Boulder CO planners endorse limited public elk hunting on their open space

I disagree this sounds like a valiant attempt to allow hunting in an area that needs it and the regs seem well thought out to avoid confrontation and blow back. I would apply.
 
As someone who sometimes works in Boulder, I would love the chance to hunt nearby. I think (hope) it may offer the "republic" an opportunity to see how hunters help others out as well.
 
I tend to agree, but this hunt is not in the Peoples Republic. It is about 15 miles north near the town of Lyons, where the people are more reasonable. I ride my bike near there fairly often and I think it would be sweet to have the chance to hunt there. I'm all for it and I know the local BHA Chapter is working hard to get this going. Thanks elkduds for posting this.
 
I know the local BHA Chapter is working hard to get this going. Thanks elkduds for posting this.

There was at least 6 members (myself included) of BHA at the last in-person meeting. The response seemed overwhelmingly in support, with a few very loud detractors.

Some of the complaints I get - this is a very popular open space (its about 7 miles from my house) and safety needs to be of the utmost importance. I think this is a real opportunity for hunters to show they're not all slobs that love to break rules and just care about the rack - which seemed to be a common misconception among detractors; these are _antlerless tags_ for the love!

There were a couple people that seemed to think no hunters live in Boulder County; which was incredible to me considering the number of people in the room wearing camo hats. What non-local is going to go for a tag only valid in such a small location and with such steep requirements?

The landowner group is a curious one to me. Now, some of them allow hunters on a limited basis, but others were simply opposed to everything:

- we don't want to pay for anything
- we don't have to haze
- we don't want to fence
- we don't want people on our property
- we want to see the elk, but we don't want them damaging our property

The sense of entitlement there was very curious to me. I can understand being frustrated by damage but you live where the elk live; that's a choice!
 
I haven't been able to make any of the meetings, but have been sending in my comments on a regular basis. If you go hunt it, play it safe and borrow a Subaru for parking in the lot.

This is getting attention over at Bowsite too.
 
For people who regularly draw public land cow tags on 20 it would be worth putting in for the one week slot lottery. I wouldn't apply for tags in 20 just for this opportunity though.

Boulder county owns a lot of land in 29 which is illegal to even cross with a firearm, let alone hunt, this keeps people from accessing FS land that is otherwise huntable. I'd like to see Bldr County start managing wildlife scientifically like the rest of the state.
 
Most of the Boulder folks are California transplants. They are used to the government supplying their every whim and desire.....
 
Although I'm a transplant to Colorado from the midwest it has been almost 20 years now, half of my life give or take has been here in Boulder county. I'm an avid hunter but also a frequent user of the city and county open space when it comes to day hiking and mountain biking. My main concern with putting hunters in such close proximity with the recreating public there is liable to be some backlash. Who remembers the moose that an archery hunter shot legally in the Indian Peaks Wilderness only to have it meander downhill and expire on the side of the paved road that goes around Brainard Lake. And what do you know!? Those who have come to the mountains to view wildlife in its natural habitat happen to be witness to a hunter harvesting his wild game for the season. An archery bull moose no less, a lifetime accomplishment for most hunters! I support the movement to open new areas to hunting. However this would not be my choice for an area to hunt myself. Just my $.02.
 
As an ex-New Jersey resident, I hunted the Great Swamp NWR for almost 20 years. NWR was 10,000 acres of woods and swamp, and had plenty of deer if you were willing to work. The hunt regularly drew protesters, but they did not pose much of a hassle. One warm December afternoon as I was bringing in my two does in the trunk of my Olds 88 road boat, I got shouts of "Murderer". So I rolled down the window and asked them where they were last year when it was snowing.
 
IMO this looks like a prime example of Randy's advice to hunt the areas with difficult access. Having to sit through a lecture on how to hunt elk and be safe will keep a lot of people away. Here is a landowner looking for hunters because they have too many elk. I may check this out myself.
 
Right.....
But hey, they vote D, which seems to be all good in these parts.

The more Democrats there are, the better an area, state or even the country for that matter will be I thought was the general concensus on Hunt Talk?

For the uninformed, even California is made up mostly of eastern transplants along with they're south of the border friends. But hunt talkers should strive to make their states just like California since its a haven for the Democrat party idea's which the country would be better off embracing if you listen to the so-called big names on hunt talk :rolleyes:
 
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