Are there any whitetails in Colorado?
#11
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 259
RE: Are there any whitetails in Colorado?
All deer tags in Colorado are on a draw, nonresident and resident. The only exception is if you book with an outfitter that is part of the Ranching for Wildlife program. They are awarded a quota of tags that they sell to those that book hunts with them. Elk is over the counter in many areas for residents and nonresidents.
#12
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Longmont Colordo USA
Posts: 16
RE: Are there any whitetails in Colorado?
WV Hunter
Yep its true, unless you have a few preference points you won't hunt the eastern plains in Colorado with a rifle, resident or nonresident. All deer licenses in Colorado are now on the draw system. Can't go to the local Walmart and buy one. Now it your a landowner you have a lot better chance of drawing a tag, but this also is not a guarantee. They've got a system here called the Landowner Preference System where basically the landowner can sign over a tag to anyone if his land meets certain qualifications. I use this system every year to draw an antelope tag and sometimes a deer tag. Deer tags are a little tougher to come by but its still your best odds of getting a tag.
In most units of Colorado you can buy an over the counter bull elk tag but there are a lot of areas that also require preference points, some require up to 15 points to draw....which means you've been putting in for a license for 15 years and not drawn. If you are unsuccessful you can still buy an over the counter tag in an open unit.
A lot of the northeast units of Colorado are getting hit hard by Chronic Wasting Disease, so if you come out stay away from the NE area and focus on the east or southeast. The area I hunt in the northeast has seen the deer population plummet. Also its a known fact the DOW has shot dozens of animals out here to try to curtail the spreading disease. This past year 2 out of 3 deer my friends shot deer that tested postive for CWD.
Yep its true, unless you have a few preference points you won't hunt the eastern plains in Colorado with a rifle, resident or nonresident. All deer licenses in Colorado are now on the draw system. Can't go to the local Walmart and buy one. Now it your a landowner you have a lot better chance of drawing a tag, but this also is not a guarantee. They've got a system here called the Landowner Preference System where basically the landowner can sign over a tag to anyone if his land meets certain qualifications. I use this system every year to draw an antelope tag and sometimes a deer tag. Deer tags are a little tougher to come by but its still your best odds of getting a tag.
In most units of Colorado you can buy an over the counter bull elk tag but there are a lot of areas that also require preference points, some require up to 15 points to draw....which means you've been putting in for a license for 15 years and not drawn. If you are unsuccessful you can still buy an over the counter tag in an open unit.
A lot of the northeast units of Colorado are getting hit hard by Chronic Wasting Disease, so if you come out stay away from the NE area and focus on the east or southeast. The area I hunt in the northeast has seen the deer population plummet. Also its a known fact the DOW has shot dozens of animals out here to try to curtail the spreading disease. This past year 2 out of 3 deer my friends shot deer that tested postive for CWD.
#13
RE: Are there any whitetails in Colorado?
Thanks guys, it's making a little more sense now.
Is archery hunting the same? Do you have to get a separate license, or is it all on the same one? (per animal type) Guess I've got alot of research to do, assuming I do end up going out there. Sounds like it will be lot different than it is here in the east.
It's great all the info that can come from the folks on this board. Thanks!
Is archery hunting the same? Do you have to get a separate license, or is it all on the same one? (per animal type) Guess I've got alot of research to do, assuming I do end up going out there. Sounds like it will be lot different than it is here in the east.
It's great all the info that can come from the folks on this board. Thanks!
#14
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Longmont Colordo USA
Posts: 16
RE: Are there any whitetails in Colorado?
WV
All deer licenses are on a draw system, even archery. For elk archery, in most units you can by an over the counter license. But again, certain units you have to apply for and will need preference points.
All deer licenses are on a draw system, even archery. For elk archery, in most units you can by an over the counter license. But again, certain units you have to apply for and will need preference points.
#15
Spike
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Keller TX USA
Posts: 82
RE: Are there any whitetails in Colorado?