Over crowded Colorado units getting worse

[Pigskin]

Putting 16 more units in the draw last year is really killing some of the nearby OTC units, I was hoping the 2020 overcrowding was from covid19 issues but after what I seen this year bow hunting last week Colorado it’s apparent that this state will be doomed on OTC hunting, I know it’s already been bad enough over the years but looking back into the 90’s vs today is really sickening.
What are you seeing in your neck of the woods out there ?

 

[CoStick]

Putting 16 more units in the draw last year is really killing some of the nearby OTC units, I was hoping the 2020 overcrowding was from covid19 issues but after what I seen this year bow hunting last week Colorado it’s apparent that this state will be doomed on OTC hunting, I know it’s already been bad enough over the years but looking back into the 90’s vs today is really sickening.

Do your part and stay home,

 

[Pigskin]

Do your part and stay home,

millennial I’m sure…..

 

[Mountain_Life]

To be fair, whining in a post to internet strangers isn't gonna help the OTC hunting pressure and there's already dozens of these threads anyway....

 

[CoStick]

millennial I’m sure…..

Nope, but you complained and I provided you a solution.

 

[Gerbdog]

Games changed a bit, elk populations are still there, they're just well educated and disappear after the first 3 days of the season. Can start hunting every 3 years instead of every year if you cant stomach the OTC crowds (i get it, there are a whole lot of people in the woods) and start doing lower point units, develop a draw strategy around those..... gotta adapt and overcome, but if you do low point units in several states you can hunt every year in a slightly better than OTC unit.

 

[Pigskin]

Hang on here, I’m curious if the entire state is in this predicament, I know the southern most OTC units are suffering from it because they are closer to the units that just went into the draw.
Notice I said since the 90’s which is older than 3/4 of the people on this site.
would like to hear some reasonable responses, not a bunch of smart ass punk answers , if you can’t respond with some integrity then move on and don’t respond……

 

[Gerbdog]

I hunt the southern units... find plenty of elk and plenty of hunters. Dunno what you want to hear, it isnt the 90's anymore, is this archery season or rifle season your fed up with? Archery technology has changed leaps and bounds since the 90s and is way more accessible to the population .... throw that in with this re-awakening to the outdoors over the last 15 years that the world has seen, gear being more affordable and making it all more accessible.... and then hunting heros like Cam romanticizing elk hunting.... yea there are WAY more people in the woods than the 90s.... its just all more doable now. I know they say hunting population is decreasing 10% year over year but i'd be interested to see what COVID did for that number. When the TP ran out in the stores seems like more people started to wonder how that deer grazing in their front yard tastes haha

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

What is the OP’s proposal to remedy the situation? If he has none, then he’s venting. Nothing wrong with venting but it just doesn’t accomplish anything other than making yourself feel better for a little bit.

Folks can choose to adapt or stay stuck in the past.

 

[Ucsdryder]

It’s time for CPW to do something about the nonresident hoards. The amount of nonresident plates doubled or tripled the Colorado plates this year

 

[Poser]

I’m increasingly in the camp of breaking archery season into 2 separate tags. Hell, I’d even consider 4 segments. The amount of people who are coming out and hunting for 30 days, or until they fill their tag, is completely over the top.

 

[TheGrayRider]

Biden 2024!

 

[orionthehunter1]

Having an unlimited number of people chasing a limited resource is not sustainable. CPW needs to wake up to that fact. The whole state should be a draw with an 80/20 split and adjust tag prices accordingly on both sides.

 

[Next Ridge]

Will be curious to see stats for this year. Our OTC units gets busy in some places some of the times but had no one in other places other times, all places had elk. Hunters are migratory too…”hey, saw someone taking a bull out off X road”

 

[Pigskin]

I hunt the southern units... find plenty of elk and plenty of hunters. Dunno what you want to hear, it isnt the 90's anymore, is this archery season or rifle season your fed up with? Archery technology has changed leaps and bounds since the 90s and is way more accessible to the population .... throw that in with this re-awakening to the outdoors over the last 15 years that the world has seen, gear being more affordable and making it all more accessible.... and then hunting heros like Cam romanticizing elk hunting.... yea there are WAY more people in the woods than the 90s.... its just all more doable now. I know they say hunting population is decreasing 10% year over year but i'd be interested to see what COVID did for that number. When the TP ran out in the stores seems like more people started to wonder how that deer grazing in their front yard tastes haha

I’m not necessarily fed up I’m just curious in what other people are seeing…….if they’re seeing the same…..I have a bow shop, I know what the technologies have done over the past 35 years I also know how much elk hunting has changed over the last 30 years, Im just curious of what others are seeing in other parts of the state, I’ve been in the northern units but I prefer the southern, just like the areas better.

 

[RMM]

Hang on here, I’m curious if the entire state is in this predicament, I know the southern most OTC units are suffering from it because they are closer to the units that just went into the draw.
Notice I said since the 90’s which is older than 3/4 of the people on this site.
would like to hear some reasonable responses, not a bunch of smart ass punk answers , if you can’t respond with some integrity then move on and don’t respond……

I wouldn't really call @CoStick response a smart ass answer. Everyone else hunting OTC has every right to be there just like you. If you dont like other people utilizing public land like you do, dont hunt OTC units. What reasonable response are you looking for? You didnt ask a question. Your original post was you venting.

 

[Gerbdog]

I’m not necessarily fed up I’m just curious in what other people are seeing…….if they’re seeing the same…..I have a bow shop, I know what the technologies have done over the past 35 years I also know how much elk hunting has changed over the last 30 years, Im just curious of what others are seeing in other parts of the state, I’ve been in the northern units but I prefer the southern, just like the areas better.

Oh! well in that case, yea, loads of hunters, my gold mine that i had never seen another hunter in was loaded up with hunters... felt like some podcast dropped a pin right on my spot haha

 

[EastMT]

Putting 16 more units in the draw last year is really killing some of the nearby OTC units, I was hoping the 2020 overcrowding was from covid19 issues but after what I seen this year bow hunting last week Colorado it’s apparent that this state will be doomed on OTC hunting, I know it’s already been bad enough over the years but looking back into the 90’s vs today is really sickening.
What are you seeing in your neck of the woods out there ?

The entire west is in the same situation, Montana draw tags apps were up 40% this year, with all the new residents that get OTC tags, this season will be busy. Not excited but gotta suck it up or quit. I’ll be happy to be out, talk to some hunters as I bump into them and deal with it.

When I was in Alaska same thing, you think you just discovered a mountain nobody has ever seen and fixing to name it, and there’s a huge mine/hunting camp/caravan of side by sides.

I’m my 20’s we were like 50-60 miles out on ATV’s, feeling like bada$$’s worked hard to get out there, roll around the corner and here’s a group of like 10 blue hairs 65-75 years old parked atv’s taking a break haha.

 

[Pigskin]

The entire west is in the same situation, Montana draw tags apps were up 40% this year, with all the new residents that get OTC tags, this season will be busy. Not excited but gotta suck it up or quit. I’ll be happy to be out, talk to some hunters as I bump into them and deal with it.

When I was in Alaska same thing, you think you just discovered a mountain nobody has ever seen and fixing to name it, and there’s a huge mine/hunting camp/caravan of side by sides.

I’m my 20’s we were like 50-60 miles out on ATV’s, feeling like bada$$’s worked hard to get out there, roll around the corner and here’s a group of like 10 blue hairs 65-75 years old parked atv’s taking a break haha.

Man I hate to hear that, I figured Alaska would have taken longer than this to get this busy…..I guess it’s everywhere…

 

[cnelk]

Man, it’s all about knowing when to hunt.
I just got home today after spending 4 days with my son, helping him to fill his tag in an popular OTC area.

There were a few people Sat/Sun and then we had the entire Mtn to ourselves.

Saw/heard elk everyday. And season ends on Thursday!

Maybe get off the internet and go hunting?

Just a thought