Cutting tags 40% in northwest Colorado…

I just hope theres a silver lining and the drought gets broken for the next few years, tags get cut, winters are milder and animals recover quickly. Too many things happening all at once to game populations… hate to think we might be taking another permanent leg down to another new, lower normal.
 
Just seen this on Facebook.
Screenshot_20230327_193159_Facebook.jpg
 
I'm not sure about the rest of the units, but 3/301 needed this years ago!
I totally agree they’ve been given out way too many tags in those units for a while. Then when they created that new 4th season private land only hunt for 100 tags a few years back. It wiped out a lot of the mature Bucks that hide on private property that time of year. From my understanding that was the plan in the first place to try to slow down CWD….
 
Is it just me or why don't I see the map on the CPW website on news releases? Previous posters say they found it on FB and another on CO Outdoors Mag.??? Seems like the CPW website should show this somewhere (perhaps it's not on a news release) since the deadline is approaching and seems this is important for those that hunt the NW areas especially. BTW, thanks to those that posted this from sources other than CPW!
 

Saw this posted today.
 

Saw this posted today.
But that article doesn't show the map that I've seen elsewhere showing which areas are targeted for cuts?
 
They are recommending significant reductions in the number of licenses for elk and deer in the Bears Ears and White River DAUs, and pronghorn in the Great Divide DAU for the 2023 big game season.
Have to look at the DAU descriptions for the exact units.
 
Is it just me or why don't I see the map on the CPW website on news releases? Previous posters say they found it on FB and another on CO Outdoors Mag.??? Seems like the CPW website should show this somewhere (perhaps it's not on a news release) since the deadline is approaching and seems this is important for those that hunt the NW areas especially. BTW, thanks to those that posted this from sources other than CPW!
I agree I think Colorado parks and wildlife should’ve posted the map. Also, I think that magazine is from them anyway. If you haven’t already seen where the map comes from. Here it is.. https://coloradooutdoorsmag.com/2023/03/27/winter-in-the-northwest-part-2/
 
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Brutus - Your link is where I saw the map so I was kinda surprised the CPW news release this morning didn't say anything about the map especially when it was in their magazine? dunno why?
 
Brutus - Your link is where I saw the map so I was kinda surprised the CPW news release this morning didn't say anything about the map especially when it was in their magazine? dunno why?
Yes, I reread your post and reworded my response. I jumped the gun a little bit. Sorry I don’t know why either.
 
Good to see they are doing something to help. Utah should follow Colorado’s example and reduce tags in all northern deer units by at least 50%
 
They had to do something yes, but had the DOW or CPW or whatever you wanna call them,( I know I have a name for them) but I will leave that out. Had they not tried so hard to combat something that has been around forever (CWD) They would not be near as bad off. This bad winter was coming, it was just a matter of time and these harsh winters every few years is mother nature's way of killing off the weak or old, and if CWD is what they say it is, then an animal with it would not have stood a chance in a winter like this!!!. But they had to try and eradicate the mature bucks on their own, and yes this happened!! ( SEE ANY GOOD BUCKS LATELY IN NW COLORADO????) Not only did they take measures into their own hands, but then moved the seasons later and added tags, and don't even get me started about doe tags!!!!!!!! So yes something had to be done, and yes it's a major winter kill and yes it's going to take years to rebound if ever! It's just too bad how NW Colorado's deer herds have bean handled over the past few years, it was always the place to go. Not anymore!!!!!!!!!!
 
They had to do something yes, but had the DOW or CPW or whatever you wanna call them,( I know I have a name for them) but I will leave that out. Had they not tried so hard to combat something that has been around forever (CWD) They would not be near as bad off. This bad winter was coming, it was just a matter of time and these harsh winters every few years is mother nature's way of killing off the weak or old, and if CWD is what they say it is, then an animal with it would not have stood a chance in a winter like this!!!. But they had to try and eradicate the mature bucks on their own, and yes this happened!! ( SEE ANY GOOD BUCKS LATELY IN NW COLORADO????) Not only did they take measures into their own hands, but then moved the seasons later and added tags, and don't even get me started about doe tags!!!!!!!! So yes something had to be done, and yes it's a major winter kill and yes it's going to take years to rebound if ever! It's just too bad how NW Colorado's deer herds have bean handled over the past few years, it was always the place to go. Not anymore!!!!!!!!!!
Well that about sums it up. They can only take so much!!
 
I know the deer and antelope are going to take a hit in the NW. What do you guys and gals think the elk will fare?
 
It won’t be on the level of deer and antelope, but it will have some impact. Winter is not done here so I would say that it might be worse than currently expected IMO, still several feet of snow in most places and likely a ways of from any groceries starting to pop up.

Nobody will really know the extent until the snow melts…
 
Haha. With those numbers it almost back to what they should have been issuing the last several years. Between slaughtering all the doe in those units and now intentionally killing every single buck they can find, the deer were doomed well before this winter….

I love how they did not change include 22 in that map, but 22 is the winter range for alot of all the other units listed
 
1/2 to a 1/3 of 22 seems to be ok. Exposed southern slopes and heII green pastures along the river. The south and west/NW part are in a world of hurt. They won't cut these tags. 10 is in a world of chit too but they won't cut those either. 21 has a small banana belt north of Texas and oils spring along 16 and 109 but the rest is sad shape. For 3 months these units had record snow, extended cold temperatures, and a range stuck in drought. And yet every tag will sell
 
I see Grand Mesa is like 200% snow pack but what about the low elevations where those elk winter. Do they have much snow? What about south of Grand Mesa and Grand Junction?
 
Check out snotel. Vallecito is at 188% of normal snowpack going into April. Still lots of snow between Bayfield and Pagosa especially around the Piedra and yellow jacket area.
You do realize that the Vallecito snotel site is almost at timberline below Runlett Peak? I have no doubt that the upper end of the San Juans have a lot of snow, that's just not a great representation of what's on the winter range. I'm not attempting to argue with you about winterkill, I'm well aware of how much snow there is as I've been in both areas recently. I'm sure it'll be an above average amount, but I think the amount of animals that die in the NW corner is going to be significantly greater than people imagine....
 
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You do realize that the Vallecito snotel site is almost at timberline below Runlett Peak? I have no doubt that the upper end of the San Juans have a lot of snow, that's just not a great representation of what's on the winter range. I'm not attempting to argue with you about winterkill, I'm well aware of how much snow there is as I've been in both areas recently. I'm sure it'll be an above average amount, but I think the amount of animals that die in the NW corner is going to be significantly greater than people imagine....
Yeah I'm just saying it would be nice if CPW was proactive on cuts instead of reactive years later there is pretty significant winter kill all over the state but yes the northwest corner is in worse shape.
 
Sad sad back there in NW Colorado, sounds like a good time to reintroduce the Wolves.. Mule Deer will soon be a thing of the past out in Colorado, how sad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
This proposal doesn’t even come close to covering the winter kill loss. Unit 10 has had MAJOR winter loss.

Todd
Your right, and I was thinking about this today wonder how many people with 29 or 30+ Elk points are gonna just go ahead and put in this year anyways ? That is a lot of years to wait to only draw and have the herd decimated from winter kill.

In 2008 I drew a unit 53 4 season deer tag, in fact it was the first year they had the fourth season in that unit. The herds were in bad shape from the previous year’s big winter storms but I was still pumped to go. I got there early to scout and it wasn’t looking good there were only 10 tags issued and I know three of the people turned them back in right before the season started. I probably should have also but I didn’t want to drive all the way from California and not Hunt so I kept it. I saw one nice buck opening morning I passed on and after that not much of anything the rest of the hunt very few deer let alone bucks. It’s always fun to draw but also a gamble after these rough winters.
 
The problem is that you poor guys that have been waiting for years to get the tag might not see a Bull you wanna shoot but on the other hand if he survived it might be a wall hanger. Who knows
 
You do realize that the Vallecito snotel site is almost at timberline below Runlett Peak? I have no doubt that the upper end of the San Juans have a lot of snow, that's just not a great representation of what's on the winter range. I'm not attempting to argue with you about winterkill, I'm well aware of how much snow there is as I've been in both areas recently. I'm sure it'll be an above average amount, but I think the amount of animals that die in the NW corner is going to be significantly greater than people imagine....
Um, here’s what the state looks like. SW is EASILY leading the state in relative averages.

I’m not in any way making the argument that the winter kill will be worse in the SW. As you mentioned, down here they can get out of it in a couple day walk if they don’t get killed on the highway.

 
I have zero points, me are smart, so I suggest everyone pass on 2023 season I’ll grab a 10-20 point tag and report back on my hunt.

Seriously tho the best year, in the near term, will be the first year following winter kill. Not all the mature bucks will die and haven’t been exposed to a full year of hunting. Assuming you believe mature bucks existed prior.
 

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