Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Colorado elk herd numbers

I just received my annual Preference Point issue of Colorado Outdoors. CPW sure seems they be blowing smoke up someone's butt by inflating figures in order to keep license sales up. I have every issue since 2005. Going back to 2015, the total herd count for the state was 264030. Now it is 292760? Anyone see 22,000+ more? I sure haven't.

Looking at a few individual herds, of which units I have hunted in the past, they claim the White River herd, that encompasses quite a few Big Game units, grew 92000 more elk. The West Elk herd which is 35, 36 units stayed the same, about 3800-3900 elk.Talking to the local WCO, he told me that herd is the lowest they ever counted and advised not hunting there. Unit 54 which is North of Gunnison is hard to extrapolate, but use to be about 6300 by itself, but is now included in Unit 53 an another and shows about 7700. It is not showing any great increase in numbers since they cut it down to about 3100 back in 2015-2016 since selling those OTC cow and bull tags with a cap of 500.

I don' t think they have clue as to the true number of elk because they do small counts and then let a computer simulate the totals

CO DOW went to hell when they added parks to it. parks is a money pit and always has been. As soon as DOW $$$ could be dumped into the parks they quit caring about hunters and fishermen except to squeeze them for more $$$. Anyone with 2 brain cells knew it was going to happen.

I'm skeptical of their claim that there is that much increase, or any increase, because I keep seeing articles about very low calf survival.

My own observations this year were that in two of the areas I watch closely elk numbers were down. In one area I saw more than usual.

One year a biologist got some grant money and I volunteered for his bighorn sheep count. It was more than just sheep though, we were told to count everything. Teams covered the drainages and ridges in the Sangres on foot, horseback, all manner of machines, they even had a helicopter counting. I think that was probably a pretty accurate survey due to the sheer number of observers they had. Haven't heard of a survey of that magnitude since then. Personally I counted maybe 12 to 15 bighorns but I saw 80 elk, the largest herd about 30. Lots of singles, pairs, small family units.

Not a big sample by any means but I've hunted CO twice (2019 & 2020) and saw plenty of elk, both cows and nice bulls. Friends who hunted there killed some nice ones too.

The unit I hunted last year for muleys had plenty of elk, almost hit a 5pt crossing the road one night. Ravens had a field day on all the gut piles. Had friends with bull tags, both took legal bulls.

In another unit the year before, I counted 18 legal bulls on the last morning of third season (I had a 4th season tag).

Were you in a draw area, and if so how many points did it take to draw? How many tags were let in that unit? Back in about 2008, I hunted a unit that took 23 points to draw and they let 25 bull tags out. Elk all over the place.Of Course. I have hunted elk as a Colorado resident every year since 1974. I saw some great years, but have noticed a serious decline in numbers in the last 5 years, both as draw areas and OTC tags I usually hunted two seasons ML draw and then OTC rifle, so that was 19 days hunting. I took at least one elk a year for many years, except last year. I saw one spike bull (illegal) and small herd of elk up high with no way to get to them.So I am no neophyte to elk hunting.Every year, they have come harder and harder and there sure are not more elk as CPW suggest. I only posted this to let people know what is going on before the sign up to hunt in Colorado.My hunting career is about over.

The only way 292K population makes sense to me is that most of them are on private.

Well if there are 292,000 elk in Colorado they are damn good at hiding from me. In 3 years of hunting elk in september and 2nd season I have seen exactly 4 total elk on public land. I have not even had a opportunity at killing an elk, and I’ve damn sure tried! Must be picking bad areas.

Those numbers are absurd. I can't believe people trust these agencies at all.

Check those elk number again after 10 years of wolves.

SS, I liked you, but your hard-on for the CPW is a bit much. I am highly skeptical any DWM told you not to hunt somewhere--not sure where because GMU's 35 and 36 are White River NF, not Gunnison NF where the West Elks are located.

In general in Colorado, harvests are down because weather has not been cooperative, being dry most years when most of the OTC hunters are out hunting. When it does snow it is usually a significant enough snow those same hunters are holed up somewhere instead of hunting. I watched this happen last year--NOBODY was out on the third day of the 2nd season when we woke up to 3 degrees and 12" of snow in West Central Colorado. Winter counts have edged up in most (but not all) areas. CPW intentionally reduced the elk numbers in Colorado beginning 20 years ago because of overpopulation, some people still havn't got the memo and want to compare today to yesterday's overpopulation. More so, the method of counting in winter surveys changed beginning about 10 years ago, changing the "official" numbers in each GMU/DAU (CPW doesn't tell us that part though).

Wolves aside (and that in itself is gonna be interesting), we are now in a 20+ year drought. The drought we are in EXCEEDS the Dust Bowl years in lack of moisture and its duration. I am fully expecting to see big game animals in Colorado begin to decline because of the drought alone. Plus, even one semi harsh winter under these conditions will hammer big game populations in Colorado and the rest of the southern Rockies.

Elk numbers are roughly where CPW wants them in most (but not all) units.

It's not that CPW can play games and blow smoke, they have in the past--I know this in spades.

This year I drew the new bear season tag in GMU61 for the first week of October. Had the unit all to myself for 4 days. Saw three bears, but never saw an elk (fair number of deer and a ton of turkeys though). Three weeks later hunted GMU 62 OTC and was covered up with elk--go figure.

During the 3rd season hunting in the White River area, for the past five or six years I have seen a fairly significant decline in populations. It is an OTC area but 12 years ago, when I started hunting this particular area, we were seeing large herds every day. Many in the distance, but they were there. Then a few years ago, we started seeing fewer and this year it was almost bleak. I saw one herd of maybe 20 about a mile away and one by itself one morning. That was it. It has been warmer the past few years so maybe that is the reason. They may still be up higher. But next year will tell us all a lot. Especially during third season, which will be held during the traditional fourth season. It should be cold and lots of snow, driving the elk off the flat tops. We'll see.

Unit 61 4th, 25 PPs 50 tags iirc NR 2019. Like I posted before counted 18 bulls on the Sunday of the last day of the 3rd. Then warm weather hit and only saw 1-3 bulls a day for 4 days during the 4th season. Last evening of the 5th day I made a plan and it paid off. Now if we hadn't scouted we would have never known the bulls were there but just in hiding and nocturnal. Pre scouting pays off even for a self guided out of stater like me.

Unit 66 4th. 2020 Hunted it during the 4th for muleys. Was told there were 50 elk tags but not sure how pps to draw? Saw herds of elk every day, they were pouring in from 67 as well. 2 friend's wives had bull tags and both took legal bulls, on the 4th and 5th day. One had a chance at a 370 bull too. Most of the hunters road hunted but if one knew where to look there were many herds of elk. I have the pics to prove it. If you ever draw this unit look me up.

The warm seasons of the last 3-4yrs has alot to do with it. Casey is right. I always look at hunting as the glass half full, never half empty. Plenty of folks killing elk in OTC units as well, familiarity with the unit is key. I'll add as a resident of CO you have what I call the home field advantage, which gives you familiarity with a unit much easier than an out of stater.

True. When that elk lawnmower, the wolf, gains a foothold there- and it will- you can reduce those numbers by 60%. Wolves ate 15,000 head of our Northern Yellowstone herd in no time flat. It went from 19,000 to 4,000 head due to wolf predation in about 10 years.

That vote was well within recount margins and no one said a word.

I did make a mistake in the Wilderness name. "The West Elk herd which is 35, 36 units stayed the same.. Piney River herd (36) is in the Eagle Nest Wilderness not West Elk. I hunt both or did at least.. Yes the WCO told me not to go into 36 . Believe it or not. He told me that unit had too many summer recreationist and elk calving had taken a hit because of the disruption of the calving grounds. I, at that time, I had choice of 36 and 25 this past archery season, unfortunately 25 was burned. Call CPW and ask for the WCO of the Vail area. Talk to him yourself. I have not had problem killing elk in this 20 year drought.Except for maybe three years, I have killed elk,sometimes two in those twenty years and more in years before that . Last year, none as my health deteriorated and I could not get around as well.

You stated " CPW intentionally reduced the elk numbers in Colorado beginning 20 years ago because of overpopulation, some people still haven't got the memo and want to compare today to yesterday's over populationn.. The herd counts shown in my original post are talking about more elk, not less. About 22,000 more in 5 years.That is not a decreasing herd size according to CPW. The figures I posted are directly out of the February Preference point issue of Colorado Outdoors going back every year to 2005. I do believe the decreasing herd sizes. Their figures ought to reflect that..There sure are not 295,00 elk in Colorado.

I do have hard on for CPW and I am not the only one. I am tired of their lies an obsessive greed for money.You can go back and read every 5 year big game management plan and towards the end, the decisions are based on what will give more income. I read them every time they come out and attend every meeting I can. Their sound big game management does not exits, but there financial management plan does.CPW takes in more money than any other three western states combined . Those figures are public information.

A few examples. Do you remember the ten years of study they did as to why mule deer herds were decreasing. Hunters told them for years they were shooting too many . They finally figure it out and we got draw only deer season with limited tags. Remember the 2007-2008 elk winter kill in the Flat Tops when DOW said it didn't happen .Two years later they admitted it. Do you remember a few years ago when CPW said he whitetail herd out east had a 25% kill from EHD. Locals placed it closer to75%.

If you think CPW isdoing a great job ,have at it.I don't and many people agree with me .

SS,

Not sure what you want out of the CPW but I would just roll with the dice. You live near the hunting grounds, scout some good OTC units and hunt them while building your points. Success rate on OTC elk units runs about 10%, not the greatest but you can go back or learn many units. Always have a plan B & C.

If I lived in CO I'd be field scouting those OTC units for elk every December instead of relying on CPW. And talking to folks who might have some good knowledge of the hunt areas. There are folks killing em every year in OTC units including some on here.

You're a great elk hunter judging by your posts, get out there and make it happen!

Oh, I always killed elk.No problem there.My success rate ran about 95%. I only posted this for information to those who believe those statistics.I stopped wanting or hoping for anything out of CPW years ago. Too old to build points anymore, but my hunting career is just about over anyway, if it isn't already. I have killed enough elk, that I don't ever need to kill another. The three major areas I hunted, I know intimately and had several honey holes. I have a few that I killed 5-6 elk from the same place. Several I shared with others

And you should keep on hunting SS!

Just get some shorter mules..........

I did about 5 years ago. My saddle mule is now 13-2 hds and the pack mule is 13hd. I'll be riding shetlands if I go any smaller.





I had these that I packed a few times. 44"tall mini's

Cool pics!