Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Non-Resident ELK Prices

Yes, state wildlife agencies do habitat work on federal land all the time. Wildlife is public property, and states have been delegated the authority to manage wildlife regardless of private vs public. Congress and the courts have recognized wildlife don't recognize political boundaries.

Importantly, there's not a species, herd, or individual game animal that spends all its time on private or all it's time on public property in the western 2/3's of Colorado--they spend time on both. I have deer, sometimes elk, and occasionally desert bighorns grazing in my pasture in the evenings, and during the day move back onto BLM across the road.

Yes. See above.

As a resident in rural Colorado I give more and sacrifice more for Colorado wildlife than you generally will regardless how much you pay for a license.

Nonresidents come here to hunt and they see deer and elk during a small snapshot in time. They don't see them in the winter, spring, summer. or the majority of the fall. Significant numbers of deer and elk, and to a lesser extent pronghorns, spend the majority of time on private land in the winter and public land in the summer.

Probably not much longer. I was on one of the PP "focus groups" this summer. The groups were asked to boil down all the issues we discussed and come up with three priorities. I believe every PP focus group (and at least some of the allocation focus groups) made limited licenses for all elk hunting in Colorado one of the priorities.

I don't disagree with some of your post, but are you aware that right now Utah has implemented an emergency feeding program for deer and elk, and Wyoming for elk? It ain't cheap. Research is important--especially so when anti hunters attempt to use pseudo-science to advance their cause. The latest in Colorado is that wolves reduce the prevalence of CWD. That claim is being countered by the fact at this time research done on that question has NOT been able to demonstrate any correlation between the prevalence of CWD and the presence of wolves on the landscape.

Good points, and it certainly was not my intent. I know they do look at what other states are doing, that was one of the reasons they stated as a need to raise nr fees in Idaho.

Regards,
Manny

Idaho's been feeding deer and elk for years. They say, though, that the reason isn't starving animals. It's more to keep them pulled away from private land where they destroy huge amounts of hay. Elk have been known to run cattle away from their feed. With hay selling for $300/ton, a herd of elk can cost a rancher many thousands of $$ in a hurry.

Utah cited keeping a herd off a road as a reason for one herd they're feeding.

We can settle this fair and square. Abolish NR licenses in your state and we’ll do the same here. We’d solve the whining about “gouging” real quick. Even Steven.

I don't think it will do a thing. The only thing that will slow it down is if the crowding and low game numbers burn people out.

When the economy tanked in 2008-09, there was almost 20,000 fewer elk hunters in Colorado in 2009-2010. That according to CPW hunter stats. Bidenflation might not be as severe an impact as job losses in 08-09. Some might have to cut back on their bar tabs and not buy a new rifle. 🤣

Yep,in 2008 was when Idaho went all in with $elling tags and making wildlife management secondary to collecting money. That was in response to the sucky economy at the time and decreased sales. IDFG termed it "more hunter opportunity"

The difference now seems to be people are spending/traveling no matter what after being told to stay home for the past couple years.

We're getting there......

Quote
"Twenty plus years ago Colorado had 20K-40K more elk than the habitat/herd objective could support."

If elk numbers are below objective numbers now, how come we supposedly have 308,901 elk in Colorado now as CPW advertised,and it has grown every year..

From the Colorado Outdoors magazine Preference Point issues here are the advertised elk herd counts for the last six years.I have the last 20 year's issues.

2004 274,570 This was reported in the 2006 issue for the 2004 for herd count (First year they published the figures)
2018 277,750
2019 281,700
2020 286,680
2021 292,760
2022 293,590
2023 308,901

If Colorado has 34,000 more elk than the habitat could support in 2004, we should see elk starving now.

Most of the hunting community believes CPW inflates those numbers to sell more tags.

2023 Big Game proclamations are out. March 1st--applications are being accepted. Time to start buying those tags !!

Colorado NR elk license prices have gone from ridiculous to absurd. I suppose CO can raise prices every year since they are linked to the Denver CPI percentage increase. Bidenflation rolling up prices this year and more next year I’m sure.

Mule deer numbers are down big time where we hunt in unit 13 to the point where I don’t think I’ll apply for a deer license this year. I haven’t seen a shooter buck in several seasons, neither has Sako76. I saw a couple of nice bucks at a processor last year but could have come from a ways away. Debating the future of trips to Colorado…

Most of the bigger bucks are coming out of eastern Colorado, but it is almost all private land.There are some big bucks west I-25, but they come hard. I see bigger bucks my yard almost every week. No way would I pay $456 + Habitat Stamp and Qualifying License as a Nonresident to hunt deer in Colorado.

I love to go to the mountains of CO and hunt mule deer. We don’t have them here and to get to hunt them where 4 generations of my family have is a treat. Plus we see a big buck or two on occasion.

The elk tag prices have about priced my gang out of the elk hunting business. Most of them are older now and don’t climb the mountains and run the ridges like they used to. They know that most bulls where we hunt are hard earned and come from burnt boot leather. Most years they aren’t able or interested in burning that boot leather.

One uncle and myself are in good enough shape and know the area and habits of the elk well enough to be successful on a regular basis. We both derive some satisfaction in staying in the %10 of hunters that kill %90 of the elk, more so considering it’s more like %3 of DIY nonresidents.

And last but certainly not least to me. It’s worth every penny spent on the tag when I get back home and see the way my Grandad’s eyes light up when he sees the horns and hears the tale of bagging one. Sappy as it sounds theres very little that’s more special to me than to have him call me an elk hunter.

Yes I think tags are overpriced but I’m going to keep paying as long as my gang is up for making the trip. It’s just the price of admission and a way better deal than spending it in the bar or casino

I'm a 75 Y/O Nevada native, and I haven't drawn a big game tag or any kind for the last three years. I sure have expensive points, though.

To those bitching about high out of state fees, come here, pay taxes, support the DOW in drawings, license fees, and dinners, help build guzzlers, etc. and add a crumb of credibility to your pizzing and moaning.

The State manages all fish and game on federal lands, so the State sets the prices and regulations.

I'm not aware we are below herd objective on a statewide basis. Quite the opposite. What is important are numbers of elk in the DAU's. In some DAU's they are below what is believed carrying capacity. Carrying capacity changes because habitat changes. If the drought continues the southwest regional biologist has mentioned elk numbers may have to be reduced.

Why do you think beginning in the late 90's Colorado began significantly increasing cow tags, and beginning 7-8 years ago began decreasing the number of cow tags--there were plenty of threads here with people complaining they didn't draw their cow tags that they had easily had drawn in the past.

Estimates in 2000 had an overwintering population of 320k plus elk in Colorado. Last I knew the estimate for the amount of available elk winter habitat for Colorado was 285-300k elk.

Have you checked the price of an elk tag (including the cost of any other required licenses that go with the elk tag) in other states?

This is the most cogent argument I've seen on this thread with respect to CO. CO has become a very expensive place to live, plus it is filled with way too many liberals these days.

I've been hunting CO since the 1990s. I've seen the prices climb through the years and ate the increased cost. I'll continue to eat the cost because A. Elk hunting means more to me than $760, B. I can.

I''ll be 60 in May and know I have more years behind me than in front of me. A DIY elk hunt costs ~ $1500. $200 a month is worth it to me. When I had less money, I simply did things that saved money - brought my lunch to work, didn't buy Starbucks coffee, drove used vehicles, and other similar things. Finding $200 a month isn't difficult for most of us.

At the end of the day, quit focusing on the money and focus more on the experience. Some day you won't be able to hunt elk.