Colorado elk.

[COLORADO]

I got 2 preference points elk and am trying to decide what unit i should use them on this year or if i should keep building points for a trophy unit?

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

I got 22 preference points for elk and am trying to decide what unit i should use them on this year or if i should keep building points for a trophy unit?

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

I got 22 preference points for elk and am trying to decide what unit i should use them on this year or if i should keep building points for a trophy unit?

COLORADO…this will be you in 20 years.

 

[Ridgerunner]

So true it's not even funny

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

So true it's not even funny

Unfortunately it is true…that's me this year. I'm still not positive what I should do.

 

[Ridgerunner]

What's a few more points

 

[Drhorsepower]

I got 22 preference points for elk and am trying to decide what unit i should use them on this year or if i should keep building points for a trophy unit?

So you guys are in the same boat.

 

[Musket Man]

I have 0 points for CO elk and am trying to decide what to do without them

 

[xtreme]

I have four points and I will be 72 years old this fall. I know what to do and I have a plan. I don't even buy green bananas.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

Colorado, in all seriousness, here is what I would do. Look at the hunts you actually want to apply for. Go to the statistics page on the CDOW website and see check on the "Preference Points Required" to draw in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 (5 years). Look at that and see if the hunt keeps jumping ahead a point every year or two. If so you that hunt has "point creep" and you will likely have a very long wait to catch it.

If I was a Colorado resident, I personally would find a muzzleloader hunt that requires 1-3 points and do it over and over again and learn the area. That is actually my plan after I burn my pile of points since I will never catch the top units again in my lifetime.

When I started out I was 7 points behind the top units, today I have 22 points and am still a few years away from the NW corner units.

Here is the link to the CDOW statistics page:

http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/Statistics/Pages/Statistics.aspx

 

[COLORADO]

OK i will look at the statistics, i usually just get a over the counter archery tag but this year i want to get my first bull.

 

[In God We Trust]

UH is 100% right. I got into the game late and finally used my points 6 points on a unit 49 tag 2 seasons ago. Trying to chase the "TROPHY" units in Colorado if you are just getting started is problematic. You will have a long 20 or maybe by then 30+ year wait. I have a unit I hunt that I draw every year as a second choice. I scouted and hunted the unit for the last 12 years and have gotten to know it pretty well. Drawing this unit as a second choice during 3rd season allows me to save up 2 points and then draw another unit I like to hunt either the first rifle or muzzle loader season.Another option is the route you have gone which is to do an OTC archery tag and save 2 points and then draw a first rifle or smoke pole tag every couple of years. Just keep hunting the same units, scout the hell out of them and success will come. The first 3 years I lived in Colorado my dad, brother and myself drew 3rd season cow and buck tags, this was good because we learned the unit and found out what the bulls were doing and the areas they were hanging out.

 

[Z Barebow]

COLORADO- It depends on what you are looking for.

I will speak for myself. I have 11 PP's. I hope to cash them in 2015. Once I cash them in, I accumulate no more than 3 PP's before I cash them in.

Why? The high demand units are creeping at .8-.9 PP's per year. Looking at Umpaqua, you won't be in his shoes in 20 years. It will be 30-35 years. All of this could change if DOW changes the rules, but today this is the sandbox we play in.