Big Game Season Structure

A6 and R5
90/10 spilt
All other western states are going away from otc enough is enough cpw.
Go to a 90/10 split
This would put us on par with all other western states this is long over due
100% preference on leftover draw.
1st resident youth
2nd resident.
Reissue licenses
100% resident preference. And it should burn all your points. And go back to more of a random system. I stopped into a cpw office this fall and asked a cpw employee if any ever gets tags on wensdays.
He stated yes with that a guy actually was turning in a tag and was there at the right time and was able to get a unit 76 bull tag. I stated that we should go to a Nevada style system that if you obtain any tag your points do to zero. He didn't like that because he has 20 points and wouldn't be able to but Reissue licenses anymore. This needs to stop! It's a conflict of interest with your employees having an advantage over your everyday guy. I wonder if anyone is reading these comments if not you should be!

A6 and R5
90/10 spilt
All other western states are going away from otc enough is enough cpw.
Go to a 90/10 split
This would put us on par with all other western states this is long over due
100% preference on leftover draw.
1st resident youth
2nd resident.
Reissue licenses
100% resident preference. And it should burn all your points. And go back to more of a random system. I stopped into a cpw office this fall and asked a cpw employee if any ever gets tags on wensdays.
He stated yes with that a guy actually was turning in a tag and was there at the right time and was able to get a unit 76 bull tag. I stated that we should go to a Nevada style system that if you obtain any tag your points do to zero. He didn't like that because he has 20 points and wouldn't be able to but Reissue licenses anymore. This needs to stop! It's a conflict of interest with your employees having an advantage over your everyday guy. I wonder if anyone is reading these comments if not you should be!

A6 and R6
90/10 split
Ever other state out west is going away from otc type tags and 90/10 would put us at the same level as all other western states. It's time.
Leftover license should be 100% youth resident preference then 100% regular resident preference.
Reissue tags should be resident only and burn all your points if obtained. Also need to go to more of a random system. I was at a cpw office this fall and asked a cpw employee if anyone gets tags here on Tuesday. He responded o yea a guy came in to return his tag today and somehow got a 76 bull tag. I stated we should go to a Nevada style points system that if you get any tag your points are gone. He didn't like that idea and stated that he has 20 plus points and wouldn't be able to buy Reissue tags. In my mind I'm this creates a major conflict of interest with the cpw employees being able to get themselves or there buddy's tags. I don't know if any one is actually reading these comments but you need to be!

A6/R6

As a Colorado Resident for 20+ years, who would also like to see opportunities continue to exist for non-residents to obtain licenses, I strongly support A6/R6. A5/R5 would be an option I’d also support.

I believe eliminating OTC tags is the first step in managing overcrowding in the GMUs. I would gladly hunt my preferred species every other, or even every third year, if it meant an enjoyable experience in the woods, i.e. running into animals instead of other hunters.

Regarding preference points, point creep is a real problem that also needs to be addressed. If I have 20 points for elk, I will never draw Unit 2/10/201 at this rate. The Commission should consider an option for hunters to apply as a group and share points among the group. This way, a parent or grandparent with 20 points could enter the draw with their child/grandchild who has zero points. The points would be shared and the two-some could draw a unit requiring 10 points per hunter. This would quickly eliminate the point creep issue, help with new/youth hunter engagement, and still provide a very enjoyable hunt for that group, if they chose to use their points in this manner.

A5 and R5 seem to be reasonable solutions. Other western states hold NR tags from 10 to 16 percent of the total tag allocation. Colorado hunting seems to be managed for dollars not a quality hunting experience. OTC NR tags need to go away. I talk to many hunters who hardly see any animals because of overcrowding. I also know many resident hunters who cannot draw a tag.

A5 and R5 seem to be reasonable solutions. Other western states hold NR tags from 10 to 16 percent of the total tag allocation. Colorado hunting seems to be managed for dollars not a quality hunting experience. OTC NR tags need to go away. I talk to many hunters who hardly see any animals because of overcrowding. I also know many resident hunters who cannot draw a tag.

A5 and R5 seem to be reasonable solutions. Other western states hold NR tags from 10 to 16 percent of the total tag allocation. Colorado hunting seems to be managed for dollars not a quality hunting experience. OTC NR tags need to go away. I talk to many hunters who hardly see any animals because of overcrowding. I also know many resident hunters who cannot draw a tag.

A5 and R5 seem to be reasonable solutions. Other western states hold NR tags from 10 to 16 percent of the total tag allocation. Colorado hunting seems to be managed for dollars not a quality hunting experience. OTC NR tags need to go away. I talk to many hunters who hardly see any animals because of overcrowding. I also know many resident hunters who cannot draw a tag.

A5 and R5 seem to be reasonable solutions. Other western states hold NR tags from 10 to 16 percent of the total tag allocation. Colorado hunting seems to be managed for dollars not a quality hunting experience. OTC NR tags need to go away. I talk to many hunters who hardly see any animals because of overcrowding. I also know many resident hunters who cannot draw a tag.

A5 and R5 seem to be reasonable solutions. Other western states hold NR tags from 10 to 16 percent of the total tag allocation. Colorado hunting seems to be managed for dollars not a quality hunting experience. OTC NR tags need to go away. I talk to many hunters who hardly see any animals because of over crowding. I also know many resident hunters who cannot draw a tag.

I am a life-long resident of Colorado and have hunted most of my life. Several issues need to be addressed:
1- Resident hunters do not currently get priority for licenses – they should. There should be no OTC for N/R’s.
2- We need better and active management of our wildlife. OTC and draw licenses should be limited to reduce the overwhelming number of hunters. The tags for the following year should be appropriated based on the previous years’ harvest in each GMU. CPW officials should conduct surveys during and after hunting EACH YEAR to base adjustments on.
3- Motorized vehicles are out of control. The onslaught of ATV’s and the sheer volume of people in the woods drives game onto private property where they stay until the pressure eases up.
4- Landowner tags should only be allowed for hunting on the landowner’s own property and not for anywhere else within the GMU.

I Support A5 and R5. One step at a time. If over crowding and opportunity continues to suffer, look at further limiting OTC during the next 5 year planning phase. Residents should have priority as they do in most other western states.

I am a resident bow and rifle hunter. I prefer options A5 and R5.

CPW definitely need to reduce OTC licenses both archery and rifle. Elk herds are not reproducing to maintain current numbers. Elk hunted from August through January, much too long. More and more hunters in all seasons. Fewer elk. Now more pressure (wolves) which will affect herd numbers. Revenue will be lost but in the near future, as hunting success declines, less people will hunt and will lose revenue anyway. A quality hunting experience (more animals, less hunters) is important. State should look at other sources for funding CPW (wildlife).

Lifetime resident & love to hunt my home state every year. I feel like we need to manage the resource and the experience (overcrowding has become an issue and it's not getting better). That being said, my preference is A5/R5. I realize that may not be a very popular choice with non-resident hunters, but it provides a 'perk' for being a resident... and to be honest, over the last 45 years the perks to stay in this state are becoming scarce.

As a Colorado resident since birth in 1971, and a hunter since 1980, I would prefer A6/R6 and a 90/10 allocation in all units no exceptions. No preference point system for anyone. Current non-resident fees are appropriate in comparison to other states. The non-resident fees should be kept so, in the middle of the pack.

Nothing will make all happy and to be honest, making everyone happy is not the job of CPW.

Side note: My openness to non-resident hunters has faded in the last 25 years due to multiple disturbing, questionable, and unethical occurrences.

For all of you Residents who are beating your chests saying that Parks and Wildlife should increase NR fees:

Parks and Wildlife closed its 2023 books with $42,256,844 million in the black. It is pretty obvious that Parks and Wildlife doesn't need more money.

NRs are already paying 12X more for an elk license than a resident....

So please stop trying to turn hunting into a "richer" man's sport by suggesting P&W should increase NR fees. It doesn't help anyone....

I get it, residents want more tags and less pressure. Who doesnt?! But don't ask for more tags by simply pricing blue collar NR's out of the equation. Because I have news for you all.....you will NEVER price all NR's out of the equation. You will price good people out of the equation and then you will be left with only a bunch of trust fund/attorney /rich a-hole NR hunters who are the only ones that can afford to hunt there. Have you ever hung out with those people? Well, you will be if the prices keep increasing...

Bottom line, Parks and Wildlife doesn't need more money. They need a solution to a population problem of overcrowding.

A6/R6 is the best solution for everyone.

Resident hunter with preference for A5/R5.

I like A3 and R3: Laughed with/at the person who brought up the newly introduced wolves. They should of been left loose in the eastern slop as they seem to vote all this in. The other issue is bear and how they are doing well since the spring bear hunt is gone. The year I got a bear license the government hunter shot five in the area I was hunting and just left them rot. Not too long ago we seen 10 bear in five days black power hunting. Make a season and give nonresidents unlimited license to put that trophy on their wall and by the way it is not bad eating; some. I like the idea of being able to manage specific herd and feel it should be more about wildlife management than money.

I strongly believe A6 and R6 provide the best opportunity to both manage hunting pressure and herd size. with the following provisions. Residents should be given preference in these drawings by employing the 70/30 allocation of residents to non-residents in current OTC units and 80/20 in any units requiring 5 or more preference points to draw. The designation of quality (5 or more points) should be made annually not every 5 years.
This past year the archery units on Grand Mesa were draw only to try to address hunting pressure. Unfortunately, there were so many licenses allocated to the draw that there were still leftover licenses after the secondary draw. If we are going to manage hunter numbers, the allocated licenses per unit must be reduced below current participation levels or the overcrowding will still exist.