2024 Big Game!

[Hummer]

Since I'm starting this thread two days before the deadline, I wonder if everyone here is too old and decrepit to go hunting anymore? J/K, but I'll be 3 yrs into my 7th decade and I won't give up until I have to. You have until Tuesday at 8 p.m., to complete the applications online.

I just finished the deer, elk, and pronghorn apps, and will pick up a concurrent bear tag on Aug 6. I mostly hunt NW CO where the big game die off in 2022 has meant dramatic reductions in licenses available. No more OTC, no more two- elk tags available. To deal with point creep, all 1st choice licenses give up and reset preference points, so I'll dump 11 points to hunt bull in 23/24, previously an OTC unit. But, I know and love that country. A $avings for me is that I won't apply for moose again because in 5+ years, I wouldn't want to wrestle a moose again. Plus, the preference point fees takes the fun out of applying for bighorns, goats and moose.

So, post about your hopes and harvests for 2024.

Cheers!

[def90]

I burned my elk points last year so it will be a few years before I'm back in a draw unit so OTC it is again. Hoping I draw my archery deer tag that I have been able to get ever other year for the past few years. Put in for a pronghorn point, it will be a few years before I have enough points to hunt pronghorn anywhere that is worth it.

[brutal]

First time I'm doing Muzzleloader. Dialed in with a friend and his high rate of harvest spot.

Deer in 104 on a friend's ranch. Going to be OTC Bull only for 3rd rifle this year.

[Little Dutch]

Still hoping for a sheep and goat tag one of these days.
Applied in a new (to me) unit for deer that I saw a lot of while bear hunting last year. Applied for elk and pronghorn in my usual area again, but am unlikely to draw the tags because of the die-off.
I’m not eligible for moose again until next year.
I didn’t apply for bear this year.

I doubt I’ll draw any big game tags unless area 50 muzzle loader draws as a second choice. I *might* hunt OTC elk, but there was a LOT of orange in my backup area last year, making it a pretty discouraging hunt.

It’s looking like another small-game season for me.

[TRnCO]

Just finished with the applications
Should draw bull elk 2nd rifle
Applied for moose fsag
Applied for pp for pronghorn and will hunt otc archery out back
Applied for pp for mule deer and for a doe tag late season out east

[rondog]

Waiting for my doe tag to arrive, unit 63 on my nephew's place. Hunted there last year, deer were thick as flies. But I arrived with a severe foot injury, which blew up overnight to a "can't walk" issue. Wasn't any way I was going to shoot an animal that I couldn't deal with, I couldn't even carry pkgs of meat from my truck to the freezer back home. Nope, mission aborted, this is another year.

[brutal]

Still hoping for a sheep and goat tag one of these days.
Applied in a new (to me) unit for deer that I saw a lot of while bear hunting last year. Applied for elk and pronghorn in my usual area again, but am unlikely to draw the tags because of the die-off.
I’m not eligible for moose again until next year.
I didn’t apply for bear this year.

I doubt I’ll draw any big game tags unless area 50 muzzle loader draws as a second choice. I *might* hunt OTC elk, but there was a LOT of orange in my backup area last year, making it a pretty discouraging hunt.

It’s looking like another small-game season for me.

Saw more elk in 2 big herds than I've ever seen in my life last year. All on private and locked up BLM land.

Hoping the Muzzleloader hunt in a different area is a smart move.

[Sawin]

I went ahead and put in for a moose tag for the first time this year, along with elk and deer, after seeing 9 moose in rapid succession last year, and dozens more the year before… not sure of my odds in that draw, but we will see what happens.

Good luck to everyone in the draw and in the field this fall!

[Little Dutch]

I went ahead and put in for a moose tag for the first time this year, along with elk and deer, after seeing 9 moose in rapid succession last year, and dozens more the year before… not sure of my odds in that draw, but we will see what happens.

Good luck to everyone in the draw and in the field this fall!

Bad news! You need 3 moose points before you are even eligible for the draw lottery. Minimum points for moose is 3, cow and bull.
Good luck on the elk and deer tags..

(That reply wasn’t meant to be flippant, tone is hard in print.)

[Sawin]

Bad news! You need 3 moose points before you are even eligible for the draw lottery. Minimum points for moose is 3, cow and bull.
Good luck on the elk and deer tags..

(That reply wasn’t meant to be flippant, tone is hard in print.)

haha no worries. That's perfectly ok and not a surprise