CO 2016 Harvest Report

[js80138]

Here is the link to the CO 2016 Harvest Estimate.

http://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages ... s-Elk.aspx

[oldnovice]

Confirmed everyone's sentiments! Worst results for years. The two areas I hunted were 8% and 8% success rates where historically they were in the mid to high 20% range. Same for the mule deer harvest. Plains deer hunters did a lot better.

[JKaboom]

Thanks for posting js80138

My unit was 14% success for elk and 55% for mule deer - this must be why I was able to get a mule deer but not an elk.
I sure had a great hunt for my first Colorado big game hunt and looking forward to many more.

[Elkduds]

1st season harvest was down, 4th was way down. 8% success where I ate tag soup during ML season. The good news: should be plenty left for this fall.

[saddlesore]

Confirmed what we knew about Unit 54. Those thinking about hunting with Tenderfoot Outfitter should check out the statistics.

The poor success is mostly due to the elk heading to the private ranches right after the 1st shot is fired during rifle season

[js80138]

These statistics bring up an interesting dilemma. My archery unit had a harvest rate of 5% out of 1,045 hunters. The unit is in decline, 10%/1105 in 2015, 17%/988 in 2014. At what point do I say enough and move to a different unit? These statistics do coincide with the warm/hot September we've expereienced the past couple of years and my unit does not offer above treeline hunting, maximum elevation is 10,500. I will need to research to see if the percentages were better in higher terrain.

After reading the 2016 estimate numbers I have even a greater appreciation for the hunters who do harvest. 11% Archery success statewide.

[NorthIDTLH]

To qualify this comment, you should know I've not researched Colorado laws. However, I do know Idaho laws. That being said when you're looking at percentages and numbers, keep in mind these numbers are very possibly skewed. Idaho harvest numbers are derived from voluntary hunter reports. Most people who have a "Honey hole" are going to report a minimized success rate. Most of us like to keep our elk spots as secret as possible.

I spoke to a local Fish cop and asked him specifically if false reporting (In Idaho) was a criminal act. He said "No it is not". He went on to explain most of the numbers are inaccurate at best, based on the lack of scientific verification and people's motives when reporting.

All that to say, don't put too much stock in the reported success rates.

[oldnovice]

I don't share your cynicism too much. I think that hunters are basically more honest than the general public. I suspect that the numbers are generally reliable indicators of trends. Differences between the last two years were that in 2015, I heard shots fired pretty much every day I was in the field. 2016 I only heard shots on two days out of almost 3 weeks of hunting the same areas. In one unit I did not hear any shots fired during the entire 3rd rifle season.

That said, I found out from the wildlife biologist right after the draw deadline that one of the units I hunted saw a 25% winter kill off rate the winter before the draw! They knew this before the draw but didn't report it. Pissed me off a little.

[saddlesore]

Old Novice. The CPW did the same thing with the whitetail die off two years ago in eastern co.They also did not fess up to the big winter die off of elk in the 2007/2008 winter.
In reference to the success ratio etc. on the CPW website. A small percentage of hunters are requested to fill out a survey online. Ten those numbes are extrapolated by computer to come up with the numbers given.

The herd counts are done similarly. A number of elk or deer are counted in one area, The CPW say hat should be an average over all and computers come up with herd counts for the entire region.

Sometime, get a copy of the Colorado 5 year Big Game plan and read it in it's entirety. When done you will see that the bottom line is how much much money they can take in,not what is best for proper herd management

[CurlyTail]

When I talk to guys, the harvest rate sure seems higher than the published rates.

Seems like you really have two groups - those that tag out every year or almost every year, and those that never tag out. I am always surprised by the number of hunters that purchase a tag, and then never even hunt - usually at least 10%. I really don't get that.

I find the published statistics to be almost worthless for finding a good area to hunt.

[saddlesore]

Probably about 80% true Curly, I do think that if one area is 14% and another is 26% , a person might take that into account.
I have hunted both types. . The 26% I see elk all over, the 14% ,they come hard