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Is Colorado even serious?

I suppose I dont understand your question. Why would they not be serious. Elk calf recruitment in SW Colorado is in the toilet. Shed hunting is obviously not the only cause but it appears to be a contributing factor. I mean is it really that much of a hardship for folks to not shed hunt until April if it could benefit mule deer and elk fawning.
 
I was listening to a podcast last night about shed hunting. The guy said he never goes shed hunting when it’s real cold because he doesn’t want the animals to run away and use energy that they need desperately to store.
 
I think I get your point because Colorado does do some weird things when it comes to hunting. For instance the loose power and iron sights for Muzzleloader. To me that just is gonna lead to animals being wounded because let’s be honest no one practices like they should.

In this case though in several areas all over the country they close access to intrusion during certain times of the year. If they are only delaying it I don’t see a problem. We should care more about what’s best for the animals and not ourselves.
 
Yea I guess for Colorado it’s an effort to reduce peoples tracking on public lands without taking away people freedoms to be on those public lands. I do get your point that you’re more than likely there either way. So why the harm if u pick up a shed? I get it for sure man!
 
I also do get the OP’s point as well but I also get the state’s point too. There is a difference between walking through the woods and finding a shed vs shed hunting. When done right, shed hunting is extremely intrusive. Bedded deer will sometimes watch you walk by if they feel secure and at a safe distance. Doing a grid search over every square yard of an acre is guaranteed to kick them up.
 
I agree with the premise. Same reason we have hunting seasons, at least one of them.

Still gonna have those who think they can buck the system, either overtly or by trying to be clever. How good will enforcement be? How is harassment defined? Do you have to stay on trail? Will there be a bunch of people searching them out, aka just hiking, and then marking loctions and taking pictures of sheds? Idk, hope people do the right thing.
 
Over the years, a number of different western states have implemented temporary or permanent bans on shed hunting. The idea is to help wildlife survive after facing weather conditions and human pressure due to hunters and shed hunting. Shed hunting out west is a different situation than shed hunting for whitetails in the midwest, east, south.....

https://www.themeateater.com/hunt/big-game/ethical-shed-hunting
 
So hikers, mountain bikers, OHVs and backpackers are all allowed in the mountains during this same time. There is far more pressure here from the hippies than shed hunters. I would argue that the unbelievable amount of hunting pressure has a lot to do with our decreasing elk and deer numbers. Colorado manages based on dollars not science and that’s been going on for a long time now.
 
There are so many stupid rules it doesn't surprise me....if u find an owl feather and keep it u are breaking the law....walking within 300ft of an eagles nest and u breaking federal law....
 
Camelcluch said:
So hikers, mountain bikers, OHVs and backpackers are all allowed in the mountains during this same time. There is far more pressure here from the hippies than shed hunters. I would argue that the unbelievable amount of hunting pressure has a lot to do with our decreasing elk and deer numbers. Colorado manages based on dollars not science and that’s been going on for a long time now.
Click to expand...
Hippies…that’s funny!
 
Non Resident elk tags are about 700 bucks. NR deer tags 500.

When you have a resource that attracts a significant amount of revenue, you protect it. And in the process of protecting it, you understand things that can diminish it's value. So you take steps to reduce those things.

Hikers, bikers, and hippies stay on trails. Especially in winter. Tens of thousands of shed hunters don't.

Why does this bother you so much?
 
kyler1945 said:
Non Resident elk tags are about 700 bucks. NR deer tags 500.

When you have a resource that attracts a significant amount of revenue, you protect it. And in the process of protecting it, you understand things that can diminish it's value. So you take steps to reduce those things.

Hikers, bikers, and hippies stay on trails. Especially in winter. Tens of thousands of shed hunters don't.

Why does this bother you so much?
Click to expand...
Good point
 
Camelcluch said:
So hikers, mountain bikers, OHVs and backpackers are all allowed in the mountains during this same time. There is far more pressure here from the hippies than shed hunters. I would argue that the unbelievable amount of hunting pressure has a lot to do with our decreasing elk and deer numbers. Colorado manages based on dollars not science and that’s been going on for a long time now.
Click to expand...

Yes, the “hikers, mountain bikers, OHVs and backpackers are all allowed in the mountains during this same time” - and none of them are allowed to hunt for shed antlers.

Why: “Shed antler hunters focus their efforts on specific areas where big game are wintering with a very high likelihood of disturbing and displacing those animals.”

https://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/AntlerShed.aspx
 
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