funny talk with the dow.
Coloradobuck
6/18/08 10:23pm
i called the dow today to see if i was still getin my deer leftover letter. it was what i think was a farly young lady blude most likely. i asked her ," i've talk to sevral non resident hunters, and they've all drown deer tags. one guy even got a buck tag for unit 44 which my familys been tryin to get for some 30 years. but i then said "every resident i've talked to aroun colose to 75 residents, have not got eny thing why is that". she said " its because the non resident tags are more expensuve there for we make more money sir."
2,937
As far as 44 goes you gotta get some Preference points.
However, don't make the residents mad by giving out more non-resident tags than resident tags. Keep in mind who pays your salary.
Tough to say either way but the state makes much more money from non-resident hunters than from residents. There are quite a few communities that rely on hunting season just to make it from year to year. Most residents camp rather than stay in a hotel/motel, cook their own food rather than rely on a local diner and bring all gear needed rather than pick up what they need/forgot at the local hunting/fishing store. Not to mention those that use outfitters and guides. And don't forget the difference in price for tags.
So, in the big picture of things, non-residents are the life blood of the DOW and these hunting communites when it comes down to hunting and bringing in the big bucks. Taxidemists, meat processers, mom and pop stores, local diner/burger joint, etc, etc, etc...
We didn't draw deer tags this year but we did draw elk tags. We camp in our own trailer, bring our own food and really don't spend much money in whatever town is closest, other than getting gas when we need it.
If I'm sitting up on the high seat and trying to figure out what I can do to pump money into the local economies on a long term basis I would look at giving out more non-resident tags. Not necessarily more than resident tags but more than other surrounding states. I don't know if there has ever been a comparison of which state gives out more tags or not but it does seem Colorado would rank up pretty close to the top. I know some states limit non-resident tags on a fairly strict basis and I would guess they don't pull in near the resources.
It is well known that Colorado has the largest elk population of any state. Maybe not the trophy quality of some other states but a lot of folks just want to get an elk rather than wait 20 years to draw that once in a lifetime tag or pay big bucks. They just want the chance to hunt elk. The deer herd had declined for a couple of decades until, IMO, the state did away with OTC tags. I've seen more deer and bigger bucks ever since. IMO, the state is doing a pretty good job in the wildlife management area, particularly elk and deer.
This takes money. Where would you go to get the money? Raise resident fees? Already done. Add some kind of special stamp? Already done. Still not enough money in the coffers. I have no problem opening up the state to non-residents as long as it does not affect a resident's opportunity to hunt. I don't draw an elk tag every year nor do I draw a deer tag every year. As long as I can hunt either one every year I'm okay with it. If I miss a year I can still live with that. Being a resident and only being able to hunt in my state every five years, then I have got a problem. I haven't seen that yet and hope we never do. If that ever happens then I think those in charge won't be there very long.
Whew! That was really a bit more than I meant to go on about! Just trying to get my opinion out on the subject. Sorry for the long read.
Colorado antelope tags go to the person witht he most points period there is not a reserved number for residents vs non residents.
If you put in as 444 for one of your choices and didn't draw, you must've screwed up your application somehow, cause there are leftover tags in that unit. I put in for 444 on the leftover draw; there are 66 tags available for the 10/18-26 season and 10 tags for the 11/1-7 season. I've spent a boatload of time up on Hardscrabble in 44 but never hunted 444; I'm confident of drawing the leftover tag so I'll be getting over in there scouting a couple times this summer.