Colorado Points...?

[HuskyMusky]

Looking over the new regulations...

Looks like Colorado is trying to clear out some hunters/points with $100 points for Moose, Sheep, Goat


From the non-resident perspective, any insight for a hunter with 1pt for sheep, moose, goat? if you had to pick only 1 to continue to apply for, which has the best odds?

I may move back to CO one day, but who knows... if that affects application odds/theories at all.


Thanks!

 

[HuskyMusky]

Also, in terms of trophy quality nation wide...?

how do the moose rank vs. goats vs. sheep?

I do know they have some bow only tag options? which is kind of appealing...

 

[Alabama]

I'd say go for whichever one you want the most. I'd say for NR the moose odds are probably the best. Your odds won't improve much if you move back because resident demand is high too.

Sheep quality is average overall but they are just like every other species: there are some really good units with really bad draw odds and some lesser quality units with just regular bad "sheep" odds.

I'm not sure about Mtn goat quality: I believe it's average overall but someone else can chime in.

Moose quality and numbers seem different than most of the lower 48: numbers are increasing and quality is very good in most units.

Good luck.

 

[Thomas11]

I coulda killed three nice bull moose on my elk hunt there this fall! Lots of moose and we were up at 11,500 and above. I wasn’t aware moose stayed up that high

 

[JimP]

You'll find that moose go where they want to go.

I have found them quite high and in areas where the nearest water is 5 miles away.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

I have not got around to applying for this year yet. Are non res Elk pref points still around $50, or did they creep up to $100 as well?

 

[JimP]

Elk PP fees are still $40 for the NR + $10 Habitat Stamp + $81.50 Small Game + $9 application fee.

So just for elk the NR will be out around $140 to apply for the PP.


I suggest that you look at the Big Game Guide book, either the physical book or the one online. There is a lot of information in it.

 

[Alabama]

Either I read it wrong or you did JimP, I was under the impression a qualifying license is now mandatory and there is no point fee for deer, elk, antelope, and bear.

 

[JimP]

OOp's They did pull the fee for deer, elk, antelope, and bear. So forget about the $40 PP fee and drop the cost down to around $100

Perhaps I need to take my own advise and read the book further.

I usually don't worry about it, I just apply and let them charge what they are going to charge.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

Just payed $100.75 for my 26th no res elk pref pt last night. Honestly, I think it sucks. If I had it to do over again I would have never started accumulating points in Colorado to begin with.

 

[mallardsx2]

Just payed $100.75 for my 26th no res elk pref pt last night. Honestly, I think it sucks. If I had it to do over again I would have never started accumulating points in Colorado to begin with.

You ever kept track of how much total money over the years it cost you to accumulate those 26 points?

Just curious.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

For 24 years worth of points I believe it cost me between $5 to $10 a year to apply. With that I had to send the full cost of tag ($400 plus) and they would hold onto my money for several months before returning it even though I was only applying for pref points. Last year when things changed I believe they charged me a total of $53. Now this year $100.75 and I don't believe it will be getting any cheaper in the near future. Not to mention I am not getting any younger with this point creep. I feel like I am caught in a Ponzi scheme.

 

[Bonecollector]

Unsure of your age, and I mean no disrespect, but I'd pick a Tier II unit you can draw and go hunt and have fun. I'm sure you will draw one of the premiere units in the state. If going outfitted, they'll get you on elk.

 

[graybird]

Unsure of your age, and I mean no disrespect, but I'd pick a Tier II unit you can draw and go hunt and have fun. I'm sure you will draw one of the premiere units in the state. If going outfitted, they'll get you on elk.

I'd do the same. I'd pick a good unit and go kill an elk.

Good luck to you!

 

[JimP]

I had my brother in law do it this year. He was another 5 years out before he could draw the deer tag that he really wanted so I started to shop around to find a quality unit and season where he could draw this year with points to spare.

Now when he comes to visit after this year all he'll have to purchase is a non resident fishing license for a few days.

A lot of non residents really need to take a hard look at the units that they are trying to draw and see if the trophy quality that they are looking for is realistic along with being worth the wait and expense. I did this a few years ago on my elk tag. I looked at the unit that I really wanted and it was another 5-7 years away not counting the point creep. I then went to my second choice and wasn't disappointed in the hunt or the quality of animals.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

I'd do the same. I'd pick a good unit and go kill an elk.

Good luck to you!

I am 57 years old. I thought would have cashed in on my points by now. I have other hunting plans for the next couple of years. I have already accepted the fact that I will most likely be in my Sixties by the time I draw one of the prime NW units for a muzzleloader hunt. Until then I will be doing a DIY Alaska moose/caribou hunt this year and sneak in some Wyoming and Idaho elk hunts the next couple of years after that. I figured I came this far, I might as well wait. Just not crazy about how much I need to spend for a stinkin' preference point now.
Does anyone know what year Colorado started doing preference points and what the maximum points would be for a guy who would have started collecting since the first year?

 

[JimP]

I've been a resident of Colorado now for 32 years and there has always been a point system that I know of. I remember way back when thinking of unit 61 elk hunting but figured why do that when I could hunt other units over the counter.

 

[Winchester]

I'm not sure exactly which NW Corner GMU you're going after but according to the CPW Elk Stats here's some info from last year:
- EE001E1R someone drew the nonres tag with 26 points ... there was 1 other nonres with 26 points but none more points than that. So you're getting very close on drawing that.
- EE002E1R you're not so close. They gave 5 nonres tags, 4 to 27 points holders and 1 to a 26 point holder ... but it shows 13 total applicants with 26 points so there's still a dozen remaining.
- EE010E1R they gave 5 nonres tags, 1 to a 27 point holder and 4 to 26 points holders and it shows 13 total applicants with 26 points so there's still about 9 remaining.
- EE201E1R you are not close ... there are plenty of nonres applicants with 26, 27 and even 28 points.

That's what the stats show.
Of course, there are probably also other guys with lots of points who didn't apply last year and aren't even in these stats.
Hope this helps.

 

[LCH]

Man, I feel sorry for all you guys with 20-something points who can't draw a tag

 

[bullwinkle50]

I've been a resident of Colorado now for 32 years and there has always been a point system that I know of. I remember way back when thinking of unit 61 elk hunting but figured why do that when I could hunt other units over the counter.

Jim,

It had to have been about the time you moved there. I lived in the Palisade/GJ area from 1979 until 2005 and we hunted 61/61 since 1975. My brother started there in the mid 60's. My son is 46 now and he hunted the first couple of years in 61 as an over the counter. He had to be 14 back then to hunt elk.

Randy