Colorado Big Game Changes

[drthornton]

I just saw this press release from Colorado in Big Game Changes:

http://wildlife.state.co.us/NewsMedia/PressReleases/Press.asp?PressId=6243

2 things that stuck out to me were:

1."Archery elk licenses are totally limited in units 54, 55 and 551"...I don't know exactly what that means...but I think it means there will be a cap on OTC archery tags for these units. I know there some folks on this thread that archery hunt these units.

2. "The Colorado Division of Wildlife established a "Hybrid" drawing for select elk and deer licenses for the 2010 hunting seasons. The purpose of the drawing is to give hunters the additional opportunity to draw a license for some of the state's premier elk and deer hunting areas. Hunters with five or more elk or deer preference points that select as their first choice a unit requiring 10 or more resident preference points for that species will be automatically included in the random drawing. Approximately 15 elk and three deer units qualify for the drawing." Could be really good news for you guys accumalting points for those high end hunts.


Danny

 

[drthornton]

Just saw Oak had already posted this info. I should have checked more closely.

 

[Oak]

Regarding #1, it actually means there will be no OTC archery elk licenses for those units. A hunter will have to apply in the drawing to receive one.

I'm going to post more info about #2 in the other thread in a bit.

 

[WV Hunter]

Regarding #1, it actually means there will be no OTC archery elk licenses for those units. A hunter will have to apply in the drawing to receive one.

I'm going to post more info about #2 in the other thread in a bit.

Thanks Oak, I was wondering what they meant by that as well.

 

[Fish]

Thanks thornton,

what about these other changes ?? thought they were pretty big news ...

Third Rifle Combined Season:
The third rifle combined season for deer and elk has been extended to nine days, including two weekends. The 2010 season opens Nov. 6 and continues through Nov. 14.

Muzzleloading Elk Licenses:
"Statewide" muzzleloading licenses are no longer available in 2010. All muzzleloading elk licenses are valid in specific Game Management Units (GMUs) or Data Analysis Units (DAUs) only. Either-sex licenses are also available in specific units.

Nonresident Desert Bighorn Ram License:
A nonresident, desert bighorn ram license is available in unit S56 (Black Ridge)

 

[drthornton]

Yes those are, big news!
I am sorry I don't focus much on ML and I know the sheep tags are of GREAT interest.

Sure seems like CO is shaking things up

I think Oak has a much better handle and perspective on this subject.
As a new western hunter I miss out on the perspective of those guys putting in for all those years and the difficulty and persistance of drawing those tags.
But I am learning...I'll be there someday.

See:
http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?t=241942

 

[jimss]

If you think it was tough to draw unit 2, 10, and 201 elk tags in past years wait until you see what the draw odds are going to be like in 2010! There are a lot of guys that have been applying for pref pts in past years rather than applying for a unit because they knew they didn't have a chance of drawing a tag. I can almost guarantee draw odds will skyrocket this year in the toughest draw units as more guys will want in on the action in the 10 pref pt+ units!

 

[Khunter]

If you think it was tough to draw unit 2, 10, and 201 elk tags in past years wait until you see what the draw odds are going to be like in 2010! There are a lot of guys that have been applying for pref pts in past years rather than applying for a unit because they knew they didn't have a chance of drawing a tag. I can almost guarantee draw odds will skyrocket this year in the toughest draw units as more guys will want in on the action in the 10 pref pt+ units!

I think the draw odds will be similar with normal creep, for the regular preference-point draw. At least that is what I would predict But yes, the influx of applicants with 5 or more points trying for the random tag will be huge and the odds of pulling one of those will be less than 1 percent.

 

[jimss]

KHunter, If you think about it the CDOW are taking tags away from the high pref pt pool to offer the tags in the other pool of applicants w/5+ pts. With fewer tags available in the high pref pt pool doesn't it make sense that it will likely take longer to draw tags in these units?

If you think pref pt creep was bad before wait until you see what happens with the new system! I can almost guarantee it will take longer to draw these tags..especially if you are one of the guys 1 or 2 pts from max!

 

[Khunter]

If you think pref pt creep was bad before wait until you see what happens with the new system! I can almost guarantee it will take longer to draw these tags..especially if you are one of the guys 1 or 2 pts from max!

I am one of those guys and I do not expect it to do much to me. It will not boost the creep a full point. I was ostensibly 50/50 going into this years draw for about the best archery tag in the state (yeah not saying much it is what we have here) and doubt my odds will drop below 30%. And next year I'll be between 80-100% odds. Not too drastic a drop because of the new scheme but sure I would rather this kick after I get mine.

I like the rule even though it hits me a little up front till I draw out. Only makes sense to have some portion of tags that a normal person with a little bit of patience can draw. It is a state-owned resource they are doling out so the exclusivity of it should be tempered. They should this hybrid allocation to the lesser units as well, again to ensure some average folks get a chance to see and appreciate/protect what we have in terms of limited units instead of being jealous of the very few guys who can hold out forever to get the prize.

 

[JohnCushman]

I have a friend who waited 15 years to draw an antelope tag in a "trophy" unit. The antelope buck I shot with an over the counter archery tag was much larger and bigger horned than his 'precious' buck from his "trophy" unit.

You guys can go ahead and wait years upon years to hunt...I'll be out there EVERY year with over the counter tags seeing trophies and getting shots. I see 330+ bulls and 17 inch antelope on public ground where I can go after them EVERY year with over the counter tags.

I would much rather be out HUNTING than sitting at home every year gathering points and WAITING in my own state. If I want to hunt in other states, then I'll put in for drawings and wait if necessary....but I'm not going to sit around and wait in my own state.

 

[Khunter]

You guys can go ahead and wait years upon years to hunt...I'll be out there EVERY year with over the counter tags seeing trophies and getting shots. I see 330+ bulls and 17 inch antelope on public ground where I can go after them EVERY year with over the counter tags.

I would much rather be out HUNTING than sitting at home every year gathering points and WAITING in my own state. If I want to hunt in other states, then I'll put in for drawings and wait if necessary....but I'm not going to sit around and wait in my own state.

You must not be hunting colorado if you are overrun with 17" lopes and 330" elk for that matter.
I do not know anyone who sits at home and waits. Do you actually know people who sit at home instead of hunting available OTC? Like most folks I know who also build points, I hunt every year here in Colorado, other states, AND stock up a pile of points to burn now and then. great system. Usually it is more of trying to fit in all the hunts rather than sittng around wishing I had a tag.

 

[Oak]

This antelope junkie would love to see a photo of a 17" antelope from Colorado.

 

[jimss]

In a way I'm kind of glad this new system was set up because it gives guys w/5 pts+ the crazy notion they may some day draw a 2, 10, or 201 tags! Obviously it can happen but when draw odds are less than 1% it would take several hundred years to draw a random tag or several hundred years before all the guys a head of them will draw tags in the high pref pt pool! What a lot of guys don't realize is the pool of 5+ pref pt applicants increases every year a lot more than the number of tags that are handed out! In other words...each year your odds of drawing one of the 5+ pref pts tags dramatically decreases.

What makes it very frustrating is when state's change their pref/bonus pt systems after some guys have spent a fortune on yearly application fees/licenses!

 

[JohnCushman]

I bumped a huge lope buck a couple times during archery season in the Comanchee Grasslands in unit 135. He was every bit of 17 inches every day of the week. I could never get a shot on him, but the buck I ended up arrowing had great mass and prongs and ivory tips. I have a friend from western CO who comes out here to hunt antelope and saw the same buck during rifle season in the same area, along with a couple other bucks who were nearly as big. But, he and his son could only watch in awe because they had doe tags. My landlord shot a 330+ Elk bull in unit 84 in the southern part of the state and I've seen bulls just as big in the backs of trucks around Ridgeway coming out of the National Forest on over the counter rifle tags. I saw an absolutely HUGE 7x7 in December of 08 while on a late season cow elk hunt in Unit 70.

My thought is that people are so hung up on "trophy" units and will wait countless years in the draw when there are animals just as big wandering around in OTC areas, or areas with many less points. Yes, I'm banking points, but I'm still out hunting every year with different tags. The area I'm looking for for rifle antelope draws about every 5 years for a buck, but I can draw a doe tag every year while I wait, plus OTC archery and still go after a buck.

And yes, I know people that don't go out and hunt every year while they are banking their points and that's just insane to me. I know there are quality animals everywhere, you just have to look for them and be patient instead of waiting 15 years like my buddy did to get a smaller buck than I got with an OTC tag.

My previous post wasn't meant to piss anyone off or insinuate that people are lazy or anything like that. I just don't understand waiting 10 and 15 years to hunt a specific area when quality animals are out there everywhere in OTC units and units that require far less points. I guess I just don't have the patience that some of you do...lol

Khunter and Oak....I'd be more than happy to show you guys around where I hunt antelope...hell...you can stay at my house too if ya want...lol

 

[Khunter]

And yes, I know people that don't go out and hunt every year while they are banking their points and that's just insane to me.

That is the very definition of insane

Still, though, seeing whoppers and photographing and/or killing and putting a tape on them are two different things entirely. I'm no trophy hunter but have come to realize most guys overestimate animals on the hoof--thus the term 'ground shrinkage'. I am as bad as anyone when I have my bow at full draw trying to size up an animal. Not saying you overestimate, not at all, just that most guys seem to so it is dubious to read on the internet that OTC has everything the limited units have. Just has not been my experience. Not sure if I have ever seen a 17" lope, maybe once in NM but it could have been the peyote.

A smart guy I know that frequents this site has said "life is too short to bowhunt OTC elk in Colorado" Another good person ruined for life by hunting a quality unit. tragic.

I would not assume that guys who wait for killer tags are doing so with any expectation of killing a whopper. For me, getting great tags is not about some expectation to kill a whopper (I never have) but more like having the challenge to at least see and chase truly mature animals, and with fewer hunters around. Beats the heck out of run of the mill OTC any day (for me). Just spices up a hunt and gives me that extra motivation to try that much harder in scouting, hunting, etc.

 

[Oak]

I don't think anyone is sitting out while waiting for that primo tag, except non-residents. And they are still hunting in their own state.

I'm always willing to learn new antelope areas. A look in the B&C records book last night showed 13 Colorado bucks with at least one horn measuring 17", five of which have 17+" on both sides. And only 4 have been killed since 1998. I'd say you've discovered a special place.

 

[JohnCushman]

I live in Rocky Ford, guys. I'm about 20 minutes from where I hunt them. I usually camp out there a couple days at a time during archery season. This big buck lives in Unit 135 near the Picketwire Canyon allotment. There's a couple other big ones that mingle in with the cattle a few miles up from him. One I've seen with a couple does within 200 yards of hiway 109, but I could never get a good stalk on him. That big buck I keep talking about has been around there for a couple years and has managed to keep slipping hunters. I've talked to other hunters out there during rifle seasons and they talk about him, plus my buddy that comes out here to hunt did taxidermy for over 20 years and I feel he's a pretty good judge of size and he agrees with my estimation. I'm not trying to brag or smack talk or anything like that....but I know there's atleast 4 "trophy" quality bucks floating around in a couple miles area where I hunt...and it's a couple point unit for rifle buck tags

 

[M. R. Byrd]

John,

You are really making me want to hunt a Colorado lope.

 

[Wyodeerhunter]

I have a friend who waited 15 years to draw an antelope tag in a "trophy" unit. The antelope buck I shot with an over the counter archery tag was much larger and bigger horned than his 'precious' buck from his "trophy" unit.

http://www.johncushman.com It's open you should get it!!!!!