2020 Colorado Deer and Elk Non Resident Apps Poll

Are you in for a 1st choice tag or just points this year?

  • Tag

    Votes: 113 52.8%
  • Points. Was going to do points only regardless of the effects of Covid19

    Votes: 88 41.1%
  • Points only due to Covid19 and the uncertainty of next fall.

    Votes: 13 6.1%

  • Total voters
    214
So much for covid-19 driving down applications. I would have lost that bet. But I suppose the real indication of covid impact will be if tags are drawn with less points than last year or if there are more leftover tags which would indicate that while overall applications were up, applications for tags as opposed to points were down. It’ll be interesting to see the drawn out reports post results and any conclusions to be drawn from them when compared to years past.
 
This situation made us put in for points only. At this point, we plan on going on an OTC hunt but there is too much uncertainty at this point to guarantee I’ll leave my family for two weeks in a couple of months. I expect Colorado’s OTC to be crazy this year if things settle down.
 
Invested three points towards a first season elk hunt I should draw. Points only for deer. Likely taking two sweepstakes winners to CO for OTC elk.

Will be interesting to see if the behavior of applicants has changed in terms of who bought points versus who actually applied. To see the increase in total applicants is quite surprising. If the percentage of those who bought points is what I expect it to be, point creep in future years is going to be pretty high. Wish schedules has allowed for some of our crew to burn their eight deer points this year, as I think the value in those points will never be higher than it will be in 2020.
 
Whether or not the number apps went up, I'd love to know how many folks who did apply will not be hunting due to how the past few weeks have gone, i.e. losing jobs, savings, vacation time, it should make the returned/leftover licenses interesting to watch this year. Also, waiting to see how the actual tag vs. PP numbers break down, my completely unscientific guess is with the leftover tag process being changed this year many folks will do PPs and then throw in for the June leftover draw.
 
I looked at third season deer in relation to the moon phase. 2020 will be the best moon phase with later date. I thought the next great moon phase deer hunt would be 2023 and 4th season but was afraid the later dates for the next few years will hurt the big bucks.

I know moon phase is not nearly as important as a few other factors...weather being number 1 for me, but I like to try and stack as many variables in my favor as possible.

That was my thought process in deciding this year. I hunted a 4th season deer hunt in 2008 and the dates were about the same as third season this year. Plenty of rut action that year and I got a decent/good buck in unit 70.

Good luck everybody!
 
I am surprised at the increases in all species. ..especially the species I care for most: sheep and goat. Dang it.
 
Points only. I have a 40 preference points for a Maine moose tag, so hoping to get pulled for that this year.
 
They provided a little more info about PP applicantsDA172CA5-BA63-49CC-8892-8AB646B4C8B0.png

If these numbers are true and I’m looking at this right, there are FEWER preference point buyers and 23,206 MORE applicants who picked an elk hunt code as their first choice compared to last year. Not what I expected at all!
 
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I have 1 deer point and put in for a unit needing 3 on a normal year,,im zeroed out on elk,but put in for a unit needing 4 points,,we will see if i get lucky,,,if not,ill take the points.
 
For deer, I put in for a unit that i would have had a 12% chance at drawing last year thinking those odds would increase with less apps.
They probably went to 0 odds
 
Wow, a lot of people lost that bet, including me!

and me

but i will still wager that a higher percentage of the NR folks that applied end up staying home this fall

i need to put my foot in my mouth tho, it's just like vegas it seems
 
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Did Covid19 change your plans for CO in 2020?
Covid 19 did not change my plans. My experiences in Colorado, mostly spent in the front range working there. Plus what happened with my job down there and everything afterwords. I also can't justify sending any money to that state since it had turned into California east. I actually havent spent any money in Colorado since June of 2020. I live in wyoming so I if I draw my new mexico tag I'm filling up just south of cheyenne and driving straight through to new mexico. I can be a very vengeful and spiteful individual when properly motivated. I have two points for deer and elk in Colorado and made the decesion to let them just expire.
 
Whether or not the number apps went up, I'd love to know how many folks who did apply will not be hunting due to how the past few weeks have gone, i.e. losing jobs, savings, vacation time, it should make the returned/leftover licenses interesting to watch this year. Also, waiting to see how the actual tag vs. PP numbers break down, my completely unscientific guess is with the leftover tag process being changed this year many folks will do PPs and then throw in for the June leftover draw.

^Which assumes people don’t know what their doing... which fair lol...

but that’s a terrible strategy for CO IMHO.

My guess is that point creep, draw odds, etc accelerated on their current trajectory. Non-residents applied for tags not points, thinking I can always return the tag if I need to, and/or this year is going to be ‘the’ year to apply. Look at the past threads that was the consensus despite past data showing the contrary.

The leftover list will be worthless as usual, mostly cow tags, some bull and buck tags that will be available almost until the season. Possibly a few rando tags, like ewe sheep though not many and odds will be long.

The reissued list will be a complete chit show, especially when and if things get worse. More people are working from home/unemployed and will have computer access 24/7 so the process will be a total dumpster fire with increase supply of returned tags and demand for those tags. People are gonna be pissed.
 
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The reissued list will be a complete chit show, especially when and if things get worse. More people are working from home/unemployed and will have computer access 24/7 so the process will be a total dumpster fire with increase supply of returned tags and demand for those tags. People are gonna be pissed.
Although the reissue list process may change before August.
 
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