The DOW released their 2020 status report today. Seems like more of the same. Elk herd is 10% bigger than it should be in the northern part of the state and 10% smaller than it should be in the southern part of the state. Ok...and habit loss is hurting the wildlife. Like really?
We hunt the northern part of the state and last year we saw three elk the entire season, the year before that maybe 100. And it wasn't just us not seeing anything. I'm sure one year is just an anomaly, well I'm hoping so. Everywhere we go in the state, hiking, fishing, camping, we see less elk than in prior years. What do I know.
https://coloradooutdoorsmag.com/2020/05/05/2020-report-big-game/Same ole same ole. Pay more get less. Way back in the winter of 2007-2008 many hunters attended meetings and reported the winter kill.(mentioned in this report) DOW denied it .Two years later their only comment was " we sure missed that one"
I don't believe herd counts in the NW. Talking to outfitters I know around Craig, they claim the herd is definitely down.This stems from OTC cow licenses they issued about ten years ago for a few years, The herd was shot to hell. Anything left,drifted over the divide to the White River drainage.
Same thing for the herd in the Gunnison country.They cut that herd from about 6000 to 3500 with 500 OTC Either Sex tags and then bull tags with caps. Now Unit 54 is OTC bulls, cows are "A" tags, but if they jump the fence on to private land,they become "B" tags. Figure that one out. Now they are trying to build the herd back up because the locals complained that CPW ruined their hunting season economy.
Any one that thinks CPW is doing a great job needs to look at the bios of the commissioners that Polis appointed to the CPW commission. Darn few have any wildlife background.
This is what your price increased bought you. More reports with more studies.
