BREAKING: Colorado to Limit Nonresident Elk Hunting Opportunities
In a June 12th meeting, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission voted to discontinue the availability of over the counter (OTC) archery elk hunting licenses for nonresidents beginning in 2025. This reduction in tag availability follows a months-long process of research on herd management, hunter satisfaction and financial implications as well as extensive public input and several publicly-held meetings.
The decision to reduce OTC opportunity resulted largely from hunter concerns regarding overcrowding, stemming from Colorado’s longtime reputation for offering the most nonresident elk hunting opportunity in the West. Currently, Colorado is the only state that offers unlimited OTC tags for nonresidents; furthermore, Colorado continues to allocate a greater percentage (25%) of its limited entry tags to nonresidents than other Western states. Parks and Wildlife staff initially recommended discontinuation of OTC archery tags for both residents and nonresidents, but the recommendation was amended after significant pushback from resident hunting associations.
What Happens Next?
Nonresidents who wish to archery elk hunt in Colorado for the 2025 season and beyond will need to apply for tags during the spring tag application period. While nonresident tag numbers will be limited, reductions from current tag sales numbers will be minimal (~10%), so most hunters should be successful in acquiring a tag. If unsuccessful in the initial draw, nonresidents have the opportunity to purchase landowner tags or attempt to purchase leftover and returned tags reissued by the state. Although limitations on OTC license availability only affect archery hunters for now, CPW has expressed a desire to reduce or eliminate OTC rifle opportunities in the future as well.
Effects on Landowners
As general nonresident hunting opportunities become increasingly limited, ownership of hunting land in Colorado offers an additional means of securing elk tags each year. Landowners owning 160+ acres are eligible to apply for landowner tags through the Landowner Preference Program in addition to their general tag application. The landowner preference program allocates a separate pool of tags to landowners in recognition of the important role private land habitats take in maintaining herd health. Previously, units that offered OTC elk tags did not offer any landowner tags. It remains to be seen if CPW will begin offering landowner tags in these units now that nonresident landowners will be unable to purchase OTC tags, but the commission-approved alternative does specify that CPW can offer additional private-land-only tags for nonresidents in past-OTC units.
Since Colorado landowner tags are merchantable, the reduction in OTC tag availability will increase the demand and value of landowner tags, improving this existing revenue stream for ranches that choose to sell their allocated tags. Additionally, buyer demand for Colorado hunting ranches may increase as more nonresidents look to land acquisition as a means of continuing their annual hunting traditions.
Colorado Hunting Ranches
Regardless of residency or method of take, hunting ranches in Colorado remain some of the most highly sought-after properties on the market today. In spite of these recent changes to tag allocation, Colorado still offers some of the most extensive nonresident hunting opportunities, particularly in regards to nonresident landowners.
Being so coveted, high-quality Colorado Hunting Ranches are rarely offered for sale. Confluence Land Company is privileged to be exclusively listing the Rogers Mountain Ranch, a superb Colorado ranch complete with trophy-quality big game hunting. This 1,250 +/- deeded acre ranch sits at the base of South Park’s 39-Mile Mountain complex and comprises some of the best elk habitat in the valley. The ranch has not been hunted in recent years, and we’ve had multiple elk encounters on showings including bulls bugling and rutting mid-day! Due to its significant acreage, Rogers Mountain Ranch qualifies for two Landowner Preference Program applications and has historically received multiple tags for elk annually.
For more information on the Rogers Mountain Ranch, or the purchase and sale of investment-grade hunting ranches in Colorado and across the West, please do not hesitate to Contact Us.
