CO PP Dilema

[Paul_S]

I seem to be stuck in PP Purgatory. I'm a resident with 13 points and had my sights set on a 201 tag (esp. after being there 10 years ago on an antelope hunt). Now I realize with "point creep" it will still be quite a few years before I can draw a super-premium tag. My estimate is that it will take 5 years for unit 10, 8 years for unit 2, 10 years for unit 201, and even longer for Hill Ranch.
I'm contemplating cashing in on something more realistic and would appreciate any thoughts. My first thought is unit 61 muzzle, but I hear differing opinions as to the quality. I should be able to draw that this year. Or should I hold out a while longer for Unit 2 or 10 muzzle or Wolf Springs Ranch (all 3-4 years away)?

 

[jbendy]

Paul_S, sent you a p.m.

 

[4blade]

I am in the same boat as you..almost.. I am a non res. with 15points. I cant draw the ranches.
From what I understand unit 61 is the best unit for the points you have now. (no personal experiance there, just research) As far as waiting I am having a hard time with that one...tough call. No good hunting lasts forever and CDOW is known for selling lots of tags when they get the notion... I have a bad feeling about where 2 and 10 will be in a few years and 201 is a long way off.
On the other hand there are rumors (for whatever thats worth) that they are considering managing some additional units for older age class bulls.
I have some other states I can draw in so I think I am going to revisit it this time next year.

Good luck if you go!

 

[Paul_S]

I blew my hunting budget last year on a sheep hunt, so I'm staying close to home this year. I don't think I'll even go to Wyoming for antelope this year. With deer down, I thought this might be the year to put some effort into elk.

 

[ramtagless]

Hey Paul -

Yep - you are in PP hell. Too many for certain tags and likely never enough for the ones you want.

I would (maybe?) wait and see what happens in regards to PP banking. Chatter about bringing that back. If they do - you could get a good tag and safe some of your points.

 

[bldrbuck]

I'm right behind you all with 11 PP as a resident and am in the same boat. I guess what it really comes down to is numbers so here they are:

If you want a chance as some of the biggest bulls in the state--a bull over 325" and up to 350"--you all are looking in the wrong place and are going to use a lot of points. Douglas, Boulder, and Larimer (yes front range units that require few to no PP) are your top choices. If you want a monster 350+, Eagle and Park counties are your top choice with about 6-8 bulls coming out of there in the past 10 years over 350--Moffat and Mesa countines only have about 2 that big in the past years.

If you want a quality hunt and a lot of elk around 300 and some bigger than follow the thread from Rocketman and CaliElk--units 61 and 76 are going to give you lots of opportunities at those elk. Ramtagless nailed it though--hold those points for one more year and you might get a chance to bank them and kill 2 300 class bulls instead of one!

Just my .02

 

[Ram187]

Show me your info on 350+ bulls coming out of Eagle County!

 

[bldrbuck]

Of the 13 P & Y entries from Eagle county (the only ones entered) 23 % or 3 bulls are 350+, 31 % are 325-250 (4 bulls)and the other 6 are 300-325--this is straight from Eastmans' bowhunting journal--these guys are pretty meticulous when it comes to the numbers. Mind you, this is in the past 10 years and are only for bulls entered--many guys just kill him and how their buddies for good reasons. I've got a friend who consistently finds and kills 300" bulls year in and year out in units that are OTC and some that aren't. They're out there in just about every decent unit--decent unit = habitat, remoteness, and more habitat...