Durango-Pagosa Springs elk

littlebull209338 · Nov 24, 2018

There is an article in todays Denver Post which paints a very gloomy picture of the elk herd in that area of Southern Colorado. Apparently the calf survival rate is very low with no apparent reason. A very high percentage do not make it to six months and of those that do the mortality rate is still very high. The herd numbers have tanked with no solution in the near future

BeanMan · Nov 24, 2018

I read the story and i believe it. I also think the problem is more widespread than just SW Colorado and that there are fewer elk on the Uncompahgre and The Grand Mesa where I live, recreate, and hunt. The only part of the article that I take issue with is the idea that predators are not playing a role. I would love to see OTC archery hunts disappear as I think this is the start of too much pressure on elk.

Hasbean

wired · Nov 24, 2018

I just spent some time in CO and you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting an elk. number of resident hunters we saw walking: zero.

gopher1 · Nov 24, 2018

were you around private land???

Wild787 · Nov 25, 2018

The problem is that the bear population is out of control and they eat the ##### out of the calves when they start hitting the ground... I know the game and fish will denie it but I watch it take place on my ranches every year...

tailchasers · Nov 25, 2018

Lots of possible causes but will there be any substantive response outside of reducing tag numbers by CPW? I venture to say no. Habitat and predator management is a complicated topic for the state to get their minds around. To many limp wrist snowflakes making descisions.

"Courage is being scared to death but
saddling up anyway."

nripepi · Nov 25, 2018

They changed the non-resident bear hunting license fee to $100!!! This should help as many non-residents are likely to buy a bear tag while elk hunting...hope that thins out some.

If they are dying within their first 6 months, then the issue is bears and/or lions if they are dying early...if they are dying late then it might be due to habitat or being born late which is a rut timing issue. If the latter, you have to shoot less bulls or take the hunters out of the rut. I think it might be time to get rid of OTC hunts if the cows are not being bred in September.

wired · Nov 25, 2018

>were you around private land???

public

notdonhunting · Nov 25, 2018

Colorado elk"
I read the article and it seemed to me to be an anti hunting agenda article. The article states predators not a problem, diseases and sickness not a problem and they did not mention the drought we have been in sense the 1990. The only problem they focused on is hunting. It was a poorly written article. In my opinion.
I am from Utah so maybe you will feel my opinion does not matter.

wallhanger · Nov 26, 2018

I was in the area third season. Elk seemed to be in very concentrated pockets. I'm pretty unfamiliar with the area, but it seemed like the elk had moved below 9500 feet. We started between 10 and 11k, and didn't see any elk activity at all. I have to believe the bears are part of the problem. We didn't see any bears, but I've never seen more bear sign in my life.

tailchasers · Nov 26, 2018

> Colorado elk"
>I read the article and it
>seemed to me to be
>an anti hunting agenda article.
>The article states predators not
>a problem, diseases and sickness
>not a problem and they
>did not mention the drought
>we have been in sense
>the 1990. The only problem
>they focused on is hunting.
>It was a poorly written
>article. In my opinion.
>I am from Utah so maybe
>you will feel my opinion
>does not matter.

You read that article right. My guess with the full Democrat state house control the enviro snow flakes are starting to set their agendas and preach it. The anti-hunting crowd is just one of them and it's just the start of a dismal trend for Colorado.

"Courage is being scared to death but
saddling up anyway."

DW · Nov 27, 2018

You should remember who David Peterson is.

#livelikezac

tailchasers · Nov 27, 2018

Little help here DW. David Peterson?

"Courage is being scared to death but
saddling up anyway."

DW · Nov 27, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Nov-27-18 AT 06:28PM (MST)[p]
>Little help here DW. David Peterson?
>
>
>"Courage is being scared to death
>but
>saddling up anyway."

Heres the link to the original article.

https://www.thestate.com/news/article221955940.html

David Peterson is quoted numerous times in the article, he repeatedly bashes CP&W and its mismanagement of the elk herd, and putting too much pressure on em in September. What the article fails to mention is he was a big proponent of amendment 10 back in 92 banning spring bear hunting, baiting and hounds. Gonna have a real dumb look on his face when he realizes all those extra bears he helped create are eatin his elk calves!

#livelikezac

DW · Nov 27, 2018

Heres an interview with him.

https://www.thesunmagazine.org/issues/408/the-good-hunter

He's a higher up in BHA today.

#livelikezac

notdonhunting · Nov 28, 2018

Thanks DW for the article.
But now you have opened the door for Hoss,Grizz,Top,and the Buzz to come and tell everyone on the Colorado thread how crazy and stupid we all are. Everyone on this thread is just a SFW supporter or a Republican public land hater or worse a NRA anti hunter.
Sorry for the rant I hope things work out for the best in Colorado I am planning on coming and hunting Elk there some day.
I really think people need to step back and look not all these issues of elk herds thinning out is a negative it just might be the way it is supposed to be some herds back in the 1990 where way over objective. I do not know if that is a fact for there in south west Colorado for I have never spent any time there but it might be worth considering.

elks96 · Nov 28, 2018

This article was crap and just a disguised piece of anti hunting gibberish.

The fact is simple, we have robust elk herds in the 90s, then in the mid 90s we thinned the herds down and banned trapping, baiting, spring bear hunts, hounds, hunts etc. Then since the 90s we can not figure out why our deer and elk are not able to recover from hard years of drought or heavy snow fall...

It is pure bs. There is so much data left out in this article it is unreal. The quiet period, 90% pregnancy rates, the bulk of the calf moralities prior to the hunting seasons even starting...

As for CPW you can not blame them, we made a mess. The bears are legislative action and tied the CPWs hands. Right now almost anyone can kill 2 bears a year and with the new fee schedule NR hunters can all get on the action for $100.

Peterson is a moron and one of the reasons I struggle to support BHA. He and those like him screwed our state. It will only get worse as we see Colorado shift more liberal and people decide to fix wildlife issue at the pplls instead of letting science work.

otcbowhunter · Nov 30, 2018

The first step they need to take is MANDATORY kill confirmations. I have killed 5 bulls in the last 10 years in SW CO, archery OTC. They have called me every year that I have NOT killed an animal. If they have no idea what or how many animals the hunters are actually killing, then how can they manage correctly and responsibly?

gunsmoke1 · Jan 28, 2019

I agree you have a bear problem, we know all about bear problems in California. They banned using dogs 5 years ago, and deer and elk hunting is now a waste of time. When a fawn is born it is odorless,well not to a bear. A bear is like a shark and smells blood from miles away.
Just give it a few more years for the liberals to ban hunting all together. Enjoy and remember what you have now because it will only get worse. Lord I hope I'm wrong. You guys in Colorado have it made in comparison to California.
I hunted Mule Deer in Colorado (Unit 12) two years ago and saw more deer than I have seen since I hunted Utah back the the early 70s
150 deer the first day. I do love Colorado

DoeNob · Jan 29, 2019

Might go bear hunt this fall if I dont' draw any good tags during the same time frame.

BUT - If they had a spring season, I'd hunt it damn near every year.