Question for Colorado residents

[StoneMtnSteel]

So we are planning a move west, after my wife gets out of nursing school. We have been visiting Idaho Montana and Wyoming checking out different areas, we still have 2 years to decide. I'm familiar enough to know the perks of being a Wyoming resident along with Idaho and Montana. But im not familiar with Colorado, so before I put Colorado on the list to visit id like to know what a resident hunter has to deal with, Do you still gotta play the pref point game? How much easier is It to draw a good unit as opposed to non res, etc.? I would like to live somewhere I can hunt more and worry less about tags. But any information is helpful even a point in the right direction as to where to look. Maybe this topic has came up before and im to simple to find it on here, but I would rather ask the guys on this forum then call the Colorado office.

 

[COlineman78]

Colorado resident vs non-res big game prices are significantly different. For elk it's $49 vs $470(cow)/630(bull/either). Archery for most units is over the counter and good state-wide (except draw units). There are really only a few impossible to draw units for elk and they are in the north west corner of the state (2, 10, 201). These units get less than 10 bulls per season and therefore 20%(~1 tag) is allowed for out of state, 20%(~1 tag) is a purely random draw for anyone over 5 points and the remaining are the highest preference points (usually requiring 20-30 points right now). 2nd and 3rd rifle bull are also OTC for most units as well. All OTC tags have no res/non-res implications other than cost. There is usually a cap at 20% for deer and elk for nonres in the harder to draw units and 35% for the easier units. All 1st rifle, muzzy and 2nd/3rd/4th cow tags are limited draw only.

Moose, Sheep and Goats are all a weighted lottery (think raffle and you get a ticket per PP) and you must have 3 PP to be included. Nonresident applications for these species must be done by mail. If you harvest a desert sheep or moose, then you can no longer apply for that species. If you harvest any mountain goat or a Rocky Mountain bighorn of at least ½ curl, then you have to wait five years until you are permitted to apply again.

 

[Treeline hunter]

Colorado has a lot of opportunity to hunt for multiple species:

Elk - As COlineman said above - there are some units that are out of reach in the NW corner. A number of units can be drawn in a reasonable amount of time though (3-5 years) and OTC for a lot of elk units - can get crowded, but there are places that you can get away from the crowds and still get into some decent animals. There are a lot of units where you can get a second cow tag to be able to get two elk in a year. Trophy quality anywhere in CO is marginal at best when compared to AZ, UT, NV, MT or even WY.

Deer - Colorado has great mule deer and there are tons of tags that you can get on second or later choice to get a point and a tag for deer. B&C mule deer come from every corner of the state and some of the best trophy producing units can be drawn with minimal points. Whitetails are primarily out in the eastern plains and mostly on private land but there are some really good whitetails out there as well and if you can get permission on a place in the right unit you can probably get a tag and a point out there as well. You can only hunt one or the other for bucks, but can get doe tags as second tags and there are some areas where they are trying to kill off the whitetails where you can get unlimited tags.

Antelope - draw for all rifle hunts and some take quite a few points. Some areas are OTC for archery. Can be a decent hunt, but trophy quality is limited in CO for antelope. The best antelope hunting in Colorado is in Wyoming.

Bear - draw and OTC with caps. Kind of weird system, but there are some really good bears in some areas of CO with a potential for a B&C. No baiting or dogs allowed makes it tougher and only a fall season.

Mountain Lion - OTC tag with limits on units. Can be fun to hunt if you get in with someone with hounds.

Sheep, goats and moose were covered pretty well above. You are not eligible to be in the drawing until you have at least 3 points.

Colorado is a great state for outdoors activities - fishing, hunting, rafting, skiing, etc, etc... But it is expensive to be here. The cost of housing is very high and the state taxes are also high when compared to other western states like WY, MT, or ID.

I am looking hard at western WY - south of Jackson Hole (Star Valley). Love that area - awesome deer hunting in the backyard every year as well as being close to Idaho, Utah and Colorado for out of state hunting and fishing. If not there, Alaska or British Columbia. Alaska probably has the best overall opportunities for hunting different species and British Columbia has all the sheep except desert...

 

[StoneMtnSteel]

Thanks for clearing that up for me guys, that'll give me something to talk to the wife about see if we should put it on the list, treeline that is a real nice area and was at the top of my list but the Mrs. Would rather not work in Jackson hospital to many tourists she said, but time will tell. Again thanks for the information I appreciate it