CO BGSS 2024

[Westelker - W. Colorado]

Like the landowners are going to let you hunt without paying a kings ransom anyhow.

That notion itself is laughable.

It used to be in western CO when I was growing up that one could ask almost any rancher for permission to hunt and they would oblige. Not any more! I have plenty mighty fine spots my wife and I hunt. However, there were several real nice small private honey holes in Unit 54, 66 and 67 that I wrote a letter for permission to cow only hunt and offered to pay a trespass fee if permission was granted. I received very few responses. Either they said they did not hunt those spots (a fib) or an outfitter has the rights. I agree with you guys...the average non owning property hunter is gradually losing out on the best land in the best units to hunt.

 

[The_Jim]

OTC on private lands means every piece of ground from 1-25 to the Utah line would be leased to outfitters or private parties. Ask Montana why they have block management access program - wait - I'll just tell you - because outfitters leased all the ground.
With 2-5, everyone gets a license and there is limited incentive to lock up ground.

OTC on private = can't get a license in the public draw, but lets have an unlimited outfitter set aside that encourages no public access instead. Good grief.

I agree, private land tags and landowner tags will always displace resident hunters.

 

[NativeIndian]

Have they said if the changes will happen this coming season yet or if they'll wait to implement them until next (2025) season?

 

[Mtn Dawg]

Have they said if the changes will happen this coming season yet or if they'll wait to implement them until next (2025) season?

I believe this is for the 25-29 season structure.

 

[Mtn Dawg]

Yeah, but Colorado has more accessible and huntable public land than most western states combined.

That is an interesting assertion. I’ve been a resident for 34 years. With the crowding issues that have become magnified over the past 4-5 years my observation has been that access is one of the major contributing factors to the crowding issues. Our terrain includes the highest mountains of any state and the elk are up in those high mountains. We have a lot of accessible blm land with no elk on it. We have a lot of NF land with elk distributed only in tiny pockets once 2nd season rolls around. Much of that because way too much archery pressure driving them off what was great opportunity in the past. Over most of the western part of this state, in order to get away from that crowding you really need to strap it up and get into top shape and you will work harder than you ever have. Most NR and a good percentage of R are not in that shape. So what we have is the majority of hunters all using the few access roads and hiking trails into units and then hunting within 2 miles of them. All because getting further back is so difficult. The OTC counter experience for NR is to mostly set up a big camp and then do a lot of driving on your atv on trails and roads with some limited foot travel into the backcountry.

 

[The_Jim]

The OTC counter experience for NR is to mostly set up a big camp and then do a lot of driving on your atv on trails and roads with some limited foot travel into the backcountry.

Take it easy on those guys, they’re my favorite hunters to compete with