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Crowded Colorado

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Crowded Colorado

Postby js80138 » 07 20, 2020 •  [Post 1]

Last week I received my results for Colorado Parks and Wildlife 2nd draw and I was confused and disappointed. I will have the option of hunting both archery and rifle for elk but I was not able to secure a deer tag of any kind in the unit I am rifle hunting. The unit had 103 tags available for antlerless deer. This unit has not sold out in the past 8 years that I know of and has never sold out that I am aware. The second draw provides four different choices so I submitted four of the same choices identical to each other. Surely I would get a tag. The results were published and I got skunked.

How could a unit that has never sold its allotment of tags suddenly sell out this year. I called CPW and asked that very same question. I will share with you verbatim what I was told on the phone. I have no reason to doubt if the statement is true or not but I would allow for a bit of exaggeration. Here is the response:

"Jimmy we had 30k more applications for the first draw than we have ever experienced. We had 20k more applications for the second draw compared to the Left over process from years past. This includes the new increased fees that were implemented. We have no idea what is going on."

This doesn't include any of the over the counter elk tags because those tags aren't sold until Aug. I am only sharing this to prepare all of the hunters who are travelling to Colorado to scout early if possible, arrive before the season begins, again if possible and finally be prepared for a crowded mountain. I suppose the only way to find out is to find out.
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js80138
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Re: Crowded Colorado

Postby saddlesore » 07 21, 2020 •  [Post 2]

I didn't check the stats this year and I don't know where you got all your info, but103 is a very small area and has always been hard to draw. It is essentially the South Republican SWA ( Old Bonney Reservoir State Park? with a little bit of private land around it. I am very familiar with it..It has always taken quite a few points to draw a buck tag. Both in rifle and ML seasons. ML season usually had 10-15 doe tags and those were not even there last year.The year before,mud kept access down and they have been having a youth turkey hunt at the same time which really screws up hunting white tail over those coop alfalfa fields. Just about anywhere out east it takes a few points to draw any deer tag ,except maybe the Dec. doe hunts

A couple years ago the whitetail herd was hit hard with disease. CPW advertised that about 25% had been lost and that was in spotty locations. I drew a buck tag that year and locals estimated that it was close to75% . I saw one small 3 X the day the season opened and one fawn.

I have a friend that farms about12,00 acres of corn and wheat out there close and know several others.I have been hunting it off and off for many year.Normally when harvesting corn they run30-40dee rout.The last few years less than a 1/2 dozen

Never believe what CPW tells you in way of herd numbers.They want those license fees.This was the part you can believe. "We have no idea what is going on."
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Re: Crowded Colorado

Postby js80138 » 07 21, 2020 •  [Post 3]

Saddlesore I appreciate your input and I was hoping you would respond as you are very familiar with most all of Colorado hunting. I apologize if I indicated this post was regarding GMU 103. This is actually GMU 27 and before the 2nd drawing they had 103 antlerless deer tags available. I believe you are familiar with this area as well from posts in the past. It will be interesting to find out if this year will be as crowded as predicted by CPW.
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Re: Crowded Colorado

Postby Indian Summer » 07 21, 2020 •  [Post 4]

The title of this thread says it all. But hey it’s the shortest drive which is important.
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Re: Crowded Colorado

Postby js80138 » 07 21, 2020 •  [Post 5]

Joe WY will be my first second option. Having traveled all of WY, except for Sheridan, I have thought about hunting there during my many many hours behind the wheel. Very different environment. I do have a friend/colleague from Rock Springs that sends me photos of his harvest annually so that keeps me interested.
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Re: Crowded Colorado

Postby saddlesore » 07 21, 2020 •  [Post 6]

Boy I sure missed that one. I read Unit103.Duh.Do I feel dumb. I have never hunted unit 27. However you got it right Colorado is crowded. A lot of units,the deer herds are still declining. All CPW knows is have another study. It took them ten years of studies to figure out they were killing too many deer by issuing too many tags and that is why they went to all draw.

Now it is too many mountain lions.Too many bears. Too much summer -recreational users. Too much loss of habitat.Not enough winter forage.Look no further than the latest Gov Polis's and his First Husband's appointee of CPW Commission. A died in the wool anti-hunter and wolf lover liberal. Read the bios of all the commissioners and you won't get a warm fuzzy feeling that they are looking out for us hunters.

If you can afford it go to another state.
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