Other years it took three preferpnce points to get drawn in Colorado has that changed ? I always hunted northwest of Gunnison.

Not a question that you can answer easily. Depends on what area you are talking about.

Each Game Management Unit has different numbers. Sometimes the number of required points go down when the DOW increases the # of tags, and sometimes it goes up when the DOW decreaes the tags or the area gets lots of publicity. Lots of times it stays the same from year to year.

In MAR/APR the Colorado Division of Wildlife magazine "Colorado Outdoors" publishes a preference point list. It basically shows what it takes to get a tag in every unit in the state. You can also go online to their websit and the info is posted there.

Mac

I drew the 4th season either sex elk tag for Unit 54, which is northwest of Gunnison. If you watch when the leftover tags come out, you can probably pick one of those up. I think there were some leftover last year.

But the hunting in the Gunnison basin may not be that good for the next several years b/c of the hard winter they had over there.

I'm at year 12 and still waiting.
Currently taking 16 pts for the area I want.

can anyone say bullshit? The worst system of any in the west in my mind....has me thinking of Montana as the next place to hang my hat. I can not pull a tag, yet they will be hiring sharp shooters in my unit to control the population. The hunting interests in Colorado are controlled by rich land owners and guides, resident hunters are very low on our DOW's list of priority's. End of rant.
Steve

The units I always hunt are 51 56 and 55 it use to take three but something must have changed. Now I am talking Mule Deer so maybe something is new.

points are just another way to screw the american hunter and have nothing to do with conservation or herd control, known as FLEECING OF AMERICA.

quote:

Originally posted by DaveP:
I'm at year 12 and still waiting.
Currently taking 16 pts for the area I want.

I feel your pain. I've got 14 points as of this year. I think I need about 2-3 more for the unit I've got my eye on. On the plus side, I always get a cow tag as a second choice for the same area, so I've been able to invest over a decade of in-season scouting. I pretty much know where to find the herds. When I get the tag, I'm gonna pop a good one.

That's what I ike about the system, I can play the waiting game to get the tags I really want and still hunt elk either in the same aea or really close to it. Plenty of cow and doe tags to go around while I'm waiting for the bull or buck tag I really want. I always fill the freeze, always get to hunt and always have a good tie.

What more can I ask for?

I can understand the waiting game to get on a premiere unit. What frosts my ass are the states that require you to buy a license when all you really want is a preference or bonus point.
I only have 5 or 6 pts in most states. I have no illusions that I'll get drawn for sheep or a premiere elk unit for awhile. Why is it then that I have to buy a license when I'm putting in for points only???

I honestly think CO is far and away the best system there is. OK so you might not ever draw a premium unit, but jezzuz I'd like to have a sheep tag in MT every year too. There isn't enough to go around. At least you know you'll draw a tag or are fairly certain of when it will happne. With MT for example you can have max points and NEVER draw a tag. Actually I think WY is a little better, 75% go to max point holders the last 25% go in the pot for everyone.

I honestly wish they would just do away with all points like ID and NM.

quote:

Originally posted by bluefin:
I can understand the waiting game to get on a premiere unit. What frosts my ass are the states that require you to buy a license when all you really want is a preference or bonus point.
I only have 5 or 6 pts in most states. I have no illusions that I'll get drawn for sheep or a premiere elk unit for awhile. Why is it then that I have to buy a license when I'm putting in for points only???

In Colorado, you don't buy a license. You front the license money and then it is refunded, less about $3, if you are unsuccessful. So, if all you want is points, you front the cash with the knowledge that you will get the money back. The reason they do it that way is to ensure the funds are there if the license comes through. That has always been the way Colorado has done it. It's not a perfect system, but since you get almost all of it back, it's reasonably fair.

But then, if you don't like it, you don't have to apply. Nobody makes anyone play the game. But if you want to play, you have to pay something.

Colorado keeps the $3 to fund the cost of the drawing system. I have a grand total of $42 invested in my 14 preference points for elk. In my book, that's a bargin since I know I'll pull the tag in the next couple years. I could buy a landowner voucher for the same area, but it would cost over $10,000. So, let's see, less than $50 or over $10,000. Even a country boy like me can do that math.

Mac

Plus, I think the CDOW likes to draw that extra bit of interest off the tags for a couple months before they refund the money for those who didn't draw.

MAC, sad to say it, but now they charge $28 for PPs in CO.

In rescent years they only charged the $3 for PPs, but now it's $28(the $3 fee plus $25 for a PP).

When I recieved my refund this year, I called and chatted with a DOW official. He told me the only way to avoid the fee was to actually buy a tag for that particular species the prior year(IE if you hunt a cow one year, you only get charged the $3 fee the next for your Bull PP).

Luckily I only need 2 PPs for my Mler hunt in 09.

Have a Good One,

Reloader

quote:

Originally posted by Reloader:
MAC, sad to say it, but now they charge $28 for PPs in CO.

In rescent years they only charged the $3 for PPs, but now it's $28(the $3 fee plus $25 for a PP).

When I recieved my refund this year, I called and chatted with a DOW official. He told me the only way to avoid the fee was to actually buy a tag for that particular species the prior year(IE if you hunt a cow one year, you only get charged the $3 fee the next for your Bull PP).

Luckily I only need 2 PPs for my Mler hunt in 09.

Have a Good One,

Reloader

That's something I always get around. If you put in for a point as your first choice and a cow/doe tag as your second choice, they only charge $3. Additionally, you could simply buy a small game license or a fishing license and dodge that fee.

As a resident that is active duty military and stationed outside the state, I only pay the $3. Even if I can't get back from my duty station to hunt, I can simply eat the cow tag. Bottom line is my 14 points have cost $42. During that time I have hunted cows about 12 times and have taken around 10 of them.

So I get the points and put a nice tasty cow in the freezer too. In my book, that's a win-win situation. But, I'm a Colorado resident and the system works for me.

I admit it doesn't work as well for non-residents, but the Colorado Division of Wildlife works for the taxpayers of Colorado and not for the taxpayers of the other 49 states and residents get preferential treatment in every state. It's just the nature of the beast.

quote:

Originally posted by billm:
Other years it took three preferpnce points to get drawn in Colorado has that changed?

I don't understand those who bitch about Colorado's PP system. If you can figure out how to post here, you should be able to read their published statistics:

# of PP's needed to Draw

You probably applied for a 2nd rifle hunt?

If you bother to read the stats or suscribe to a hunting service, like the Huntin' Fool, you pretty much know how many points you need to draw the hunt you are after. This allows you to PLAN ahead which year you want to hunt in Colorado. Unlike other states such as New Mexico, you have no idea if you will draw, only what your odds might be.

I've lived in Colorado over 30 years, first coming here as a member of the Air Force. Did live in NM and their system means I might never be drawn for a tag while a neighbor has drawn several (this did happen to me). In Colorado, I know I will eventually draw a tag. Mac has the right idea about putting in for a secondary area/gender. I have doe antelope and deer licenses and a cow elk tag this year. My points are being built up for a couple of prime areas. The system has worked well for me and my hunting family and companions.

quote:

In Colorado, you don't buy a license. You front the license money and then it is refunded, less about $3, if you are unsuccessful.

MAC,
I should have qualified my statement. CO may refund the upfront license fee but it seems many other states require buying a license that doesn't get refunded - whether you draw or not.

There is another way to get points - it's a bit of luck and a bit of work, but it could really be a valuable find (taken from Colorado TIP ):

"The Turn in Poachers (TIP) program began September 1st, 2004. This program allows people who turn in poachers to receive preference points or even licenses in some cases. This program was created in addition to the existing Operation Game Thief (OGT) program.
The TIP program applies only to reports of illegal take or possession or willful destruction of Big Game or Turkey.

In order to be eligible for the license or point rewards the reporting party must be willing to testify which is in contrast to OGT which will pay rewards even to anonymous parties.

The basics, with some special restrictions for very limited units, are:

If a person reports a violation which results in a charge of illegal take or possession, they may receive preference points or an over the counter license.

If a person reports a violation which results in a charge of willful destruction or the illegal take involves an animal that meets the trophy requirements of 33-6-109(3.4) (The Samson Law) then the person can receive a limited license for the same unit and species as the reported violation.

In all cases the reporting party must otherwise be eligible to receive the license, including meeting hunter education requirements and not being under suspension. The reporting parties may not receive both a TIP reward and a cash OGT reward for the same incident.

If the case is dismissed, fine paid or the suspect pleads guilty but the reporting party was willing to testify if necessary then they will still be eligible for the reward.
Please review the regulations (scroll to page 7 within PDF file) to see more detail of the circumstances which allow a preference point or a license to be awarded.

To report poachers, call us toll-free within Colorado at 1-877-COLO-OGT, Verizon cell phone users can dial #OGT, or contact us via e-mail at Operation Game Thief. Please specify which type of reward you are interested in (OGT or TIP). Help us make this program a success.

Last Updated: 3/18/2008"

Eric that is a great program and a nice incentive but the reality of it is Colorado like a lot of other states aren't always following up with real concern for some violations. The big headline grabbers are ideal but ones that take more effort without the headlines are sometimes ignored.
I personnaly turned in a high profile person with a video recorded game violation that was broadcast on cable giving the dates of the kill, exact location, season and video of who pulled the trigger, the violation was on tape and the DOW officer I spoke with declined to do a damn thing about it. I even continued to do the legwork for him and spoon feed him the info and he didn't do shit. Finally he quit returning my phone calls........I was disappointed to say the least.
I wasn't turning him in to get the "point" although that would be nice, I was turning him in because it was the right thing to do.

Snellstrom,

If you had the info and the Game Warden did not pursue it, turn the info into the Regional Manager and then over to the newspapers. That should get some action.

If they still don't take action, go to one of the Wildlife Commission meetings and show it to them. Have the warden's name handy and let them know that a state eployee is not fulfilling the duities of their office.

Mac