Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game 2020 Colorado license fee increase

Also posed on Campfire.

As I predicted, CPW has raised all resident and nonresident license fees for 2020. Part of the 2019 legislation that increased resident license fees also permits CPW to raise fees every year without going back to the legislature .The increases are not much, a $ or so,but still an increase.We will undoubtedly see this every year now.

There is one good point.There will now be a Senior Combo Small Game/Fishing license for a little less than the regular small game

license.https://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/Fees.aspx#BigGameLicenseFees

Last year I think I heard they pulled in an extra $16 million. Sounds like more new trucks getting ordered for the boys.

I have always asked myself what is the maximum price I would pay for a tag. I don't have an answer for that yet. I only hope we see some 'benefit' from the fee increases, but I will keep my expectations low.

I know hunter participation is low around the country but I never feel that way when hunting public land in CO.

Glad about the senior combo tag.

I haven't put in for elk tag in Colorado for years . I was going when cow tags were 250.00 . 500.00 for a cow tag is too steep .

No big surprise I guess, keep jackin up the prices...cause you can.

The crazy thing is, there’s no limit on how prices can get before people say “no more” draw odds in every western state reflect that every year.

I’ll get two elk licenses, again. At 60 I’m not going to stop just to save a few dollars.

That's kinda' my thought also.

I think the prices of licenses are out of line but I’ll pay them until I can’t. If they get way too expensive, I’ll choose deer or elk instead of both. One of our crew was using the price of licenses as a reason for not going anymore. I told him that if the increase of about $100 over the last 6-8 years is the roadblock for going on the hunt, he probably couldn’t afford to go in the first place. Happy Trails

Oh,I will keep on going until my health says I can't.I gave up deer and pronghorn hunting last year though. I am always surprised though when most say " HO HUM, no problem just keep chucking them money with nothing in return. As I understand it these price increase will keep coming until CPW gets the 50% increase in total that they tried to get passed before the democrats came into the majority.Doubt it will stop then though.

If you’re unhappy with the resident license fees, you’d be really unhappy as a nonresident. If they jack up the NR fees enough to discourage NR hunters, guess who makes up the shortfall for your enterprise agency CPW? Not likely campers and hikers.....

That’s the thing. No matter how high they get, non residents will buy them with a smile.

Heck, hunting is cheap compared to skiing and a license is good for the whole season.

True enough.....until the economy takes a dip, and it always does, and disposable income takes a dip for average wage earners who will stop doing expensive out of state hunts. I bet if 10% of NR hunters didn’t show up it would mean no more new $75k pickup trucks for game rangers for a while! LOL!

Deer tags in Missouri and Kansas . Preference points in wyoming for deer and pronghorn .Motel , gear , gas , food , it all keeps going up . Eventually you've got to prioritize. As least for a blue collar guy like me .

Don't forget bear dropped for residents by about $10

Colorado moves 3rd season back just a tad and cut off two days.

Moving it back puts it ending the day before my home state of Missouri starts the rifle season.

I've done split seasons before but not any more....it just cost to much to hunt Colorado only to leave a day or two early to hustle back home. I'll have to look at 2nd seasons in the future

Two things.

Even during the Great Recession there was no shortage of people applying for tags.

I don’t know where this idea that game wardens get a new fancy pickup every year comes from. Every warden pickup I’ve ever seen looks the same. Steel wheels, vinyl seats and floors, crank windows and manual locks. Listening to people talk you’d think they were out patrolling in a fuggin Escalade.

I guess you need to cruise the parking lot at the Colorado Springs CPW office. Maybe so out in the rural places. Frank McGee told me they now buy all 3/4 they last longer.
Winches, $2500+ Ranch hand Grill Guard. Remote controlled spot light. Running boards, bigger tires, wheels. That is just on the outside.You can't touch a new 3/4T for less than $40K. Add the computers,screens lights .etc and it climbs fast

Not with a smile