colorado elk -10 pts

R

ram100

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I have 10 points for elk. I have been diligently putting in and waiting for a great hunt in one of the top units say 201,or 10. Many people on here are more knowledgeable than me and I was just wondering if you thought I should hang in there or drop down to the next teir units. Right now the best units are at 15 points and seem to be going up every year.

With the new changes and reduced quotas for nonresident I may never have enough points to draw one of the top units. Do you think the hihger point prices will help with the 'preference point creep'?
Thanks for any opinions.
 
Well, I'm way behind you and cannot give a good response as to what you should do. However, if it were me, I would find a very good unit that I could have for 10 points and go hunt! I could be way of but I can't imagine the 10 point units are that inferior to the 15 point units.

Also, it will get harder to draw with the new allocation scheme. The $25 will not help with PP creep, especially with the people you would need to quit. $25 is nothing, most guys will send $100 here a $100 there so they won't even blink atthe rise from $3 to $25
 
Well I,ve got 14 non resident points and I don,t stand a chance of getting 201 or 10 so you better start looking to put in for some where else, sorry to tell you this...Devlin
 
I was told by the CDOW that I stood no chance of get a good LE unit in my life time under the new regs. (I have 6 points and 43 years old).

I have been trying to get into unit 61. It took at least 8 points last year. 10 may get you in there (don't know under the new regs). It's a good unit. You might want to check it out.

I'm just glad the CDOW and all the R think this is fair. At least someone is happy.
 
Devlin, Just curious as to what you were going to do with 14? If you don't have a chance I may be 20 years out yet. I don't know much about unit 61. Is there a chance for a 330-350 bull? I'm usually not a trophy hunter but I dream about those nice racks.
 
10 points might get you into a 61 tag. However you will work very hard to find a 350 type bull IMO. I was in the unit last fall during the 3rd rilfe season, we saw lots of elk and quite a few bulls, the best one I saw was probably around 300 - 320, another guy in my group saw one that sounded bigger but I never saw it. If you did get a 1st season rifle tag give yourself lots of scouting time as that season only lasts 5 days, I'd be there for 4-5 days before the opener if I could if it were me.
Good luck
 
Ram100, Sjhgraysage is correct, you have a chance to get a 61 tag and you would have to put in some hard scouting and you could take a bull around 300 but anything bigger would take a little luck, this is just my opinion so take it with a grain of salt.For myself I put in for 201 but I have about 30 people ahead of me so I,m still banking points...Devlin
 
ram, I've been hunting unit 62 for 6 years. We see 320 to 330 bulls cross the road into 61 every year. I watched a 360 bull from about 600 yards in unit 62 for about 30 minutes. I've talked to the locals and they say there are 330 to 350 bulls in the unit if you know where to look. I've scouted a little over there but haven't gotten serious about it because we are so far from drawing.

I was driving over there several years ago during the 1st rifle season and had a herd of 20 cows and 5 bulls walk acroos the road in front of me. The 2 big bulls were in the 320 range.
 
BC-sorry for the ignorant question, but "BC" is for British Columbia, right, so you are a NR?

just trying to get a better idea of what DOW was telling you
 
Doug, No I'm from Texas. I have lived in the Abilene area for 10 years now. This part of the world is know as the Big Country. After I picked it I knew that I had made a mistake because of the British Columbia connection. I'm a moron, but I'm comfortable with it so that makes it OK.
 
I hunted 201 last season ML personally I think it is worth the wait but that is my opinion. I shot a nice 6x6 on the last day.
It was about average what we were seeing. there are alot of big bulls there but with the current system you will be waiting a while. maybe they will change the quotas some day and you will have a better chance.
 
One thing you need to consider is that things can change from year to year. What if the CDOW all of a sudden changed from a pref pt system to a bonus pt system? Everyone would have a chance of drawing a tag in any given year but the guys that have applied the longest would have slightly better odds.

On the other-hand things could also change for the worse! Colo now has a 80:20 (res/nonres) split in the "premier" units that take more than 5 pts for res to draw. This means fewer tags available to nonres. Most Western states have a 90:10 split and there are a lot of Colo residents complaining about not being able to draw tags in their own state....it could get worse for nonres?

What it often boils down to is what size buck or bull would you be happy with and what kind of country, hunt, and experience would you prefer? After waiting that many years for 1 hunt it would be sad if something wrong happened to spoil your fun. Weather, hunting pressure, a bad knee, and a lot of other factors can make or break a hunt!
 
I don't think it will get worse for the NR in CO. The projections provided by the CDOW showed a probable loss in revenue with the new system which they can ill afford. It may work at the 90/10 if the R are willing to pay $100 plus for a license to make up for the lost revenue. It may not work in the long run at the 80/20 without a significant increase in R tags cost.

We'll see.
 
You may be right as they have put the increase in NR tag prices to be determined by "Consumer Price Index". If they keep that it limits them just jacking up the NR tag prices to make up the diff. Only time will tell for sure, a year or two maybe. I have 13 points and would use em if I hadn't blown a good bunch of $$ last year, I need some time build the fund again. With decent moisture and not bad winters, now may be as good a time as any to HUNT. IMHO
 
CO will make up for the lost revenue by making you buy habitat stamps and pay $25 for preference points. Whether that makes up for the 10% less NR licenses, don't know.
One beef I have is other states don't charge for CWD testing. They really want to study their herd and CWD effects. CO charges $15, then many people don't get it, thus they really don't get full data on CWD. Lets face it, it's all about the money. It is in most every instance in life.
As for the points, maybe buy over the counter and pay tresspass fee. Just my opinions and I'm no expert on CO hunting. Just learning.
 
Ram, i'm in the same boat.Non-Res with 10 points.I also wanted to hunt the north-west corner area but have given up on that idea ( 39 years old ) and don't want to wait.I will try to draw a area 61 tag this year.It should be a good hunt from what i have heard but also i should be able to draw a deer tag there in a year or two. I can use the Elk hunt as a way to hunt the area so i'll have a better idea where to find deer which i prefer anyways. Good luck
 
I hunted unit 61 in 2004 1st rifle season. Saw lots of smaller bulls. My hunting partner ended up killing a 360 8x6. I had tag soup as I didn't see anything I wanted to shoot. Bulls were still talking until the shooting started. They headed down those steep ugly dark holes after that. The only problem with that tag is they let way to many cow killers in there. Cow hunters where everwhere. CDOW should keep the cow hunters out until the last season. It ruins the hunt!! I think the best tag for 61 is the muzzleloader tag. Good luck. P.S. I would hunt it again in a second if i had the tag.
Gary
 
Nonresidents don't get your hopes up to much! Read the regulations on deer and elk. It reads no more than 35% or 20%of available licenses for deer and elk. (unless there is an insuffficient number of resident applications. The residents are garranteeded 65 or 80% of the licenses available and can get the remaining by luck of the draw.

Resident are garranteed 65% (or 80%)of the available licenses,but can exceed the 65% (or 80%).

If there are 100 licenses available and 100 resident apply and 20 nonresident apply and all of you have the same number of preference points, if you are one of the 20 NONRESIDENTS you still might not draw! This applies to both the, no more than 35% of available licenses or the no more than 20% of available licenses! Good Luck!!
 
That changes the odds alot! If you have 10 points and a non resident then you will never draw the northwest part of the state.
 
The way I understand it is that if your unit requires 5 or more points, the draw percentage is 80/20. If under 5 points are required for the unit, then 65 percentage is used for residents and UP TO 35% may be used for NR. It then states NR allocations my increase (beyond 35%)if all of the residents 1st choices have received licenses. Is says nothing about less than 35%. You think they want to cut their revenue worse than they already did? THat's why now you have to buy the habitat stamp. Gotta make it up somewhere.
 
Cheesehead, you're wrong about them "making it up" with the habitat stamp. Read up on the habitat stamp a little more.

Oak
 
Cheesehead, I know what I'm talking about! There are no garrantees for the nonresident except nonresidents will not get more than 35 or 20%, unless the residents do not apply for those licenses!
If you read the moose, bighorn sheep and moutain goats it states " in the event there are an insufficient number of nonresident applications for the allocated number of moose, bighorn sheep or mountain goat licenses in any hunt code, the excess nonresident licenses will be issued to residents through the regular drawing process.

Deer and elk there are on allocated licenses to the nonresidents! If you call the DOW and ask, they will give you all kinds of reasons why it is done this way. They have told me in some units nonresidents get more than 35% and if we put a hard cap garrantee they could not go over 35%. It can be done New Mexico has 22% garranteed, but can exceed the 22%, if the residents do not apply.
 
Budrow, Based on what you just wrote, then how does the scenerio that you posted earlier with the 100 tags available and 20 NR apply, they may not draw the 20 tags? There would be a suffiucent (sp) number of NR request.

It will be intersting. The CDOW told me they were going to review this allocation after 1 year and see how it goes. If they lose more money than they expect then it could be changed immediately. I found it odd they expect to lose money which they can ill afford to do.
 
Budrow - I know that, you know, that you're right...lol. Because your first paragraph is exactly what I said, which by the way if you read "allocations" in the rules is word for word. We both agree NR will get up to 20 or 35 percent. If Residents do not use up the quota, more NR licenses will be sold. Exactly what both of us said.
As for your comments about moose, sheep etc... I have never read the rules on them because I will never hunt them. Your comments in the second paragraph indicate the rules are 180 degrees or the complete opposite of the deer scenarios, which may be. I cannot say.
CO Oak -on to the Habitat Stamp - I am not sure if you have hunted in other states or not but I have in MT, WY, WI, KY and OH. The other western states have sold the habitat stamp for years. Why would CO need more habitat for wildlife? Look at a map and compare NF and BLM land with other states. You think there is a shortage? CO has hundreds of millions of acres of land for the habitat. What do you think $2M a year will buy in land? A drop in the bucket. Keep a look out for the announcements of the land they buy with the habitat stamp money... just don't hold your breath. Good hunting.
 
Cheesehead,
All you need to do is look under drawing process under e. 1.
that is right above the deer and elk e. 2.
Of availble, dose not mean for the allocated number
I was just trying to inform you on how the draw works and yes I do not spell well!
 
I hunted deer last year in 61 & only saw pud bulls taken. I saw 7 differant bulls that were harvested.
 
The DOW hurting for money?

They've been running a surplus for a while now.

The DOW hurting for money, now thats funny!

Whats not funny is that with they're $100+ million dollar budget, only $2.8 million is spent on Deer & Elk (combined).
 
ok as a resident in colorado and someone that hunts 61/62 every year these guys know a good chunck about the area. i know where all the big elk go i know migration patterns and how to get down to them. if you want to know something email me at [email protected]
 
Hey Coloradohunter,
I have 11 pts. going on 12. I'm planning on trying to get drawn next year with 12 pts. for unit 61 as a non-res. Would you mind if I e-mailed you for some info?
Thanks,
Gary
 
just to let you guys know i can't tell everyone where to hunt in 61 an how it is and how big the animals are. i dont like other guys telling everyone where the game is so im not going to tell where the game is.
 
LAST EDITED ON Feb-23-06 AT 11:41PM (MST)[p]I hunted deer during the 61 3rd season last year..
If you want to shoot a big bull over there you better be a HARD hunter and be in good shape..We only saw one good bull taken, probably a 320 6pt, but we did see five bulls that were 320 or better.. the three biggest were 340, 350, and a 360ish bull. The 350 bull was about 1 1/2-2 miles from any road and he was bedded on the edge of a big plateau..the only way to get to him was to climb a STEEP hill and come out 30 yards from him and hope to get a shot..or launch a 500-600 yard shot off..nothin in between..smart bull.
The 340 and 360ish bull were with another bull in the 330 range.. They were about 2 1/2 miles from any roads and also in a hard area to get to them.. If we were hunting them, we probably could have gotten off some 400 yard shots..
The bulls are in there, but the big ones have broken off from the herds during the 3rd season and it would be a tough hunt unless you work your butt off..
A rut hunt in there would be pretty exciting, but you would still need to be in good shape..That is some STEEP, BRUSHY country over there..I loved it:)!! Good Luck!
 
>The DOW hurting for money?
>
>They've been running a surplus for
>a while now.
>
>The DOW hurting for money, now
>thats funny!
>
>Whats not funny is that with
>they're $100+ million dollar budget,
>only $2.8 million is spent
>on Deer & Elk (combined).
>


Just to clarify. I had to call the CDOW on another matter and I ask them how long they had been running a surplus. The lady started laughing and said they were not running a surplus and never had. They were fighting for every dime they could get to keep everything going.
 
Elkmaster101 dude.... ok this guy asked for some help and everyone has been very nice about it. he doen't want to just put in for points so lay off i hate you people that just come on here to ##### at someone when they aren't doing anything wrong
 
ram100 I'm in the same position as you. I have 11 points. I did put in for 61 in 03. Some people with 9 points drew, but not me. I'm off that unit now. The NW units have 11 day seasons that start 10/1 every year. The NW units don,t have a cow season going at that time either. 61's first rifle starts 10/14 this year and only lasts 5 days. If I was going to hunt 61, I would hunt the first season and scout for at least a week if I was using 11 points. I just don't think I could pass a 300 bull in a 5 day season, but with 11 days to hunt I would feel different. i don't have a problem going home with an unfilled tag but after waiting 11 years, I want it to mean something so I'll just wait. I was in 61 during the 3rd season last year and talked to the game warden for several hours. He told me that over the last several years, some of the best bulls have been taken by guys that hunt the first season, and spend considerable time scouting before the season. If you do hunt 61, I would plan it like a 2 week hunt, the first week with optics and calls.
 
Your points are worth a lot less than when you started, now that nonresident quotas have been changed from unlimited to 40%, now 20%. 20% is still generous, but the wait will be very long for a nonresident with only ten points holding out for a northwest corner unit. I have ten points, think I'll just burn them on something this year, and hopefully will have enough left over for a general muzzleloader tag or better next year with the point saver.
 

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