Dog1 our numbers of elk are just as high as they have ever been. Its the numbers of hunters vs. the number of game. In the mountain states game feeds on the vegatation in the mountians from spring to fall. Its the winter months where the animals have to feed down into private land that causes the division of wildlife problems with the private land owners. So this causes the division pressure on keeping the animal population in control. The deer herd has comback very well but I don't see over the counter tags coming back in the near future. We just don't have the land setup like back east does to run large numbers of game without privateland conflict. Theres just too many people today trying to hunt and theres nothing wrong with that . The world changes and some how we have to find a way to make the wildlife have a stable enviroment.

Sure residents pay taxes and live in the state. But the non-residents pay more money in one year hunting exspense to equal two years of a residents spending on tags. I still think no matter the outcome of a draw a non- resident should have a 50/50 chance to come hunting. While the game of colorado belong to the state. The non-resident pay taxes to the federal goverment which helps maintain the forest service. Giving every usa citizen a right to access the forest and enjoy it.