I am hoping to elk hunt in CO this year. I have a unit picked out since my wife's cousin knows it well and willing to help me out. I currently have 3 preference points and this unit was 100% draw at 3 PPs in 2021. But in 2020 it was drawn out at 6 points (talking 3rd rifle if that matters). Does anyone have an idea of why the big discrepancy? I understand it's impossible to know exactly how many it'll take this year but I typically only do one big trip a year so I'm trying to decide if I should bank on drawing that tag this year or just buy a point and do it next year?
Number of Points Needed for CO Elk
- Thread starter Benjamins
- Start date
Bambistew
Well-known member
Same number of tags between years?
Same number of tags but I never really paid attention to that and apparently this unit has very few NR tags so I guess if just a few people with high points decide to put in on a certain year it'll mess up traditional drawn out stats. But now I'm concerned about hunting a unit with such few tags issued. Now I have other thing to obsess over before I go hunting haha
wannakillabigbull
Well-known member
That particular unit gives out few tags overall and is subsequently a bit volatile in terms of number of points required. I personally wouldn't put all my eggs in that basket on any year because it doesn't take a lot of new applicants to shift the draw odds. Worth applying if you have back-up plans that you're comfortable with.
elkduds
Well-known member
W low NR allocation, one NR group app w higher points than you could bump you out. Again, without knowing the unit and season, all responses here are pure speculation. Good luck!
wannakillabigbull
Well-known member
It's easy enough to figure out the unit based on the information you gave. That unit/group is a weird one. I've never hunted there myself but it can be very hit or miss based on the guys I've talked to that hunt it, and the harvest statistics show a lot of volatility. Colorado doesn't require hunters to return questionnaires so that data is only so useful, but I can say that my anecdotal evidence seems to support it. That being said, the people I know that have hunted it tend to go back because there are some good bulls. Maybe someone will chime in that has hunted it for themselves. Best of luck!
D
Deleted member 28227
Guest
I think NR landowners also factor into the 35% tag percentage.
So for instance if a bunch of NR landowner put in one year their will be a lower allocation for NR regular draw?
Either way, it's just a super small quota so there will be a ton of volatility. If one group of 3 guys decided to do a party app that can have a dramatic impact on the odds.
I guess I'll apply and worst case scenario I will do OTC. Thanks again for the input.
Bambistew
Well-known member
Is this right? I thought LO tags were LO tags from their own pot. They can be sold to residents or NR a like.
D
Deleted member 28227
Guest
No you are correct, I was wrong. (Though I was wondering about a NR landowner applying for the tag... but I guess their aren't NR land vouchers.)
elkduds
Well-known member
That's correct. They don't increase tag #s during the draw.
D
Deleted member 28227
Guest
If it was me I would plan on hunting.
You have the draw, then secondary draw (ak youth draw), then reissue day, then the rolling reissue tags. So 4 chances to pick up this tag, only the draw uses your points.
Put in, if you don't draw see if you can snag it later, and if Oct rolls around and you don't have a tag hunt OTC.
Bluffgruff
Well-known member
I worked with someone who had a family member who guided for elk in the unit in question, and I lived in the area for a year. Most of the big bulls are killed on private ranches both up high and down low. It's probably a decent early season unit for public land. People like to apply there because a local can dayhunt from home, not because it's an easy place to kill a big bull. For 3 points, you can do better going in blind during 3rd rifle in some units farther from the cities.
Well that's a bummer but good to know. I have never hunted colorado before and was just going there because I somewhat have a contact for at least a jumping off point. Kind of hard to go somewhere totally blind. But Maybe I'll keep looking at other units and see what I come up with. Thanks for the reply!
old roper 42
Active member
You can pull this up and and look at draw result.
Another thing to look at is the objective for the particular unit. I read about unit 551; GoHunt indicates they are seeking to reduce elk tag numbers to allow for mule deer. However, the available tags given each year fluctuate up and down. During 4th Rifle, available tags were reduced significantly. I bring this up since this is an example where CPW is trying to reduce elk numbers, but available tags are not immediately consistent with this objective.
I say 'immediately' since game managers control elk herd size mainly through cow tags. Secondly, if you really want to know the answer then add this to your list of questions for the biologist. Sometimes they can flush out the reason why required points fluctuated; whether from updated herd objective, season date changes, or by looking at annual trends in available cow tags.
I have been mulling over a similar question, except it involves Co's 4th Rifle for elk. With 2 points, you can get just about any unit in the state except the Estes Park, Area 10 unit, and the other glory tag units. This season is during Thanksgiving and many of them have terrific harvest success and high public land percentages for such low numbers. I wonder if the season date change from last year to this year is what improved the draw odds. Any ideas or thoughts?? I guess most wives won't let people hunt during Thanksgiving? To me, that sounds like the perfect time to rent a cozy cabin on the edge of the wilderness and smoke a turkey.
I say 'immediately' since game managers control elk herd size mainly through cow tags. Secondly, if you really want to know the answer then add this to your list of questions for the biologist. Sometimes they can flush out the reason why required points fluctuated; whether from updated herd objective, season date changes, or by looking at annual trends in available cow tags.
I have been mulling over a similar question, except it involves Co's 4th Rifle for elk. With 2 points, you can get just about any unit in the state except the Estes Park, Area 10 unit, and the other glory tag units. This season is during Thanksgiving and many of them have terrific harvest success and high public land percentages for such low numbers. I wonder if the season date change from last year to this year is what improved the draw odds. Any ideas or thoughts?? I guess most wives won't let people hunt during Thanksgiving? To me, that sounds like the perfect time to rent a cozy cabin on the edge of the wilderness and smoke a turkey.
