Guess I'd rather take my points, take a shot at a 2nd choice app, and if that fails - buy an OTC tag. 100% guaranteed to hunt and get another point.

If you really want to hunt a certain unit, it makes sense.

As far as pay services go, the gohunt.com odds are a prediction based upon thousands of computer simulations performed using the last 3 (I think) years of real apps. That's great and all and probably somewhat better than just looking at last year's info from the state, but every year is different.

Some of these "happy medium" units where you have decent draw odds AND decent hunting are easy to find, even for a guy in New Jersey.

As time goes on, points have less value than they've ever had, esp if you don't have familiarity with the unit.

So I did exactly this.
A unit where first choice with no points is 100% but a second choice is about a 60-70% draw

First choice:PP
second choice: rifle1 in this unit

That way I don't burn my two points but still get a roughly 60-70% to draw my rifle 1. If I don't get it I can hunt OTC rifle 2 or tag along with buddies for rifle 1 and be a pack mule lol

Quote:

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As time goes on, points have less value than they've ever had, esp if you don't have familiarity with the unit.

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Unless you are hunting w/an outfitter who gives you 2 options:

1)Draw the coveted tag

2)Pay the $8,000-$12,000 for a landowner voucher

Sorry I didn't get back to you. It must be 10, because I have bear points from 2013. It used to be 5 years.

Frankly, I don't think they ever had a decent program in place to purge your points if you didn't put in. I know during the years I was in college and for a couple of years after, I didn't put in for goat, but I still had my 3 after that. That was before weighted points.

Good luck everyone.

NRD09 said:

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1st choice no points = 100% draw odds
second choice=not 100% draw odds
i am hunting elk this year

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Sometimes you just want to hunt. Last year I burned 14 antelope points to hunt an 8 point unit, because I knew it and I wanted to hunt. Killed a decent speed goat too.

For CO do you have to apply every year for points or else you lose them? Or do they just sit idle?

No they can sit idle for 10 years without buying a license or applying. After that they're purged

The new $90 Small Game License requirement in Colorado coupled with a successful elk draw puts you at nearly $700.

Yeah, but there's no charge for pp anymore. Oh, there's a $9 app fee per species and a few other charges but no one will notice that. Colo has the location and the goods. They've got us by the short and curlies and they know it.

Not really.....their hunting licenses have been on a small but steady decline for years. In spite of increased prices their license revenue has dropped about 10%. If I am successful for my first choice elk this year it's $660+90.

In the mid 80's they were around $200 for out of state. I think it was only around $400 5 years or so ago.

It really upsets my hunting buddy who owns a great hunting place in Colorado but resides in Texas. He pays taxes and his elk tag costs $750 and a resident pays $55

We didn't get drawn last year. I could go 2nd rifle but he couldn't. We got close to 3rd rifle and I said no.....they had a bunch of snow and I didn't want to get stuck until spring.

The outfitter next to him had about 25 hunters.....nearly all out of state.They normally do really well. In first rifle they went O fer and only saw one elk.

would think he could get some landowner tags but I'm sure he's aware and there's some reason he can't.

sunchaser said:

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The new $90 Small Game License requirement in Colorado coupled with a successful elk draw puts you at nearly $700.

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I don't know what you're talking about. My application fees came out to $118.75
The state has a credit card on file to pay for the license when I draw, the next time I plan to be aware of a CO hunting expense is when I fill up in Ennis October 9 or so. There may also be some jewelry and a meal or two involved....

Well you are going to get something like this....the small game cost $80...search & rescue $0.25(I guess they call Ennis and say he's lost) and $1.50 for the Wildlife ED Fund....for a total of $81.75.

Disclaimer, where is ursusguy.....I didn't know wildlife had ED issues.

That $118 that you paid doesn't come back if you don't get drawn for elk....nor does my $81.75.....that's all new.

Turkey, He is in Unit 55. He has never received an elk landowner tag. He use to be able to apply and get a PP but no lottery. Now he can't even apply.

He does get a mule deer landowner tag every year.

Just buy a turkey tag instead of the small game license. Sure- it costs more, but you get to come to the mountains and hunt again! And you aren't going to be shooting prairie dogs on your elk hunt...

p.s. - I know this is new to CO, but it isn't a new concept at all. We have had to do the same thing for NM.

Sorry bad/convoluted joke. I was implying that I am going to pretend I don't see the license fee when it hits, I'll just pay the credit card bill and assume I ate out a lot that month, or paid an insurance bill or something

Joe I am more likely to see/kill/eat a grouse on my elk hunt than I am to go on 2 CO hunts this year, I'm fine with the small game license!

NRD09 said:

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Joe I am more likely to see/kill/eat a grouse on my elk hunt than I am to go on 2 CO hunts this year, I'm fine with the small game license!

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Your just living wrong then...

But those grouse are FINE eating!!!

Would love to hear what new gear other people are picking up. Just got a killer deal on a spotting scope that will be delivered Monday. I'd also like to pick up a pair of 10x42 binos for some extra range and an Outdoor Vision Ridgetop harness to carry them in. Other than that I feel pretty well set.

I got kowa prominar xd 10x42 for Christmas, i like them a lot. However i think i like the vortex viper 10x42hd i got my mom for Christmas a couple years ago just a bit better. Image is amazing on both, the image in the vortex just feels a bit more "natural" can't really think of a better way to explain it. Those and a borden rimrock ssr 300wsm will be the only changes to my setup this year. Oh and i bought a pair of prana zions

I've been looking at a pair of Vanguard Endeavor ED II 10x42, which a lot of people put on par with the Vipers. I have a pair of 8x42, so don't need the new pair, just want a little bit of extra magnification.

I have a problem.... I now have two floor less tents to test this year... Been meaning to set up and take pics to post, I'll try to do tonight.

Balck diamond mega Light and black diamond beta mid. Both of Craigslist for really good deals. Another advantage of living in Denver is people ditching gear for cheap.

I've got a couple pair of pranas and I wear the heck out of them.

I wish they made them in mo colors

And I'm waiting for draw results before I start rationalizing new purchases

I don't even want to add up new purchases I've done in anticipation of elk season over the last two years

Don't start counting now.

Every year you NEED that one more thing

I don't know anything about vanguard, might ask caladan?

Betamid for sleeping and mega for cooking/hanging out in bad weather...so both!

This is the first time I have actually put in for the draw in CO, rather than getting points and going OTC.... I just realized we have to wait until freakin' JUNE for the results.

How bout dem NM results tho


Butthole hunting partner texted me the other night "pack your bags we're headed to NM" and I couldn't go to sleep even after I found out he was full of ****

shaynew1 said:

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How bout dem NM results tho


Butthole hunting partner texted me the other night "pack your bags we're headed to NM" and I couldn't go to sleep even after I found out he was full of ****

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Maybe he just wanted to go to the Green Chili Festival???

Hey I would go to that

The June results are stupid. Everything is in the computer, why does it take 2 months to hit go?!?

Never worked for the government I see.

New Mexico is kindofa ****hole state with Bass akwards meth head liberal idiots everywhere but I've found their DGF to be pretty well run. Great draw system and really good experience with game warden I've contacted for info in the past. Colo warden experiences have been good but I think the decision makers are primarily liberal Denver leftists who hate hunters but love our $.

I still don't understand why NM can't incorporate some sort of a point system. X% to residents, X% to points, and X% to pure lottery. They could adjust the odds or create new categories to continue to incentivize people applying with resident guides (which I think is very smart). It just drives me a little crazy for it all to be a PURE lottery. My Dad and I drew the Gila tag our first year as a party... and may never draw it again. I know people that have gotten that tag 3 out of 4 years, and guys who haven't hit in 8-10 years.

I do like how progressive their landowner tag system is for deer. And am glad they finally got rid of the A-plus system for landowners for Pronghorn and Elk this year. Now, landowners can just apply for however many tags they want- and they are incentivized to work with the state and better manage their heard. Has been working well for deer for a long time, and it's great landowners can take control of all their species now.