Colorado 2024 Elk License Applications and Other News

Hello there elk hunters!  Just a quick note to let you know Colorado's application period for elk (and other big game species) opens on March 1st.  You'll need to head over to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website to complete your application.  Deadline for applications is on April 2nd with draw results posted towards the end of May.

Even if you're not planning on hunting Colorado this fall, this application period is also when you can purchase preference points which is a wise thing to do as it opens up hunting opportunities beyond over the counter hunts.

If you've already booked a hunt with Dark Timber Outfitters, you can expect a few emails from me in the coming week.  I'll provide hunt codes to each of you who need them for your application that way we're all on the same page.

In other news, Coloradans will likely see another ballot initiative this November regarding mountain lion hunting.  The anti-hunting campaign is going great guns on this particular initiative (Colorado Initiative 101, formerly Initiative 91).  It's dangerous not only because it provides yet another opportunity for hoodwinked, uninformed voters to use ballot box biology to ruin our science-based management approach.  The initiative promotes flat-out mistruths and misleading information regarding Colorado's highly regulated and highly managed mountain lion hunt.

While I won't get into the weeds here, it's important for all of you to engage on this. 

Education is the best way to beat back these continued efforts to undermine and take away our hunting heritage.  Spreading the word and informing the public about the actual truth of how mountain lion hunting is managed is how we defeat this very real anti-hunting campaign.  Also understanding the consequences of having NO management on mountain lions is important for the general public to be aware of.  Just ask California how they're doing with zero management of their big cats.  It's hypocrisy to Nth degree. 

So what to do?

First off, to read this email and then do nothing is a one-way ticket to losing your hunting privileges. 

Second, the best way to support efforts to defeat this initiative is through supporting educational organizations.  Two of these are Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management (CRWM) and HOWL.  These are legit organizations doing their best to galvanize hunters so these initiatives based purely on emotion will not win out against tried-and-true, science-based management.

Their links are below and you should check them out, get informed, sign up, donate if you can and speak up. 

CRWM:  https://savethehuntcolorado.com

HOWL:  https://www.howlforwildlife.org/coloradohuntingban

I sincerely hope you'll take 5 minutes to help protect our hunting heritage and science-based wildlife management.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions and good luck on your limited license applications!