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• all or part of six elk areas of low elk population and only bull hunting was allowed in all or part of seven elk areas located north of Paradox, on the southeast side of the San Luis Valley, in the northeast part of South Park, along the Front Range in the Florissant and Pueblo area, south of Salida and north of Eagle. In 1974, the regular season started October 12 and ran through October 22 (11 days). This was the earliest the season had started since 1971. The early season drew many complaints from hunters who like to hunt in the snow that nor- mally occurs late in October. The harvest of 23,332 elk was the highest on record. A record (up to that time) number of hunters, 127,486, participated in the 1974 elk season. The high harvest generally reflects Colorado's elk population. An increase in nonresident hunting pressure was partially attri- buted to the cost of an elk license which was relatively lower than those of the other major elk-producing states. There were two pre-season hunts during 1974. Early seasons were estab- ~ished in units 201 and 40 to achieve a harvest which probably could not be achieved during the regular season. In 1975 there were pre-seasons in game management units 201 and 40 again. The regular season opened one day earlier than in 1974, October 11 through 21, for eleven days. While the elk harvest of 22,111 was the third highest ever attained in Colorado, the total number of elk licenses sold, 125,302, was a record high. The 1976 seasons were similar to those in 1975, with early seasons in units 201 and 40. Regular season preceded deer season, opening on October 16th for 11 days. The harvest of 23,035 elk by 114,448 hunters yielded a success ratio of 20 per cent. The 1976 regular elk season harvest was the second highest ever achieved in Colorado. The 1977 separate and combined elk season was the first year of this struc- ture. Hunters, with a free choice of hunting seasons, distributed themselves as was hoped with 71,600 participating in the separate season and 42,500 taking part in the combined season. The total elk harvest of 26,294 was a new state record with 25,085 or 95.4 per cent of the elk being taken in the separate and .combined seasons. The 1978 separate and combined elk season is explained on page 112 .