MtnElk
Well-known member
Same boat. Just had to help a friend completely re-tool his draw because our 3rd season option was in the White River DAU, and I guarantee they cut cow tags the most.
Colorado cutting tag numbers
- Thread starter Lyfter1013
- Start date
pulled my pronghorn app. not that i was gonna draw it, but i know that i don't want it if i did.
and that poor white river deer herd. decimated in '08, decimated by cpw over cwd, and now, again by snow. we'll see what the future holds up there.
and that poor white river deer herd. decimated in '08, decimated by cpw over cwd, and now, again by snow. we'll see what the future holds up there.
sneakem
Well-known member
This^^^^
It's hard to describe. I knew it was bad just seeing and living in it every day. When I flew over it a month ago I was in awe, hundreds of miles just like it, barren wasteland. I wished I had taken pictures... thanks for sharing these...
Buffs35
Well-known member
I'm worried they won't have enough to eat.Perfect time to release some wolves into that area.
TheGreek
Well-known member
State biologists recommend a decrease in hunting licenses in Northwest Colorado
As the intense winter weather continues, thousands of big game wildlife in Northwest Colorado have been forced to migrate farther west than ever before. If the area populations continue to thin without return, Colorado Parks...
www.steamboatpilot.com
Hunt&FishCO
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2020
- Messages
- 253
Brutal winter here in Colorado, still 3’ of snow in the yard.
Was -24 Wednesday morning
Was -24 Wednesday morning
Not da deers!Couldn’t figure out your post till I read the article…
TheGreek
Well-known member
I thought the exact same thing when I read it!
Apps are already in, downpayment on a cabin near Meeker. There is a no refund policy and I understand why. Talked it over with my wife this morning, told her of the dire conditions and maybe forfeiting our deposit and cancelling the trip, was hoping for what was confirmed. We are still going.
She scares me once in a while, like the other day when I first mentioned the winter effects in the GMU's we're hunting this year she said "if we don't see anything this year (like 2021), she may not go again. (She was kidding)
I get depressed when she talks like that, can't imagine any of my friends doing these hunts. Most are used to walking 100yds & climbing into their tower stands. Boring
BuzzH
Well-known member
Should be celebration time for cdow, winter will get rid of those older mule deer bucks to help with the spread of CWD. Lower total populations too, also a desired management option for them too.
They have to be viewing this as a win-win.
They have to be viewing this as a win-win.
bayoublaster7527
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2017
- Messages
- 408
You hit the nail on the head. I’d even take it one step further. Considering the significant faction of the CPW commission that is openly hostile toward hunting, this is a huge win. Less deer=less deer hunting=less hunters. Celebrations abound!
Buffs35
Well-known member
Now they just have to hope the wolves pick off the rest. Anti-hunting wet dream trifecta. Those pro-coal ag & hunting communities should know better than to exist.
okie archer
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2015
- Messages
- 646
Honest question.
What motivates anti-hunting? If it's the death of wildlife what does it matter if wildlife die by bullet, snow, or wolf? Dead deer are still dead regardless of cause of death. So celebrating winter kill because it hurts hunting confuses me, deer are dead either way.
Excuse my ignorance.
LopeHunter
Well-known member
Without a viable population of big game, hunting participation will circle the drain until species get ESA protection and hunting is outlawed in sections of the West. That seems to be why migratory wolves were released that can clean out a drainage then rather than see predator populations decline until prey populations rebound...the wolves just head to the next drainage as if were following a caribou migration. Wolves are in all the states bordering the Pacific now after a few pairs being released in Wyoming years ago. Likely those released wolves exterminated a reclusive native wolf population within Yellowstone.
I think the cost of a cow tag is what will effect point creep for elk way more than 40 % less tags in that area. Most of the area is OTC. It's too late to change that now.
There's only a handful of hunt codes for those areas when it comes to deer. If a lot of people decide not to apply because of the reduced amount of tags you probably won't even see it affect the amount of points it takes to draw.
There's only a handful of hunt codes for those areas when it comes to deer. If a lot of people decide not to apply because of the reduced amount of tags you probably won't even see it affect the amount of points it takes to draw.
RyGuy
Well-known member
Isn’t everywhere in Colorado facing above average snow accumulations? Are there any other DAU’s that will have tag numbers cut or is there something especially bad happening in NW Colorado?
yes, that.
to my knowledge nowhere else in the state is seeing essentially 100% of winter range habitat crusted over under multiple feet of snow since like mid december. whole herds of pronghorn trying to survive on the highway shoulders are getting killed, one semi at a time. northwest colorado and south central wyoming are experiencing the same horrific winter as far as wildlife goes.
