Question about success rates

[shootist]

I am planning my first western hunt this fall. It will be an Colorado archery hunt. I am a member of hunters trail head. When I look at the hunter's success rates on hunters trailhead, I am confused. Some tags that are good for multiple units show different success rates for each unit. For example, (I'm making up numbers here), unit 16 archery -20%, unit 161 archery-10%. How do they figure those rates? Since you are allowed to use your tag in either unit, how would they track unsuccessful hunters to a specific unit?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[HuskyMusky]

not certain, but perhaps post hunt reports say which unit you hunted... and did you harvest or not?

 

[kesand72]

I'm sure someone at g&f could explain it best. If I were going to CO for a first time hunt, I would write down a list of questions and talk to the local warden, biologist, and if they have 1, the access coordinator.
And IMO, after the first conversation with each, I would (and have), think about what we went over, and write down any new questions and call each back in a couple weeks.

 

[Granby guy]

Those numbers come from the post hunt surveys that they conduct. The DOW has hunt planners that you can call and they can help you with most of your questions. The number is in the gig game booklet.

 

[CoHiCntry]

Those numbers come from the post hunt surveys that they conduct.

Granby guy is right on. The numbers are skewed too since they don't actually call everyone. They call a certain percentage then do some formula to come up with a "predicted" harvest number. Of course sheep, moose and goat are (or should be) pretty much right on, although I've seen mistakes there too...

 

[hoshour]

The CO FWP tells me they mail out 3,500 questionnaires each year and based on the responses they extrapolate the hunter success in each unit.

I don't know how many deer tags are issued in total. I could tell if I could find their harvest reports page which I had bookmarked, but they are changing their website and my links don't work anymore, nor do most of the ones that come up when I google CO FWP.

The number for the CO hunt planners is 303-291-7526.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Its all a numbers game. They have no way to tell the exact numbers. Years ago they hired an outside company to canvass hunters, then the numbers were better. Still no way to keep hunters honest.

 

[Engideer]

I am not sure what percentage of hunters they call, but I think it is probably higher among non-residents. I have never hunted in CO and not gotten a post-hunt call to ask me harvest questions.

 

[Musket Man]

I have never got a call from them ever when I hunted CO.

 

[jims]

I've deer hunted in Colorado as a nonresident twice in the past three years. Both times, I received a survey to fill out.

 

[jims]

I like how New Mexico handles their hunters' survey. If you don't complete the survey (which includes questions about whether you harvested or not), you are not eligible for the draw next year. That makes it a priority!

 

[HiMtnHnter]

I would not put much stock in harvest stats from Colorado.

 

[Hilltop]

I would not put much stock in harvest stats from Colorado.

I agree! Another issue with the harvest surveys is you can never tell if the majority of the animals were harvested on private or public or with an outfitter or DIY. If there is a great ranch that produces 100% success rates, it can greatly alter the overall success rate for a given unit. IMO your best bet is to make the calls to the area biologists and wardens to get a realistic idea of what to expect. Most of the information I have gained this way has been pretty accurate.

 

[CoHiCntry]

I agree! Another issue with the harvest surveys is you can never tell if the majority of the animals were harvested on private or public or with an outfitter or DIY. If there is a great ranch that produces 100% success rates, it can greatly alter the overall success rate for a given unit. IMO your best bet is to make the calls to the area biologists and wardens to get a realistic idea of what to expect. Most of the information I have gained this way has been pretty accurate.

If there's a great ranch that produces 100% success you can pretty much guarantee there aren't many people hunting it, so those few tags wouldn't make much different in the long run. It's all just a rough guess. Gets you in the ball park if it's a 25% or 50% success type unit.

 

[Hilltop]

If there's a great ranch that produces 100% success you can pretty much guarantee there aren't many people hunting it, so those few tags wouldn't make much different in the long run. It's all just a rough guess. Gets you in the ball park if it's a 25% or 50% success type unit.

Depends on ranch size and the number of tags. My elk area I am hunting this year has few tags and a 330,000 acre ranch. The area shows about 75% success rate but the majority of those elk are harvested on the ranch. Anyone going there for public land elk will be mislead if they just look at the success rates.

I said one ranch but in reality what I meant was the difference between private land harvest and public land harvest isn't usually listed on these reports. Private land almost always has higher success rates which makes the public look better than it actually is in some areas. IMO, that needs to be taken into consideration when using those numbers.