Elk Numbers (winter kill last year)

NebrCatMan · Jul 2, 2017

LAST EDITED ON Jul-02-17 AT 01:34PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Jul-02-17 AT 01:33?PM (MST)

Well everyone, since I did not draw (again) in the Nebraska elk drawing, it looks like I am gonna come to Colorado to do an OTC bow hunt somewhere. Just wondering if the elk got hit hard last winter and the numbers are down state wide? Just pockets here and there with bad winter kill? Or did the bad winter not really bother Colorado any more than normal? Really look forward to elk camp in the mountains. I am off this week so I will probably talk to the D O W and the local conservation officers also.

Fubarracin · Jul 2, 2017

Some areas I'm told 50 - 80% kill some areas no more than normal just depends on where you'd like to go then I'd talk to the local biologist and if you can some local ranchers. I find ranchers often tell a more true to life story.

elkmo41 · Jul 3, 2017

He's asking about elk, you mean 50-80% deer kill. right?

Fubarracin · Jul 3, 2017

I was told elk deer and antelope fell between those numbers in my area.

Cohntr62 · Jul 3, 2017

Where's your area? I know Gunnison got hit hard, but I don't know about anywhere else.

Fubarracin · Jul 3, 2017

North Park area.

NebrCatMan · Jul 3, 2017

Thanks guys. I talked to a lady game warden, or what ever they are called in Colorado. Her area includes the North park area. She thought the die off was no worse than normal. I kinda thought about my question a little. Maybe I won't get an honest answer. I hope I do. But many who want non resident hunters to come to Colorado to hunt and spend could possibly fib a little and say "yea, hardly no winter kill anywhere, it won't affect numbers". And those who hunt or do not want more non residents could say "yea, winter kill was really bad. Really hurt the numbers, hardly worth coming here." But I will trust most who answer. Going to go to Colorado for sure. When and where is to be decided yet. Thanks again for the comments!

Fubarracin · Jul 3, 2017

That's why I say talk to some local ranchers if you can they know the animals better than most, the animals winter on there fields and haystacks.

txhunter58 · Jul 4, 2017

If you asked her just about elk and she gave that answer I would bet you got an honest assessment. If you asked her for deer info and got that answer..... not so much

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

COHunter · Jul 5, 2017

Spent the weekend at a friends ranch in Craig. Deer numbers still seem low overall compared to years past, and no fawns at all this year on his place. Saw more bucks than does too

Adventurewriter · Jul 13, 2017

Elk are WAAAY more hardy than deer in tough winters

COLOelkman · Jul 16, 2017

It seems pretty standard that deer are hit harder by bad winters than elk. That said, the area I hunt regularly in central CO had a significant cutback on cow elk tags. We have always gotten a cow tag in the leftover drawing however a buddy applied for the cow tag 2nd choice and was unsuccessful. Other friends who hunt the 2nd rifle has some people draw a cow (2nd choice) while others did not draw. So it appears there will be no leftover cow tags this year which has never happened for as long as I can remember. I don't deer hunt that area but I assume the deer tags would have taken a major cutback as well. Just seemed a little strange since I heard the elk were basically not significantly impacted by the winter. May be tough to find other cow tags in the leftovers this year, at least in areas I'm familiar with?

txhunter58 · Jul 16, 2017

Cow tag cutbacks in my area as well. No cow tag as a second choice which is not what we have been used to. That said, I think the downward trend is due to a couple of things. They are finally catching up to the fact that there are less elk AND they have stated that elk numbers are closer to "objective" than they have been in the past, and because of that, they said to expect less cow tags

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

Don_K · Jul 16, 2017

As mentioned call the biologist for the area your looking into. The one I talked to said the elk made it no different than any other winter, the deer (as mentioned) not so much.