SW Colorado is now draw only for bow elk
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: Thornton
08-Feb-20
Link to follow.
From: Thornton
08-Feb-20
Couldnt get it to work if someone else could help me out.
From: billygoat
08-Feb-20
From: JohnMC
08-Feb-20
Welcome back from out from under your rock. ;) Not new news several threads already.
From: FORESTBOWS
08-Feb-20
They all died from CWD due to baiting.......
From: ryanrc
08-Feb-20
Let's play a game. How many points do you think it will take to draw some of those units will be? Do you think every one will put 2nd choice, or will people with no points pick first choice? I am curious if it blows up other units as people dump their points so that afterwards they can apply for a first choice tag.
From: IdyllwildArcher
09-Feb-20
It's stupid to not have all these units on a draw for rifle as well.
From: LINK
09-Feb-20
I’ve hunted one of those units 2 of the past 3 years. I have enough points I’ll wait to draw a better unit and hunt Jaquemos otc unit until I burn my points. ;)
From: sticksender
09-Feb-20
You can view the 2020 first draft regs at the link below, which lists all the new hunt codes. Of course the 2020 elk license quotas won't be set for a few months. If you want to speculate on the potential archery quotas, check the Muzz and First Rifle season quotas from last year. As a general tendency, the archery quota in many limited units runs roughly 2-3 times that of the Muzz or First Rifle quota. Your mileage may vary.https://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Commission/2020/January/Item.12-Final.W-2.pdf
From: sticksender
09-Feb-20
Also of interest, you'll notice in the draft that they're keeping the antler point restriction in the new limited areas.Also PLO archery hunt codes were added in the SW units, but not the Eagle units.One small positive, at least, is that the public license quota won't be reduced by the Landowner Preference program, since the rule states vouchers are issued only in hunt codes where all rifle seasons are limited.
From: linehunter
09-Feb-20
They added 90 more ML tags to 77/78 last year. (You know, cause they were concerned with crowding) {eye roll} it went from 150 to 240. I wonder if they’ll take those back.
I feel bad for anyone who hunts 80 and 81. It’s about to get a lot more crowded in those units.
From: wildwilderness
09-Feb-20
I think it’s about the either sex archery tag. Since you can shoot a cow they want to limit it. The OTC rifle is bull only
From: Jaquomo
09-Feb-20
Historical lesson that may or may not have relevance today: When the elk units around where I live went all draw, some people burned points to keep hunting there. But they offered so many archery tags that not only was second choice available, but also leftovers.
Betting this happens in some of the new SW draw units as well, at least for the first few years.
From: Glunt@work
09-Feb-20
The limited unit I have been hunting since its close to home is a zero point draw and as crowded or more so than my usual OTC spots.
From: sticksender
09-Feb-20
wildwilderness, based on the commission document, there won't be either-sex archery codes in the SW units, except on the PLO hunts. See the link in my post above. You'll be able to draw a limited archery bull-only tag or a limited archery cow tag. Most likely, if I had to guess, the cow tags will be List A.
From: WV Mountaineer
09-Feb-20
I'd just as soon see the whole state go all draw now for all elk hunters. All this does is blow out the rest of the OTC units. All draw would deter quite a few guys in my opinion. Especially if the allotted tags demanded applying by a deadline in order to expect a decent chance at getting one. Instead of a good chance at a left over tag. I honestly see 'em cutting tags because the mandated license purchases more then makes up for the lost revenue of less available tags.
From: Aspen Ghost
09-Feb-20
I'm thinking the same as Jaquamo, that all these new draw units will be available as 2nd choice in the draw and probably in leftover draw. I wouldn't burn points on them this year.
From: Firsty
10-Feb-20
I heard unit 74 will take at least 6 points as a Non Res.
From: Firsty
10-Feb-20
I heard unit 74 will take at least 6 points as a Non Res.
From: IdyllwildArcher
10-Feb-20
Anyone who's saying a unit that is currently OTC will cost X amount of points is just speculating.
The more units they make draw only, the more they force the OTC guys into more and more crowded OTC units, which pushes us more and more towards having an all-draw system in CO.
From: wildwilderness
10-Feb-20
“ wildwilderness, based on the commission document, there won't be either-sex archery codes in the SW units, except on the PLO hunts. See the link in my post above. You'll be able to draw a limited archery bull-only tag or a limited archery cow tag. Most likely, if I had to guess, the cow tags will be List A.”
That makes sense. They had to make it limited to get rid of the either sex archery. Now they can limit the cow tags and probably give a ton of limited bull only archery tags.
Since the OTC rifle is already bull only they didn’t change it.
From: LINK
10-Feb-20
I can’t imagine there is currently a fair amount of people setting on six points ready to burn them on 74. If you’ve built 6 points while hunting 74 you’re likely going to start hunting 80-81 or many off the other crowded otc units. I’m with jaquemo, there will likely be leftovers.
From: Sivart
10-Feb-20
Call me crazy, but if their goal was to strictly limit the cow tags, why not just keep archery OTC and bull only?
From: Grey Ghost
10-Feb-20
Unlimited OTC for any big game animal is archaic and irresponsible wildlife management, IMO. Colorado should go limited draw across the board for all seasons.
Matt
From: Glunt@work
10-Feb-20
I believe that game animals that are thriving with demand that isn't above supply can responsibly be OTC. Bears, mountain lion, and archery elk qualify for that in much of CO in my opinion.
From: Treeline
10-Feb-20
Why not limit the rifle hunters who kill way more elk than bowhunters?
From: Thornton
10-Feb-20
Treeline, bowhunters probably kill as many or more elk than rifle hunters due to all the cripples.
From: Grey Ghost
10-Feb-20
"Treeline, bowhunters probably kill as many or more elk than rifle hunters due to all the cripples."
Huh? I hope that's sarcasm.
Matt
From: Brotsky
10-Feb-20
Here we go!
From: sticksender
10-Feb-20
I assume Firsty was trying to be funny? Looking back, the Gunnison units...54 and 55 and 551....were switched to limited archery while staying unlimited in 2nd & 3rd rifle, several years ago. Those archery hunts can still be drawn with anywhere from zero to one points, for both Res & NR.
From: Firsty
10-Feb-20
Yes I was joking there will probably be 1K leftovers!
From: Danbow
10-Feb-20
Dave Peterson got the last laugh! And when the wolves come they will push more elk out of the back country onto private than any bowhunters did in the last 40 years. And you will still be able to hunt rifle OTC. You don`t want to hunt those units anyway with all the beetle kill. Can`t walk with all those blow downs. Just stay home and let Dave have it all to himself!
