CO Archery Hunter Numbers 2007-2020

[COEngineer]

I was curious about how many more archery hunters there are now compared to when I started bow hunting in CO. The data below are from CPW. I assume the number of hunters is based on license sales and the hunter days-in-the-field or "Rec Days" are based on their phone/online surveys. Whether the Rec Days numbers are accurate or not, I think the comparative values are probably valid. What I found really interesting is that despite the 43% rise in number of archery hunters, their days-in-the-field per year have remained very consistent. This seems to contradict the idea that I heard and took for granted, that we have more hunters and more die-hard hunters spending large amounts of time in the field. Turns out, only the former is true, at least according to this data (this state and weapon choice).

 

[Bigjay73]

Newberg started his shows in 2009, it's just about all uphill after that. Coincidence....I think not

 

[TOGIE]

lot's of things started happening around the uptick in that graph.

lot of things coalesced to create a new era hunting boom. i think instagram probably really has a lot to do with it, over anything else... but we have a thread about that already.

 

[winmag]

Good to know these diehard hunters still only take one week off of work!

I wonder which week of September is busiest, if archery hunters avoid the overlapping muzzleloader season, etc. but I don’t think there is a data source for that.

 

[RobertD]

lot's of things started happening around the uptick in that graph.

lot of things coalesced to create a new era hunting boom. i think instagram probably really has a lot to do with it, over anything else... but we have a thread about that already.



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Lots of people only want to view it as a social phenomenon and others focus on it as an economic one when, as you point out, there are a lot of factors involved. I think you're right though about Instagram

 

[TOGIE]

Lots of people only want to view it as a social phenomenon and others focus on it as an economic one when, as you point out, there are a lot of factors involved. I think you're right though about Instagram

i almost thought about throwing an S&P 500 chart and a colorado population chart since 2008 right along with those others in that post haha

 

[TOGIE]

honestly, we probably have rogan to blame almos entirely.

 

[RobertD]

i almost thought about throwing an S&P 500 chart and a colorado population chart since 2008 right along with those others in that post haha

I hear ya. I'd love to see some data on changes in landowner attitudes over the value of hunting permission starting around 1995 everywhere east of about Interstate 35 too. I think that was the "prequel" to the whole movie.

 

[seeth07]

What I find most interesting is although the items mentioned above have sparked huge interest in western hunting leading to huge junps in hunter numbers, why hasn't it for eastern hunting?

Is it because of the difference in easy public land access?

Is it because of the difference in media such as how @Big Fin portrays hunting compared to the likes of Realtree Outdoors and other similar shows?

Is it because of the shift in eastern lifestyles from rural living to urban living over the last two decades?

 

[rogerthat]

It's a captivating romantic idea to go west to go hunt. Going east the first thing I think of is traffic jams, jaywalkers, crime, did I say people....and lots more people. Not big bucks. Right wrong or indifferent.

 

[jrabq]

I'm a bit surprised it's only a 43% increase, the unit I hunt has seen a 3x increase, and most of that has been in the last 3-4 years.

 

[ccc23454]

So whats the magic number that finally breaks CO otc hunting for NRs? That graph doesnt make me feel like its slowing down soon, plus a increasing resident population. Is it becoming even a safety issue at some point?

 

[RobertD]

Is it because of the difference in easy public land access?

Yes. I think people miss this because they underestimate how difficult/pricey access on private in the East can be

 

[DouglasR]

It's a captivating romantic idea to go west to go hunt. Going east the first thing I think of is traffic jams, jaywalkers, crime, did I say people....and lots more people. Not big bucks. Right wrong or indifferent.

It’s an adventure.
The great unknown.
Too many hard hats and yellow lines painted on the floor in modern society man.

 

[nrpate05]

I wonder how this breaks down between residents and non residents. I imagine the graph of CO's population looks similar to that graph.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I wonder how this breaks down between residents and non residents. I imagine the graph of CO's population looks similar to that graph.

At a recent CPW meeting they did a case study of the Steamboat area for OTC tags.

70% of archery hunters are NR

That’s f-ed

I can’t think of any state or hunt that has that kinda allocation.

I think all NR should be able to look at that number and feel some empathy for residents.

The statutory ratio for draw units is 35%, which is waaaay more than UT/MT/WY/ID.

Co needs to cap OTC NR. Take the number of OTC resident tags, apply the 35% cap to that and stop selling tags once you reach that number.

 

[Mudranger1]

IMO with the way things go here you will not see just a NR change us residents get the same treatment just lower prices

 

[jrabq]

The statutory ratio for draw units is 35%, which is waaaay more than UT/MT/WY/ID.

Just fyi the cap drops to 20% for higher demand hunts (hunts where it takes residents >5 points to draw), at least that's my recollection.

 

[jlmatthew]

IMO with the way things go here you will not see just a NR change us residents get the same treatment just lower prices

Yep! we have the most anti-resident hunting agency in the west!

 

[HighDesertSage]

It's a captivating romantic idea to go west to go hunt. Going east the first thing I think of is traffic jams, jaywalkers, crime, did I say people....and lots more people. Not big bucks. Right wrong or indifferent.

Funny, I left CO and headed east for those exact reasons....