Gunnison Basin buck tags

BUCKSPY · May 6, 2005

The wildife commision decided yesterday to double the number of buck tags issued in those quality units. FYI and bummer for those who had hoped to draw in years to come. The best deer hunting in the state is going to get shot to hell.

BigSmoothSamPerkins · May 6, 2005

I've been telling people this months and no one listened. Hope you all that applied this year get drawn cause after this year as you stated Buckspy its going to suck.

ram100 · May 6, 2005

Do you know if that is for this year? And if so which units/seasons are included? When should a person expect to see the drawing results? It doesn't seem proper that they should make a big change like that after the application deadline.

sneakem · May 6, 2005

LAST EDITED ON May-06-05 AT 03:33PM (MST)[p]It'll sure screw up the numbers...Who know's with all the hype about the gunnison basin everyone will be holding out for that 200+" pig anyhow... too bad they ain't behind every tree....There's a lot of country for those big bucks to cruise around in anyhow...Lets hope all the "trophy" hunters don't just settle for less and start hammering the younger deer...CDOW= Money Money MONEY...

(license increase for residents, habitat stamps, issue more tags,$0.75 surcharge for the wildlife education fund, on and on....)Welcome to COLORADO!

Waygoner · May 6, 2005

LAST EDITED ON May-06-05 AT 03:40PM (MST)[p]It think that typically the DOW sets tag limits after the application deadline, which makes it a bit of a guessing game. There was some local speculation that the tag numbers were going to be raised. If I read the data correctly, there were 64 public and 11 landowner buck tags issued in unit 55 for the third season, 136 and 24 for the second season. I think the tag numbers in the Gunnison units are low enough that the deer popluation can handle the increase.

Todd in Gunnison

graybeard · May 6, 2005

I don't know what the final result was from the Wildlife Commission meeting, but I know what numbers were recommended to the Commission. You can find it on the CDOW website. In unit 55 the third season buck tags were raised to 90 compared to last years number of 75, second season tags raised to 200 tags compared to 160 tags last year, and muzzle loader tags doubled from 17 last year to 30 this year. Sounds like a reasonable bump if held at those numbers. Unit 54 had a more dramatic bump for second season tags, but they came in with a post season buck to doe ratio of 63/100. If anyone has more recent info I'd love to see it. Another thing I noticed is a mandatory test for CWD in the Gunnison Basin. If detected, the CDOW will not feed the deer during the next hard winter....Steve

Prism · May 6, 2005

Where is it on the website? I can't find them. Thanks for the info.

BUCKSPY · May 7, 2005

This is information that I have recieved from a friend who attended the Wildlife commision meeting in Avon on Thursday, Cinco de Mayo. He said that the wildlife commision voted to accept the 100% increase in buck tag #s from staff recommendations. I don't know how recently the DOW website was updated, Steve, but I wonder I those #s you read were the latest update. Other premium limited areas recieved substantial, albeit not 100%, increases.

This might not pose as much of an issue in normal years, but with the ratcheting back of the season structure for a week to a Nov. 5th opener for the third season, and the general hype for those who have been stacking preference points for years, Colorado will see a substantial amount of pressure from the more hard core type, trophy buck hunters. I think the added pressure of these type of hunters, the later opener and the increase tag allotments could prove to be more of an impact than anyone will anticipate. Time will tell, but I suspect Ryan won't be having to work to hard for Colorado buck stories for Muley Crazy.

I hope I didn't sound too "holier than though."

graybeard · May 7, 2005

Mike, I totally agree and wonder if they really took into account the later season dates. I know they wanted to adjust the numbers to fit the previous success rates (which were already high), and the success rates this year will be better than ever. From what I understand, the public wanted more tags than were given, so, if these numbers are correct, I'm glad they went with biology more so than public opinion. I personally think they should add some more doe tags and hunt them later and not during the regular seasons.

Paul, take a look on the "Wildlife Commission" page of the CDOW website. Go into "meetings" and you'll find the recommendations that I'm talking about, you may need to search around for them. If you print them out you'll see the date at the top is April 22. That's why I've wondered if these are the same numbers as were confirmed at the May 5th meeting. I believe that the Wildlife Commission probably voted to go along with these recommendations 100% and maybe that's what Bucky's friend meant. This may be the best year in Gunnison as well as a few other premium areas, but the surplus bucks, along with a few giants will be taken out. Hope they don't find any CWD in the herd....Steve

Carbon · May 7, 2005

Put in with 5 points 3rd season for 55, hope thats enough points to get it done. Good luck in draws.

Prism · May 7, 2005

Thanks Steve. I found them and not sure I'm too fond of them!

Sure hope the Colorado DWR knows what they're doing!

I checked out the ever popular unit 43 numbers and it looks like there's a decrease in the number of tags. Maybe all those boys that spent bank on landowner tags knew something after all.

I smell an SFW conspiracy!HAHAHAHAHA

I Wonder what the increase in tags in other units will do to the landowner tag situation?

archeryelkaholic · May 7, 2005

I never found one for April 22. Can you post a link.

graybeard · May 8, 2005

archeryelk, there were no meetings on April 22, but if you print the info on the may 5th meeting it says April 22nd. A bit confusing but it doesn't matter. Paul, you'd think the increase in tags would translate to a decrease in prices, but, this year I doubt it'll happen. Like I said, this will be the best year for those covetted units, and I doubt they'll ever get as good again. Gunnison will have a tough winter and scare everyone away for years. The good news is, the trend to produce better quality hunting grounds is on the rise. Look at the decrease in tags in ID and WY. I know what the down side is, but I'd rather have some quality areas to hunt if only every other year...Hope everyone gets their desired tags....Steve

BUCKSPY · May 8, 2005

63% increase for unit 54 and 51% increase for 55 and 551 per chart on DOW website. Not a 100% increase but substantial anyways.

Prism · May 8, 2005

Colorado's buck to doe ratios are amazing. Even with the increases in tag numbers I wouldn't mind swapping the Utah DWR with your big game managers. Wanna trade?

BUCKSPY · May 8, 2005

These guys didn't do anything extraterrestrial. They went against their own thinking, listened to sportsmen's concerns and seriously limited buck tag numbers a few years back. Obviously with mule deer buck maturation rates, its a 4-6 year growth curve to see a substantially appreciable increase in mature buck age class representation.

Years ago, the DOW's chief big game biologist was stating that you could not stockpile bucks because of other mortality factors, ie. winterkill, predation, roadkill. The sportsmen and women of the state were heard and tag #'s reduced and the number one mortality factor(hunter harvest) on mule deer bucks was limited.

graybeard · May 9, 2005

Gunnison is a great example for any argument pertaining to hunting as a means to manage deer numbers. I don't know how acurate this data is, but prior to 1999 the CDOW claims there were 3,929 hunters in units 55 and 551, and 2,502 in unit 54. Over the last 6 years the numbers were 460 and 298 respectively. We can also be thankful for some mild winters,, which eventually will change.