So much for big deer in CO...

elks96 · Apr 30, 2019

Just looked at the tag allocations in Colorado. The identifiable trend. More 4th season tags through out, Statewide buck tags are up over 3,000 tags. Some units are seeing a 300% increase in 4th season Tags.

Many of the NW units have seen buck tags increased the last several years. The quantity of decent bucks is already down, and now they decided to in4th season tags again putting even more pressure on quality bucks.

I hope everyone saving points were able to dump them now, because the future does not look to great for mature deer in Colorado.

Oh and lets not forget they dropped the lion quotas by 30 lions for this next year.

You can look at the data here for yourself, but units I follow and watch are going to take a huge hit in the 4th seasons...

https://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/C...vcGIsYhvBg-BTFQvv7ShwKmJ5WRTcydSP8WoaVq1IVSXw

elks96 · Apr 30, 2019

As I look closer there is even a more hidden trend. While some units did not see an increase in total licenses they have moved a ton of licenses out of the 2nd season into the 3rd and 4th. Again putting a target on the backs of the more mature deer. In some cases this year it will be easier to a 3rd season tag than a second. I noticed one unit they pulled over 100 tags from second and added them to 3rd season.

The over all result will be fewer mature deer at the end of the season.

I believe this is all in their efforts to kill more mature bucks in the name of CWD...

Founder · Apr 30, 2019

More late hunts for bucks isn't good for them.

Brian Latturner
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DidIDraw · Apr 30, 2019

Do you know what the impetus is for this change? I agree with your assessment that more mature bucks will be harvested.

I understand that the allocation of out-of-state tags is lower for higher-demand hunts. Could it be local groups lobbying to have more tags stay with Colorado hunters?

DW · Apr 30, 2019

It's their latest shot in the dark to slow the spread of CWD. They've said it themselves. 4th season buck tags tripled in my unit last year.

#livelikezac

BigChiefJ · Apr 30, 2019

I bet I draw my first choice! I'm going to kill a monster too.

270Whatelse · Apr 30, 2019

Wow that is ridiculous in some if those units, doubling the amount of tags in many!

Buffs35 · Apr 30, 2019

Colorado, the land of "this is why we can't have nice things"

txhunter58 · Apr 30, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Apr-30-19 AT 03:46PM (MST)[p]
Wow, I hunted unit 70, 4th season 2 years ago and it is only a shadow of what it once was. And they went from 45 tags to 75???

Good for you if you put in for that tag this year, but not good for big bucks there for sure!

txhunter58

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

MrDoe · Apr 30, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Apr-30-19 AT 03:54PM (MST)[p]Unit 55 archery and muzzy tags got doubled too. Oh yeah and rifle tags too.

elks96 · Apr 30, 2019

As mentioned a lot of the units were targetted because they had a high CWD rate.They believe that it is mature bucks causing the issue. They claim that killing off the big bucks will decrease infection rates.

There were many not happy with this plan. I was not sure how hard it was going it, but it was harder/more than we were expecting.

I would be really pissed if I was one of the hunters that cashed in a decades worth of points expecting to hunt late with only a handful of other hunters, but now have 60-70 in the field hunting at the same time.

I am afraid it will only get worse as they experiment with our herds.

They honestly have no clue. I asked the CWD experts, why unit 21 and 22 do not have the CWD problems like the units they targeted. Both unit 21 and 22 have higher buck to doe ratios and a significantly older age class of deer. Yet only have less than a 2% infection rate.

They could not explain it, but felt that units in the white river basin and yampa basin were needing this drastic move to save the deer...

The_Coloradoboy · Apr 30, 2019

Pathetic....

Coloradoboy

The_Coloradoboy · Apr 30, 2019

>LAST EDITED ON Apr-30-19
>AT 03:54?PM (MST)
>
>Unit 55 archery and muzzy tags
>got doubled too. Oh yeah
>and rifle tags too.

Typical CPW BS. We kicked and screamed for them to not to do this but they didn't listen. Their motto is ?why let the winter kill them when we can sell tag and have someone harvest them potentially?

GunSlinger · Apr 30, 2019

Question, by reading the chart if it is purple that means there was not a change in tag allocation? Thank you

Squirrel · May 1, 2019

My current situation precludes me from caring about your opinion but go ahead and give voice to it anyway...

Killing them increases their numbers, we have proven it here

We (they) print more tags kill more animals yet count record numbers of does and bucks on winter range where nobody else can see anything but sage

Deer counts go up, buck to doe ratios go up If we kill still more we could run into a severe overpopulation problem in just a few more years, hope the woofs can help with that.

I was told just last fall that they are doing a "awesome job", just look at those numbers...

tailchasers · May 1, 2019

If you haven't see it yet, ask to see the data substantiating their claims. Years, units, infection rates. They are making these claim in very limited statistical data making tag allocation presumptions off a very small number of units. Ultimately this is one more step towards the reduction of hunting Colorado. The demographics are changing and hunting doesn't fit into the matrix.

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

bigsky2 · May 1, 2019

I thought the northern Gunnison got the worst of the winter in the Basin, yet they are proposing to add 150 tags in 54??

fullthrottle · May 1, 2019

Dang, that sucks. 4th season rifle hunts is bad medicine for big bucks. Appears they feel like that will help the CWD cause, I disagree with their approach. Funny how that crap is rampant in the Midwest, yet they continue to put an emphasis on growing mature whitetail bucks. Come on Colorado, you guys are better than that. That's why we all can't wait to give you our money every year.

txhunter58 · May 1, 2019

They CLAIM it is for CWD. The science behind that is sketchy.

But what else happens when they sell more tags?? Couldn?t be about money at all could it???????

txhunter58

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

timmy · May 1, 2019

We have been killing all our mature deer in Montana for years just started testing here and believe it or not they are finding cwd. The answer kill even more deer. Frustrating for sure.

wildfin · May 1, 2019

Maybe they want to shut down point creep, either way it will work.You may wont to burn you point now unless a sick 140 buck is good enough for a bunch of saved up points.

SanJuan · May 4, 2019

75 fourth season tags in unit 70!

When I had the tag in 2010 there were 15 and the herd is in worse shape now than it was then.

Robert Bray is destroying this herd just to line his own pockets.

The mountains, not the hills.

Twoshooter · May 4, 2019

I thought they were supposed to cut tags in 35. Looks like 2nd and 3rd rifle increased 10%. I guess the new approach to combat point creep is to just issue more 4th season tags.

DW · May 4, 2019

>Dang, that sucks. 4th season rifle
>hunts is bad medicine for
>big bucks. Appears they feel
>like that will help the
>CWD cause, I disagree with
>their approach. Funny how that
>crap is rampant in the
>Midwest, yet they continue to
>put an emphasis on growing
>mature whitetail bucks. Come on
>Colorado, you guys are better
>than that. That's why we
>all can't wait to give
>you our money every year.
>

Fullthrottle the midwest is 20yrs behind the curve. They're still implementing the "mass slaughter" theory we tried 20yrs ago that had no effect. In a few years they will try the "kill all the mature bucks" theory after its shown to do nothing here.

#livelikezac

270Whatelse · May 4, 2019

I see several units where they took tags from the archery hunt and moved them to rifle tags ,this is not really adding tags but harvest will obviously be higher.

buckhorn · May 5, 2019

For you guys that know the Gunnison basin well.
Do you think that doubling the tags in unit 54,55 and 551 is called for?
They are proposing a pretty good increase in unit 66 and 67 as well.
The buck numbers must be increasing fairly substantial in those units.
I heard this past winter was pretty tough on them. Were many of the mature bucks killed due to weather issues?
Thanks

Gunnihunter · May 5, 2019

It's all about the money. Look at the drastic reductions in elk tags in and around the basin. For instance, the number of cow tags in unit 68 was reduced from 500 to 30. CPW doesn't want to loose all that revenue. Things are not run the same as it was under the Division of Wildlife. The original DOW operated with a surplus budget of millions. The democrats decided they knew better and put the DOW under the control of the Parks Dept that operated under a deficit. These decisions are not being made for what is best for the herds, but for what meets their agenda.

colelk · May 5, 2019

I think this idea of killing more big bucks to slow spread of CWD is questionable at best, but I do have a small dose of positive news. I was shed hunting the last few days in northwest Colorado in an area I'm very familiar with, and I saw more deer than I have in 10 years. I know this is a very small sample size, but there were very good numbers and they looked healthy after a hard winter.

cowhitey · May 5, 2019

They doubled the plains late season mule tags in my unit this year. They were already giving out too many tags and the deer quality has been dropping for the last 5 years.

COLOelkman · May 6, 2019

I'm sure disappointed as I've got 18 pts and wanted to burn them the next year or two. Now not sure what to do with them?

buckhorn · May 6, 2019

>I'm sure disappointed as I've got
>18 pts and wanted to
>burn them the next year
>or two. Now not
>sure what to do with
>them?

You have 18 resident deer points ?

COLOelkman · May 6, 2019

>>I'm sure disappointed as I've got
>>18 pts and wanted to
>>burn them the next year
>>or two. Now not
>>sure what to do with
>>them?
>
> You have 18 resident deer
>points ?

Actually 19 after this year.

buckhorn · May 7, 2019

You should be able to draw any hunt you want

buckhorn · May 7, 2019

If I was you I think I would take a shot at unit 44 fourth season.
It appears that is the only unit left they are managing for trophy quality. There wasn?t a proposed tag increase for unit 44 this year. Next year it will be your best bet in my opinion.
I am retiring in a few weeks and I am going to devote all my time to hunting and scouting and helping others on their hunts. If you're interested in having some help next year shoot me a PM and we can stay in touch on it.

COLOelkman · May 7, 2019

Thanks Buckhorn, I appreciate your offer. I just might take you up on that as I'm retired and have been able to hunt much longer than normal. I'm familiar with 44 as I drive thru it often on my way hunting but never hunted it. I know a couple RFW areas take more points than 44 but not sure about them so I'll be doing some research this summer to see what I might decide for next year.

schmalie79 · May 8, 2019

Hey buckhorn can you reference the increase in 66/67 your mentioning? I see like an increase of 5 per season... doesn't seem like that would sway much to me.. compare that to like 11/211- now that's an increase

hawkbill · May 9, 2019

Buckhorn is getting excited about the draw. I think you will do just fine in the basin this year. I on the other hand just don't know how many high point holders are shooting for 4th season tags in the basin, but if I don't draw this year. If I don't draw this year, how about you and I pick a unit next year and go on a hell of a hunt. Congradulations and happy retirement.

buckhorn · May 9, 2019

Thanks Billy you got a deal.
I really enjoy going on hunts with other guys even if I don't have a Tag.

buckhorn · May 9, 2019

schmalie
I see what you mean. The proposed increase in 66 and 67 isn't all that drastic. I see a total of 30 tag increase over all the hunts archery muzzleloader and the three rifle seasons.
They are proposing to double the tags in my unit.

oldmossback · May 10, 2019

Tailchaser hit the nail on the head 100% !

Bambistew · May 10, 2019

CO will soon be like MT as far as quality goes. Nice! Glad I burned my points.

gasman · May 16, 2019

First they screw ya with a mandatory small game license then they add a shiz load of tags to the areas. Calirado has it figured out.

thicketmaster · May 16, 2019

>First they screw ya with a
>mandatory small game license then
>they add a shiz load
>of tags to the areas.
>Calirado has it figured out.
>

I agree! I called the DOW when I found out about having to buy the small game license to apply and asked so y?all are increasing the license fees? the DOW guy said no license prices are the same as last year! But u do have to buy a license to apply now! ? 200 more 3rd season license this year in the unit I hunt! Crazy!

DW · May 16, 2019

Yes, but its gonna save us all from CWD that's been here over 50yrs!

#livelikezac

MrDoe · May 17, 2019

LAST EDITED ON May-17-19 AT 07:54PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON May-17-19 AT 07:40?PM (MST)

>CO will soon be like MT
>as far as quality goes.
> Nice! Glad I
>burned my points.

Yeah right. Many units in Colorado blow most of Montana away and there's some that they've given out 3000 buck tags per year for the past 10 years. Just ask Squirrel and Muley Connection/Mossback.

elks96 · May 17, 2019

>LAST EDITED ON May-17-19
>AT 07:54?PM (MST)
>
>LAST EDITED ON May-17-19
>AT 07:40?PM (MST)
>
>>CO will soon be like MT
>>as far as quality goes.
>> Nice! Glad I
>>burned my points.
>
>
>Yeah right. Many units in Colorado
>blow most of Montana away
>and there's some that they've
>given out 3000 buck tags
>per year for the past
>10 years. Just ask Squirrel
>and Muley Connection/Mossback.

His point is spot on.
Colorado is making a move to
Kill all the mature bucks in many units to help CWD.
The result
Will
Be major units in the NW that only
Hold 2-3 year old deer

Buffs35 · May 17, 2019

>>LAST EDITED ON May-17-19
>>AT 07:54?PM (MST)
>>
>>LAST EDITED ON May-17-19
>>AT 07:40?PM (MST)
>>
>>>CO will soon be like MT
>>>as far as quality goes.
>>> Nice! Glad I
>>>burned my points.
>>
>>
>>Yeah right. Many units in Colorado
>>blow most of Montana away
>>and there's some that they've
>>given out 3000 buck tags
>>per year for the past
>>10 years. Just ask Squirrel
>>and Muley Connection/Mossback.
>
>His point is spot on.
>Colorado is making a move to
>
>Kill all the mature bucks in
>many units to help CWD.
>
>The result
>Will
>Be major units in the NW
>that only
>Hold 2-3 year old deer

They tried the same thing on the plains by ft. Morgan. Didn't work their either.

MrDoe · May 18, 2019

I don't like it either, but to say Colorado will be like Montana and there will be no 4+ year old deer is a huge stretch.

Increasing harvest in fourth season is not the same as general season hunting for all of November. Colorado deer also have a leg up on habitat and genetics.