Well, howdy there! Let’s talk about huntin’ in Colorado, y’know, like them statistics and such.
First off, gotta get yourself a huntin’ license if you wanna go huntin’ in Colorado. You gotta be livin’ here, ya hear? And if you’re between 18 and 64, you need somethin’ called a Habitat Stamp too. Just one of them things for the whole year, that’s all.
Now, lot of folks go huntin’ elk. Lots of elk in Colorado, they say more than any other place. But don’t go thinkin’ it’s easy pickin’s. Heck no! See, last I heard, there was like 283,000 elk runnin’ around, and maybe 220,000 folks tryin’ to hunt ’em. But only about 37,000 elk got taken. That means, if my countin’ ain’t too rusty, about 15% to 17% of them hunters actually got somethin’. So, yeah, most folks don’t get nothin’ but tired feet.
- You need a huntin’ license.
- You might need other licenses too, dependin’ on what you hunt.
- Gotta get that Habitat Stamp if you ain’t too old or too young.
They got these things called draw systems too. Sounds fancy, huh? It ain’t. It’s just how they decide who gets a chance to hunt certain critters, like deer and elk. One way is called preference points. Don’t ask me how it works exactly, it’s got somethin’ to do with how many times you tried before and didn’t get lucky.
Them Colorado Parks and Wildlife folks, they keep track of all this stuff. They wanna make sure there’s enough animals for everyone to hunt, y’know, for years to come. They got reports and such, tellin’ you how many licenses they give out, how many folks apply, and all that jazz. You can even check your point history, whatever that means, on their website if you’re into that sort of thing.
Oh, and if you’re gonna hunt on someone’s land, you better make sure it’s okay with them. You gotta be the landowner, or if it’s owned by some company, you gotta be an officer or somethin’. Don’t go trespassin’ now, that’s just askin’ for trouble.
They hunt other things besides elk too. Like small game, birds, even lions sometimes. But they got rules about that lion huntin’. Seems like with them hounds, they catch more boy lions than girl lions. Some places don’t even let you use hounds no more.
And get this, they say huntin’ ain’t as popular as it used to be. Fewer folks are doin’ it, I guess. Maybe they’re all too busy starin’ at them phones, who knows? But if you’re thinkin’ about givin’ it a try, whether you’re a greenhorn or a seasoned old-timer, you gotta know the rules and have the right papers. And don’t forget your CID number from your huntin’ license, they always askin’ for that darn number.
They also talk about success rates, like how often folks actually get somethin’. For elk, like I said, it ain’t great. But they got stats for other critters too, I reckon. You can find them 3-year averages on their website, if you’re curious. It’ll tell you how many folks tried and how many succeeded, from 2021 to 2023, seein’ as it ain’t 2024 yet. That Colorado Parks and Wildlife, they got all the numbers. Seems like huntin’ success ain’t a sure thing, more like a hope and a prayer.
So, there you have it. A little bit about huntin’ in Colorado. Just remember, get your license, follow the rules, and don’t expect to come home with a truckload of meat every time. And be safe out there, alright? It’s wild country, and you ain’t the only one with a hankerin’ for somethin’ to eat. Huntin’ is serious business, ain’t no playin’ around when you’re out there in the woods.
They got all kinds of rules and regulations, so it’s best to check with them Parks and Wildlife folks afore you go wanderin’ off with a gun. They can tell you what’s in season, what you need, and where you can and can’t go. Don’t wanna end up in a pickle, now, do ya?
Anyways, that’s about all I know. I ain’t no expert, just tellin’ it like I see it. Happy huntin’, if that’s your thing. And if not, well, that’s just fine too. More elk for the rest of us, I reckon.
