If you take a closer look at counties producing the whoppers you'll get a feel for the future. Around 2010 to 2015 there were a heck of a lot of B&C bucks coming out of the Gunnison Basin. There was very little winterkill in that area over those years. My prediction is that you can almost remove Gunnison County from B&C entries from 2017 through at least the next 5 years. Prior to the early 2010's there weren't many B&C bucks harvested in the Gunnison Valley due to severe winters. The genetics are fantastic if bucks can live long enough!
The CPW also started offering early high country hunts across Colo in relatively recent years. Those additional rifle tags put additional pressure on an additional chunk of older age bucks. If there are back to back winterkill years along with 5 years of later rifle season dates you can count on B&C entries taking significant drops. It usually takes 6 to 7+ years to produce a B&C buck. That is quite a few hunting seasons and winters to survive! With later rifle season dates hopefully the CPW will be smart enough not to increase tag numbers!
On the "up-side" it's nice that many of Colo's winter ranges are getting moisture rather than drought....which impacts browse and feed that promotes antler growth.....and health of deer. It's obviously important that does are healthy because they are the ones producing fawns!
Another positive note is Eastern Colo. There will always be B&C entries coming from the Eastern Plains. It is mostly private land plus won't be impacted by late rifle season dates.
My prediction is that overall Colo B&C entries will take a dramatic drop in the next 5 years with the late rifle season dates. How severe the drop is depends in part to tag numbers plus winterkill and drought over those years.
The CPW also started offering early high country hunts across Colo in relatively recent years. Those additional rifle tags put additional pressure on an additional chunk of older age bucks. If there are back to back winterkill years along with 5 years of later rifle season dates you can count on B&C entries taking significant drops. It usually takes 6 to 7+ years to produce a B&C buck. That is quite a few hunting seasons and winters to survive! With later rifle season dates hopefully the CPW will be smart enough not to increase tag numbers!
On the "up-side" it's nice that many of Colo's winter ranges are getting moisture rather than drought....which impacts browse and feed that promotes antler growth.....and health of deer. It's obviously important that does are healthy because they are the ones producing fawns!
Another positive note is Eastern Colo. There will always be B&C entries coming from the Eastern Plains. It is mostly private land plus won't be impacted by late rifle season dates.
My prediction is that overall Colo B&C entries will take a dramatic drop in the next 5 years with the late rifle season dates. How severe the drop is depends in part to tag numbers plus winterkill and drought over those years.