Important License Allocation Information
Colorado
Hello all,
I have been very involved and have followed closely the Big Game License Allocation Issues over the past couple years. With that being said, I would like to share some information with you that I feel is important for all Colorado Residents to know.
Following our current Big Game License Allocation Process, CPW is using data for the Primary Draw that was collected 13-15 years ago. Not using up-to-date data for allocating licenses has created a giant problem resulting in issuing licenses to Non Residents, that should be going to Residents according to the current Allocation Process. The amount of hunt codes that are in the wrong category is mind blowing, and trends show it is only going to get worse if CPW continues to do nothing about it!
Below I have listed all of the Hunt Codes that are currently locked in the wrong Allocation category (65/35) that should be in the other category (80/20). This list was created by manually gathering data from the last 3 years draw statistics (2020-2022).
DEER - D-M-001-O2-R - D-M-005-O4-R - D-M-006-O3-R - D-M-006-O4-R - D-M-010-O1-A - D-M-010-O1-M - D-M-010-O2-R - D-M-010-O3-R - D-M-022-O4-R - D-M-044-O3-R - D-M-048-E1-R - D-M-053-O4-R - D-M-054-O4-R - D-M-055-O4-R - D-M-063-O4-R - D-M-066-O3-R - D-M-066-O4-R - D-M-067-O3-R - D-M-067-O4-R - D-M-068-O4-R - D-M-079-O4-R - D-M-080-O4-R - D-M-201-O1-A - D-M-201-O1-M - D-M-201-O4-R - D-M-501-O4-R - D-M-512-S1-R - D-M-551-O4-R - D-M-851-O1-R - D-M-851-O2-R - D-F-041-O2-R - D-F-049-O2-R - D-F-058-O2-R
ELK - E-E-040-O1-A - E-E-040-O1-M - E-E-040-O2-R - E-E-040-O3-R - E-E-040-O4-R - E-E-049-O1-A - E-E-061-E1-R - E-E-076-O1-A - E-E-851-O1-A - E-M-049-O1-M - E-M-049-O1-R - E-M-076-E1-R - E-M-076-O1-R - E-M-851-O4-R
Now is the time to reach out to anyone and everyone within CPW and ask them fix this problem.
Some key players to reach out to include all members of the CPW Commission as well as some of the people leading the research on this topic. All emails are below…
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Thanks for posting
All hunt codes need to be updated to 90/10, but that's just my opinion and hard-capped
More on stale data, the hybrid draw needs to be looked at as well. From the big game guide...."Hunt codes that require 10 or more resident preference points (based on a 3-year average ending with the 2009 drawing), up to 20% of the available licenses may be issued through a random drawing". 3 year average ending 2009!! 13 year old data. I think we all know what has happened to point creep and many more units should be put into the hybrid category. And, on the other side of adding new units some need to be removed. DM-103-L1-R is on the Hybrid list but could be drawn 100% this year with zero points!
Just to clarify for those not acquainted with this issue. In the year 2021, the Colorado CPW Commission approved resident and nonresident elk and deer license allocations. Below:
"currently, for the majority of Primary draw hunt codes, the proportion of elk and deer license is 65/35, resident vs nonresident. BUT for high demand deer and elk hunt codes,( IMPORTANT:) defined as those hunt codes requiring an average of six or more resident PP in the time period form 2007-09, allocation is 80/20, resident vs nonresident."
Conclusion: The time period. for this 80/20 needs to be updated and as stated also, the Hybrid draw time line, also.
I’m all for making all units across the board at least for elk 80/20. The only way I know to do this though is to make all units draw. How do you allocate OTC licenses to 80/20 when they are not unit specific. So this causes a conundrum because I think there would be a mutiny by the residents if they couldn’t elk hunt every year. Where I hunt up in unit 231 there are trucks parked in seemingly every pull off and the camping areas are chocked full of vehicles with out of state plates. All the elk are pretty educated by about day three. Same could be said for unit 14.
And it will get worse in Colorado as other elk states restrict non resident elk hunters. The state has done a great job advertising for elk hunters from other states and placing ads in other states. " we have 300,000 elk, so come one, come all". Arizona and now Nebraska are now recently restricting nonresident deer archery deer hunters, so a pattern is starting to emerge. As was stated before, of the 53,000 elk bow hunters, last year was the first time non resident archery elk hunters surpassed the number of resident archery elk hunters here in Colorado. How many bow hunters need to be reduced to lessen "over crowding"? Interesting, one does not seem to hear much about over crowding during the rife elk seasons, (even thought it might exist) at least to the degree one hears in the archer elk season. The nature of bow hunting elk is getting close and to achieve that, one might need a lot less competition from other hunters. But again, how many "less" bow hunters?. As a resident of Colorado, I want to hunt elk every year.
I attended the SE Caucus last night. The allocation issue felt like it was rushed through with only one attendee being allowed to say anything before the comment period for that topic was over.
Link below is how to find your state reps, might be more useful to voice your opinions to them.
https://leg.colorado.gov/find-my-legislator
It has become very clear that the CPW cares way more about the revenue raised from license sales then providing a quality hunting experience and listening to it’s constituents. It’s sad that we have resorted to the idea that just being out camping and walking around in the forest with a bow in our hands has to be the measure of a good hunt rather then the number of elk seen and/or heard each day.
I don’t have an answer for how to make up for the lost revenue. But as a NR, I think residents should continue to have OTC tags available at the current numbers and Units. And change the entire state to a draw for NR’s
On every CWO survey I take. I answer that I would be willing to hunt less often for a quality experience.
I want what Wyoming has - the opportunity to hunt elk as a resident every year and collect points for premium units, while nonresidents get to share our "quality experience" once every four or five years. Cap NR OTC licenses at 15% or make it all draw for NRs. Increase the resident allocations in LE units and reduce NR allocations. Raise the price of nonresident licenses until the "willingness to pay" threshold is reached, which is obviously far above the current price. Increase the NR PP fee. Implement a modest price increase for residents. Any resident who claims they can't afford $100 for an elk license has no business hunting anyway, because the license cost is the least expensive part of an elk hunt.
I'm not anti-NR, because I am one in every other state. But the resident preference in Colorado is upside down now, compared to other western states. When 65% of the hunters in some OTC units are NRs, something is very wrong.
I agree Lou. It would be different if CO. Wasn’t the single OTC option left. But since it is. Something has to change.
The issue becomes Would the state be able to handle a person only paying for one tag every 4-5 yrs. Would that person pay 4-5 times the current tag cost so the state wouldn’t have to cut back. Would residents pay for the lost NR revenue. The funding is where it gets tricky. Once a Govt gets used to the funds they never seem able to reduce spending.
I think we would all agree it’s time for all the other users of wild places to pay more
It's amazing how many hunters are good with CPW screwing us residents
WY residents don’t collect points for premium units.
I meant collect points for premium units in other states while still getting a quality elk hunt every year as a resident. Not having 60+ % of general hunters being nonresidents.
