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Advice on CO Limited Draw Concern

Trying to figure out what to do....I have 14 points for CO Archery Elk (I'm 61). My son (21) has 10. I would love to archery hunt Unit 76 with him. (I hunted it 14 years ago.) But in looking at recent draws, it looks like it will take almost 20 years for him to "catch up" with the required Non-Res point required to draw. I don't think I can do it at 80... LOL. Does this sound accurate from your read? I'm thinking maybe unit 66 instead...but seems like a waste of a lot of points (and money spent on points.) Appreciate your advice on alternative units or what else to do. (Also can't see spending $100+ for 20 years to get the points he would need.) Colorado is driving non residents away?

maybe he will move there and become a resident

He won't catch it. Dump both your points on a unit you both can hunt either same year or back to back. You never know when the next pandemic will take us out.

I would hunt wherever you can draw or OTC. Life is short. Points required will increase steadily unless or until CO changes the system. I blew 13 deer points to hunt a 1 point unit with my son this year. Zero regrets. I would give up all my points and all my future points if I could have one more season with my Dad who has passed.

^^^ Yes, this.

What Glunt said!

You may want to wait things out a bit longer. If Colo continues the trend heading towards all draw units a lot of guys will be faced with burning pref pts rather than building them if they want to hunt Colo on a regular basis. I really think Colo should have converted over to all draw elk years ago...but that's just my biased opinion! You may also find that if Colo does this the quality of hunt experience will dramatically improve and there will be a lot more units like 76 scattered across the state!

You hunt 76 and have your son along and can work as a team with you! Then in a year or so your son draws a tag and you go with him as and hunt as a team, calling etc. Win , win 2 hunts together. Alot less pressure also on both trying to kill bulls on same hunt unless you plan on being guided.

Jims quality of hunt won't change unless they go draw on rifle also! Don't see that happening.

Buy a landowner tag for him now or one simply helps the other - I hunted there it was fantastic! Rough country.

Yes the issue will be the severe NR point creep for that hunt. Each NR point pool has been advancing toward drawing by 1 point about every 5 years, and this trend has been very consistent. Last year, the first point pool guaranteed to draw was the pool which is 6 points ahead of your son's point pool. If this continues, by simple math, unfortunately that means your son is roughly 30 years out from a guaranteed draw. And that assumes the NR allocation for this hunt never gets cut back to 20% in that time frame. If that happens, the wait will of course be longer.

As far as your own chances of drawing.....FWIW, you & I are in the same point pool, and I've given up on waiting to draw it. I just don't feel it's worth waiting 7-10 more years, for a guaranteed draw in that unit. Will burn my points on a different hunt very soon, and then start hunting an easy-to-draw limited unit in the years thereafter.

Definitely a good option to go together on two great hunts if you work it out right.

It would be easier to focus on one elk hunter at a time.

Nobody know the effect Coronavirus will have on the draws this year. If I were to guess it may be the first time point creep is stopped on some hunts. At least for Non-residents with travel restrictions...

Draw your best unit then hunt with him in 76 next year. Take a camera to film.

Thanks for the ideas and advice guys. Easeup has an interesting point, my son is in Utah now (got residency) and he graduates college in a year or so....maybe he would go to CO and solve the problem!

Take a good look at unit 61 or unit 66

61 aint happening with those NR pref points. Ever

yeah, I'm looking at 66 and 49. I've done DIY and drop camps mostly. Maybe I'll splurge on a guide for my "last" CO elk hunt. Any suggestions on guides/outfitters in those 2 units appreciated.

I would suggest you do 76 with him helping you. I have a friend with enough points for 76. In 2015 I hunted 76 in 2015. I'm planning on going with him just to help him out. It will be a diy hunt for 14 days.

You do your hunt and do a hunt that he can do next year or so. I'm bet you both enjoy both hunts. Ed

I know you've hunted 76 years ago. It's BIG country and if you're going to hunt it you better get on it considering your age.

Draw now or as soon as you can. Go and hunt together with him calling and helping with no tag of his own. I have done this several times with my son and daughter. They have been the best hunts I have ever been on and I did not even have a tag.

I'll see if he's interested in that...thanks guys!

Probably don't need to worry about it this year. Word is the governor is going to close the border cancel hunting seasons for due to the COVID.

Sent you a PM

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