Last call.
Colorado elk enthusiasts who think in terms of taking part in a record harvest might choose to hunt a little harder when the first of four rifle segments begins Oct. 15.
With advantageous weather conditions and all the other vagaries of hunting luck, they just might be able to surpass the 2004 standard of 63,336 animals in the bag. But probably not next year or any other time in the near future.
Three factors, each different yet linked to a common result, conspire to make it highly unlikely that future hunts will produce the sheer numbers of elk as in recent years.
Reflecting DOW efforts at herd reduction, the harvest topped the 60,000 mark three times in the past half-decade. That might happen again this year, but don’t count on a continuation.
Not that there’s anything the matter with Colorado’s elk numbers. Far from it. Colorado residents and those who draw limited licenses are likely to enjoy better hunting in years to come.
It’s just that after more than a decade of trying, DOW finally has brought what had been a near-runaway population under control. Fewer elk, coupled with two key regulatory changes, almost certainly will translate to reduced harvest – at least until the next major shift in herd dynamics.
Consider the following developments:
Given the fact that herds have been reduced to the desired objective in most parts of western Colorado, it’s unlikely huge blocks of cow licenses will be issued next year or into the foreseeable future.
For example, all 2005 draw licenses for bulls in northwest Colorado were issued as either sex, giving bull hunters the option of taking a cow instead.
“Generally, our elk population no longer is increasing and actually is trending down in some places,” said Rick Kahn, DOW’s wildlife management supervisor. “It’s important for hunters to know that the amazing opportunity to acquire cow elk may be diminished in the next couple years.”
The Colorado Wildlife Commission last year mandated that up to 30 percent of all units be managed for quality, limited-license bull elk hunting, meaning fewer over-the- counter tags and considerably fewer elk in the bag.
This plan initially met with resistance from Western Slope merchants and politicians, causing wildlife managers to back away from immediate action. But it seems likely the wildlife agency soon will settle on some acceptable formula to implement more limited hunting for bull elk.
Meeting Tuesday in Salida, the commission voted to give resident hunters 80 percent of limited elk licenses that require at least five preference points to draw, a quantum hike from the 60/40 ratio in place for decades. Generally speaking, nonresident hunters who travel far to set up elaborate campsites spend more days in the woods and log a consistently higher success rate.
Taken collectively, these elements translate to a far less likelihood of record numbers.
That said, the approaching season shapes up to be one of the best.
“There are a lot of elk out there,” Kahn said of a population that still reflects more quantity and quality. Most bulls taken by hunters will be 2 1/2-year-olds, which, according to recent surveys, suits a majority of the public just fine.
Most over-the-counter management units continue to show a ratio of 18 to 23 bulls per 100 cows. Typically, hunters must target difficult-to-reach areas to find trophy bulls.
In contrast to deer strategy, the best elk hunting often occurs early in the season, before hunting pressure spooks the herds off into black timber or onto private land. The exception, of course, is when storms serve to concentrate animals at lower elevations.
It all adds up to a grand exercise in hunter’s roulette, a game that’s likely to grow even more complicated as elk numbers, and regulations, shift in the years ahead.
Listen to Charlie Meyers at 9 a.m. each Saturday on “The Fan Outdoors,” KKFN 950 AM. He can be reached at 303-820-1609 or cmeyers@denverpost.com.
