Draw for no residents. If the money is the issue, raise fees. $1000 for no residents, other states are already doing it, and raise resident rates to make up the difference in lost revenue from lost NR OTC license sales. And I don’t care if it’s expensive, just go check out the sales in the classifieds and tell me guys can’t afford 1000 dollar tag…or 100-200 dollar resident tag!

I’ll say it 51 times for you. I 100% agree with what you said!!!

 

[trophyhill]

Humans suck and we need less of them on the planet. As populations grow, millennials may not hunt in percentages that boomers did, but there are probably more of them (I don't know it just seems like if the US population is growing, each generation should be bigger). So total number of hunters should stay very high. I don't think elk are reproducing in numbers like humans do. At the end of the day there will likely be more hunters and at best same number of elk.

That means poor opportunity and/or poor draw odds. Not be be pessimistic, this is just where I see elk hunting going for most of our lifetimes. Either way, I think there will always be inaccessible areas that only a few can get to, good tactics will beat anything, and I'm sure there will always be elk to hunt (as long as CWD or Elk-Covid or human stupidity doesn't decimate them).

If we were on a Jeopardy show I’d say “something Bill Gates would say Alex”

 

[AaronMColeman]

If we were on a Jeopardy show I’d say “something Bill Gates would say Alex”

Haha. Well I do not support measures to reduce their population...as much as I would enjoy that

 

[AaronMColeman]

Rarely do we “have to” do something. If you make the decision to move to a different state you’re reaping a benefit but like most things in life, there’s usually a negative to every positive. If the 350 dollars between current tags and an increase in tags is too much then maybe an every other year option works. Or you can move to Colorado and pay the stupid housing prices, taxes, cost of living, etc and save a few hundred dollars a year on a tag.

True. Everything in life is pros and cons. Like in my situation staying in Wyoming: pro, OTC elk tags; con, possible no job. Moving: pro, job; con no OTC elk.