Unit 80/81 draw unit now. Need insight.

[___DAN___]

I've been hunting unit 80/81 off and on since 2008 straight out of college. I've been enjoying this area since the 90s when I was a kid. Heck I even bought some property up there in 2020 to build a cabin one day. Like most I've been getting burned out on the heavy pressure of OTC. So last year I applied for the elk draw to buy a PP in hopes of using them one day on a less pressured unit for elk. In the meantime, waiting for that, I wanted to apply for the deer in my unit and hunt OTC elk if I didn’t get a deer tag. Now that my unit is draw, I need to figure out a plan to approach the draw each year for elk and deer.


My current situation is that I have 1 pp for deer and 1 pp for elk. Looking at the draw odds for deer, I will probably draw a deer tag. I don't have the budget now to hunt both, and do I have the vacation to spend a few weeks up there chasing both.

So not knowing how many PPs it will take to draw an elk in this unit now, should I use 80/81 for my second choose and buy a PP knowing I will get a deer tag?

If I draw both tags (both first choose) and I decided to choose one, do I eat a PP if I get one refunded? Or will I have to eat the tag to keep the PP? I'm not entirely familiar with the draw system.

Just looking for some recommendation to give me the best shot at being able to make a trip every year or every other year to hunt. How would you approach it? What are your thoughts. Thanks in advance.

 

[LandYacht]

I am sure the draw for these units will look like the draw for the other units that went draw to the west. That means plenty of tags left over for purchase after the draw was concluded. If you put A point first on your app you will still draw. You also will most likely have a chance to purchase a leftover tag if you choose not to apply for a tag.

You lose your points if you draw your tag with few exceptions if you turn back your license.


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[___DAN___]

I am sure the draw for these units will look like the draw for the other units that went draw to the west. That means plenty of tags left over for purchase after the draw was concluded. If you put A point first on your app you will still draw. You also will most likely have a chance to purchase a leftover tag if you choose not to apply for a tag.

You lose your points if you draw your tag with few exceptions if you turn back your license.


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So now If I draw a tag as my 2nd choice will it still eat my point?

 

[guylaga]

2nd draw in CO does not use your points

 

[Quadzilla32]

2nd draw in CO does not use your points

draw or choice?

From my understanding if you put PP as 1st choice and tag for second choice you will get a PP and draw that tag as long as they are giving out tags for no points for that unit. I put in for elk, deer, and antelope 1st choice PP and then GMU codes for second choice for areas that don't require points to draw.

and unless I missed it I take it you are talking about CO

 

[___DAN___]

draw or choice?

From my understanding if you put PP as 1st choice and tag for second choice you will get a PP and draw that tag as long as they are giving out tags for no points for that unit. I put in for elk, deer, and antelope 1st choice PP and then GMU codes for second choice for areas that don't require points to draw.

and unless I missed it I take it you are talking about CO

So I didn't put PP for any codes. 1st choice was a harder unit. 2nd choice was the unit that is becoming draw this season for the first time. If I draw out the 2nd choice will I loose my 1pp that I have at the moment?

 

[Quadzilla32]

I'm still new to this, but i don't believe it would as long as the second choice doesn't require a point to draw.

 

[prm]

You only lose point(s) for a first choice draw. I put in for a PP as my first choice and my unit as a second choice. Got my PP and a tag. Point creep now prevents that in the unit i was going to.

 

[___DAN___]

You only lose point(s) for a first choice draw. I put in for a PP as my first choice and my unit as a second choice. Got my PP and a tag. Point creep now prevents that in the unit i was going to.

Thanks. I changed my order to PP for the 1st choice, tag for 2nd choice. Left my 1st choice for my deer for tag.

 

[ToolMann]

I've been hunting unit 80/81 off and on since 2008 straight out of college. I've been enjoying this area since the 90s when I was a kid. Heck I even bought some property up there in 2020 to build a cabin one day. Like most I've been getting burned out on the heavy pressure of OTC. So last year I applied for the elk draw to buy a PP in hopes of using them one day on a less pressured unit for elk. In the meantime, waiting for that, I wanted to apply for the deer in my unit and hunt OTC elk if I didn’t get a deer tag. Now that my unit is draw, I need to figure out a plan to approach the draw each year for elk and deer.


My current situation is that I have 1 pp for deer and 1 pp for elk. Looking at the draw odds for deer, I will probably draw a deer tag. I don't have the budget now to hunt both, and do I have the vacation to spend a few weeks up there chasing both.

So not knowing how many PPs it will take to draw an elk in this unit now, should I use 80/81 for my second choose and buy a PP knowing I will get a deer tag?

If I draw both tags (both first choose) and I decided to choose one, do I eat a PP if I get one refunded? Or will I have to eat the tag to keep the PP? I'm not entirely familiar with the draw system.

Just looking for some recommendation to give me the best shot at being able to make a trip every year or every other year to hunt. How would you approach it? What are your thoughts. Thanks in advance.

If you're talking about also drawing a buck tag in 81 with one point, you might be looking at the stats wrong. It was 4 points for 2nd season a few years ago.

 

[OneShot]

If you're talking about also drawing a buck tag in 81 with one point, you might be looking at the stats wrong. It was 4 points for 2nd season a few years ago.

I’ve never seen 80 require 4 points for a 2nd season tag. Even this year with the later season, hunters were drawing 2nd season with 2 points

 

[___DAN___]

So not 2nd season. 1st season archery is what I am applying for with one point. With what I thought I seen on the stats. 13 NRs with 0 points got a tag. Then 34 out of 40 NRs with 1 point got a tag and 5 out 5 with 2 points got a tag. I believe this is correct if I read it right.

If you're talking about also drawing a buck tag in 81 with one point, you might be looking at the stats wrong. It was 4 points for 2nd season a few years ago

 

[MattCO]

Your points only get used when you draw your first choice. If your first choice was a harder to draw unit and you don't draw it, you get a point for this year (in addition to the point you have from last year). Plus you could still draw your 2nd choice or 3rd choice tag (neither of which use points). And that is all before the secondary draw and then the leftover/reissue lists.

You're correct, based on last year's stats, you have a 100% chance of drawing. Looks like minor point creep in that unit in past years. I'd guess deer tags would get easier to draw since it's now non-OTC, maybe less OTC hunters getting a deer tag to go along with their OTC bull tag.

 

[bsettle]

I'll be there this year, hopefully they can enforce the new draw only tags...

 

[___DAN___]

I'll be there this year, hopefully they can enforce the new draw only tags...

Sounds like most people who put in got one. I'm sure they had leftovers. I drew elk 2nd choice and deer 1st choice.

 

[bsettle]

Sounds like most people who put in got one. I'm sure they had leftovers. I drew elk 2nd choice and deer 1st choice.

Yeah I got it with 0 points. I'm just curious how many people will show up still thinking it's OTC

 

[Quadzilla32]

Damn I put in for a group 1st rifle and didn't draw. wonder if it was 1st rifle or the group size that booted us out.

 

[___DAN___]

Damn I put in for a group 1st rifle and didn't draw. wonder if it was 1st rifle or the group size that booted us out.

I don't believe anything else has changed other than archery going to draw. If I can recall, 1st rile for elk was still a crap shoot on getting a tag. I have not looked at the past draw rates for rile and what points it may take, but 2nd season and 3rd season gun is still OTC ( I think ). Oct and Nov can be brutal as far as weather up there.

 

[OneShot]

Sounds like most people who put in got one. I'm sure they had leftovers. I drew elk 2nd choice and deer 1st choice.

No leftovers. There were 2000 tags issued, around 67% of NR and Res drew it as 2nd choice.

Bet it feels more crowded this year since these hunters have to stay in 80/81 and can’t just head out for another unit.

 

[___DAN___]

No leftovers. There were 2000 tags issued, around 67% of NR and Res drew it as 2nd choice.

Bet it feels more crowded this year since these hunters have to stay in 80/81 and can’t just head out for another unit.

So was it 100% on the 1st choice for NR?