Why is Colorado OTC of such shit quality?

[Nickofthewoods]

Having hunted these otc seasons as a resident for the last 18 years, I will say that I see people making the same mistakes over and over. Relying too much on atv's, calling way too much during archery season, hiking up ridges with headlamps on visible from 2 miles away, still in the wall tent getting ready as I'm hiking by with an hour head start on them, etc. It really is the same 10% of hunters shooting elk year after year. The other 90% might get lucky here and there, the rest complain.

The last 5 years or so it has been more of a challenge to have a day where I don't see other hunters though, and I try really hard not to.

 

[Phaseolus]

Yup, OTC is shit quality

 

[Hippie Steve]

I'll echo others. It's not lack of elk or laziness. If anything there are more people putting in the boot time. It's simply more people. I had beginners luck my first Colo OTC elk hunt. It hooked me for life. The handful of times I've been back, we've found elk and had shot opportunities. But it's very likely the OTC experience won't be as nice as a limited unit. Unless you enjoy having an audience.

Here's the deal with LIMITED ENTRY TAGS. You wait years to draw them, the best animals live in 5% of the unit, yes, there is a limited number of hunters but if they know anything about where the best animals in that unit are at, then it will just be a high hunter pressure hunt with your limited tag holders. Draw tags are not for success no matter how long you wait, they are only to make money for wildlife agencies. Stop wanting more LE draw tags, it's ridiculous logic. OTC is your opportunity, it's not harder, the animals are just smarter than most and have adapted to our efforts. LE tags don't let you hunt every year, OTC tags DO!

 

[Wags]

OTC Archery elk hunting in Colorado would still be good if it was limited to the number of hunters that were around in the early 2000's....

-Force people to get their OTC tag during the draw.
-Force people to burn a point/not be able to apply for a point if they get an OTC tag.
-Put caps on DUA's for OTC licenses.
-Make OTC tags DUA specific.

Lots of great ideas that in all honesty, wont affect the budget too much. Colorado could achieve that in multiple ways. But they won't. They are making a killing and people are still paying it, shitty hunting or not... lol

I'm a NR and I think that's fair.

I'd also think it would be fair for Resident's to not have to burn points to get an OTC tag in that system but NR's have to.

I agree that the number of OTC tags is way too high as well. IDK what "science" they are using to justify that increase but it sure seems out of balance to me.

 

[Lytro]

Small sample size, but I've gone 0-2 in CO draw units 1st & 2nd season rifle and 3-4 in OTC units on bulls. I've been in elk in all those hunts, but only pulled the trigger OTC. OTC can be a zoo, but I've never had a problem getting away from the crowds. That doesn't necessarily mean miles from the roads or trailheads either. I killed my biggest a few hundred yards off a major highway.

Is OTC that bad, or do people just like to compare it to youtube and whatever online BS they consume?

 

[LuvsFixedBlades]

It’s 75/25 across the board for all units from the current 65/35. There is talk of converting away from OTC but no concrete news about it yet. Until I see it in print I won’t believe it.

There is no concrete news because CPW commission is still taking input from the public. If anyone wants to give your $.02, log into CPW Engage website, set up an account and take the survey, it's only 8-9 questions long.

I went to the meetings. From everything I heard, I'd bet my house that Unlimited OTC elk is going away in '25. It may still be an OTC tag, but with CAPS, or it may convert to draw only for all units. But, CPW indicated it wasn't going to stay status quo.

Yes, its will be 75/25 across the board for draw units, but it's still an open discussion of if that would apply to OTC tags or not, so that is not baked in, yet. Depending on what happens there, OTC with CAPS (if that is where we end up) may remain status quo at 65/35. IF OTC goes to draw only, it will fall under the 75/25 allocation structure by default.

 

[Hnthrdr]

There is no concrete news because CPW commission is still taking input from the public. If anyone wants to give your $.02, log into CPW Engage website, set up an account and take the survey, it's only 8-9 questions long.

I went to the meetings. From everything I heard, I'd bet my house that Unlimited OTC elk is going away in '25. It may still be an OTC tag, but with CAPS, or it may convert to draw only for all units. But, CPW indicated it wasn't going to stay status quo.

Yes, its will be 75/25 across the board for draw units, but it's still an open discussion of if that would apply to OTC tags or not, so that is not baked in, yet. Depending on what happens there, OTC with CAPS (if that is where we end up) may remain status quo at 65/35. IF OTC goes to draw only, it will fall under the 75/25 allocation structure by default.

Yep already, voiced my opinion ( which isn’t worth much I’d imagine) thanks for showing at the meetings, I’d love to go, but they like having them at dinner/ almost bed time for the little one. Mama bear doesn’t appreciate that haha

 

[MallardSX2]

Part of the problem a lot of guys have with OTC is that they severely overestimate how many animals are in an area. There isn't an elk on every 20 acres in the national forest...

 

[fulldraw1972]

I used to hunt OTC in Colorado.
Every year but one I had my chances.
Then I hunted Wyoming two years in a row. One year was in a general unit. The other year was a limited entry draw unit.

The Wyoming hunts were definitely better than any of the years we had in Co.

The quality of the bulls we seen was the biggest contrast between the two states.
I am not saying there isn’t big bulls in Co. We just seen way more of them in Wyoming.

When a state manages for opportunity the quality is going to suffer no matter what species you hunt.

 

[tkhuntsman]

I've kind of shied away from this post but kept an eye on it so I'll chime in. I've hunted elk since that seems to be the topic of concern in CO (was born and raised there), NM, AZ, MT (my current home), and OK. I will tell you Colorado doesn't have a problem with low elk numbers. Pressure is bad and increasing and there are more units turning to limited draw every year those extra dudes are now condensed into smaller areas. I've had a a much higher almost double success ratio in Colorado and it's all about scouting, effort put in, and what your expectations are. Here in MT I've hunted for 2-3 days in perfect habitat and not seen an elk and just kept covering ground and eliminating drainages until I found a herd. Even when I do get on em I've gotta stay mobile to stay with em every day and there's not a lot of competition between the bulls so it's tougher to get the call ins. Now in CO I find elk in most good Backcountry drainages and they respond well when they aren't running or their lives from people. Point is elk love big country there's more pressure on em now days and you just have to adapt to the changing times to stay successful. The same is true in the other states I've hunted but there's a lot less good habitat. Keep hunting and stay positive.

 

[Desert_Muley]

I think it can still be pretty good hunting. My brother and I did a deer hunt in an OTC unit a couple years ago. We didn't buy elk tags but we seen bulls everyday, most of them we could of killed that day. Some were actually decent 6 points. But seemed like everybody we talked to couldn't find an elk, we were flabbergasted by the amount we were finding.

Just curious how far in were you? Last year was my first Elk hunt in CO and was surprised at the amount of atv trails in the area.

 

[Inthebloodhunts]

Plenty of elk to see and hunt OTC CO. If you can’t find elk to hunt then you aren’t doing it right. Is AZ and NM better and would I rather hunt there? Hell yes but I wouldn’t call CO sh*t.

Couldn’t agree more. I drew a tag with zero points and I drew a General season tag in Montana. For what it’s worth I am starting in CO because I know that unit and where the bulls like to rut. I have never hunted Montana so it will be a huge learning curve this year. In all fairness I can always go back and rifle hunt in Montana later so that plus into my decision. But my point is, there are a lot of elk in CO. The best time to find them on public is in archery season. By the time 1st rifle and definitely soon after opening day second rifle the majority of the animals are on private property. CO is a checkerboard and if you hunt public bordering close to you with private you can guarantee the elk are on that private. Hunt the edges of private if you can. That is a strategy that produces a lot of results for a lot of people. Best wishes on a great hunt!

 

[brandon.lee]

Alot of people have their opinions on Colorado OTC units some people think its shit , others think its amazing. Obviously hunting is a money generator for states wether its OTC or otherwise. Why does the colorful state get a bad rap? Though I have little experience in the topic my suspicion is that people who hunt Colorado and complain about its poor quality are actually complaining about the fact that they don't see elk, in part because every fatty in the US who doesnt want to cough up for a Utah out of state tag comes to Colorado to get their fix. All the ground with the least field problems is crowded and blows the elk out.
My suspicions of why people don't see elk are in part due to inability to cover ground, weather its laziness or otherwise. My second hypothesis on how and why people dont see elk is lack of experience. I myself suffered from this ailment. On my first go around i didn't realize how much ground i needed to cover or how to do it. I also didnt know what i was looking for.
It seems like people in other states can drive up to the trail head. walk a mile and shoot an elk. It takes a bit more grit here but its not impossible.

I’m almost certain that the root of the complaints are that people can’t find elk as easily as they can in other states.

Whats the deal?
Am I out of line?
What are your

At least you get to hunt

 

[dr.mooseknuckles]

Hunted OTC Unit for 1st rifle (draw) this past year and saw elk everyday. Buddy connected with a decent 5x5 on day 2, I had two separate opportunities day 3 about 5 minutes apart but couldn't make it happen due to distance and grey light. We saw upwards of 75 elk with 7-8 shooters. Heavily hunted OTC for Archery.

We were told we wouldn't have any luck, let alone see an elk. If cows or spikes were legal, we would have been done in the first 10 minutes opening day. Had a lot of other hunters around us cruising roads on their side by sides and 4-wheelers.
Our best luck was hunting ground bordering private. Had two separate bulls bugling within 300 yards while we were dressing my buddy's bull. I regret not going after them, but wanted to take care of the meat. Best part about that was that it was a 600 yard pack out down hill to a FS road right to the truck.