I'm not too upset about the increasing permit costs. What I regret -- not pissed off about -- is that in my unit in Colorado first rifle season is now bull elk OR cow elk, but not either. I used to be able to buy an either sex tag and shoot whatever I happened to see -- a cow or a bull. This year I bought a cow tag. What if I only see a bull elk? I suppose they have a good reason for doing that, but that I find disappointing. If I pay 20% more for my tag now or even 35% more for my tag than I did 10 years ago? I'm not pissed, though I may regret that. My money spent on an elk license is the best money I spend all year. I think about what it would be like if I lived in France or Germany or Italy or England. Would I have hunting like I have in the United States -- like I, as a Texas state resident, have in Colorado? Think big picture, man, big picture. It could be worse.


I would add that I am not a trophy hunter. The experience of being in the high mountains (11000') in mid-October, sleeping in a canvas wall tent, wood stove heating the tent, and hunting elk is what it is all about for me. I don't measure my satisfaction in my hunt by the size of the antlers of the bull elk I kill. I'm actually happier to take a cow elk than a bull (lighter, no antlers to saw off or to lug back to camp, meat tastes better), but so far I have taken 2 bulls and 1 cow in 8 seasons.