CO Preference Point

[LaSportsman]

Agreed. It bugs me to think that I'd have $1000+ in hunting licenses and points before I ever drew the $400 tag I wanted.

When I consider that I have a finite amount of vacation time each year, and I can hunt elk, mule deer, and pronghorn as a resident every year, I have a hard time coughing out money for NR preference points for those species. I understand why those without western residency do it though.

You can hunt those as a resident each year. That's key.

I don't have time to hunt out of state right now but I'm building points for a few years future so I'll have more options when I retire and can hunt more of the season. It's an individual decision. I'm not building in all states either.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

I dont like that small game thing this year,,just another way to suck more money out of the non resident,,,ya gotta pay to play,,but there are other states that may be a better bang for the buck when you add it all up.this lowers my rating on colorado for value per dollar ratio.661 elk tag plus 100 per year for points and colorado is getting pretty spendy.

 

[Kiwi]

What is the sweet spot for points in CO? Meaning, is there a level where another couple of points won't open up very many more units? Looking over Toprut, you have to be in it for the long haul once you get over 4 or 5 elk points. I'm too old to wait around and will burn mine by then. But deer seems to be some benefit to accumulating points after year 5. But I'll still burn before then.

Someone should publish a sweet spot article for each state.

Gohunt this type of analysis in their strategy articles.

 

[jlmatthew]

I dont like that small game thing this year,,just another way to suck more money out of the non resident,,,ya gotta pay to play,,but there are other states that may be a better bang for the buck when you add it all up.this lowers my rating on colorado for value per dollar ratio.661 elk tag plus 100 per year for points and colorado is getting pretty spendy.

I honestly dont understand Nonresidents coming here to hunt elk. The tag cost too much, the crowding is unreal, the success rate on bulls is low, and the quality is low too. (see Randy's OTC Colorado videos).

When folks as me about elk hunting, i always say that unless you are hunting private land, I wouldnt recommend Colorado for elk hunting.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I honestly dont understand Nonresidents coming here to hunt elk. The tag cost too much, the crowding is unreal, the success rate on bulls is low, and the quality is low too. (see Randy's OTC Colorado videos).

When folks as me about elk hunting, i always say that unless you are hunting private land, I wouldnt recommend Colorado for elk hunting.

Lol... man you and BuzzH should be the sales guys for MT and CO, all we need now is a guy from ID to start dumping on their hunting.

" The tag cost too much, the crowding is unreal, the success rate on bulls is low, and the quality is low too."
-True, but what other options are there? Any state that you have a good chance of hunting every year is a similar story, better states you will only be able to hunt every 2-3 years at best 5-10 at worst. Most NR don't have huntable elk in their home states.

 

[mtmiller]

I honestly dont understand Nonresidents coming here to hunt elk. The tag cost too much, the crowding is unreal, the success rate on bulls is low, and the quality is low too. (see Randy's OTC Colorado videos).

When folks as me about elk hunting, i always say that unless you are hunting private land, I wouldnt recommend Colorado for elk hunting.

You are crushing me. I decided to start picking up elk points when I started hunting deer in CO. Are you telling me to throw away my 7?

 

[Deleted member 28227]

@mtmiller well since there are no longer deer in MT I guess...

 

[jlmatthew]

Lol... man you and BuzzH should be the sales guys for MT and CO, all we need now is a guy from ID to start dumping on their hunting.

" The tag cost too much, the crowding is unreal, the success rate on bulls is low, and the quality is low too."
-True, but what other options are there? Any state that you have a good chance of hunting every year is a similar story, better states you will only be able to hunt every 2-3 years at best 5-10 at worst. Most NR don't have huntable elk in their home states.

I appreciate all the hunters on public land crowding each other. I'm the guy in the valley bottom on private waiting on the elk to come running down to escape them. Just dont understand it is all I'm saying. I live here and you couldnt get me to pay that much for an elk tag, I've done the public land elk hunts. Now deer hunting is a different story. I would gladly pay the nonresident tag fee for a 2nd deer tag

 

[beginnerhunter]

Lol... man you and BuzzH should be the sales guys for MT and CO, all we need now is a guy from ID to start dumping on their hunting.

" The tag cost too much, the crowding is unreal, the success rate on bulls is low, and the quality is low too."
-True, but what other options are there? Any state that you have a good chance of hunting every year is a similar story, better states you will only be able to hunt every 2-3 years at best 5-10 at worst. Most NR don't have huntable elk in their home states.

That's exactly right. My chances of drawing an AR tag are almost non-existent so I have no choice but to play the game. A guy did give me his honey hole info in Colorado tho so we'll see.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

Going to Colorado from Oregon is a spendy venture for elk,,but I've found 1st rifle isn't too bad,,at least crowd is limited,, they are trying to price me out though,,makes Idaho at $417 elk look like a good deal,,I might pull my Colorado elk this year,then bail out,,,but who knows

 

[beginnerhunter]

All I've heard is good things about Idaho for elk and deer. I wish someone would come on and bash it.

 

[Pelican]

I honestly dont understand Nonresidents coming here to hunt elk. The tag cost too much, the crowding is unreal, the success rate on bulls is low, and the quality is low too. (see Randy's OTC Colorado videos).

When folks as me about elk hunting, i always say that unless you are hunting private land, I wouldnt recommend Colorado for elk hunting.

I’m starting to like the posts about how difficult it is to kill an elk in Colorado on public land with an OTC tag. They are a real ego boost.

 

[jvanhoy]

Lol... man you and BuzzH should be the sales guys for MT and CO, all we need now is a guy from ID to start dumping on their hunting.

" The tag cost too much, the crowding is unreal, the success rate on bulls is low, and the quality is low too."
-True, but what other options are there? Any state that you have a good chance of hunting every year is a similar story, better states you will only be able to hunt every 2-3 years at best 5-10 at worst. Most NR don't have huntable elk in their home states.

I’ll gladly give CO my money any year they will take it to come hunt elk. I’ve never had a bad hunt and there have been plenty of years I went home with no meat in the cooler.

 

[Tikka06]

I've been building elk and deer points for a few years now. I'm seriously considering burning the elk points next year and keep building the deer for a few more and then concentrating on OTC archery for elk from then on. I can definitely understand how this may be pricing some people out in the long run but like stated above, you gotta pay to play.

 

[TOGIE]

I dont like that small game thing this year,,just another way to suck more money out of the non resident,,,ya gotta pay to play,,but there are other states that may be a better bang for the buck when you add it all up.this lowers my rating on colorado for value per dollar ratio.661 elk tag plus 100 per year for points and colorado is getting pretty spendy.

With this change they're not scraping that much more out of your pockets than they used to.

Used to be 40 dollars for an elk point, 40 for a deer point, 6 bucks in app fees, and 10 bucks for the stamp. so 96 or so.

Now it's 81.75 for a small game license, 18 bucks for apps, and a then a 10 dollar stamp? so 109.75. Gotcha for an extra 13.75. Not bad.

But I guess if you were doing elk only it was 53 or so for the now 100.75. That sucks a bit more.

 

[HuntTalk Freak]

As a TX resident CO seems like a pretty good deal once you factor in the extra travel time and expense of going further north/west. I was content just hunting down here in the Hill Country when it didn't cost me anything, now I have to lease and any decent place will run $2k or more, the upside is I know I'll take game and have meat.

I want to do something different, see the mountains, live life and chase other game so this will be my first year hunting out west. Started building points last year and applied for a deer tag this year. If I don't draw I'll just buy a OTC elk tag and hunt the same unit I planned on for deer.

I hunt because it's what I love to do, not because it's a economic way to acquire food. That doesn't mean I'm not jealous of what residents of other states pay and the public land you have to hunt.

 

[beginnerhunter]

As a TX resident CO seems like a pretty good deal once you factor in the extra travel time and expense of going further north/west. I was content just hunting down here in the Hill Country when it didn't cost me anything, now I have to lease and any decent place will run $2k or more, the upside is I know I'll take game and have meat.

I want to do something different, see the mountains, live life and chase other game so this will be my first year hunting out west. Started building points last year and applied for a deer tag this year. If I don't draw I'll just buy a OTC elk tag and hunt the same unit I planned on for deer.

I hunt because it's what I love to do, not because it's a economic way to acquire food. That doesn't mean I'm not jealous of what residents of other states pay and the public land you have to hunt.

You can always come to AR and hunt whitetails. Very economical and tons of public ground with nobody on it. Shoot 3 deer in a weekend. Very few trophies tho. Just stop by on your way home after striking out in CO.

 

[Witherall13]

I’ve spent $100 on a lot worse things.

 

[OverlordBear]

All I've heard is good things about Idaho for elk and deer. I wish someone would come on and bash it.

It is good if you like having to outrun wolves and grizzlies for a chance at an elk.

 

[beginnerhunter]

It is good if you like having to outrun wolves and grizzlies for a chance at an elk.

Now we're talk'in!