need emails to CPW - bull only proposal
Elk
Contributors to this thread:
Grasshopper's Link
Guys,
Efforts are afoot with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to turn our either sex elk licenses into bull only licenses. In January, the commission is considering converting units in Eagle and Pitkin county to bull only, and shortly thereafter more units in SW Colorado are being proposed for this.
The Colorado Bowhunters is opposed to this action. We have had either sex licensing since the first archery season in the late 1940's, it is a part of our heritage, and hopefully our future. If this concept takes hold, it will proliferate. See the link for our written testimony to the commission.
We are asking ALL bowhunters to email the commission at [email protected] and tell the commission you support alternative 2 on the E-16 issue paper, which will retain archery licenses as either sex licenses.
If we do nothing on this, expect bull only licenses. THE DEADLINE FOR YOUR EMAILS TO THE COMMISSION IS DECEMBER 27TH AT NOON
Thanks
Steve Hilde CPW liaison CBA board of directors
I would be happy that my state realized the need to cut back on antlerless elk when herds are way below objective. I would venture to guess that the recommendation to change is based on sound biological practice.
X2 Bowfreak…..SW Colo. elk numbers are down considerably. I would be more than willing to hold off in order for the betterment of the herd.
Before blindly sending my opposition email I’d like a little more info. Eagle county and SW Colorado are both having issues with elk populations. If they’re doing it to protect cows in an effort to bring the population back, I have zero issues.
I agree with limiting cow harvest to bring populations back up, but start with rifle seasons first. I'm on the fence on this one.
Done. Either sex rifle tags, private land only cow tags running Aug-January, a special rifle cow season during archery in one GMU and list "B" additional archery cow tags are all relatively new creations added when elk populations were peaking. These should be the first place to take action.
Most Managers dislike either sex archery because its a poor management tool. Much easier to predict the effect of a late rifle cow hunt than a few possible archery kills.
Nevertheless, it’s a big change from 20 yrs ago when Colorado’s elk herd was booming, and they went on a tear to bring it down.
Agreed bowfreak. It’s funny. I read how hunters are the number 1 conservationists. Yet as soon as something they are used to getting has a possibility of getting taken away they oppose it. Even if it will be better for the animals.
"Most Managers dislike either sex archery because its a poor management tool. Much easier to predict the effect of a late rifle cow hunt than a few possible archery kills."
This makes sense, and is a great argument for mandatory harvest reporting. Wouldn't need to predict anything with hard data.
Vids, I like how you think. Great comments and I agree.
Ucsdryder's Link
Grasshopper's Link
What is they say...o yee of the little faith? Did you naysayers even read our letter of recomendations?
You guys think the Colorado Bowhunters Association would not put the resource first? You guys think we haven't done the research and been in this for about 100 hours before making this call? Holy cow...Wish I had more time to explain it but it is December and I haven't focused on family in a long time because of this issue.
Last 3 years, 87% of cow harvest has been non archery. 32% was PLO rifle cow. Massive rifle quota cuts in 2018, the season ain't over yet, and we are immediately jumping to archery should be bull only. 4612 elk is the current herd size. If you don't think archers have a target on their back, you've been living under a rock for to long.
Grasshopper's Link
Read the data at the link. The barn doors are being closed after the cows got out.
Yes, 4612 elk. It is down ~10% from when the DAU plan was adopted. Send the email please
With current participation, the models suggest we would take 35 cows.
To clarify a couple points for those unfamiliar, E-16 is an elk data analysis unit comprised of several hunting units around Aspen, Eagle, Glenwood Springs area. Around 2001 the elk population peaked and they started adding more rifle cow tags and the ability to buy an additional archery tag good for cow-only. 11 years ago they almost doubled the private land only rifle cow tags to 1150 (herd was declining but still over population objective). That increase corresponds to a sharper decline in herd numbers. These PLO rifle cow tags are good on private land from August-January and results in the largest portion of the cow harvest. There are also limited rifle cow tags in 4 rifle seasons, either sex rifle tags, either sex PLO rifle tags and one extra early season rifle cow hunt in one unit. All the antlerless rifle tags are list "B" meaning they are an extra tag and you can still have a bull or either sex tag.
The herd kept shrinking and they decreased rifle cow tags but still set cow harvest objectives higher than actual harvest that was happening. The herd went under objective several years ago.
Elk herd numbers are managed with rifle hunting and I feel that the extra rifle pressure they added when the herd was over objective should be where they address this issue. 2015 - 2017 the total estimated archery cow harvest averaged 31 cows/year and that includes the list "B" archery cow-only tags. OTC archery either sex tags are neither the cause or an effective solution to managers not acting fast enough to curtail the rifle cow harvest. We absolutely should give up the additional archery cow-only tags (list "B") as they are part of the extra cow hunting opportunities that were added when the herd peaked.
Losing OTC either sex archery is a giant change and not worth the small impact it would have on herd numbers in my opinion.
Treeline's Link
The attached link is to the discussions we had in the Colorado forum when this first came out.
It is a lot to digest but the bottom line is that our game and fish department significantly increased rifle cow elk hunting pressure in this area from August through January and allowed hunters to get additional cow tags.
Surprise! Now the elk population has dropped below objective!
The recommendations from the biologist eliminates either sex archery licenses and keeps rifle seasons that are right over the top of archery hunters.
If this is not stopped now, you can be assured the CPW will continue to limit more archery tags to bull only and have more rifle cow seasons over the top of archery season.
Thank you for the explanation Grasshopper, Glunt, and Treeline. The CBA undoubtedly has their stuff together. I'll support you all with an email.
Thanks for the support on this one. It truly will affect everyone who bowhunts in Colorado.
I missed the part in the original post that it was archery only. I agree....archery kills will not even be statistically relevant.
It makes no sense that CPW would change the archery tag and not lower the rifle cow tags, but all of us know the reason. $$$
Done....thanks for your efforts guys.
Thank you for adding the link. I sent my email this morning.
Email sent. Thanks for all of the effort, why I continue to support the CBA.
First few responses are disturbing and indicative of people's lack of attempting to understand an issue before spouting off drivel.
Hunted SW Colorado for more than a decade. Total farce that they want to limit the archery hunters and not the rifle season!! Really shows how some quotas and regulations are determined.
Done, thanks for your efforts Grasshopper.
Glint x2. Lots of causes besides archery cow harvests that need to be addressed first.
email sent, and Thanks for the efforts to protect bow hunting.
It appears in the $$$ game that archery is the low man and will always be picked on first.
It's really a shame that some managers don't see bowhunting as one of their best tools. In situations with a limited resource, bowhunting let's more people hunt per available surplus animal, we pay the same fee and it generates more recreation days.
Listening to your podcast with Aron Snyder right now, Grasshopper. Thanks for all you do!
Thank you Steve for all your time and effort. Email sent.
I just turned on the kifarucast episode too. I’m 30 seconds in...looking forward to it!
Steve, very nice job. I could do without the Harold guy. This is his second time on there and all he does is cry about his max points and not drawing. We get it, you want to draw because you have 18 and 3!
I understand better now....you have to just shoot it straight for dummies like me. I must admit....I did not spend the time to read your link as I thought it was the usual CPW word salad babble. I`m on board now.....thanks.
Sent. Thank you for you efforts on this issue.
Listening to you now Steve on Kifarucast and I'm learning a lot it. Kifarucast podcast #130 "CPW License Changes" in case others want to learn more. I don't live in CO but hunt there frequently. This affects everyone that wants to bowhunt elk in CO. Email sent.
Not trying to be confrontational here, but I neither live or hunt in CO., so I feel like I have no business putting in my two cents, the same as I feel about non-Texas residents trying to affect game laws in my state.
drycreek: if you don't hunt in CO then maybe you don't have any business. But, if you buy archery elk tags in CO then it definitely is your business. In my letter to the CPW I told them that if they switched my tag from "either sex" to "bull only" it would affect my decision to hunt in CO. This past year I shot my first cow elk. Now that I've been enjoying cow elk steaks for the last 3 months I promise you - I'll be shooting more cows in the future. The link that Grasshopper posted up about how many cows were killed by bowhunters versus the private landowner tags, it is clear that this just a "taking" move targeting bowhunters.
drycreek, you have friends that hunt in CO?
Oh yea, let’s don’t forget that we have to get the herd numbers up so the furry little wolves have something to chomp on when they are reintroduced!!! After that you won’t have to worry about cow tags!
Emails sent. Shared on Facebook. Here is hoping they listen on this issue.
drycreek, I agree with you about 99.9% of the time. But, you are wrong on this one. As a NR that has depended on CO for my elk hunts up to this point, and Lord Willing many more in the future, this very much affects me. Unlike quite a few resident and NR hunters, I consider CO a great bargin and hunt that I hope to enjoy many more times in my life.
I'm the first to say let science prevail in wildlife management. Which is why this proposal stinks to high heaven.
Wv, as usual, you and I agree 100. Drycreek, this impacts everybody who hunts Colorado or night in the future, resident or non-resident.
I guess I probably worded my response wrong. What I should have said is that I don't know enough about this issue, (since I don't hunt elk anywhere), to make an informed choice. I probably shouldn't have responded at all, but I'm glad you agree with me 99.9% of the time WV, that's more than my wife does.....
I'm gonna visit the links and re-think this.
Ok guys, I read the whole thing and I see exactly where y'all are coming from on this. Even though I don't hunt CO, I think this deserves my support, so I'm about to email them. Thanks for the nudge !
More emails to the commission on this might be a great Christmas gift to all Colorado hunters. Thanks and Merry Christmas to all of you