These are some of the proposals, and there is a pretty big NR license fee hike inked in.  

Over-the-counter (OTC) archery: Limit all resident and nonresident archery licenses - limited licenses to be available through the draw by management area (Data Analysis Unit (DAU) or Game Management Unit (GMU)).
OTC rifle: Maintain the status quo; keep unlimited licenses available for antlered elk during the second and third general rifle seasons in OTC units. Keep limited either-sex or limited antlered elk licenses available in remaining limited units. All antlerless elk licenses remain limited. Limited licenses issued by GMU/DAU.
Addition of an optional* rifle deer hunt during the first regular rifle season (currently elk only).

Full list here.
https://engagecpw.org/big-game-season-structure

After hunting Colorado since 1998 I'm about to to tell them to suck it I'm done.  800 for the tag 100 for the "qualifying" license I'm over 900 in before I leave the house. Season days moved/cut non res % lowered no more over the counter not sure why I would keep giving them my damn money

Don’t blame you a bit.  Been here since I was 17, when we had more cattle than people.  Place sucks now, but I think most of the west is like that now.
Everyone thinks we have the biggest elk herds around.   Bullshit.

Take away all the un huntable ones along the front range, and that’s a lot, we are no better than average numbers.   Only reason this place gets so much press and pressure is the unlimited OTC, and now we bend over the NR for a hunt.

I’m too old to be moving, but where in the hell would you move?
Grand junction is it for me.  I have mediocre hunting pretty close.
After last year, many would say it was terrible elk hunting lol.

I thought my bud from Keokuk IA would bail on this year after last year and now the extra $, but if he draws he’ll be out again all September.  All our archery is draw now.
His deer lease doubled in price in IA, that’s what got him coming here 5 years ago, and how I met him.

Keokuk is not far from me deer hunting here has gotten retarded (thanks big shot TV douche bags) I used to have about 4000 acres I could bow hunt I've lost all but one place other then family owned land.

Last year in Colorado was horrible seen 1 elk the whole season lucky as heck I was able to get him. By far the worst in the 21 hunts I've done tons of people very little to no sign and seen 1 elk


I got to look up what I got for deer and elk points but it's about time to cash them in keep going like this I'll have thousands of dollars in applying before I ever get the tags I want

Everything, everywhere, is more expensive now, and hunting the west is still more of a bargain, to me, than paying for an expensive eastern deer lease. There are more people, fewer wild places left to hunt, hunting is 'cooler' now (which is weird because I *personally* know very few people that do it).....

Life goes on. The past is a different country; they do things differently there.

I don’t know what the hell happened last year with the elk.  We saw lots of fresh sign, and no elk.  No bugles all September either.
It was a hot month for sure.   I’ll be heading back up once the snow melts and scope out some other areas.

I hunted 3rd rifle it was very warm where we were

Anybody draw a tag? I got the archery elk tag, but that unit is still an easy draw.
My bud from Keokuk muffed up his application and only put in for a preference pt lol. Told him to put 421 second choice too.
There’s some leftovers, maybe he gets second draw.

We (my dad, myself, my daughter) drew…..a bunch of preference points.

I’m like a kid that just got his allowance and goes to the Sears catalog to see what he can afford now.

Only it’s two catalogs because I have to look at the GMU then look up the applicable hunt codes then look up how many points it took to draw this year then factor in future point creep.

I don’t know what to think about the point game. I have 4 and that is slim pickings.

You may see some relief soon.  I skimmed through the draw results and people were burning a lot of points on some pretty marginal stuff.  One dude spent 20+ points on a cow tag.

Holy cow 26 points used on a cow tag.
It’s buried in here lol.

https://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Hunting/BigGame/Statistics/Elk/2024ElkDrawRecap.pdf

It was on rok.
Attached File

Some data nerd on Rok posted this.  Pretty interesting.

Attached File

What boggles my mind is that I don’t know anyone in my local community that hunts out west.

I don’t know where the flood is coming from. I guess it’s younger people.

I drew a unit 33 second rifle deer tag and a second rifle antlerlesss elk tag. Zero points NR. Cost was a little over $1200.

Yeah that chart of NR draw apps shows a big increase in hunters.
Now add in all the unlimited OTC we have.
That’s a lot of $, and people.
The states out here are going to be cutting a fat hog for a while.

I think Wyoming has a application deal where for about 1k$ more you get bumped up in the draw line.