Competition for the resource here isn't getting any lighter. With the price of real food (i.e, protein) seemingly spiraling ever higher, every semi-competent individual in the region that owns a rifle seems to be wrangling for a tag and a place to use it. Moreover, Colorado had a bad winter-kill in 2022/2023, combine that with these newly-introduced wolves and the recovery of the now badly-decimated deer & elk herds is even further threatened. One of the ranchers we know west of Craig photographed wolf tracks in the snow very near his home and it made the local paper, so they are becoming a factor already. Public land hunting here hasn't been all that viable for some time now (compared to what it once was) and this nearly "perfect-storm" of foolish wildlife management, weather challenges, and crowded conditions has me and the folks I go with considering sitting things out this coming year. When you think about all of the now-expensive moving parts, it's unlikely to be worth going this year or even the next few. As creatures of habit, we still might, but our expectations will be tightly controlled.
Last edited by Lloyd3; 03/04/24 11:13 AM.
