450Dakota

Info for all that hunt Colorado. If you get caught on roads restricted from ATVs it is going to be points against your hunting license effective March 20, 2008. Get enough points and you won't hunt in Colorado anymore. It used to be a $100 fine but now that price has went up and points against your license. Game Wardens can cite you as well, used to be just BLM. That's not the problem here. Here it is ATV's OFF roads that cause the heartache. No one would care if all the ATV's were on roads. Same goes if you are off the road in an area closed to ATVs in Colorado. It is points against your license.

Info for all that hunt Colorado. If you get caught on roads restricted from ATVs it is going to be points against your hunting license effective March 20, 2008. Get enough points and you won't hunt in Colorado anymore. It used to be a $100 fine but now that price has went up and points against your license. Game Wardens can cite you as well, used to be just BLM.

323 Jarrett

This is mine.

Arizona hunting is not what it used to be. I grew up in AZ and hunted Coues deer before it was all the rage. I joined the military and have been gone for 22 years. I am in Colorado and go back frequently. The state has probably shrunk in available hunting land by 30 % since the mid 70's. They are building houses out in Willow Springs that used to have write-ups by well known writers raving about the quail hunting. Houses in Oracle, Catalina, Payson, Flagstaff, etc. in places we used to hunt. If the G&F can cut December tags and increase them two fold for the hot weather hunts with little impact to the deer herd then they have increased revenue without depleting resources. It has become all about money to them over the last 15 years. As far as placing minerals/feed out to attract game it used to be against the law there in the mid 80's. It is against the law in Colorado and Alaska that I personally know of. The muzzleloader and bow hunts were initially established as primitive weapons hunts. The more innovative and further reaching the weapons become the more restrictions there are going to be. If someone develops a bow with a 150 yd range I can bet you will have to draw for archery tags. I have to buy a non-resident license to even put in for a tag there, what kind of crap is that?? I can tell you I am going to kill something for that price, even if it is jack rabbits and I have to shoot between houses to do it. To each their own on hunting over feed, salt, McDonalds whatever. Personally, I watch the outdoor channel and see all of these deer being hunted on private property, with food plots, and or feeders, with absolutely no outside pressure for 300-340 days out of the year and then the people act like they really did something taking a buck that has sat and watched trucks drive within 100 yds for most of the year. That isn't hunting in my book, it is ranching and plenty of it goes on in Colorado. As for the numbers of deer harvested of archery vs rifle it needs to be broken down further in buck to doe ratio to see the real impact on the herd. G&F letting the Lion population get out of control hasn't helped the numbers any either. There are still some great places to hunt there if you can get drawn but enjoy it while you can. At 13 years to get drawn for an Elk tag I am approaching 50, you do the math and tell me how many Bulls I am going to get out of that state. I wish they would do away with the bonus points because everyone has them now and at least if you stand a chance of getting drawn is more hope than knowing you need 7 more bonus points. There is no easy solution but keep trying to get the G&F dept to go with the hunters majority and not the pocket book and politics. Might lose some battles but can't afford to lose the war.

HBU I have a custom 30-378 with a 28 inch barrel and can get 3500 fps with a 180 gr bullet. I have a custom 416 WBY and several factory weatherbys and they will all shoot moa, when you work to find the right load. The 30-378 is expensive to operate. I am a gun nut so it isn't a big deal to me. Since you asked I will tell you what I offer to others. Build you a 300 Ultra Mag on a Remington action with a 28 inch barrel. You will be into the rifle for a lot less, you can build it lighter, and the cost of brass is a huge savings. The 28 inch barrel is the key maximizing the velocity. Velocity you will give up is about 100fps compared to the 30-378. That is my 2 cents worth. If you are looking for a gun smith try Weaver rifles in Colorado. You can google him.