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Big-game hunters looking back

Last year's events affecting present

By Karl Licis, Special to the Rocky

Published October 7, 2008 at 10:11 p.m.

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Every hunt begins with anticipation and a bit of reflection, and with the main big-game seasons fast approaching, this year, more than most, Colorado hunters might be taking a look back to last fall's seasons and the winter that followed.

Both are likely to affect what hunters find in the field when the primary seasons begin, starting Saturday with the first rifle season for elk.

From a statistical standpoint, last year's seasons presented a mixed bag. Deer hunters enjoyed the best year since 1999, bagging 45,026 animals. That continues a steady upward trend and reflects a gradual resurgence in the state's deer population due in large part to a limited-license approach to management.

Elk hunters, meanwhile, collected 49,012 animals, down from 56,933 in 2006 - the first time since 2001 the total fell below 50,000. A reduction in available cow-elk licenses no doubt contributed to the drop, and weather also played a role.

Hunter success during the first two season splits was about average, but it plummeted during the third and fourth. The late-season weather turned warm and dry, keeping elk at higher elevations, away from hunters waiting for them on traditional wintering ranges.

In any event, a higher-than-usual number of elk and deer probably made it through the hunting seasons. The carry-over might have suggested a better-than-average outlook for 2008 - but then came winter.

Much of Colorado received significant snowfall and prolonged periods of cold. The impact on game herds varied widely from one locale to another.

The Gunnison region was hardest hit by the winter, leading to an emergency feeding effort by the Colorado Division of Wildlife and a force of volunteers. Less-extensive feeding occurred in other regions, including the Eagle River Valley, but most of the state escaped a need for such measures.

"We have no final figures yet, but there's no doubt we lost some deer, especially around Gunnison," said Bruce Watkins, big-game coordinator for the DOW. "It was substantial but not too far above what we might see in a normal winter. We've had a series of mild winters the past few years; this was actually a more normal one."

Winter losses translated into a reduction in licenses for the 2008 seasons. Most notably, deer licenses for the game-management units around Gunnison were reduced by 50 percent.

"While we lost some deer, the area has a lot of deer, and plenty of others survived the winter," Watkins said. "Licenses were harder to come by, but hunting should still be good for the people who drew a license."

Deer-license allocations also were reduced in the White River/Piceance Basin region of northwestern Colorado. Winter survival there was good, but new computer modeling by the DOW indicated that herd was near population objectives and the ratio of bucks to does was somewhat below.

"I don't know that hunters are going to see fewer bucks this year - we're not significantly below," said Darby Finley, Meeker-based terrestrial biologist for the DOW. "We were just a little more conservative this year in trying to get back to the long-term objective."

For hunters, that means fewer leftover licenses will be available for the northwestern units.

In other parts of the state, deer licenses were readily available and hunting prospects are good.

"Anecdotally, I've heard that hunters in the archery and muzzleloading seasons were seeing lots of mature bucks and bulls," Watkins said, "I would expect that to continue in the rifle seasons."

Elk generally fared better through the winter than deer, though some localized losses occurred around Craig, Creede and Gunnison. But those are not considered significant, and the overall hunting outlook is bright.

Watkins reports a 25-to-100 ratio of bull to cow elk in many parts of the state after last year's hunting seasons. Of those, an average of 10 bulls was spike-antlered.

Those now are branch-antlered 3-year-olds and, along with the carry-over of older bulls, are attractive to most hunters.

"Hunters should have some good opportunities this year," Watkins said. "Conditions are good, game animals are in good shape and there are lots of them out there.

"I'm expecting a good hunting season this year."

Big-game hunting seasons

Rifle: deer and elk

Saturday through Oct. 15: Separate limited elk (by application and drawing only)

Oct. 18-26: Combined elk and deer (deer licenses limited)

Nov. 1-7: Combined elk and deer (deer licenses by application and drawing)

Nov. 12-16: Combined elk and deer, limited deer and elk licenses

Rifle: plains deer

Oct. 25 to Nov. 4: Limited

Dec. 1-14: Limited

Rifle: pronghorn

Through Friday: Limited

Rifle: black bear

Concurrent with rifle elk and deer seasons; bear hunters must also have a deer or elk license for the same season

Muzzleloader: plains deer

Saturday to Oct. 19: Limited

Archery: plains deer

Through Oct. 24: Limited

Nov. 5-30: Limited

Dec. 15-31: Limited

Muzzleloader: pronghorn

Oct. 21-29: Limited

Comments

  • October 11, 2008

    4:12 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    NavyChief writes:

    Nice to see something in the paper about hunting again. It's the first time since Dentry announced he was retiring. Is this guy now writing the weekly column or is this a one time shot to tease us?

    Come on, Rocky. There are hundreds of thousands of hunters and fishermen in Colorado and you can't find a replacement for the columnist? I didn't think it would be that hard to find someone willing to do a bunch of hunting and fishing and write a weekly coulmn about it.

  • October 17, 2008

    9:43 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Squatch writes:

    I agree NavyChief.