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The Ghost of Colorado Point Creep Future

The state wants to maintain buck doe ratios and quality so it will lower 4th season quotas to keep hunters from killing too many older bucks.

Do they really need to though? Most of those 4th season hunts are nearly 100% success anyway.

The loss of a weekend in 3rd season will also have an effect on harvest. I think for most units, the average days hunting is only 3.5-4 days. I would presume that many of those with tags hunt the two weekends they get. I suppose that may change, but that would mean taking time off work for some people.

To be honest I'm super excited about 2nd season being a bit later, and tags being easy to draw for some of the units I've been eyeballing... I'm more than happy hunting Halloween weekend and the week following.

What I always find interesting is that WY hunting season is long over in most areas for mule deer before CO even starts, yet the hunting in CO is a waste of time in 2nd season? I guess if you compare the seasons, sure why not go later, but 2nd season isn't THAT bad.

Either way I'm just waiting until I have the time to make a trip down south again.
 
For the most part they do, the system is very complicated... in a lot of ways more complicated than the regular draw and it really depends how big your places is 1000 acres is way different than 80,000. But for someone with 500 acres, you can 1. Draw an regular tag for your unit, 2. Draw a Private land only tag for that unit if that is an option. 3. Get a landowner voucher if applicable.
You can't get a voucher if there is an OTC season in your unit for that species, you have to have contiguous acreage over 160 acres, you have to be able to demonstrate that there is habitat and that the species you are getting a voucher for is on your land using it. Then you have to apply in a draw and there are quotas. You might be able to get a 2nd season voucher every year a 3rd season voucher every couple of years and a 4th season voucher every 10 years. You can use that voucher yourself or sell it to someone, which gives them the rights to hunt your place and a tag.

Ranching for wildlife is a whole different system and I don't know it well enough to defend or explain the details.

Hunting leases, just aren't a part of CO culture like they are back east, with lot of public land people would likely choose not to pay for private access, they would just complain to the state. Then on the other hand ranchers would complain about elk and deer on their crops and advocate for increased quotas and for the state to have smaller herds. (See Montana, ask BuzzH about shoulder seasons, etc)

There has to be systems to get people to work together towards common goals, and it's important for people to consider the greater picture not just how it effects there personal chances at killing a deer, this certainly goes both ways.

Something to consider there are tons of landowner that have land in trophy units, under 1000 acres more than 300, they will never get a voucher or draw a tag to hunt their own property during 4th season deer, or maybe ever if it's a premium elk season. The quota and odds at a voucher are about as bad as the regular draw and it might be 20 years for them to draw in the regular draw.

Name me one place west of the Mississippi that someone couldn't hunt their own 500 acre property. So on the other side of the fence there are lots of landowner that think the system is BS.

Two sides to everything, the system isn't perfect which is why it's important for people to have these discussions and learn about the issues and then show up to the annual meetings and engage with the process.
Yep. Everyone acts like 160 contiguous is a silver bullet. I own 80 acres in Ft. Morgan and hunt deer and antelope every 3 years or so. My neighbor has over 900 contiguous acres, but a road dives half, and a gmu line divides a third. We both get tags a bout as often. I get frustrated i can't deer hunt every year, can't imagine how he feels. Landowner tags are great, but most that qualify don't get tags every year.
 
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