CO tags changes

[CrownKiller14]

Colorado is looking to make serious changes to tag allocation for Non Residents. Guys/gals with a lot of point might seriously look into burning them.

Co is looking to change regular and high demand units . Proposed changes to make regular units 75/25 split, and 90/10 for high demand. HD units are defined are unit that require 6+ point to draw. That's most of CO for elk and muley rifle hunts. Also looking at more changes to OTC Elk but nothing specified.

What that means is point creep is going to be ALOT worse if these changes are implemented. Something to think about this application season.

[donpablo]

Got a link to your source for the info?

[CrownKiller14]

https://www.gohunt.com/content/news/colorado-considering-changes-to-preference-point-and-tags

Looks like a should have made notes... Regular units to 75/25

[WItoTX]

Did you mean to put this in PACE?

Also, the point system is a huge problem. No state does it really well, but Wyoming has a pretty decent system, and Montana, if you can figure it out, is decent too. I actually think CO has a really good balance of opportunity and big animals. You can hunt there every year if you would like.

[CrownKiller14]

No, I forgot there's a Public Hunting forum.. Just sent a message to mods to move to correct forum..

Right now they're taking survey's from Res and NR. Guys with high point counts should go complete the survey and fight for their 10% of tags they're trying to eliminate. After "donating" CP&W hundreds/thousands of dollars every year for a point to only lose 10% of the tag allocation doesn't seem right to me. I only have 2 deer points so no huge lose to me but NR folks with 20+ points should be furious.

[RutnBuk]

Im going to do the survey. Have 24 elk points. Not ready to burn them as I have private land to hunt but Im sick of what Colorado is doing to us non residents.

[CrownKiller14]

RutnBuk, hopefully you go with a top tier outfitter and get the bull of a lifetime.. 24 years is along time to wait to kill an elk.

[RutnBuk]

RutnBuk, hopefully you go with a top tier outfitter and get the bull of a lifetime.. 24 years is along time to wait to kill an elk.

It dang sure is. One of these years Im gonna burn them but I just dont know where I wanna go yet. I know unit 61 very good but have heard its been going downhill the past decade for trophys. One thing ive got going for me is my age. Im still in my 30s barely, so hopefully I can outlive a lot of people and have my choice in the next 10-15 years.

[tx_basser]

Stop allowing people to just buy points to accumulate and make them draw for a tag. If you get drawn and accept the hunt... great. If you get drawn and reject the hunt, you lose your point and get charged an admin fee.

[CrownKiller14]

It dang sure is. One of these years Im gonna burn them but I just dont know where I wanna go yet. I know unit 61 very good but have heard its been going downhill the past decade for trophys. One thing ive got going for me is my age. Im still in my 30s barely, so hopefully I can outlive a lot of people and have my choice in the next 10-15 years.

That last part made me LOL. By then there might be 10 great units or 0.

[CrownKiller14]

Stop allowing people to just buy points to accumulate and make them draw for a tag. If you get drawn and accept the hunt... great. If you get drawn and reject the hunt, you lose your point and get charged an admin fee.

That's true and I get what your saying, but if you waited 20+ year for a tag and then get a tag in a drought year. Then those bulls are down 20% in antler growth aren't you gonna want to turn that tag in? Does the guy that waited 20+ year deserve that 280 bull that could have been 320?

[WItoTX]

No, I forgot there's a Public Hunting forum.. Just sent a message to mods to move to correct forum..

Right now they're taking survey's from Res and NR. Guys with high point counts should go complete the survey and fight for their 10% of tags they're trying to eliminate. After "donating" CP&W hundreds/thousands of dollars every year for a point to only lose 10% of the tag allocation doesn't seem right to me. I only have 2 deer points so no huge lose to me but NR folks with 20+ points should be furious.

But you get refunded, and if you put in for point only, isn't it like $50?

Not saying it's free, but in the grand scheme, they really aren't making money off folks who don't draw. They actually have a vested interest in giving more tags to out of staters.

Regardless, I am going to fill out the survey, and thank you for sharing.

[Shane]

It dang sure is. One of these years Im gonna burn them but I just dont know where I wanna go yet. I know unit 61 very good but have heard its been going downhill the past decade for trophys. One thing ive got going for me is my age. Im still in my 30s barely, so hopefully I can outlive a lot of people and have my choice in the next 10-15 years.

It's a crapshoot for sure, Clint. In 10-15 years, point creep will probably be even worse (if they haven't gone to a random draw by then), there will be more subdivisions built on elk ground, more resident hunters taking a larger percentage of the tags, packs of wolves eating elk every day and night, etc.....

I don't know what the answers are for all the non-resident elk hunters. It sucks though. Hopefully private land hunting will still be OTC and/or landowner tag rather than draw. The draw stuff really sucks these days, and it's getting worse every year for us non-resident step children.

[CrownKiller14]

But you get refunded, and if you put in for point only, isn't it like $50?

Not saying it's free, but in the grand scheme, they really aren't making money off folks who don't draw.

Regardless, I am going to fill out the survey, and thank you for sharing.

Unfortunately that's not correct. Co issues no refunds unless you turn a tag back in.

You have to buy a non resident hunting license to buy a point. $90 Nr license + $10 habitat fee.

Then $10 per species. Non refundable.

Then if you draw you pay for the tag.. Elk bull $700+

$110 x 20 years = $2,200 (with no tags purchased yet.) It's a scam lol Lets milk these hard working people for 20 years then cut the tag numbers by 10-15%

[RutnBuk]

It's a crapshoot for sure, Clint. In 10-15 years, point creep will probably be even worse (if they haven't gone to a random draw by then), there will be more subdivisions built on elk ground, more resident hunters taking a larger percentage of the tags, packs of wolves eating elk every day and night, etc.....

I don't know what the answers are for all the non-resident elk hunters. It sucks though. Hopefully private land hunting will still be OTC and/or landowner tag rather than draw. The draw stuff really sucks these days, and it's getting worse every year for us non-resident step children.

Oh I know. Im always worrying about the day they decide to change their system up and wipe my points out.

If I didnt have the otc private land, I would be sending in. I just dont want to leave the private while I have it. I do agree, their system sucks for us step kids.