Perhaps it's overlooked that a lot of hunters who come to Colorado are from rural areas as well and understand the swings in revenue that come with a seasonal influx of people. Rural economies in general are weak, that's why they're still rural, so any influx of people, regardless of their origin, helps. I seem to recall one town throwing a fit when there was debate about removing OTC status on a unit it was the hub for, which was a smart move on the part of the business owners.
Special Interest group stealing resident tags
- Thread starter ColoradoV
- Start date
Musket Man
Veteran member
If CO adds a nonrefundable hunting license ontop of what I already have to pay to apply or even get a point I would use my points like I plan to do in the next 2 years and not apply in CO anymore. There is a limit to what NR's will pay, just look at ID and MT and the tags they cant sell since they raised their prices.
Conrad8899
Active Member
There is only so much a non resident is going to take. Before they just stop dish in out the cash....
Musket Man
Veteran member
This is true but the trouble is 1 state goes up so we dont go there. Then another goes up so we dont go there. Next thing all the states we have been hunting go up and we have to hunt somewhere so we end up paying the price.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
Yep thats what happened on the last go round of elk tag increases about 10 years ago. Took a few years, then everyone was at a new level.
There's a happy medium to find though. Late 90s here (my home area, not entire state), leases ran in the $200-500 range and there was no problem keeping leases full. About 2002 prices started jumping and those leases then ran $900-1200 and it started to be a problem finding people to fill leases bc it was pricing out the locals. Now they're at $1500-2000, few locals and most hunters out of the Houston & Dallas/FW areas.
Red Raider
Member
Just got back from hunting unit 62 first rifle. There wasn't anybody there. It was spooky. Hunters used to fill the trailheads. We talked to the few hunters that were there and it was interesting. Used to take 1 PP for a NR to draw that unit first rifle. There were 2 GROUPS that drew second choice.
A local we know said they're seeing less and less hunters every year. It's no wonder the DOW is struggling. There's going to have to be a change whether the locals want it or not. We were checked by 2 DOW officers for license and such. They ask us if we were coming back next year. We told them no. Would probably come back in 2016. They didn't like that answer. It is what it is.
On a side not, the Officers told us that ranchers had run domestic sheep in two drainages we hunt and they had run out the elk. Said bow hunters had a rought season. One of the drainages we hunt didn't have sheep in it but it did have about 75 head of cows. It just makes you shake your head.
A local we know said they're seeing less and less hunters every year. It's no wonder the DOW is struggling. There's going to have to be a change whether the locals want it or not. We were checked by 2 DOW officers for license and such. They ask us if we were coming back next year. We told them no. Would probably come back in 2016. They didn't like that answer. It is what it is.
On a side not, the Officers told us that ranchers had run domestic sheep in two drainages we hunt and they had run out the elk. Said bow hunters had a rought season. One of the drainages we hunt didn't have sheep in it but it did have about 75 head of cows. It just makes you shake your head.
Ran into some guys from Louisiana when we stayed the night in Raton that had hunted 62 1st and they said they didn't see the first elk, but did see 2 forkies still with their mamas.
So far in this unit I'm in (was a 0-1pt draw in 2011, haven't looked since), I've seen a 320ish 7x6 and a handful of smaller bulls with 4-5x frames. If they stay put some 4th season guys may find them or someone with a deer tag too. Few business owners we've talked to has said the Summer traffic they had will make up for the lower hunter traffic.
So far in this unit I'm in (was a 0-1pt draw in 2011, haven't looked since), I've seen a 320ish 7x6 and a handful of smaller bulls with 4-5x frames. If they stay put some 4th season guys may find them or someone with a deer tag too. Few business owners we've talked to has said the Summer traffic they had will make up for the lower hunter traffic.
- Oct 4, 2011
- 820
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Good news to report!
Due to what the CPW said was massive pressure from the general public, media, and hunting groups Colorado has dropped any intention of a study of how to get more tags for NR hunters. It also looks like we will move units immediately to 80 - 20 once they take 5 points for a resident to draw. So again the same or with no change.
Thanks everyone for the letters and talking to media and the like to get the word out as this attempt died this time but no doubt we will have to keep a keen eye on this commission as they could likely try to pull another end run on the resident hunters of Colorado.
Also if you hunting area is not crowded be thankful as hunter numbers are growing in Colorado every year and more folks are putting in for the draw than ever before.
Due to what the CPW said was massive pressure from the general public, media, and hunting groups Colorado has dropped any intention of a study of how to get more tags for NR hunters. It also looks like we will move units immediately to 80 - 20 once they take 5 points for a resident to draw. So again the same or with no change.
Thanks everyone for the letters and talking to media and the like to get the word out as this attempt died this time but no doubt we will have to keep a keen eye on this commission as they could likely try to pull another end run on the resident hunters of Colorado.
Also if you hunting area is not crowded be thankful as hunter numbers are growing in Colorado every year and more folks are putting in for the draw than ever before.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
To bad we didn't a new Governor Tuesday. Living with HicKenpooper for another 4 years means we have to put up with the current makeup of the Wildlife Commission. That's where all this crap about increasing landowner tags and such came from.
laxwyo
Very Active Member
Don't whine too much, i believe the landowner tag situation in Wyoming is a legislature thing. We just barely got powerball and 70% of the population wanted it for the last decade. So, you can see how easy it is to change things lol
trkytrack2
Active Member
Gee, some NR are threatening to not come and hunt Colorado! Too bad because for every one that chooses not to hunt here, two others choose to hunt here. We won't really miss ya much. BY BY.
Red Raider
Member
The numbers of new licenses are up. That parts true. However, the number of non repeat hunters is down. Both Res and NR. The reality is license sales are average and not increasing. The DOW's cost are increasing. Info is straight from the DOW. There are only a few of the units affected by the 5 PP rule.
Said their seeing NR's getting an outfitter instead of losing the Point Creep game. (Reason why they are trying to get tags in the hands of Outfitters). They make a lot more money from the NR. That's my plan. Go every 2nd or 3rd year and use an outfitter is about same cost as going every year not using one.
Bottomline is nothing really changed and the cost issue is going to be a re-occuring theme.
Said their seeing NR's getting an outfitter instead of losing the Point Creep game. (Reason why they are trying to get tags in the hands of Outfitters). They make a lot more money from the NR. That's my plan. Go every 2nd or 3rd year and use an outfitter is about same cost as going every year not using one.
Bottomline is nothing really changed and the cost issue is going to be a re-occuring theme.
- Oct 4, 2011
- 820
- 941
Couple of quick facts about hunter numbers in Colorado..
These stats are a year old but the guys I talk with at the DOW said that they could no be sure of hunter numbers this year but revenue was up substantially over the big game seasons - so fair to say total big game hunter numbers have grown over 10% since 2012..
- The combined number of big game and small game hunting licenses sold was: resident 489,327 and nonresident 86,493.
- The state's big game limited license applications increased by 17,000, or 4 percent totaling nearly 469,000.
- Through the main big game seasons, we were up about 5,000 licenses over last year at this time," said Randy Hampton, spokesman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. "Just for deer and elk, we were up by about 6,000. Bear licenses sold were up about 1,400. Pronghorn was down due to lower quota's or we would way way up.
The CPW #'s show that big game hunting, small game hunting, and fishing are growing in Colorado. The CPW has no problem what so ever with money and hunter numbers are growing.
Things are good in the Colorado CPW...
These stats are a year old but the guys I talk with at the DOW said that they could no be sure of hunter numbers this year but revenue was up substantially over the big game seasons - so fair to say total big game hunter numbers have grown over 10% since 2012..
- The combined number of big game and small game hunting licenses sold was: resident 489,327 and nonresident 86,493.
- The state's big game limited license applications increased by 17,000, or 4 percent totaling nearly 469,000.
- Through the main big game seasons, we were up about 5,000 licenses over last year at this time," said Randy Hampton, spokesman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. "Just for deer and elk, we were up by about 6,000. Bear licenses sold were up about 1,400. Pronghorn was down due to lower quota's or we would way way up.
The CPW #'s show that big game hunting, small game hunting, and fishing are growing in Colorado. The CPW has no problem what so ever with money and hunter numbers are growing.
Things are good in the Colorado CPW...
Red Raider
Member
Of the increase, how was it split ie between Res and NR? I just was repeating what the DOW office told me. Revenue was average and has been average for several years. If the increase was Res and the NR numbers are down then the License numbers going up and revenue staying the same would make sense.
The increase in applications makes sense because you don't have many hunters getting out of the point game because they can't draw. Folks coming in the front door but can't get out the back.
Not sure where the money's not a problem comes from. Every DOW person I talked to said money is a problem. Oh Well
The increase in applications makes sense because you don't have many hunters getting out of the point game because they can't draw. Folks coming in the front door but can't get out the back.
Not sure where the money's not a problem comes from. Every DOW person I talked to said money is a problem. Oh Well
shootbrownelk
Veteran member
You'd be hard pressed to find anyone employed by any G&F agency that would say anything other than "Money is a problem". G&F here in Wyoming are doing the old "Squeaky Wheel" thing every chance they get. Top heavy with employees they don't need. Scrapping programs they should keep and keeping programs they should scrap.
Red Raider
Member
Brown, You're right on that. I do know they are asking their officers to cover alot of ground. I guess that's what shocked me when they evidently said they were doing fine and have no money problems per V's report. I've never heard that from a wildlife agency. That's good information to know.
laxwyo
Very Active Member
I agree with you completely other than tags haven't really kept up with inflation but the government sure finds a way to squeeze more out of us with elk stamp, boat registration, aquatic invasive stamp, ORV stickers. Amazing that a guy must pay a years registration to use a camper trailer for 2 months.
hoshour
Veteran member
There is no good reason a landowner should get guaranteed tags rather than going through a draw like anyone else unless they give something valuable in return - walk-in program participation, habitat improvment, opening up land that landlocks public land...something.
Now, no one gives really gives away something for nothing unless it costs them nothing, which politicians are apt to do. It's the same old story - rob Peter to pay Paul, Peter being mainly the working man who hunts and puts in every year for a tag and Paul being owners of large ranches who pretty much just have to complete a form and have someone check to see if there are game animals on the propery in order to get a guaranteed tag, even in a high-demand area. If that serves the public good, well, I guess I must be missing something.
Now, no one gives really gives away something for nothing unless it costs them nothing, which politicians are apt to do. It's the same old story - rob Peter to pay Paul, Peter being mainly the working man who hunts and puts in every year for a tag and Paul being owners of large ranches who pretty much just have to complete a form and have someone check to see if there are game animals on the propery in order to get a guaranteed tag, even in a high-demand area. If that serves the public good, well, I guess I must be missing something.