Contributors to this thread:
The new phase of hunting in Colorado is starting this year. Tags that didn’t sell out until the season started sold out in minutes, both A and B tags. The amount of people in the woods this year and I assume going forward is going to boggle the mind. I think Covid jump started it, but the amount of people talking about going on their first western hunt seems to have increased 10 fold this summer. I have a feeling things are going to be changing and not necessarily for the better!
Try to look on the bright side. More folks in the woods keeps the elk moving.
Lol! You sir are a glass half full guy.
Gonna be interesting for sure...
I blame the Bowsite…………………………………..too many good stories by Lou, Cnelk and Paul at the Fort! ;-)
I'm making plans to go on my second Elk Hunt out West in Colorado Sept. 2022
The amount of people in the woods has been mind boggling all summer in Colorado. I don't recall I-70 from Denver to the western slope ever being more busy on the weekends, even during ski season. And that Cruise America RV rental company must be making bank right now. I've seen their rigs everywhere. I guess I can't blame people for not wanting to get on planes.
I feel so fortunate to be hunting in a unit that will only have a handful of other bowhunters in it this year.
Matt
The demand has definately increased,I am glad that I am old,and have 40 plus elk hunts under my belt.
Matt, it took me 3 hours to get home from silverthorn to Denver a couple weekends ago. I was ready to take a shortcut off the cliff into the river at one point. It’s almost to the point where you can’t go up the hill on Friday/Saturday or come home Sunday.
Yeah John, it’s definitely getting bad. I quit skiing long ago because of the shit show. I grew up in a ski town in Utah so driving for hours on the weekend just to ski wasn’t worth it. Seeing the same thing on weekends in the summer is ridiculous. Took me 2 hours from empire to Denver a couple Sundays ago.
On my last trip up the hill, on a Friday morning, the cars weren't even keeping a 6 foot social distance. It's almost like nobody works on Fridays anymore. It's frustrating, especially for this 58 year old CO native, who remembers how it was in the good ol' days.
Matt
I'm thankful I live in WY, but it's getting hard here to draw antelope etc as a resident.
Bow boy, give it 10 years and you’ll be singing the same tune.
Good news for some of the LE Units...elk should flock to them!
Good thing our population is steady and not too many new hunters as residents, NR are capped so that's our saving grace. Hope those elk gets chased right north over the state line.
"And that Cruise America RV rental company must be making bank right now. I've seen their rigs everywhere."
My gf and I were in Estes then up to Jackson and YSNP last week. We started a game called Cruiser Bruiser....similar to Slug Bug. My arm hurts.
Grey ghost
Few go into the office anymore They take off early on Friday's because they can. Same thing here with people going to the Beach and the Lakes
Wytex, thats a double edged sword. Residents as hunters will vote to protect your hunting and gun rights. New ResidentS as non hunters probably means they’re voting to save all the furry cute, harmless little animals. Spring bear, lions and bears with dogs, trapping, etc.
More people recreating in the mountains this summer than ever before. Insane the amount of tourists
RK,
Yeah, times have certainly changed. Fridays were just another working day for my wife and I. It was always a race to get home after work, and pack up to go to the mountains for the weekend. We'd often pull into our camping/fishing spots around mid-night on Friday. Nowadays, Fridays seem to be the start of the weekend for most people. And they wonder why productivity and wages have been stagnant for years.
Damn, I'm sounding like a grumpy old man. ;-)
Matt
LMAO Matt. You sound like a grumpy old man because you are one......like lots of US
I think weekends start on thursdays here these days!!
Count me in for no work on Friday’s. In MT though so not causing you Coloradans any harm:) life’s too short to work all the time. Glad I figured that out recently.
Yes sir, I too feel the elkwoods will be busting at the seams this year! No sweat, we just hunt smarter! Probably do more calling than in past years!
ElkNut
I thought it was just here in Southern Utah. Never seen so many Vegas and California granola munching liberals flocking to the mountains. Driving me nuts!
count me as a first time western hunting (i.e. part of the problem?)
We've been planning the hunt for 2 years - ended up pulling the breaks in montana. Can't wait to give it our best shot.
Open to any advice from my fellow bowsiters about hunting the area.
I lived in Colorado for around 10 years through the '90's. This was during initial California migration. I left cause it was getting crowded and i could see things changing not for the better.
Fast forward 20 years and we had been planning a road trip back for a couple of years with my daughter for this summer. Heck I thought things were getting crowded back in the '90's! I was shocked to say the least. Our second morning i thought we'd run over to the white sand dunes. Ha! Right! When i came over the rise on the entry road my heart sank as there sat at least a two hour line of cars to get into the park. I remember going down there on my motorcycle and being the only person there at one point. And I could not believe the amount of people everywhere. From Gunnison on up to Estes.
My buddy and i were considering an elk hunt this year in Colorado but plans have changed after that trip. And I'm not doing my annual antelope hunt to SD as i would imagine a similar situation there.
While its encouraging to see so many folks out doors and out hunting cause its sort of a double edge sword when it comes to the solitude that most of us seek in pursuing those activities. Guess one has to go in a bit deeper these days to find it.
elvspec,
I'm curious what was more appealing about Louisiana over Colorado for you?
Matt
Matt, I ask myself that question all the time. And actually nothing except fishing, and I’m from South Louisiana originally. Figured I’d come back to finish my education and then head back out west. Did that and well, still here, living vicariously through Bowsite.??
Gators keep down the riff raff which is why Colorado needs griz again.
Matt.
That area 2 rocks. In our short stint outfitting in Colorado we were in 2 and 10. Both incredible
Enjoy every minute of it
We'll gladly send some Grizzlies from WY to CO to help out!:)
Anyone over age 40 who had a kid is to blame ;)
You instilled the love of the outdoors into your kids and they passed it on ten fold. Young people love the national parks, we remember those 1 or 2 major trips as a kid. Now people want that every weekend, hence why in part many move here.
Not a native, but I'm sure Colorado was pretty damn awesome 40 years ago.
But that's life for you, better to live in an economically booming area than a depressed receding one, I've done both.