colorado landowner vouchers

[sneakem]

Just wanted to see what you all think about the landowner vouchers in colorado. As I understand the division wants to increase landowner vouchers. I guess this really yanks my chain.
I have lived in Colorado my whole life, boen and raised. Colorado is one of the most desired hunting locations in the united states. If it weren't for the 60-40 split res/nonres we that live in CO would have to compete with the rest of the united states to get a freakin tag. Now the division wants to increase the number of land owner vouchers. It already stands that landowners take 15% of the tags, most of which are being sold to non res hunters. Which put the split at about 50 50 or close to I'd imagine. Now doesn't that seem fair to you non residents? The division wants to alot more tags which would be fine if the tags weren't being hunted on public lands with the rest of us who want to draw a tag. Landowner vouchers should be hunted on the landowners land only. That is what I think a land owner voucher is designed for. I think its only fair how bout you?? Too many hunters I see on public lands say they bought land owner vouchers.

 

[BeanMan]

Sneakum,

When I first heard of this in a Denver Post news article I was royaly PO'D. I did contact the DOW and it turns out that they are not behind this, large private landowners are. The DOW guy I talked to said that the DOW was approached by these landowners and told if they didn't support it that they would take it to the legislature to get it passed. I don't know where it stands right now.

I think the current system needs some changes. Landowner vouchers should be good only on PRIVATE land, not unit wide. 15% of all tags is plenty, they don't need or deserve more.

BeanMan

 

[fatrooster]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-01-04 AT 10:26AM (MST)[p]I personally do not believe that they should be getting ANY landowner vouchers. They should only be able to put in for a tag just like any Tom, Dike or Harry. If they want to charge a fee for someone to hunt on thier property then that is a different matter. Just another example of selling game tags for profit. There are more regular Joes out there than there are rich landowners. Ban together and be heard. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Don't let the rich minority be the squeaky wheel. The lower class working man is getting squeezed out more and more everyday. Keep us posted. fatrooster.

 

[sneakem]

I agree. Just because you own a ton of land doesn't mean that you should have the right to tags. I own land but its not enough under the divisions regulations. Kinda like descrimination huh?? I'm a fifth generation colorado native and you don't see anyone putting tags in my pocket! why?? because i don't have the money to buy a large tract of land?? Just because they've got a lot of land doesn't make any landowner any better or more deserving than I am. A landowner could argue that the animals do damage to their land, but isn't that what game damage permits are for??? Kinda makes you feel like a monkey at the bottom of a tree. All the monkeys higher up just keep sh##ing on you!!
sneakem

 

[rocketman]

This whole land owner tag issue has been tabled for
1 year. Between now and then there will be a
committee including colo sportsmen to address
the issue. The Colo Wildlife Comm had nothing to
do with it. The Admin of DOW was doing some behind the
scenes work on this. The Colo Cattlemens Ass
would like to go directly to the state Legislature
to change the %. Big landowners have lots of clout
in politics. Roy in Montrose

 

[stalker]

I could be (and most likely am) wrong but I believe if the land owner is a resident of the state they can only apply for resident vouchers that can only be used by residents. The same goes for non resident land owners. Now with that said if I owned a large tract of land I would like to be able to hunt it every year but then who decides what constitutes a large enough tract? Also there may not be a large # of animals on it all times of year but they may migrate on to it during the winter. By allowing me to hunt the entire unit I may harvest an animal that would otherwise cause damage on my property another time of the year. With farming and ranching going down hill as far as money makers I can see that this would be a way to fill the cookie jar and help preserve the large land tracts that are so important. Now I also believe that before you qualify for crop damage I think you should have to allow public hunting and the # of hunters would be based on the land size. If you apply for crop damage the next year the # of hunters should increase. No more collecting big money for hunting, shutting out the general public and then claiming crop damage.
15% of the tags is plenty. Anything more is pocket lining.
Stalker

 

[sneakem]

So just because your a land owner should give you the right to hunt over the rest of us citizens who supposedly have the same rights as provided by the state. What happened to equal opportunity? I would like to hunt every year to but cant because I don't own enough land. Kinda sounds like one of the reasons we left England to escape oppression. Sound like our lords (wealthy land owners) want to keep their game to their self and not let the peasants (average joe)hunt their game. WAKE UP!!! These are our animals too! And yes vouchers can be sold to either residents or nonresidents as I understand. There are ways to take care of animals destroying property. The division allows you to call and report animals ruining your precious property. The division can determine the extent of the damage and allow permits during the winter for just that reason!!
Or a land owner can seek compensation at the wildlife commision.

LONG LIVE THE FREE!!
sneakem

 

[DeerKing]

I have a friend who owns land in Colorado for whom I fill out all the paper work for and get some licenses in return. A landowner is not guaranteed a tag(s) just because he applies for them. The more pref. points he has (based on section) the more it helps him. Just like anyone else, the more points the better odds you have of drawing. The more land he has, the more tags he is potentially alloted. Once he acquires the tags he can sell them for whatever price he wants, to a resident or nonresident. Personally I'd like to see the holder of the tag be required to hunt on the property for which the tag was acquired, not any where within the unit. Its a loophole of sorts that many exploit. Also something interesting that no one has pursued that I have heard of, its says in the landowner packets/info that the landowner must allow a certain amount of other hunters to hunt his land in exchange for him having the chance at getting landowner tags. So potentially if Joe Blow got 6 landowner deer tags, technically he'd have to let a reasonable amount of other non paying hunters on his property as well. Anyway, that probably doesnt shed any more light on the subject, probably made it more confusing....



AntlerQuest Hunt Consulting

 

[JAD29]

CDW says they offer landowner tags as a incentive for landowners to manage for wildlife habitat. In that respect it does make sense to me.

 

[stalker]

I agree that the loophole aspect is being expoited. And as far as being able to sell the voucher for what ever price that can be had leaves a bad taste in my mouth but I do think I'd rather see this and have the rancher/farmer keep his land than to see it sold and broken up in subdivisions or small acreages.
As for allowing a resonable amount of non paying hunters on their land it may sound good but there is no monitoring of this and if you call the CDOW and ask for a list of landowners that are issued vouchers you will be politely told they do not give out this info. (why not as they are suppose to allow a reasable amount of us nonpaying hunters hunt their land?)
Sneakum,
You say that this is like England and that the rich don't want the "average Joe" hunting the land. You are right but take a look around you and you will see that it is happening in a lot more ways than you think. How about Ranching for Wildlife? You are guaranteed so many licenses that you can sell for what ever price and yes you have to let a few "average Joes" hunt but I guarantee they do not get equal treatment. Non res. hunters don't get equal treatment either.
Be assured that if the state wants to increase the # of tags alloted to land owners I will vote against it. Not because I think it is entirely wrong but because I am like most of the rest and do not own a large tract of land and am forced (or privelaged) to hunt pulic lands.

 

[sneakem]

Ranching for wildlife is a totally different story. Public hunts are allowed for the average joe and they get 10% of the tags that the ranch takes. They are also regulated by the D.O.W. to insure access for these hunters. They are not allowed to hunt public lands, just deeded acreage. I guide for a ranching for wildlife ranch. The average joe gets treated just as well on our ranch. We were the first ranch in the state of colorado to offer a free guided public hunt. The ranch pays some of the best guides in the nation to guide public hunters. The public hunters don't have to pay a dime for what guests shell out thousands for. We've found that other ranches are starting to follow our lead in offering these kind of hunts.
RFW is for huge tracts of land that hold animals on the property basically year round. They need to offer these tags to control herds. our herd usually consist of between 3,000 to 6,000 head of elk alone, depending on the time of year. with 50,000 deeded acres that leaves a lot of room for them to move without ever leaving the property, not to mention the huge antelope and deer herds. This progaram helps manage the number of animals that would basically be safe on private ground. RFW is a great way for all invloved to be a part of management and wonderful hunting opportunities provided by the D.O.W. and landowners. Land owners are also required to create better habitat for game animals RFW is regulated and the rest of the private land vouchers are not. big difference.
Sneakem

 

[BeanMan]

Sneakum,

Yup RFW is somewhat different. At least those tags are restricted to the RFW property. I'm glad the Ranch you guide for gives a fair deal. Not all of them do, I know from experience. When I used a large number of deer points to draw a RFW I was certainly not equal. Access to the ranch was permitted only after 0600 which was after legal shooting light had started, It then took 45 minutes to get to a good spot so the best time of the day was wasted. I believe it was intentional.

RFW is a great way to fill a freezer but it is not always the great trophy hunt that people such as myself had believed.

I have had some good cow amd doe antelope hunts on RFW properties.

BeanMan