CO Point Creep in 2021? You Bet!!

[lukew]

Colorado Point Creep in 2021? You better believe it! - Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals

I read astounding numbers on Colorado’s big game applicants in the primary draw this year. There has

blog.eastmans.com

 

[mallardsx2]

OR does this mean that more people are cashing in their points and washing their hands of the mess? It would be interesting to see the percentage point holder increase that are getting in the draws that have more than 10 points. Covid kept a lot of top point holder type people from applying last year. Maybe not 10% but it did keep some people on the sidelines for sure because they were unsure about the travel restrictions.

I would like to see how much of an increase there is in FIRST TIME applicants in Colorado.

I have no doubt that Colorado will do something to strike point holders out of the way in the next few years. I suspect they will start making people burn their points for drawing tags other than just their first choice. You hunt, 1st, 2nd, 3rd choice, leftover, secondary draw, OTC, you loose your accumulated points. I would love to see the OTC crowd shrink because of the fear of loosing their PP's. lol

Before anyone bashes me saying that I am only in favor of that because I am not a person sitting on a massive amount of points, I am sitting at 9 Deer 8 Antelope and 1 Elk point. Thats a fair amount of points for deer and antelope IMO. If I chose to hunt mule deer or antelope on a leftover tag I would be ok with loosing those points if I truly wanted the tag. Truth be told I wish I would have burned my points for deer 5 years ago because I found a sweet spot to hunt that is only good on a tag that takes 1-2 points. When I do burn my points I will never let them accumulate above 5 again.

 

[accubond]

Deer apps are listed at 226,346 for 2020, a roughly 1% increase by my math?? Not sure where the 211,968 comes from but to be honest that would be more believable than the number I listed above form their final regulation report. According to their final report apps and tags are up 1% each this year which seems odd given all the "burn your points while you can" advice given from everyone?

 

[THelms]

OR does this mean that more people are cashing in their points and washing their hands of the mess? It would be interesting to see the percentage point holder increase that are getting in the draws that have more than 10 points. Covid kept a lot of top point holder type people from applying last year. Maybe not 10% but it did keep some people on the sidelines for sure because they were unsure about the travel restrictions.

I would like to see how much of an increase there is in FIRST TIME applicants in Colorado.

I have no doubt that Colorado will do something to strike point holders out of the way in the next few years. I suspect they will start making people burn their points for drawing tags other than just their first choice. You hunt, 1st, 2nd, 3rd choice, leftover, secondary draw, OTC, you loose your accumulated points. I would love to see the OTC crowd shrink because of the fear of loosing their PP's. lol

Before anyone bashes me saying that I am only in favor of that because I am not a person sitting on a massive amount of points, I am sitting at 9 Deer 8 Antelope and 1 Elk point. Thats a fair amount of points for deer and antelope IMO. If I chose to hunt mule deer or antelope on a leftover tag I would be ok with loosing those points if I truly wanted the tag. Truth be told I wish I would have burned my points for deer 5 years ago because I found a sweet spot to hunt that is only good on a tag that takes 1-2 points. When I do burn my points I will never let them accumulate above 5 again.

Good questions... I was wondering the same thing.

 

[THelms]

I'm in CO for the long game, not planning on hunting deer there until I'm in my 60's.

 

[Ca_Vermonster]

I'm just curious, does point creep usually affect units across the board, or only the better units where you start getting over 5-6 points? I am planning my fall trip to CO or a combo deer/elk hunt this fall, and nervous I won't get a tag. I am targeting a unit that pretty much is guaranteed at 2 points in years past, and that's what I have. Wonder if that one will be pushed higher. So if people want to burn points, is it more likely you will see someone with 8-10 points "settling" for what is normally a 5 point unit, therefore creating point creep, or do they even occur in the relatively low draw units?

 

[ScottR]

I'm just curious, does point creep usually affect units across the board, or only the better units where you start getting over 5-6 points? I am planning my fall trip to CO or a combo deer/elk hunt this fall, and nervous I won't get a tag. I am targeting a unit that pretty much is guaranteed at 2 points in years past, and that's what I have. Wonder if that one will be pushed higher. So if people want to burn points, is it more likely you will see someone with 8-10 points "settling" for what is normally a 5 point unit, therefore creating point creep, or do they even occur in the relatively low draw units?

The next few years it is going to run across the board. Once borders are opened for hunting again, restrictions in the remaining states are lifted we will see what the new normal is. My gut says a shift of several points is going to be necessary.

 

[Ca_Vermonster]

The next few years it is going to run across the board. Once borders are opened for hunting again, restrictions in the remaining states are lifted we will see what the new normal is. My gut says a shift of several points is going to be necessary.

So you think a unit where 1-2 points drew last year, will 2 have a chance this year? Possible? At least give me some hope...….LOL

 

[ScottR]

So you think a unit where 1-2 points drew last year, will 2 have a chance this year? Possible? At least give me some hope...….LOL

I wish I could tell you that and I hope I am wrong. The sad reality though is that a lot of people are just wanting to go hunt and not wait 10 years. People with 5 points decide to cash in on what was a 2 point unit, etc.

 

[BKC]

Before anyone bashes me saying that I am only in favor of that because I am not a person sitting on a massive amount of points, I am sitting at 9 Deer 8 Antelope and 1 Elk point. Thats a fair amount of points for deer and antelope IMO. If I chose to hunt mule deer or antelope on a leftover tag I would be ok with loosing those points if I truly wanted the tag.

You would be ok with losing 8 or 9 points for a leftover tag? I have hunted on 2nd, 3rd and leftover tags for many years, that is how i have accumulated my points. I do not agree with that line of thinking.

 

[JimP]

So you think a unit where 1-2 points drew last year, will 2 have a chance this year? Possible? At least give me some hope...….LOL

Nice seeing ya on the forums again.

If you don't want to mention the unit send me a PM and I'll see what I can figure out.

A 2 point unit isn't going to be that hard of a unit to draw and it may stay at 2 points. But you just never know. If it was a unit where there were tags offered in the second draw then 2 points should be good. If it is a unit where all the tags went with 2 points then it will depend on just how many put in for the unit to draw with 2 points. But then there are those who didn't draw last it year that now have 3 points for it.

 

[D_Dubya]

I have no way to qualify this statement, but I think there are a significant amount of applicants, NR’s especially, that are applying in all states for all species the last two years due to all the free government money that has been handed out the last two years. Once folks get back to work and off the government tit I bet app #’s drop or at the very least level off.

 

[TexElkHunter817]

I have no way to qualify this statement, but I think there are a significant amount of applicants, NR’s especially, that are applying in all states for all species the last two years due to all the free government money that has been handed out the last two years. Once folks get back to work and off the government tit I bet app #’s drop or at the very least level off.

I hope your right and they get cutoff sooner than later.

 

[Slugz]

I study my units draw data a ton. I have 5-6 GMUs for multiple species that we know the data like the back of my hand. Speaking on those units only, point creep has not really happened. What has happened is I see roughly a 5 percent jump in apps. That 5 percent jump also equates to what I think is a "ridiculous" use of points. Example: double digit points used on something that takes 4 or less. When I say double digit I mean mid teens. So speaking on those units only I think that equates to people " getting out of the game", not caring about points and just wanting to go hunt.

 

[RICMIC]

I expect to be heading to CO with a cow elk tag in my pocket this year in a unit that takes 0-1 pt. I have 2 pts. so should be good. I hunted that unit with two friends in 2008, and they have been building pts. (with a few missed years) since then while I have been hunting every year. The goal was for a "any elk" muzzleloader tag and they were chasing the pts. required, but once they finally got enough to draw they decided for a 1st rifle tag. So, in their case, that was using 9 pts. for a 3 pt. unit. DUH I think that in a lot of cases the guys with too many points realize that they are getting too old to do the hunt they were shooting for, or just may never reach it.

 

[accubond]

Has anybody else noticed the discrepancy in this year's deer apps between what CPW reported for apps and what is stated in the blog? I'm just curious which one is right I guess.

 

[BKC]

Has anybody else noticed the discrepancy in this year's deer apps between what CPW reported for apps and what is stated in the blog? I'm just curious which one is right I guess.

I think it is from a broken water pipe?

 

[Ca_Vermonster]

I am not totally sure how to read the tables, but it looks like everyone with 1 point that applied as a Non-Resident got a tag last year, and thats the cutoff. I have 2 points, so hopefully good.

 

[mallardsx2]

You would be ok with losing 8 or 9 points for a leftover tag? I have hunted on 2nd, 3rd and leftover tags for many years, that is how i have accumulated my points. I do not agree with that line of thinking.

I dont suspect you would because you have been one of those guys who have be able to capitalize on things while building points and I have too so dont take this as criticism. I hunted OTC units while applying for points for many years. We are having our cake and eating it too. I dont blame you or me. But unfortunately in the future I dont think they will allow you to do that. I could be wrong but it has certainly been brought up at the meetings.

If they did take points for a leftover tags and I saw a leftover tag and I wanted it that bad the answer is yes, I would burn my 8 or 9 points to get it.

Until then I will keep my elk and deer points below 4 and when I burn my antelope points as I will likely never get Antelope points in CO again.