Should rifle elk be limited?

[Slm864]

Maybe if CPW would actually require mandatory reporting whether your tag was filled or not it would provide better info for determining how to handle all of the seasons.

With that being said I think all seasons should have a cap of some sort.

 

[Mtn Dawg]

You just watch and see what bullshit CPW “scientific” herd management decisions are made when these landowners flex on legislators. One day Colorado too could issue free elk tags directly to small ranches to dispense with as they please. 160 acres be damned. It happens here in NM and can happen there as well.

I believe that would be illegal under our current legal structure. That would take a legislative move to change.

 

[Madman]

It seems to me that CPW is doing all they can to screw up the hunting seasons anymore....when DOW controlled the tags based on herd numbers it seemed to be balanced pretty well...the combination with Parks has seemed to do very little for hunters. This year they cut tags for elk in multiple units due to "Winter Kill"...they unit I typically hunt had no such sever winter kills...yet tags got significantly reduced...it's like they are making decisions with a magic 8 ball.

 

[Ckleeves]

It’s needed, but they can’t do it like they have with archery and limit a unit here and there while leaving others OTC and pushing everyone into a smaller and smaller area that’s still OTC. It’s gotta be all or nothing.

Part of me doesn’t want to see it happen because I love buying a OTC tag for what fits my schedule that particular year but at the same time I feel like it needs to happen unfortunately. The mountains are getting loved to death all over CO.

Reducing point creep would be a huge bonus if it took a first choice app to get an antlered elk tag. The amount of points required vs the quality of the hunt you get is getting pretty horrific and it’s way worse for non-res.

I look at what going limited did for deer and it was night and day and you can still deer hunt every year if you want.

 

[Mtn Dawg]

I hear all the time that CPW can’t change the NR allocations whether limited draw or OTC but I have never seen any financials to support that assertion. Sure NR bring in a ton of revenue, however would it not be extremely informative to know the actual financials we are talking about? Maybe a modest manipulation of the numbers gets us to a financial place that still works and makes resident hunters a lot happier. But we won’t know unless we’re all looking at the same data.

 

[rogerthat]

What is the hope for ending otc? Bigger bulls? Less crowding? Higher success? Better quality hunt? All of the above? Unquestionably otc Colorado elk will end. It’s just another domino. As one otc hunt drops off it puts more pressure on the remaining. It’s just a matter of time.

 

[MtnElk]

for NR, yes...

 

[Foldem]

OK guys, how do you feel about rifle being limited on public, but OTC unlimited on private in the NW Winter kill area? Land in these DAU's is 41% and 50% private respectively. I would venture to say that the majority of bulls killed in 2nd and 3rd in most of these units are killed on private.

 

[Mallardsx2]

It should be limited for everyone. R and NR.

And in order to get a tag you should have to burn your points for ANY A-list tag.

 

[grasshopper]

OK guys, how do you feel about rifle being limited on public, but OTC unlimited on private in the NW Winter kill area? Land in these DAU's is 41% and 50% private respectively. I would venture to say that the majority of bulls killed in 2nd and 3rd in most of these units are killed on private.

View attachment 300883

Unlimited OTC Plo tags will:

1. Encourage private land leasing by both outfitters and private parties
2. Cpw was supposed to start a public access program to rival block management as promised by broschied during the future generations act, instead we create hunt codes to lock the public out of public access.
3. Can you say "outfitter set aside"

The only positive is it prevents landowner vouchers, but having unlimited otc plo is worse then vouchers which is only 20 percent of a quota.

 

[trb]

Limited for all or just for NRs and quota caps for Rs. The crowding is ridiculous. It will mean a huge loss in revenue but I'd happily pay 3x what I currently pay for R tags in exchange for 25%-33% less people in the field.

In regards to OTC PLO tags, I'd be very curious to hear what others think, and am not experienced enough in other states' PLO systems to be confident in my own opinion. My gut says I'd be a bit worried about how it could encourage bad behavior by some land owners and outfitters, but I could be off base.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Limited for all or just for NRs and quota caps for Rs. The crowding is ridiculous. It will mean a huge loss in revenue but I'd happily pay 3x what I currently pay for R tags in exchange for 25%-33% less people in the field.

You might be 1 of the 3 R's that have manned up to make this statement.

I am a NR, and I don't like getting nudged out, but I get it, you want more tags. I salute you for wanting/willingness to take on more of the financial burden instead of just wanting more tags for the same amount of money (only to pass the financial burden onto the NR's shoulders AGAIN) like every other entitled Resident asks for.

NR's should NOT be Colorado's financial crutch. If you want more tags, pay for them, stop just asking for them in exchange for nothing. Support your state more and you won't need help from the outside world to keep the CPW afloat.....

 

[MattinCO]

Agreed, I'm on board with paying a higher resident license fee, even significantly higher, if needed and if we get something in return for it. With the current CPW budget surplus, it doesn't seem needed.

 

[trb]

You might be 1 of the 3 R's that have manned up to make this statement.

I am a NR, and I don't like getting nudged out, but I get it, you want more tags. I salute you for wanting/willingness to take on more of the financial burden instead of just wanting more tags for the same amount of money (only to pass the financial burden onto the NR's shoulders AGAIN) like every other entitled Resident asks for.

NR's should NOT be Colorado's financial crutch. If you want more tags, pay for them, stop just asking for them in exchange for nothing. Support your state more and you won't need help from the outside world to keep the CPW afloat.....

I honestly don't really care about getting more tags. And I have heard plenty of residents say the same, sometimes the most unreasonable voices in any conversation are the loudest.

It's not about less NR hunters in in the state. It is about less total people in the woods and therefore improving hunt quality. No caps on OTC R or NR is unsustainable with the level of interest in western hunting nowadays. I understand this is shrinking overall opportunity, but when the quality of that opportunity has decreased past a certain point, we have to reconsider priorities. I have avoided this issue personally by not hunting any archery, muzzleloader or 2nd or 3rd season for any species that has an ongoing OTC season, and although that is obviously personal choice, its still a bummer that I am ruling out 50+% of hunts in the state due to their quality via structure.