Bear Points - Colorado

[benclimbing]

About to burn all my bear points for a September rifle hunt and I've narrowed it down to unit 61 or 66 due to proximity from me and the least amount of tags and other hunters. Which holds better bears, 61 or 66? Any help appreciated!

 

[TOGIE]

The elk watching will be more fun in 61

 

[Pagosa]

I’ve never seen many bears in 66

 

[rmyoung1]

Paging @AvidIndoorsman

 

[Oak]

September in unit 61 would be fun. Lots o' bears as well as elk. I'm not a bear hunter, but I would choose to spend time in 61.

 

[benclimbing]

Thanks all. To add some context, for Sept 2023, GMU61 had 200 list B tags while GMU66 only had 65 list A tags. But the CO hunt atlas makes 61 look like the superior unit for overall population. I also realize they're managing for the experience/success of the high-point deer and elk hunters too, not just for the bears. I've seen some good bears in the high country in 66 but I've never hunted in 61, this is all part of why I asked.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Thanks all. To add some context, for Sept 2023, GMU61 had 200 list B tags while GMU66 only had 65 list A tags. But the CO hunt atlas makes 61 look like the superior unit for overall population. I also realize they're managing for the experience/success of the high-point deer and elk hunters too, not just for the bears. I've seen some good bears in the high country in 66 but I've never hunted in 61, this is all part of why I asked.

CO doesn’t manage for bears period.

The entire reason there are any units that require bear points are restricting the tags so that bear hunters don’t crowd deer and elk.

 

[benclimbing]

CO doesn’t manage for bears period.

The entire reason there are any units that require bear points are restricting the tags so that bear hunters don’t crowd deer and elk.

I get that they're not managing for quality, but when I checked my bear in last year the officer made it sound like the age and location data was at least used to manage for overpopulation and/or population health.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I get that they're not managing for quality, but when I checked my bear in last year the officer made it sound like the age and location data was at least used to manage for overpopulation and/or population health.

If you have points 61 is a good place to burn them... but I think this should make it pretty obvious that buying bear points in CO is stupid.

Don't take this personally as the @'s may have clued you in on I've been ranting about this for years.

 

[TOGIE]

i'm dropping 6 points on a 50% odds 0 point unit this fall

 

[GrantK]

61 all the way for bear, way more bears, and way bigger bears.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

B&C Bears from 2016 - 2023
Top Counties
Mesa County - 14
Garfield - 7
Delta -6
Gunnison - 5


Las Animas - 0 = 851


2023 Bear Harvest All manners of take sorted on total harvest with point to draw in 23', points = hardest resident season



Idiots are buying points for a unit that sometimes has 1 tag for NR a year, it's the 20th best unit in terms of number of bears harvested, and there hasn't been a B&C bear killed in that county let alone unit, in almost a decade.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

@benclimbing I made this like 2 years ago for a thread... can't remember all the datasets that went into it...

 

[WildWill]

@benclimbing I made this like 2 years ago for a thread... can't remember all the datasets that went into it...


View attachment 321240

My time in 65 backs this chart up. Guess what idiot didn't have a tag?

 

[kiwi hunter]

My time in 65 backs this chart up. Guess what idiot didn't have a tag?

Me too. One unit I'd like to hunt and travel thru.

 

[WildWill]

Me too. One unit I'd like to hunt and travel thru.

It's absolutely gorgeous country. Had a bear at 57 yards few years ago with a muzzleloader in my hands chip shot. No tag of course came back next year with a tag no bears. Although still found plenty of sign. Hoping to have a deer tag a bit west of there this year.